I don't have many tricks up my sleeve, but of the ones I do, I thought to share. :)
// face wash as brush cleaner
Back in the day, I used to shell out $$ to buy MAC's brush cleanser, which was a very thin liquid that subsequently could be used up very, very quickly. Everyone knows Purity wash is my holy grail for the face, and I've been using it to also cleanse my makeup brushes for a couple of years now. It's thicker consistency works it's magic on clearing out my Sigma foundation brushes back to their former glory, and it lasts a whole lot longer.
// lanolin for dry lips
Now I'm not going to say I haven't spent $15 on some pretty ridiculous things, but Dr. Lipp's Lip Balm for chapped lips isn't one of them. If you do some research, you'll find that it's 100% lanolin. Ya know...the same stuff you can find for nursing mothers in the baby aisle of any grocery store. So ladies, save half your money and buy over three times the product while you pick up some milk and eggs. I got mine at Target. Yes, it's not a travel friendly, cute tube of lanolin like Dr. Lipp's, but I only put this stuff on in the morning while getting ready and right before bed. I'm good to go every time in between. And I guess it goes without saying that this stuff works like a dream.
// atomizers & perfume rollers as a cheaper fragrance alternative
I absolutely love Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb. I love the packaging. I love the fragrance. I loathe the price tag. It's a shame something so nice has to be forfeited because of that, so instead I purchase a $35 roller ball, a $5 atomizer, and decant the sucker for a win-win situation. I know many already know this trick, and some even ask me why not just use the roller ball. It's silly, but I prefer a even spray of fragrance over rolling. I told you..silly.
And there you have it! Y'all have any nifty tips and tricks I could find useful? Let me know!
