Want to look fabulous without a side serving of debt? Easy!

by Kelly Barriball

 

Kelly Barriball is the latest addition to the team of smart, savvy, inspiring women who write for Beauty Bible. Read more from her here

My mother is quite the extraordinary woman. She taught me the value of hard work without even realising it. She left my father after 25 years of marriage and showed me what it meant to be fiercely independent. As she settled into her new life as a single mother; a father; a friend; a role model; a mentor, I acclimatised to the fact that I could no longer have everything I ever wanted.

And this meant, that at 14, I started my first real job - rolling ice-creams at Iona Diary in New Plymouth, known to the locals as "that place that rolls massive ice-creams for like, $1”. With cash in my eager little hands (and an enlarged right bicep thanks to selling 200 + ice-creams a day), I quickly learnt the sweet smell of success. And I also discovered what satisfaction (with your clothes on) felt like when I bought my very own Maybelline Great Lash mascara with my very own money.

As I aged and grew, so did my taste and my style. Maybelline quickly progressed to Revlon, which moved onwards and upwards to Dior.

My skincare regime moved from the now defunct Ponds, to Nivea then L'Oreal, leaped forward to Dermalogica and then I became hooked on La Prairie.

I had developed what my mother describes as a ‘champagne lifestyle on a beer budget’. And she was right. I was at uni in Wellington: studying 30 hours a week, working 30 hours a week, eating out every second day (Chow on Tory is my all time fave; Epic two for one breakfasts, Fidels’ big breakfasts and Hummingbird tapas are all worth mentioning as well, yum! My mouth is watering) and shopping my way through my overdraft and wages.

But I didn’t care. I had a bevy of products that kept my skin fresh, clean, sparkling and smooth. I had no responsibilities other than making rent on time, and would rather have eaten dry toast for a month so I could drool over the latest by La Prairie.

It wasn’t until a couple of years ago after finding myself in a black hole of debt that I couldn’t climb out of that I realised I had to live within my means.  (And by “realised” I mean was forced to).

I learnt something during that time. If packaging and prestige are your thing, then yes, elite, expensive make up and skincare is for you – if you can afford it. But it’s not the end of the world if you have to sacrifice a $90.00 moisturiser for a $20.00 one (like the Aveeno Ultra-calming range) As long as you stick to a regular routine, drink lots of water, get lots of sleep, exercise and all that jazz that beauty editors tell us incessantly, your skin won't look all that different. And I got to play with bargain buys that really have changed my life!

Johnson's Holiday Skin
Johnson's Holiday Skin allows you to gradually build a beautiful, natural & even tan. And for only $7.95, who can say no? I great product that actaully works, for a great price! get it from your supermarket, or online at this fabulous website

My number one all time favourite beauty product? Lucas Pawpaw Ointment.
Perfect as a lip-gloss; smoothes out rough skin; mix it with eye shadow as a quick and easy blush…the options are endless. Ahhh pawpaw, you have won my heart.

Beauty Bible ain't in this business for nothing - we KNOW hundreds of beauty tips that are kind on your wallet without lacking any of that 'fabulous factor' - check out our favorite low budget beauty tips

A few other products that come with the Beauty Bible seal of approval and won't break the bank:

Andrew Collinge Protect and Shine Glossing Spray RRP:$14.99.

It helps calm frizz, fly-aways (awesome) and tame frayed ends (perfect when you are trying to make your cut last a little longer) and makes your hair look sleek, shiny, and new. The best bit is that is great for using between washes to revive your style - oh and the super-cheap price tag.

Benpanthen Ointment
Yes, this product is designed to deal with nappy rash, but hear me out. When I had my brows done with permanent makeup a few weeks back this cream was given to me as an aftercare product to take care of the skin that had had the pigment added to it.

I was also told that it makes a great multi-purpose cream for dry lips, elbows, cuts, scrapes, bites, brow-grooming, ingrown hairs and a multitude of other beauty uses. I was sceptical, but almost immediately this cream became a handbag staple and I find myself using it several times a day and recommending the hell out of it to anyone who will listen. GET IT HERE

It makes a FABULOUS, nourishing lip gloss.
It is $9.95 for a tube that will last for ages, and you can get it from your local pharmacy or purchase it online at Pharmacy Direct.

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express mascara RRP: $22.99.

It claims to pump your lashes to nine times their original volume. We like it because it produces nice, fat lashes and does not run at all.The brush is a new design and delivers a lot of product, fast - hence the name, Express.

L’Oreal Excell 10

Permanent hair colour that develops in 10 minutes? Yes it actually exists and gets great results too!  is the latest in home hair colouring technology. Great for busy women too – as one beauty editor Mum told me last week “I had a house full of hyper-active children and I still managed to nip away to the bathroom to colour my hair”


Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse
Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse creates an amazing airbrushed finish - and you will not find a foundation that is easier to apply - it literally seems to melt in to your skin, leaving it looking totally flawless - I like to use my (very clean) fingers to apply this one. Very little blending is required, it stays put all day, and the lightweight texture will surprise you given the amount of coverage you get from it.
I could gush on and on about it, but the simple fact is, THIS PRODUCT ROCKS and rivals most other foundations currently on the market. Those with oily skin should proceed with caution, but it is fine for all other skin-types. RRP:$34.49

---

BIO: Kelly Barriball is a lover not a fighter. She is a daydream believer. She loves to write. She talks in cryptic. Creativity is her passion. Beauty is her obsession. She doesn’t leave the house without mascara, blusher and sweet shoes. She loves the smell of rain almost as much as she loves staring at her unopened beauty products (packaging is just as important as practicality). She is also part of the ‘I’m 25 and single club’ which she is surprisingly happy about right now.  She lives a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget and would rather eat white rice for a week so she can have the latest on her wish-list.