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Beauty & Budget · September 09, 2021 edition

Two Ways to Look Good for Less

From the Genius House Hacks archive.

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Sometimes looking good is expensive, but there are ways to save big money even in this department if you know a few tricks.

Pretty up your skin for pennies

There's an old saying that you pay for packaging, and that's the truth — you can save dollars if you just use a little common sense when buying everyday products. A drugstore's first-aid aisle may hold your key to perfect skin: witch hazel. It's the main ingredient in many pricey facial toners in the beauty section, but you can also find it sold among the health products for as little as $2.

Whiter teeth for less money

Professional teeth whitening isn't cheap, and even the home whitening kits are a bit of a splurge. Just wet your toothbrush and dip it into a box of baking soda, then brush your teeth and rinse. Repeat regularly and you'll have whiter teeth at a price that won't make you feel guilty. When mixed with water, baking soda creates a thick paste that's perfect for scrubbing away stains on your teeth, and because it's applied with a toothbrush, it even does a good job reaching the stains that form between your teeth — something most whitening kits can't do.

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