Frugal Tip #1 - Mascara

I like to wear some makeup even if I know I am going to be home for the day.  I always purchase a good quality foundation, usually from Merle Norman.  It lasts close to 6 months and for $20 that is a good deal in my mind.  I buy name brand mascara and eye liner from Walmart.  The rest - eye shadow, blush, lip gloss/stick I purchase on the cheap from the dollar store.  I have never had a problem with allergies and I have always been satisfied. 

No matter what brand of mascara I buy, after about 2 weeks, it always seems to glop and it is hard to apply to my lashes. I am sure it is the result of air getting into the tube as I push the mascara brush down each time I use it.

I like to put on one coat of mascara and not several coats of thick mascara on my lashes.  At my age (51), less is definitely more.  This morning I tried a tip that I had read about a long time ago.  Before I got in the shower I took my tube of mascara and set it in a cup of very hot tap water and let it sit in that water until I was done with my shower and had dried my hair.  I didn't cover the tube with the hot water but only let the water come up to the lid of the mascara.

When I went to apply the mascara it was warm, melted and perfect for applying to my lashes.  It gave me a nice smooth coat, no glops and I was very happy with the result.

Now, I don't recommend keeping makeup for a long time as it is not sanitary, but I do expect mascara not to get gloppy after only 2 weeks.  Mascara usually runs around $5.00 without a coupon and most of the time I have at least a 50 cent or $1.00 coupon to use.   I am sure that I will be able to get at extra month's worth of mascara, without the glops, from doing this simple tip. 

Hmmm - maybe I should invent a mascara warmer and sell it on the internet.