You may have seen “safe” forms of deodorant in healthy living shops. Often they come in the form of large crystals of Potassium Aluminium Sulphate, or Alum.

They have the advantage of being free of Aluminium Chlorohydrate, which has been implicated in ill health. Natural deodorant crystals are suitable for the most sensitive skin, are hypoallergenic and last a long time. Furthermore, they won’t stain your clothes or discolor your skin.

Beauty on a budget indeed — especially if you make them yourself.

You can grow these crystals quite easily with a little bit of knowledge. You will need :

* An small quantity of Alum from a local store or online at Pans Pantry.
* A glass jar.
* A clean stick.
* Warm water.
* Thread.
* Small, sharp stones, cleaned well.

Method
1. Pour enough warm water into the jar to cover the stones — but don’t put the stones in yet.

2. Add the Alum and stir well until it stops dissolving. A small residue will be left.

3. Add food coloring if desired.

4. Tie a small stone to the thread and the other end to the stick. Place the stick across the top of the jar so that the stone dangles in the liquid.

5. Put the jar in a warm place to aid evaporation.

The first crystals will appear in a few days. You can add more Alum to make them bigger.

The biggest crystals can be rubbed under arms as a “safe” home-made deodorant.

A survey by the UK College of Optometrists reveals the 92 percent of women are putting their health and appearance at risk by using old makeup.

It’s not generally known that makeup has a sell-by date in most advanced countries. For example :

* Mascara has an expiry date of 3–6 months.
* Liquid and cream foundations, concealer, cleanser, moisturiser, 6–8 months.
* Pressed, loose and compressed powders, eye shadow, blusher, lip gloss, lipstick, toner, 1 year.
* Eye and lip liner, 18 months.

The problem is that these products can be a “hot house” for bacteria which can cause infections when the makeup is applied. The bacteria builds up over time until it becomes dangerous to use. Mascara is a particular problem because the stick used to apply it can scratch the soft tissue surrounding the eye.

The worst offenders, says the study, are women in their 30s and early 40s.

Dr Susan Blakeney, optometric adviser to the college, said, “Mascara can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it’s not surprising we’ve found nearly half of women suffer from itchy, watery and red eyes when they are holding onto their eye makeup for so long and sharing it among their friends.”

Now this really is beauty on a budget. Dr Fredric Brandt — the Botox man — says that just by eliminating sugar from your diet, you can look ten years younger in ten days.

And it isn’t just by losing weight : “In a nutshell, sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, both key skin proteins. In other words, it actively ages you,” he claims.

In a new book, 10 Minutes/Ten Years: Your Definitive Guide to a Better and Youthful Appearance, Brandt says he saw a remarkable change in his own skin when he dropped sugar from his diet. He lost 20lb in weight, but also gained a new “glow, radiance and elasticity” in his face. Within a year, his body had changed as well.

“I’m really lean and have the body of a teenager, although I’m in my 40s … Believe me, it’s cheaper than a facelift.”

He continues, “The sugar triggers a process in the body called glycation. This is where the sugar molecules bind to your protein fibres — those wonderfully springy and resilient collagen and elastin fibres — which are the building blocks of skin.”

However, just by overheating starchy foods or grilling them, the sugar content mutates producing Advanced Glycation End products, AGEs, which do immense harm to the skin.

This is quite a complex book, so if you’re really interested in its message, we suggest you read it in detail.

Beauty products can be very expensive, especially if you buy the top brands or are enticed by celebrity chit-chat or product placement. The more a product is advertised, the more you’ll pay is a general rule of thumb.

So what’s the cheapest hair spray that works?

First buy yourself a reusable spray device. These are generally available in most DIY or general stores. If not, try the gardening department.

Here’s the recipe for an inexpensive hair spray :

Choose a lemon for normal hair or an orange for dry hair. Put the whole fruit in a saucepan with two cups water.

Boil until half the water remains. Cool, strain, and place in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator. If it’s too sticky, add more water. Add one ounce rubbing alcohol as a preservative and then the spray can be stored for up to two weeks unrefrigerated.