Little Luxuries- Affordable Beauty Treats $13 and Under

                                                           You don't have to spend a lot to get spa-worthy treatments in your very own home. Surprisingly, there are some little known beauty treasures at a drugstore near you that are available for less than you would expect.

Here are some of my little beauty luxuries:

1. Johnson's Baby Oil Gel- With skin oils being all the rage nowadays, little attention is paid to this very effective classic, now available in a less messy gel formula. Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Skin Oil (as fabulous as it is) is more than ten times the price!  Johnson's Baby Oil Gel comes in a Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter formula, Aloe Vera formula, and Original formula. It also makes my skin extremely soft in a way moisturizer never quite does (especially with all the fragrance they put in body moisturizer now), one bottle lasts for months, and it smells wonderful. Take a bath with Johnson's Bedtime Bath, wash with SoftSoap Nutri Serums using the Bath and Body Works Back Brush, then moisturize your skin with Johnsons's Baby Oil Gel (a little goes a long way) when you get out of the shower, and your skin will feel like you had a special all over body spa treatment. With Johnson's Baby Oil priced around $3, you never have to feel guilty about using as much as you need to make your skin fabulously soft.

2. SoftSoap Nutri Serums- Like a facial serum for your body, this body wash is around $4 a bottle, and is well worth the price. (See my post, Why are those purple and yellow beads floating in my bodywash?)

3. Olive Oil Replenishing Hair Treatment- Found in the ethnic hair section, this mask will leave your dry, damaged, hair marvelously hydrated. Sit under a shower cap, relax in the tub for fifteen minutes, and remember to shampoo very well when you are done. At under $5, this set of three hair treatments is a steal.

4. Johnson's Baby Bedtime Bath- This softening, lavender smelling, bubble bath is comparable to the L'Occitane Lavender Harvest Foaming Bath, and is much, much, less expensive. It is the perfect way to relax after a long day. With the $4 price tag, you can have a soothing lavender bath every night.

5. Bath and Body Works Back Brush- Everyone needs a brush like this, and not just for your back. This scrubbing brush gets the blood circulating and exfoliates dead skin cells so that your skin will be super soft. Give your body the attention your face takes for granted. $5 at Bath and Body Works.

6. Ulta Conditioners- Don't think that just because this is just a store brand that it is not worth noticing. Ulta brand conditoners are comparable to salon brands and cost much less. The Ultimate Smoot and Ultimate Moisture conditioners will leave your hair soft and smooth. These conditioners sell for around $4 and are often available for Ulta as buy two get one free.

7. Neutrogena MicroMist Self-Tanning Spray in Deep- I have tried lots of self-tanners, and this one remains my favorite. You can spray your back and all over your body like crazy, and it is almost impossible to mess up or cause streaks. The color is believable, the formula is quick drying, and  it won't irritate your skin. Even though the color is listed as Deep, I find it to be more in the medium range. It takes about two+ uses to be get what I think would be considered a "Deep" color. Even so, this is the perfect color for light/medium skin. MicroMist can be used to create a self-tan or enhance an existing tan. Use it before a night out to get a believable tan glow. $13 or less at most drugstores.

8. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask (picture above left)- An oldie but a goodie. This mask is often stuck at the very bottom of drugstore shelves, but it is a gem worth noticing. A minty-fresh mask to clean out pores that is perfect for  oily/acne prone skin. It is loaded with Sulfur, my very favorite acne fighter that is non-irritating to sensitive skin. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask can be used as a mask or overnight as an acne treatment. Pro-Activs, Murad, and more use sulfur in their acne masks that cost much more money. Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask is only $4.  Warning: This mask will make you look and smell like a minty Wicked Witch of the West, so make sure to warn your significant other before use.

9. Wet n' Wild Eyeshadow, Lipgloss and Eye/Brow Liners- This inexpensive line of products is perfect to check out when there is an eyeshadow/lip/eye color you are not quite sure about. At under $3 a pop for almost everything, you can treat yourself every time you go to the drugstore. The Eye/Brow Liner in Taupe is what I use on my eyebrows every day. It is half the price as other drugstore brow enhancers, and lasts twice as long. They also have some amazingly great lip gloss colors that are very inexpensive. I love the Mega Slicks Lip Gloss in Bronze Berry. It is the perfect bronze/pink lip gloss.

10.  C. Booth Bath and Body Cleanser- As softening and wonderful as Kiehl's Liquid Body Cleanser (it even looks like it), and half the price. It can be used as both a cleanser and a bubble bath. Mix it with Johnson's Night Time Bath, or your SoftSoap Nutri Serums for an extra luxurious skin treat. $8 at drugstores and online.

You can get a lot for only spending a little with these little luxuries. I will post a follow up to this list in the Spring/Summer, so keep your eyes open. If you know of any additional beauty steals, send me a message so that they can be included in my upcoming post.