Mix Vaseline With Toothpaste, Here’s What Happens – Simple Hacks To Replace Expensive Beauty Products

joannashepherd | January 15, 2026 11:00 pm

We've all heard that beauty is pain, but no one ever warned me that beauty is also super expensive. The high-end products that work the best are often way out of the average gal's budget and often drugstore equivalents don't match up.

However, these are some simple hacks that can make cheaper products achieve an expensive effect.

Use VapoRub To Alleviate The Look Of Strech Marks

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BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Stretch marks, though commonly associated with pregnancy, naturally occur on the skin any time you gain weight or muscle.

Putting VapoRub, which contains eucalyptus and turpentine oil, on them regularly helps to lessen their appearance on the skin.

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Listerine Can Help Stop Armpit Sweat

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Close-up of bottle of Listerine Cool Mint brand mouthwash
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Photo Credit: Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
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Listerine contains thyme, eucalyptus, and alcohol, which all have antiseptic properties.

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To help control underarm sweat, apply a little bit of Listerine using a cotton pad to your clean and dry armpits.

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Declump Your Mascara With Eye Drops

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Photo Credit: Edward Wong / South China Morning Post via Getty Images // DEA / M. FERMARIELLO / De Agostini via Getty Images
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If your tube of mascara is getting a bit clumpy inside, you can help break it down into a smoother texture by simply putting some saline eye drops into the tube.

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Use Drugstore Lipsticks As Blush

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / Marek Studzinski
Photo Credit: Unsplash / Marek Studzinski
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Cream blush products are increasingly popular, but they often have a pretty hefty price tag.

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Instead, simply use a creamy drugstore lipstick in your desired color and gently apply it with your fingertips.

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Thicken Up Your Lashes With Baby Powder

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Photo Credit: Paul Gorgan / N-Photo Magazine / Future via Getty Images
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Want more voluminous lashes?

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Apply one coat of mascara to your lashes, then dust on some baby powder. Once it sets, simply add a second coat of mascara on top to create a thicker lash look.

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Heal Cracked Heels With This Concoction

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New Study Finds Risks With Plavix-Aspirin Combination
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To help with dry, cracked heels, grind aspirin into a powder and mix it into a bowl with lemon juice until it has the consistency of a paste. Apply the mixture to your heels using a cotton pad.

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Use gauze and a plastic bag to secure the cotton pads on your feet, and let them soak overnight. It will exfoliate dead skin cells and leave it softer and smoother.

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Use Duct Tape To Remove Warts

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Photo Credit: Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
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In order to remove a wart, put a small piece of duct tape on top of the wart, and leave it. Every three to six days, remove the duct tape and file the wart with a pumice stone, then soak your feet in a basin with warm water.

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After 10–12 hours of air exposure, put on a new piece of duct tape. Keep repeating until the wart is fully gone.

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Step Up Your Pencil Liners With A Lighter

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Photo Credit: Unsplash / K I L I A N
Photo Credit: Unsplash / K I L I A N
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If you want to make a cheaper drugstore pencil eyeliner, apply more like a gel liner, simply hold the tip over a lighter for 20–30 seconds until it softens, and then put it on. Just be careful to check the temperature before using it on your skin.

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Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Help Clean Your Nail Beds

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Photo Credit: Anjelika Gretskaia / REDA&CO / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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Nail fungus is a gross reality that has to be dealt with.

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If you fear infection or fungus near your nails, soak your fingers in a mixture of warm water and vinegar. In addition, this practice can help your nails to grow stronger and faster.

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Prevent Thigh Chafing With Baby Powder

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Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
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If you don't have thigh guards or can't afford them, apply baby powder to your upper inner thighs before heading out to avoid chafing and prevent rashes from developing while you're walking in the heat.

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...Baby Products Are Also Good For Care Afterwards

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Photo Credit: BSIP / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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If you do have the misfortune of getting a chafing rash on your thighs or anywhere you get a little too much friction, diaper rash cream is a soothing solution.

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Just rub it on and let it do its thing.

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Fix Broken Makeup Powders With Rubbing Alcohol

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If you have a blush, highlighter, or whatever that has broken, simply pour a half-teaspoon (or however much is needed to get the whole powder wet) of rubbing alcohol on it, flatten the powder into a puck, and even out the surface in the pan with the back of a spoon.

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Let it dry for 24 hours, and it will be perfectly good to use!

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Wet Your Eyeshadow Brush For More Pigmentation

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Photo Credit: Rosdiana Ciaravolo / Getty Images
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Professional makeup palettes can be really expensive, but their drugstore counterparts are often less pigmented when applied.

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To remedy this issue, simply wet your eyeshadow brush before using it to pick up product.

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Diaper Rash Cream Also Is Soothing On Sunburns

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While aloe vera gel is well known for its ability to soothe the pain and redness of a sunburn, diaper rash cream is also a helpful ointment to apply on burned skin.

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Get The Most Out Of A Drugstore Lash Curler

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Photo Credit: Amanda Cases / WireImage
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Naturally, an eyelash curler you purchase at the drugstore isn't as high quality as high-end ones.

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However, if you heat the curler by blowdrying it for a minute, your lashes will stay curled much longer. Just be careful to check the temperature before using it on your lashes.

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Sub In Baby Powder As Dry Shampoo

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Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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A cheaper alternative to canned dry shampoo is to use baby powder.

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Putting a little bit on the greasy parts of your hair and rubbing it in will leave it looking fresh and add a little volume as well!

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Help Heal Acne With A Dab Of Vaseline

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Vaseline
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Gado/Getty Images
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Vaseline works wonders of dry lips and skin, but it can also help heal acne by creating a barrier so moisture can't escape your skin.

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Rub a thin layer on top of your night moisturizer or acne remedy to make it work better.

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Create A Natural Lip Plumper For Less

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lipgloss + peppermint leaves
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Photo Credit: FlowerPhotos / Universal Images Group via Getty Images // Unsplash / Candice Pickard
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Lip plumping products are commonly in high-end beauty product lines, but they can be quite expensive for a small tube.

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Instead, put on a regular cheap lip gloss and then pat on some peppermint essential oil for a similar effect.

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Use A Little Powder To Help Lipstick Stay

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kleenex box + brush and powder compact
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Photo Credit: Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images // Unsplash / Laura Chouette
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High-end lipsticks are expensive, but drugstore equivalents often don't stay on well.

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To help your drugstore lipstick last a whole night, apply it to your lips and let it sit for a minute. Then place a tissue over your lips and lightly dust them with setting powder through it for a lip that lasts.

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Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Help Alleviate Visible Cellulite

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Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, no-name brand yellow label
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Photo Credit: Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Cellulite, while totally natural on our bodies, can cause major insecurity for some women.

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While cosmetic procedures to remove it are expensive, you can diminish its appearance by regularly massaging a 3-to-1 mixture of apple cider vinegar and vitamin E oil on the affected areas.