This year, I am virtually without income, as I am in the application process for disability. So, I am needing to go REALLY cheap, but still wanted to do nice things. Okay, some of them sound crazy, but they're actually pretty cool. I got the first nuggets of some of the ideas from the Homemade Beauty Remedies tribe.

I'm making rose milk bath, which is really amazing to the skin. (Did you know that Cleopatra bathed in asses milk?) It leaves your skin fresh and youthful, and radiantly healthy. I'm almost embarassed to tell you how easy it is to do! A month or more ago, I began gathering rose petals from our bushes and drying them. There may not be time to do this properly now, unless you have a food dehydrater. I bought pretty acrylic jars which can be painted, or simply have a nice ribbon tied at the neck. Needless to say, the jars were inexpensive. Then, all I do is mix dried rose petals with packaged powdered milk--that's it! I'm hoping that the rose petal touch will throw people off so they won't need to realise that it's just powdered milk. ; p But it really is good; I use it myself. Then, I just need to affix a pretty tag with explanations for use. (One to two cups milk bath to a tubful of hot water)

The other super cheap things are directly stolen from Homemade Beauty remedies, and they're great. The first is a coffee scrub for the face. (I do this nearly every day, and my skin always thanks me!) All I did was to dry my used coffee grounds (Organic, always ground fresh) for about two weeks. You have to make sure that they are thoroughly dry, of course. Then just put them into small, pretty jars, again with instructions for use. (One to two tablespoons on the palm of your hand. First rinse face in warm water, then apply coffee skin purifier with fingertips or washcloth, working in a circular motion. Apply liberally to face and neck, using a gentle scrubbing motion. This removes the dead skincells, revealing healthy, glowing skin, and the tannins in the coffee are good for the complexion.)

Along with the "Coffee Skin Purifier" goes a non-scratch kitchen scrubby sponge, which I've cut in the shape of a fish. This is a wonderful exfoliator, and some people have said that it works better than the expensive kits. Exfoliation is the number one aid to maintaining youthful skin. I keep my sponge in the shower, but where it will stay dry. It must be completely wrung out and kept dry between uses or it will mildew. I use it one my face and neck, at least, every time I shower, and sometimes a use it on my whole body, including my feet. Again, the sponge shouls be used in a gentle circular scrubbing motion. It's quite incredible the difference it makes to my skin. I just turned 44, and my skin probably looks thirty.

Anyway, these three items, in a basket, make a pretty good gift set, and cost next to nothing, provided you have pretty jars onhand ot can by them cheaply.