Budget Beauty: 10 under P500 minty finds for your skin and hair
Aside from being widely used in the kitchen, mint has many beauty uses and benefits as well. It is considered as a natural skin cleanser that soothes the skin with the cooling sensation it leaves. And like strawberries, it contains naturally-occurring salicylic acid that allows it to aid against skin inflammation and acne. It also helps brighten up skin and make hair shiny! While it's no surprise that mint is a popular addition to many bath items, it's great to know that there many other minty beauty picks for less than P500!
UK brand Tesco has a good line of bath items at affordable price points so if you’re looking for something a little minty and herbal in scent, the Tesco Tea Tree and Mint Revitalising Shampoo (P99.75, SM Supermarkets) would be your best bet. This huge bottle contains 500 mL of mint green goodness that does more than just make your hair feel clean. It’s also infused with vitamins to keep your hair soft and healthy. You can also grab its partner conditioner for P109.75!
If you love cute and creatively-packaged cosmetics, this Icy Pop in Kiwi Lime Mint from Essensu (P95, Essensu kiosks) will be a great addition to your collection. This hand-made soap looks, smells and feels good on my skin!
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A failure to properly read the label is actually what got me to try Rucy’s Vanity Women Cleansing Gel in Mint (P110, rucysvanityph.com). I was in search of a good cleansing gel when I picked up this prettily-designed tube, only to realize when I got home that it wasn’t meant to be used on my face. It proved to be a good discovery because it isn't as harsh on the skin as drugstore feminine washes. The scent is subtle and the cleansing power is gentle but effective.
For something that blatantly calls itself “dirty,” Lush’s Dirty Spring Wash Shower Gel (P495, Lush stores) saves you from feeling icky and unclean. This shower gel is a must-have for any mint-scent lover, as it contains spearmint and menthol crystals that gently exfoliate the skin. It leaves a tingly, refreshing sensation that makes showering post-workout feel like a real treat!
If your heels are cracked and dry, foot scrubs help you slough off the dead skin after a good soak. Tupperware does not only house affordable yet kit-worthy cosmetics, they have good skincare products under their radar, too. The Profeet Footscrub in Peppermint (P139, Tupperware dealers) is god-send for the heels that need exfoliation. Although it smells a lot like toothpaste, it’s actually quite cooling and relaxing to the feet. Apply it all the way up to your knees after a long day to help you unwind!
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Don't let the name keep you from trying this one out. The Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam in Spearmint for Men (P265, The Face Shop) is a minty facial wash that works best for those who have oily skin. It has a faint herb scent that makes it unisex-friendly, and leaves a cooling and soothing sensation on the skin that I find addicting. Plus, it doesn’t leave the face dry even if it offers a deep cleanse.
Before sheet masks dominated the scene, the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (P395, Healthy Options) was one of the most popular picks for home masking because it smells minty-awesome and just works so well! If you find your skin feeling dull and on the verge of another big breakout, slather this on your face for a good few minutes and wash it off. Because it’s mint-powered, it not only brightens the face but also helps stop those nasty pimples in their tracks.
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Whether you had to pull an all-nighter or you just cried over a new heart-wrenching film, chances are you’ve found yourself waking up with puffy and/or swollen eyes at least once. While aegyo-sal is a running Korean trend, sporting big eye bags isn’t something everyone can pull off. Etude House’s Eye’s Cream Mint Cooling Stick (P428) helps soothe your puffy and dark eye area with a cooling sensation that instantly perks you and your face up. You don't even have to wait for eyebags to use this; just swipe it on whenever you need to look and feel wide-awake and refreshed!
The Bench fashion empire may not be an obvious choice for beauty shopping but it has long been one of those unlikely places to check for beauty finds. One such find is their Alcogel Love Yourself Mint Liquid Hand Soap (P129, Bench). You don't want to be touching your face with dirty hands so grab this huge bottle to keep your paws smelling minty and feeling squeaky clean.
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Here's another addition to our SPF-powered lip balms list! Supergoop’s Mint Fusion Lip Balm SPF30 (P436, Sephora.ph) protects your lips from the sun's damaging UV rays and moisturizes them with a generous dose of shea butter as well. The mint infusion is a nice addition for when your lips feel particularly chapped.
Do you love the refreshing smell and tingly-clean sensation of mint? What are your favorite minty picks?
