You know you are a college student when your dinners consist of microwavable mac and cheese, or you Febreeze your clothing to extend its wear, while you look for quarters to do laundry (don’t lie, we have all done this at least once!) Coming into college, people do not initially realize the reality of having a budget and saving money any way you possibly can. Whether it is using coupons, looking for the sales and clearance section at the store, or even using cheap, alternatives (like fixing anything with duct tape and superglue before buying a replacement), everyone can agree that the cheaper, the better. Which leads me to how awesome DIY hacks are. DIY, stands for do-it-yourself, and they are guides that instruct you on how to make something instead of buying it, or what I like to call “easy substitutes for things I can’t afford.” DIYs are specially handy when it comes to beauty products because they are way cheaper, and sometimes more natural options for when you don’t have enough money to buy another MAC lipstick or that fancy, imported (from who knows where sea) mud mask. These are some of my favorite DIY tips, and while they are great alternatives, they are not exact replacements and are best for temporary use while you scavenge your room for loose cash or wait for your parent’s to send you money.

• DIY teeth whitener:

Teeth whitening kits can be very expensive, and a lot of times are uncomfortable, specially for sensitive teeth. Teeth whitening is not recommended for regular use, but when you have a career fair to go to and want a winning, give-me-an-internship-please smile there are two very easy, and quick alternatives. All you have to do is go to the kitchen and grab a strawberry, and baking soda, or just use a banana peel. For the first recipe, mash a strawberry into a paste and add half a tablespoon of baking soda. Then, apply this to your teeth with a toothbrush, let it sit for three to five minutes, rinse, and brush your teeth like normal. The acidity in the strawberry helps to gently breakdown stains, while the baking soda helps to scrub the stains away. For an even easier remedy, just rub a banana peel on your teeth and then brush your teeth. The peel has a lot of minerals that help breakdown and whiten stains.

• DIY lip hacks:

Next, is this two-step lip hack to create soft, and moisturized lips. The trend for lips nowadays is plump lips with a matte lip color, but not everyone is blessed with a perfectly, smooth canvas leading to lip scrubs being sold at stores. However, making a lip scrub is way more affordable and only requires two ingredients: honey and sugar. Just mix equal parts of honey and sugar till you have a paste, and apply to the lips, rubbing in a circular motion till you achieve soft lips. Do not rub too hard and do not use this hack if your lips are extremely chapped. If they are, you can make a natural lip balm with coconut oil and olive oil. Just microwave a bit of coconut oil till it is in a liquid consistency, put it in a small container, add a few drops of olive oil for extra moisture, and let it cool till it is solid and ready to use. You can add tint to the lip balm too by putting a small chunk of lipstick with the coconut oil before melting it. And if you are a fan of the eos lip balm shape, you can watch this tutorial on how to make a tinted eos lip balm.

• DIY face powders:

This is by far the easiest, quick hack for when you run out of face powders since it only requires a spice from the kitchen cabinet (or more if you want to customize the color). Contouring has gained a lot of popularity, and with the summer coming up, a lot of people are looking to achieve a bronzed, chiseled face. You can achieve this look without going to Ulta or Sephora, by making your own bronzer with cocoa powder or cinnamon or even nutmeg. All you have to do is choose one spice based on the color you want, or make your own by mixing the different ingredients and then apply the mix using a powder brush to the areas you want to contour or bronze up. And if the bronzed look isn’t your thing, you can also use cornstarch as a setting powder, and by mixing it with some of the previously named spices you can also attain a face powder that matches your skin tone!

• DIY makeup remover

Finally, those makeup wipes can have a hefty price, and they also contain chemicals that might not be the best for your skin. However, you can use olive oil on a cotton pad to remove your makeup while moisturizing and nourishing your skin.

I have learned a lot of these DIYs out of necessity or just from being a cheap, college student, but they have been very helpful and effective. However, I have also had some of them break me out or not work at all. However, they are cheap, so you don’t waste large amounts of money when compared to buying a product that does not work for you; and, you know exactly what is being used, so even if you break out, you know exactly what caused it. It is nice to know exactly what is being put on your skin, instead of using products with ingredients you can’t even pronounce. It is all about trying different guides, and there are tons of DIY makeup, face and hair care to choose from and finding what works for you.