Back to basics. Tales of an uber-consumer.

It's funny that the older I get the more I get interested in getting back to the basics.

Instead of constantly looking for stuff to do, I now crave peace and quiet and a day spent sitting in the sunshine reading a book sounds like a perfect day indeed to me.

Same goes for my skincare routine as well. In my 20s I was lucky to have a sister who was a cosmetics consultant and scored a lot of free swag, of which I'd apply religiously, and usually all at once (and I wonder why I suffer from adult acne now).

Sadly those days are gone and I am loath to spend hundreds of dollars (nor can I afford to) on the latest and greatest anti-ageing stuff.

The internet is awesome as you can look up anything and read reviews before you spend a cent on the new and improved whatever that probably does as much good in reality as slapping on sunscreen. It's been through the internet that I've discovered two of my greatest secrets that I am utterly and completely obsessed with.

The first one is Rosehip Oil. This came about as I realised I was 'of an age' where a serum was pretty much a total must unless I wanted to resemble a wrinkled prune lady in a few short years or less. Any decent serum seems to carry an equally hefty price tag, of which I simply couldn't see my way to paying. I then heard about Rosehip Oil. I had concerns that it may make my face too oily and clog my already clogged-up-enough pores and exacerbate my adult acne, but for the price I thought I'd give it a whirl anyway.

And I'm really glad I did! Anyone who's put this under a night cream can attest at just how amazing your skin feels. And because it is gentle, it doubles as an eye cream and I swear has also made a difference to the dark circles I've had under my eyes since like forever.

It doesn't work too well during the day as makeup likes to just slip off it, but it's become my total 'must' at night before I go to bed. Love it. Love it.

And whilst I might be of a 'certain age', I am still fighting the good fight on those crows feet and it seems to plump out my between-the-eyebrows angry girl furrows that piss me off so much. Not quite Botox in a bottle, but for the price, I'll take it.

Although clearly this is catching on because the price over just a few years has increased from a mere $7.95 to lucky-if-you-find-it-for-under-$20. Bastards.

My second find is one I only stumbled onto a few months ago and that is Epsom Salts. Apparently this has been known for centuries as basically your everyday miracle remedy for just about anything, but ignorant old me only just found out about it.

Readily available at my local supermarket, it's not really a salt, but Magnesium Sulfate. Apparently most of the population is magnesium deficient (who knew) and by soaking in this stuff you absorb it through your skin and it claims to do the following:

• Detox your body
• Soothe your aches and pains
• Helps you sleep well
• Relaxes your nervous system
• Helps you absorb calcium and nutrients more readily

To be honest, I didn't care about any of that so much as I just wanted soft skin. So when I heard it was an excellent exfoliant, I was sold (baby's bottom elbows, anyone? I swear!).

What I didn't realise, though, was how much it helps your stress levels, reduces tension headaches, and generally makes you feel like a million bucks. Apparently this is because it helps raise your seratonin levels, which let's face it, I need all the help I can get. And it seriously makes your care-factor zero, which may or may not be a good thing.

And you can pretty much use it for anything. Mix it with cleanser, rub it straight on your body, pumice your feet, even remove the buildup from your hair. I also mix it with honey once a week do a deep cleanse and it is DIVINE.

Apparently you can stop slugs, make your garden grow and remove splinters but my care factor about that is pretty much zero. I'm all about the skin here.

So for visitors wondering what the jar of honey is doing alongside my shampoo - there's your answer.

So getting off my soapbox and back on point, it's really exciting discovering some of these 'old wives' remedies that have not only stood the test of time, but are even better than the latest technology. I've had heaps of people thinking I've just been to the beautician as my skin just looks so much brighter and a whole lot less angry.

That's not to say I'll discontinue my practice of being an over-eager consumer any time soon or stop worshipping at the altar of Ebay, mind you. And I've searched everywhere but have still never found a natural, cheap alternative to replace my beloved Benefit Benetint Lip and Cheek Stain. Until that happens, the economy is safe(ish). At least from me.

xx