We may be going through a global financial crisis right now but that doesn't mean your beauty regime has to suffer. You don't need to splash out on loads of different products and feel guilty about it afterwards- you'll find that even the most basic of beauty products have more than one purpose, so let's start unlocking their true potential! I'm talking about make-up bag staples here, so there's no need to buy anything new either. What are you waiting for? Read on to learn and trick or two and save money!

Eye shadow is probably the most versatile item you own. Not only is it fab for drawing attention to your eyes, it can also be used to fill in pale or overly plucked eyebrows. Find a shade that best matches your natural eyebrow colour and apply lightly with a small brush. Hold in place with a touch of Vaseline (more on that later!) or clear mascara. You can also use eye shadow as an eye liner- liquid and kohl versions can come across as somewhat harsh sometimes so it's great to be able to add as much or as little as you want with your eye shadow. Again, use a small brush and dip it in water for easier application. The best part of doubling up your eye shadow as eye liner is that you'll have loads of colours at your disposal! If you have loose shadows, mix a couple together to create unique shades. Fellow powdered formulations blusher and bronzer will work wonders in adding a bit of colour to not only your cheeks, but to your chest and shoulders too. Ran out of blusher? Fear not- using lipstick as a cream blusher will achieve a fantastic dewy finish. Beware of anything with glitter though! I'm thinking ethereal prettiness, not fairy princess. The same goes for glosses- this really won't do your skin any favours, plus who wants sticky cheeks anyway?! Again, for your own personal shade, mix a couple of colours together.

Ok, back to Vaseline- this really is a do-all wonder product. As well as holding eyebrows in place, it can be used on eyelashes for a low-maintenance daytime look or to condition them at night. It can also be used on cracked lips, or to simply add some shine. It's the perfect solution if you want to look polished but hate heavy lipstick and sticky lip gloss. Vaseline can even be spread across your d閏olletage for a subtle sheen! More practically, it can soothe dry skin and soften cuticles. You might be interested to know that Vaseline's premium brand equivalent is the cult classic Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden. This does more or less the same as Vaseline but is more specialised as it can be used to relieve irritated skin (e.g. post-shaving) and as an in-flight moisturiser (Vaseline is a little heavy for facial skin). As this is all about credit-crunch busting though, I recommend that you stick to the cheap and cheerful Vaseline for now!