A couple of weeks ago, something terrible happened… Something that was terrifying me for the first few days to the extent I couldn’t stop crying whenever I looked at myself in the mirror.
I had my eyebrows done. They call it ‘powder eyebrows’, but the way it was done, it should have been referred to as ‘making your eyebrows visible from the outer space’. The colour was bad, but that wasn’t the biggest problem (besides, the colour has now faded a lot). The biggest problem was… well, the size of those eyebrows, as they are now occupying about one-third of my face. For the first three days, I looked like an ‘Angry Birds’ character, which, later in the week, as the upper layer of the black pigment dissipated, transformed into me looking like a transvestite. (Note: I have absolutely no problems with transvestites and support every person’s right to choose their gender; it’s just I have been a woman my entire life and would prefer to stay like that forever)
There are only two officially recommended ways to remove those crappy eyebrows – saline treatment or laser. Both told me that I need to wait for 8 weeks before I can get my face back. I’m sorry, but this just doesn’t work for me. At work, I’m paid to go and fix problems, not wait for them to dissipate.
So, after I gave up reading sources in English that are apparently written out of fear of being sued, I moved on to exploring eyebrow removal ideas that Russian speakers have shared online. A brave new world for those who won’t just sit and wait!
This made me think how many cheap everyday items my Soviet parents and I always took for granted actually still hold – and can save you a few quid! Here are 5 cheap lifestyle products that I swear by, mostly because I have been using them since I was a kid.
Disclaimer: the Amazon links in this article are not affiliate ones, these are just to give you examples of how those products can look like. They are such a wonderful value for money that I couldn’t be bothered doing affiliate marketing:)
Helps to remove that revolting eyebrow pigment (slowly, but steadily, and at least it’s keeping my anxiety at bay).
Promotes hair growth, so will hopefully help my natural eyebrows stay put.
For the gentlemen who are worried about early hair loss, this is your cue to start rubbing it into the receding hairline daily.
Some people claim it’s also a great natural laxative, however, I advise you NOT to try that unless you are absolutely sure. It must be diluted in water, and chances are, you will get the dosage wrong.
Other than that, use it if your jacket zipper tends to get stuck, put it on your wellies (unless they are light in colour, then don’t do it) to make them last longer – or rub it into that annoying residue glue bit to finally dissolve it!
The go-to medicine for food poisoning.
Your lifesaver when you are hungover. (If you’re planning to booze like crazy, just take a couple of tablets or capsules an hour before, and you’ll be fine tomorrow)
If you manage to get tablets or powder (not capsules), this is a fantastic natural teeth-whitener (a few sessions 3-4 days apart will be required).
Thanks to its absorbing qualities, you can also use it to remove unpleasant odour from your sports shoes, reduce humidity at home during the winter months or protect the roots of your potted plants from rotting.
My British partner was sceptical at first when I offered him activated charcoal as a stomach-ache treatment. Now, he could probably run an advertising campaign for it.
The one.
The only.
Can be a drink.
If you add some cucumbers and greens in it, it’s a soup – and a very filling one!
If you put it on your face or hair, it’s a fantastic nutrient mask (just don’t keep it longer than 10 minutes).
If you got a sunburn, this is your go-to soothing cream.
And speaking of laxatives – this is the one that works, and no matter how much or how little of it you have, you will always get the dosage right!
There’s a joke among the former Soviet Union people that our parents’ households probably still have a pack of baking soda that was produced in the Soviet Union times.
The name suggests you use it for baking, which is perfectly legit.
However, it’s not the only thing it can do.
It’s a perfect cleaning agent for grease removal and any other stubborn stains.
If you put a plateful in your fridge overnight, you can forget about the smell in that fridge for the foreseeable future. Works for smelly shoes, too!
Use it in conjunction with vinegar for drain cleaning.
If you like Lush bath bombs but the price tag makes you cry, get some castor oil and a couple of other things – and make your own!
And after you do all of that, you will still have a half-full pack of soda that your kids can inherit.
OK, this one is a bit tricky as the majority of Kvasses you can buy online or in an Eastern European shop are carbonated and can only be used as a drink. However, if you can get your hands on a natural one with no carbonates (this one looks legit, although I haven’t checked it yet), you are in luck!
That’s your best option for getting a clear head and a fresh mind during the heatwave.
That’s your new hair conditioner if you are after a natural gloss.
That’s the perfect limescale remover for your kettle (works like a charm!)
And yes, given it’s a fermented drink, it helps with the digestion.
What are your favourite cheap lifehacks that save you tons of money? Every little helps, so share them in the comments!
Minsk to Mist 
Leave a comment