Makeup and hair pros share 55 unexpected beauty hacks
It seems like if you’ve seen one beauty hack, you’ve seen them all, but we’ve collected some unique ways of keeping your hair, skin, nails, and beauty tools in great shape using some unexpected tricks and items from around your house.
And if you’re looking for the ultimate beauty hack, make sure you give #35 a try!
1. Use rice water to tighten skin
There’s no reason to invest in cosmetic rice water if you’re a rice lover. Simply add some extra water next time you’re cooking and siphon it off to dab on your face later for smoother, brighter skin and tighter pores.
2. Use castor oil for lush brows and lashes
Can’t afford Latisse or other expensive growth serums? Grab a bottle of castor oil and a clean mascara wand and apply a bit each night to help regrow hair and make it last longer.
3. Get glittered
Speaking of glitter polish, applying it can be just as challenging as removing it. In order to get full coverage, apply the polish to a sponge and then dab it on your nails.
4. Keep your beauty blender clean
Use a plastic Easter egg to store your blenders in between uses. This will keep them from sitting on counters collecting germs and drying out.
5. Cover greys with a mascara wand
You don’t have to head to the salon or break out the box dye every time you spot a few greys. A mascara wand and some mascara or brow gel (depending on your hair color) can provide and easy, temporary fix.
6. Whiten your teeth with strawberries
Strawberries are high in malic acid, which can help eliminate yellow stains on teeth. Simply rubbing a strawberry across your teeth will do the job, or else you can make a toothpaste of mashed strawberries and baking soda. Leave on for 5 minutes for best results.
7. Tighten skin with facial yoga
Facial yoga and massage can help tighten skin all over your face. Moving the muscles of your face in new ways can have all sorts of beneficial effects.
8. Break out the cider vinegar
Ingesting cider vinegar can have all sorts of benefits, but so can topical use. Since it’s a course of alpha hydroxy acids, this kitchen staple can help lighten age spots. If it dries out your skin, you can mix it with a little oil before applying it.
9. Throw in the towel
Towels can cause major damage to hair when it’s wet. Instead of grabbing the terrycloth, consider using an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel. These are less likely to irritate the hair shaft.
10. Toughen up your lip pencil
The last thing you want is a lip pencil that smudges. Instead of using it right out of your makeup bag, stick it in the fridge at the beginning of your makeup routine. When it comes time to apply it, it’ll be just hard enough to create nice, sharp lines.
11. Keep your color all day
If you like to dabble in the dark lipstick arts and fear the moment when you look in the mirror only to realize your lipstick is a mere outline of what it once was, try putting a blotting paper over your lips and dabbing on some translucent powder. This should keep it in place from coffee time to wine o’clock.
12. Break out your business card
Tired of getting mascara smudges on your eyelids? Grab a card or a piece of paper to hold over your eyelids while you apply it.
13. Use coconut oil to remove makeup
There’s a reason most makeup removers are oil-based, and you don’t need the expensive specialty brands to get your waterproof makeup off at the end of the day. Simply invest in some coconut oil to rub on your face at night and watch your makeup disintegrate. Follow up with a cleanser so your skin doesn’t get too oily.
14. Tin foil for stubborn nail polish
Glitter and gel polish can be hard to get off your nails. Picking and peeling will only damage them, so grab a cotton swab, soak it in acetone, apply it to nails, and wrap them in foil for up to 20 minutes. This will keep you from spending hours getting every last bit off. Add some oil to your nails at the end if your nail beds look dry.
15. Make your eyeshadow pop
If you’re a fan of bold eye colors, try applying a layer of white eyeliner first. This will make your bold colors look even brighter.
16. Cold water is your friend
A splash of very cold water first thing in the morning is a great way to reduce swelling, wake you up, and tighten your pores.
17. Ice cubes for your eyes
If you’re willing to take the cold trick one step further, you can use an ice cube to get rid of morning puffiness, especially under your eyes.
18. Recycle your beauty creams
If you bought a beauty product that just doesn’t work on your face, try using it on hands, feet, knees, or elbows. Other parts of your body need attention too and are less likely to break out from products. It’s the perfect way to primp AND save!
19. Exfoliate your lips
It’s easy to make your own sugar scrub to exfoliate your lips. No matter what you use (you can even brush them with a toothbrush!), be sure to keep your lips free of dead skin, especially if you wear dark lipstick.
20. Make your hair smell great
Spray a bit of perfume on your hairbrush to give your locks a lovely scent throughout the day. You can even apply a more stimulating scent to a brush you use in the morning and a calming scent to one you keep near your bed.
21. DIY aloe spray
Aloe can make your skin look and feel fresh throughout the day, but applying it directly to skin can be sticky business. Instead, mix it with purified water in a 1:3 ratio and add it to a spray bottle to stick in your purse.
22. Dry brush for smoother skin
Brushing your skin might seem a bit odd, but it can not only smooth it out by removing dead skin cells but improve circulation and prevent ingrown hairs. Remember to brush upwards before your shower. This can also help loosen hair you’re about to shave.
23. Don’t forget your phone
Phones are full of germs and we spend all day touching them or holding them up to our faces. Grab some cleaning wipes and give it a good once-over at least once a day to keep germs and breakouts at bay.
24. Use caffeine under your eyes for that wide-awake look
Caffeine can wake up your skin as well as your soul. You can make a good DIY under-eye mask at home with coffee grounds and coconut oil. Mix equal parts together and leave on for 5-15 minutes to reduce puffiness and dark circles.
25. Banish blackheads with your own pore strips
If you want to get rid of blackheads the DIY way, you can make your own pore strips with a piece of cloth dipped in 1 tsp of warm water, 1 tbsp of flour, and 1 tsp of honey. Apply it to your nose and remove after 10-15 minutes.
26. Curl your lashes with heat
While you always need to be careful with heat around your eyes, a hairdryer is a great way to get freshly coated lashes to curl and stay up all day. You only need a few seconds on low to get long-lasting curl.
27. Store your eye cream in the fridge
Not into rubbing freezing cold ice cubes on your face in the morning? Simply use chilled eye cream instead for a less shocking way to reduce puffiness.
28. Give yourself a French manicure
There’s no need to pay extra money at the nail salon in order to get French tips. Even those of us with shaky hands can have a great manicure with the use of nail stickers. Just make sure to tuck them into the sides of your nails and be sure they extend beyond the nail bed to prevent polish bleed.
29. Reshape your brushes
Do you have too many round brushes and not enough flat brushes? You can convert them using only a bobby pin. It might take a couple of days, and you should store them with the pin on, but this trick will save you from having to invest money in yet another beauty tool.
30. Give your products time to sink in
If you layer your products (such as serums, then moisturizers), be sure to give them some time to sink in. Otherwise, you’re just mixing a bunch of ingredients together on the surface of your skin and who knows what that might do.
31. Clean your nail beds with toothpaste
Going au naturel and need your nails in top shape? Apply some toothpaste for up to 15 minutes and watch it reveal a clean new layer.
32. Don’t forget your neck
Your neck is one of the first areas to show age, primarily due to neglect. Use a little extra serum or moisturizer on your face at night and draw it all the way down to your neck and chest to make sure those areas don’t age faster than the rest of your skin.
33. Take care of the skin on your hands
Even if you work with your hands all day, a little moisturizer goes a long way in keeping them youthful. You can often tell a person’s age by looking at their hands because people often don’t use beauty products anywhere but their face. But your hands can benefit from the same ingredients as your face, including Vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid.
34. Be careful how you store your beauty products
Often, the bathroom is the worst place to store beauty products because it can change temperature quickly and get moist after showers. Make sure you note any active ingredients in your products and research how they are affected by temperature, humidity, and light.
35. Firm up your breasts with Vaseline
It wasn’t long ago that women were told that rubbing Vaseline on their breasts would make them bigger. While that’s a myth, one thing we found out from the efforts of women the world over is that it does make a difference when it comes to firming up your skin. Both the massaging and the moisturizing can breasts appear more taught – that may be what makes them appear bigger to some people. In any case, it’s worth a try! If you want to retain the shape of your breasts, rub Vaseline on them every night before going to bed. After two weeks you’ll notice that the skin has become more elastic and moisturized, and is generally firmer.
36. Nip greasy hair in the bud
Some people have a more oily scalp than others, making hair look greasy and weighed down. Remove grease and oil buildup from hair by mixing 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt in your shampoo bottle. Make sure to massage it into your scalp. Your hair will stay clean and oil-free for longer.
37. DIY cellulite wrap
You could go to a spa and pay a hundred dollars (or more!) for a cellulite-reducing wrap – or – you could just make one at home for a fraction of the cost. Mix 2 tablespoons of ground ginger, 5 tablespoons of cosmetic clay, and 10 tablespoons of warm water together in a bowl. Apply to areas with stubborn cellulite then wrap with plastic wrap. Leave on for about an hour before rinsing in a warm shower. Make this a weekly routine for a noticeable difference in unsightly cellulite.
38. Curl lashes while you sleep
“I have very long natural eyelashes that grow straight out. I use a sleeping mask over my eyes at night and if I position my lashes so they’re pressed up against my eyelids when I sleep, the curl becomes almost permanent and my eyelash growth has pretty much changed direction!”
39. Keep pimples from oozing
We know it’s gross, but it’s a fact of life – zits and pimples suck. They’re gross, they’re painful, and they aren’t the most attractive things in the world. If you happen to have a pimple that won’t stop oozing, swipe a little bit of antiperspirant over it. Just be sure to rinse and clean it later.
40. Turn a curling iron into a wand
Curling irons have become a thing of the past thanks to the curling wand. But, most of us still have curling irons lying around and curling wands can be expensive. Instead of tossing out the iron in exchange for a wand, just unscrew and remove the clip from the curling iron!
41. Use shaving cream as makeup remover
If you’re in a pinch and happen to run out of makeup remover, reach for the shaving cream instead! Use your fingers to rub it in your skin and then rinse with warm water and a washcloth. Just be sure to avoid your eye area.
42. Make a DIY nail strengthening treatment
Skip the nail salon and give yourself a nail strengthening treatment at home in your pajamas. Just mix a 1:1 ratio of coconut oil and honey with a few drops of lavender. Pour it into an empty nail polish bottle (you can buy these at the beauty supply store) for convenient usage.
43. Antipersperant is great for under-boob sweat
“I use it on my pits every day anyway, so I now swipe under each boob and in between them as well. Voila! No more rashes, discomfort, or pain.” —Michelle Gazzard, Facebook.
44. Tweeze in the car
It might sound strange but you should try and tweeze your eyebrows and face while sitting in the car outside. The natural light will allow you to see the hairs super well. You could also do this in the privacy of your yard too.
45. Onions to the rescue!
“The juice of the onion has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce redness and swelling. Also, onions are rich in sulphur, which can help treat some skin conditions, including acne, and has a healing effect on scars, due to its ability to increase collagen production. So, to get rid of those unwanted pimples, grate a small onion to release the extracts and apply liberally to your pimple throughout the day,” says Mamas Latinas.
46. Beautify your armpits
Some people’s skin tends to have a darker appearance in their armpits. Help lighten the skin by applying a compress of grated raw potatoes. Hold them there for half and hour and repeat every few days until you get the results you want!
47. Make lip color pop
Make your lip color pop by applying just a small amount of highlighting powder on top of the color in the center of your bottom lip. It will also give the appearance of a poutier lip.
48. Speaking out pouty lips…
Another way to give your lips a bit of extra plump is to mix a little bit of peppermint or cinnamon essential oil with some vaseline. Apply it to your lips like lip gloss. Or, add to your existing lipgloss.
49. Use red lipstick to hide dark circles
“This hack works, and the reason is very simple: orange and red tones cancel out the blue and green shadows that appear under your eyes. So the orange helps cover under-eye dark circles better when you apply concealer over it. But instead of a color-correcting concealer/primer, which could be very expensive, some beauty bloggers are now applying an orange/red lipstick under their concealer, and it really works!” says Mamas Latinas.
50. Soften your heels
Keep those feet looking gorgeous by making sure your skin stays nice and soft. Soak your feet a few times a week in this easy-to-make foot soak. Use 2 cups of warm water mixed with 1/2 cup of baking soda and one cup vinegar. Soak for 15-20 minutes, dry your feet, and apply a thick moisturizer.
51. Tame wild eyebrows
Use an old toothbrush sprayed with a little bit of hairspray to use as an eyebrow comb and tamer. This is also an awesome trick to use for hair flyaways around your hairline.
52. Whiten teeth with charcoal
It might seem strange but charcoal and charcoal powder are awesome at whitening teeth (and so many other things!) which is why it’s so popular right now. Naturally whiten your teeth by scrubbing your teeth with charcoal powder after brushing normally. Make sure to scrub for 3-4 minutes then rinse! Voila!
53. Clear your skin with charcoal too
“That famous black facial mask can also be made at home. Mix together 2 tbsp of ground-up activated charcoal and 1.5 tbsp of gelatin dissolved in warm water. Heat in a microwave until it turns into jelly. Apply to your face for 30 minutes, then remove the mask,” says Brightside.
54. Use rosewater for everything
Rosewater should always be a staple in your beauty routine. You can use it as a toner, makeup remover, spray it on your face to set or refresh makeup, keep it in the fridge in the summer to use as a cooling mist, spray on your pillows for a refreshing scent, and so much more!
55. Save makeup with cotton rounds
Place a cotton round pad in your powder compact, eye shadows, or any other pressed makeup products to keep it from breaking while you’re traveling.
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