I was getting ready last weekend to go to a birthday party and realized that my routine consisted of various beauty tips and tricks that I’ve acquired over the years. Some are my own, while others were picked up from beauty school or from participating in pageants when I was younger. And before Alivia came along I was an avid Cosmopolitan, Vogue, InStyle, and Mademoiselle reader so you can imagine the tips, trends, and tricks I’ve learned from these magazines alone! I used to clip and keep them in a beauty binder to reference them later. Particularly the cosmetic images that I used as inspiration to apply my own makeup. And although this is a bit different than the usual topics I blog about, I thought I’d share my beauty tips and tricks with all of you!
FACE & MAKEUP
VASELINE FOR EYE MAKEUP REMOVER: It’s inexpensive and easy on delicate skin. I use a tissue to wipe mine off. Don’t worry about getting it in your eyes, although it can feel icky, it’s safe!
USE FOUNDATION ON LIPS: If you want to sport the true color of your lipstick, use foundation to neutralize your lip color. It will also make your lipstick last longer!
EYESHADOW FOR LIPSTICK: Sick of the same ol’ lipstick colors you’ve been wearing for what seems like forever? This is the perfect solution! Especially if you have makeup palettes that contain a broad range of colors. I recommend experimenting with the colors you think would only look good as eye shadow. And don’t be afraid to mix colors. Since eye shadow can be quite dry, be certain to prime your lips with a little Vaseline to add moisture! Alternatively, you can apply the shadow to your lips first and then use your favorite lip gloss to add shine!
BRONZER IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND: Looking to accentuate your cheekbones, sculpt, or contour your face? It’s simple with bronzer (or a foundation a couple shades darker than your skin tone). Just apply bronzer under your cheekbones, to your temples, and to the top of your forehead. Go a step further and apply highlighter to the top of your cheeks, your t-zone, under your brows and eyes, and over your mouth. This adds more contrast to your face. Alternatively, apply bronzer to the apples of cheeks, down your nose, to the bottom of your chin, and temples, and you’ll look like you’ve been kissed by the sun!
APPLY MASCARA OVER YOUR EYELASHES: This would be in addition to applying it under your lashes. This technique is used to create volume. It also works well to separate clumps. Just make sure your mascara is fairly new and you don’t have too much of it on your wand.
APLLY WHITE EYE SHADOW TO THE INNER CORNER OF YOUR EYES: Had a bad night? Didn’t sleep well? This is the solution you are looking for. White eye shadow to the inner corners of your eyes will make you appear awake and ready to go! Similarly, white eyeliner to your bottom inner lash line works just as well. In fact, be crazy and do both!
HEMORRHOID CREAM FOR UNDER EYE PUFFINESS: I know you must be questioning this one, but seriously try it! You will not be disappointed. Just be extremely careful not to get it in your eyes. An excellent alternative are warm caffeinated chamomile tea bags.
SLOUGH SKIN WITH A FACECLOTH: That’s right! No need for expensive and unnecessary sloughing lotions. In fact, they can be quite drying and harsh on your skin. If your skin is only mildly dry, a facecloth will work wonders (on lips too)!
USE A TOOTHBRUSH TO SLOUGH LIPS: Say goodbye to chapped lips! Use some water on your toothbrush and have at it. If you do it before bedtime, follow up with a chapstick or Vaseline. I’m a big fan of Burt’s Bees!
SPRAY AN OLD TOOTHBRUSH WITH HAIRSPRAY TO KEEP BROWS IN PLACE: Keep your eyebrows groomed and looking fabulous with this trick!
USE YOUR BLOWDRYER TO HEAT UP YOUR LASH CURLER: Think of how well a curling iron works! If you want noticeable lashes, this is a must! Since that metal can get extremely hot, give your lash curler a few seconds to cool off before using it!
SKIN
AVOID SHEET MARKS WITH SATIN SHEETS: I don’t know how many times I’ve woken up to some serious sheet marks across my face. If you’ve ever experienced this, you’d know it takes quite a bit of time for them to go away. So, why not prevent it with investing in a set of satin sheets?
USE A COLD COMPRESS FOR BLEMISHES: Why not treat that pesky blemish like a bump to the head with a cold compress? It will help to reduce the swelling.
USE GREEN CONCEALER TO TONE DOWN REDNESS: This is especially great for blemishes. Green concealer or a primer, which is what I currently use, is great to even out your skin and tone down redness.
PREVENT RAZOR BURN WITH A HOT WATER SOAK. If one of the first things you do when you get in the shower is shave, stop that immediately! Shaving should be the last thing you do after you’re skin has soaked in the hot water awhile. The hot water will soften your skin. Once the skin has softened, your razor will slide effortlessly! And NEVER shave when you have the goose bumps!
USE FOUNDATION OR CONCEALER TO HIDE RAZOR BURN AROUND YOUR BIKIN AREA: This works very well as long as you use the correct shade of makeup and blend well. I use a makeup sponge.
MIX BABY OIL IN WITH BODY LOTION: If you don’t like the feel of using Baby Oil alone (it’s a little too greasy for my taste too), try mixing it in with your body lotion/cream for additional moisture!
HAIR
SLEEP IN BRAIDS FOR WAVES IN THE MORNING: The more braids; the more waves! I used to love doing this when I was a kid and I look forward to doing it for Alivia! You certainly don’t have to be a kid to sport waves though! They are especially trendy for the beach!
RINSE CONDITIONED HAIR WITH COLD WATER: You’ll find conflicting information online about whether this adds shine to your hair but, regardless, one thing rinsing your hair with cold water will definitely do is close the hair follicles to keep your locks hydrated and conditioned.
BLAST HAIR WITH COLD AIR: When you are done blow drying your hair, give it a good blast of cold air. It’s great for preventing frizz and adds shine to your hair.
TWIRL DAMP HAIR AROUND FINGER AND SECURE WITH CLIPS/PINS: Otherwise known as the pin curl. Create as many as you can and sleep overnight. It may not be comfortable, but totally worth it. The pin curls you’ll have in the morning will be amazing! They will be similar to that of a ringlet or spiral curl. For a looser more subtle curl, secure pin curls when hair is dry and use a blow dryer to heat up the hair. Check out this video from Pierre Michael Salon Style Director Jerome Lordet on Howcast!
USE VOLUMIZING MOUSSE ON THE CROWN OF YOUR HEAD: Apply to damp hair and scrunch as you blow dry. Try to avoid brushing through to keep the mousse in place. If you have fine hair, feel free to use a little extra.
NAILS
DRY NAILS UNDER VERY COLD RUNNING WATER: The colder the water, the better! When I first let people in on this little secret of mine, I usually get resistance and a look that reads something along the lines of “you must be crazy”. Fear of putting freshly painted and wet nails under water, especially running water, is scary. Trust me, I get it! What if I were to promise you it will not ruin them? Would you try it then? Well, if you’re ready to take the plunge, trust me you will not be disappointed. Still apprehensive? Try soaking them in a bowl/sink full of very cold water instead. Of course, before trying either of these techniques, you’ll want to give your nails at least a couple minutes to dry. Yep, only 2 minutes is long enough! When you’re ready to remove them from the water after 5 minutes, just a little shake of your hands to remove the excess water will do. Do NOT use a towel to dry them! I repeat; do NOT use a towel to dry them!
USE CUTICLE OIL TO PREVENT NAIL DINGS: Apply to nails after they are dry. In case you hit something with one of your nails, the oil will allow them to slide off the object instead of getting stuck to it!
USE OLIVE OIL TO CONDITION CUTICLES: Apply olive oil to your cuticles with a make up brush, put some gloves on, and have a great night’s sleep. Your cuticles will be practically invisible in the morning.
USE 3 HOLE PUNCHED PAPER REINFORCEMENTS FOR A FRENCH MANICURE: Use the circle reinforcement as a guide to apply the white nail polish to the tips of your nails.
AND SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA
SCRAPE SLIPPERY SHOES ON CONCRETE: Say goodbye to slippery shoes; just scrape them on some concrete to create traction. Alternatively, you can use sand paper! So, don’t sit this one out, get up and dance!
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BEAUTY TIPS AND/OR TRICKS?
Drop me a comment; I’d love to hear!
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Until then, have an awesome hump day!
