Secret Beauty Tips & Tricks
Photo by MissWickTilleth
Most of us love to dabble in a bit of make-up before we leave the house, and I find it amazing how we’re all self-taught in applying it. It’s equalling amazing how many tips and tricks are out there that most of us don’t know! So, I’ve compiled a list of secret beauty tips for getting the most out of your make-up and some quick remedies for hair fix-me-ups.
EYES
Apply foundation to your eyelids before applying eyeshadow - this is perfect for more staying power.
If you have deep set eyes and want to emphasise them, apply lighter shades of eyeliner.
Use your hairdryer on your eyelash curler before using it - it’ll keep your lashes curled for longer!
Discard mascara after about 5 months, as the bacteria build-up can cause serious eye infections.
A bad habit a lot of women do is pump their mascara in and out of the bottle. Don’t do this, as this introduces air to the mascara, causing it to dry out before its time!
A tip from watching far too much ANTM - never match your eyeshadow with your dress!
Purple eyeshadow makes green eyes pop, pink eyeshadow makes blue eyes pop, and purples and greens make brown eyes pop!
LIPS
Apply blush or eyeshadow to your lips before adding lipstick. This is great for longer lasting lipstick.
Wearing your lips in a warm pink distracts the eye from seeing blemishes and other imperfections.
Get rid of scaly lips by gently exfoliating them with your toothbrush.
Dark coloured lipsticks only make your lips look smaller than they are. Opt for a neutral or light shade if you want to enlarge them.
When you apply your lippy, blot your lips with a tissue, then re-apply for a longer lasting effect.
FACE
To remove blackheads, steam your face over a bowl of hot water with a towel over the back of your head, and then exfoliate immediately.
To reduce redness, spray your face with cold water and stand in front of the freezer so the freezer air hits your face.
If you must use soap for your face, use a PH balanced soap, like Dove, as it won’t cause an over-production of oil from drying out your skin.
Witch Hazel is a great toner, as it’s not as harsh on your skin like others (I personally use Witch Hazel every day), plus it’s so cheap, you can get it from a health food store for a couple bucks!
If you want your foundation to last all day, use a primer beforehand. It gives the foundation something to ‘hold on it’ whilst keeping your skin shine-free and smooth.
Okay, this may seem a little odd, but if you want your make-up to last all night, hold a can of hairspray an arms length away and spray your face. Just remember to close your mouth and eyes!
Don’t share your make-up (I am guilty of this one…) as infections are easily spread.
Hair conditioner works just as well, if not, better, than some regular moisturisers.
To put some life back into your face after a long day, pat concealer on the inner corners of your eyes, under your lashes and on the sides of your nose. A little bit of bronzer to your cheeks is the perfect finishing touch.
Check this out for easy homemade facial mask recipes.
This is more important than any of the tips - Always wear adequate sun protection!
HAIR
To make your hair shiny and strong, after a shower, add a little bit of olive oil to your damp hair.
If you desperately need to get rid of greasy hair without washing it, use a little bit of talcum power and brush through until the white disappears.
Although it won’t produce fast results, massaging your scalp stimulates the follicles and promotes faster hair growth!
If you want to make your freshly dyed hair colour last longer, mix half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of water, and rinse your hair with it straight after you’ve dyed it (I did this when I dyed my hair Vampire Red!)
What other beauty tips and tricks do you know? Don’t be shy, share them with us!
Big love,
July 31st, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Ooh! As a major beauty junkie, thanks Ivy!
Here are a few tips of my own which I have found to be rather useful:
x Picked yourself up a new fancy pants illuminator? Dab it on each side of your nose, on your browbone, and underneath the eye area - see how instantly fresher you look?
x When applying shadow to the outer corners of your eyelid, work from the outside in (to avoid the droopy look.)
x Hair gone greasy (and there’s no time for a shower and you’ve run out of your fave dry shampoo?) Forget the baby powder (it doesn’t absorb oil)- using a big fluffy brush, grab some translucent powder and apply to your roots and hairline.
x Miss Corrine xs last blog post..Beauty Q & A: How To Do A Smoky Eye ?
July 31st, 2008 at 10:55 pm
-White eyeliner on your bottom lid makes your eyes appear much larger. Not only that, but you feel Twiggy-esque =)
-Blend your blush about an inch below the middle of your eye and across the tops of the apples on your cheeks. It makes your cheekbones look higher.
-Crushed strawberries left on your face for a few minutes once a week actually helps to clear up breakouts.
That’s all I’ve got! Great post Ivy!
Ayeshas last blog post..A Minimalist Approach to Skincare
August 1st, 2008 at 4:47 am
even though im 31 years old and should know all about makeup and what colors to use, i dont. so this was very helpful. i never knew what color eyeshadow would work for my blue eyes and now i do! when buying eyeshadow, i’ve always stuck with the safe neutrals, and while they look ok, i always felt that they never really did much to enhance. now off to do some internet makeup shopping!
tammies last blog post..The $10,000 Question
August 1st, 2008 at 7:17 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you soooo much for posting this… I desperately needed the tip on making dyed hair stay vibrant! I always use purples or reds, so they fade super fast.
Shadow.x.Crystals last blog post..Some things simply aren’t meant to be…
August 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
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Ayesha - oooOO!! Twiggy-esque - I love that tip. I’m so gonna try that one
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tammie - That’s totally understandable, I didn’t know the right colours either at one point! So glad the tips were helpful for you!
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Shadow.x.Crystal - You are SO welcome! Who would’ve thought vinegar, huh? And another little tip is to rinse your hair with cold water (not hot) straight after you’ve dyed your hair.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Hi!
A lot of great tips!! definetly am goin to try a lot of them
thanx!
great blog also
August 9th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I was just mooching about on the web and found this site. I’ve only looked at the home-page but it looks like a good site.
http://www.free-makeup-tips.com/
My intention was to have a look for any good tips I could find in my book about making your own natural beauty products, but I can’t find it at the moment. If I find it soon I will pop back with anything useful I find.
August 11th, 2008 at 1:16 am
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Edith - You’re a gem! Thanks for that. And you have a book about making your own beauty products?! God, I would LOVE to steal it from you. Fun for hours!
August 26th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Well better late than never:
Reliving Tired Eyes: -
Dry, sore eyes - cotton wool pads soaked in aloe vera juice.
Hot sore eyes - slices of cooling cucumber
Puffy eyes - slices of potato
Tired eyes - used chamomile tea bags (preferably organic)
Facial Cleanser:-
For Simple Deeper Facial Cleanse -Apply a face cloth soaked in warm water for a minute before using usual facial wash. This opens the pores and enables the cleanser to penetrate and remove dirt more effectively.
Plain yoghurt can be used as cleanser. Apply to cotton wool to remove dirt before toning and moisturising. Particularly good for problem skin.
Sweet almond oil is good for removing make-up.
Emergency Blemish Treatment: - Soak cotton wool ball in warm salt water, press on top of blemish (or lets be honest spot/zit/pimple) for 3 minutes to help dissolve the top. NEVER squeeze or pick. Dab on a little honey and let sit for another 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
I have been very busy which is why it’s taken this long to get around to typing this. BIG beauty tip, take enough time for yourself once in a while and don’t work too hard. Your physical appearance will be affected by your physical well being.
Love Edith