Beauty tips are a girl’s best friend – just ask Dita Von Teese. (Instagram/@ditavonteese)
“Every girl can benefit from a beauty tip,” says famed beauty vlogger, Michelle Phan. And she’s right.
When I’m getting ready in the morning I’m not chanting motivational quotes — instead, I’m thinking about the handy beauty tips I’ve picked up over the years. Looking good can quickly translate into feeling good, and who can say no to that?
Here are nine pieces of wisdom worth remembering.
1. Lip balm can do almost anything.
In a pinch I will use lip balm for everything. My Burt’s Bees Pomegranate Moisturising Lip Balm, $6.99, is useful for more than just lips, you know. A dab on my cuticles will eradicate dryness, a smear can groom eyebrows, and a blended swipe across the cheekbones is a lovely highlight.
2. Need a multi-purpose oil? Look in your kitchen.
I always keep some coconut oil on my bathroom vanity because it’s so useful as a beauty all-rounder. You can also use extra virgin olive oil (known as EVOO on beauty nerd forums) for the same purposes. What do I use these oils for? Why, everything.
If I want to remove an un-budgeable lipstick at the end of the day, a bit of coconut oil on a cotton pad will do the trick. When shaving my legs, I prefer to use oil instead of shaving cream. It’s clear, so I can see where I’m shaving, and it also moisturises – double win! I also load on coconut oil as a hair mask and leave it in for a minimum of half an hour. After washing out, it leaves the most incredible shine.
Of course, you could always take a cue from Miranda Kerr when she says she uses it “in the bedroom”. Whatever could she mean…?
3. Colour correction works.
Look, I'll admit it — makeup for your skin that's green, purple or yellow just looks strange. But trust me, it's so useful if you're having a facial disaster. An example: sprouting an angry red super-sized pimple just before your wedding, which is what happened to me. A generous application of Maybelline Cover Stick Corrector Concealer in Green ($10.50) counteracted the redness of the pimple, and voila! I was aisle-ready.
For more on colour correction, check out my handy guide.
4. Be a bicarb soda babe.
Aussie makeup artist Rae Morris is full of genius tips. In her book, Makeup: The Ultimate Guide, Morris suggests mixing bicarbonate of soda with a liquid component and then using it as a scrub. It gently sloughs away dead skin cells but also dissolves in the sink.
5. Be beautiful from the inside out.
The best beauty tip I know isn't really a trick, but a frame of mind. The most attractive people to me are the ones who are nice, good, and love to smile. On the other hand, I've met plenty of people who are considered conventionally gorgeous, only their personalities and behaviours are so nasty I'm convinced they're hideous.
Famed supermodel and beauty entrepreneur Josie Maran shared some expert advice with The Glow. "When I was a model, my mum was trying to keep my head on straight the whole time. She would always say, ‘smile with your eyes’, because how you feel will come through," Maran said.
"You can't smile with your eyes if you're, like, a bitch or grumpy or greedy. Be your best, and feel good inside, and that will come through."
Watch: Eye brightening makeup tips from Mecca Cosmetica. (Post continues after video.)
6. Create a punctuality playlist.
For advice on being glamorous and also bang on time, look no further than Dita Von Teese. The burlesque star uses a custom-made music playlist to help her stay punctual while applying her makeup.
"If you're the kind of girl who loses track of time, try creating a playlist that runs a certain amount of time so you can notice when you should be getting out the door," Von Teese told xoJane.
She adds, "I like to put a ridiculous song at the end of my playlist so it's my obvious cue to hurry up!" She also places clocks "everywhere", so that she can keep an eye on the time.
3. Use vanilla essence to de-stink your hair.
One thing that totally freaks me out is when my hair smells like a barbecue. Meat and hair just don't mix, am I right? But sometimes after a tasty sausage sizzle or visit to a restaurant, my hair smells like food and I can't be bothered washing it.
half-bun hairstyle
The solution to this stinky situation? Head to your pantry and shake a few drops of vanilla essence into your hand, tip your head upside-down and rake your fingers through your hair. Voila! Cake-smelling hair. If you are uncoordinated like me, "a few drops" will actually be pools of essence in your hands. This is also fine, and your hair will only smell all the yummier. (Post continues after gallery.)
Top 10 Lip Balms
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8. Use hairspray to keep your clothes under control.
Yes, your clothes. I can never let my giant can of L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Absolute Extreme Hold Hairspray ($9.99) out of my hands. Hairspray is a seriously underrated hair product for adding volume, anchoring flyaways and freezing styles. But did you know it can also be used to stop clothes being static-y and sticky?
Maybe this has happened to you - you're wearing a killer dress and ready to go, only to find it's clinging to your skin and crawling up your legs every time you walk.
Here's what you do: turn your clothes inside-out, and then spray the clothes with hairspray. Once it dries your clothes should hang more comfortably. If your clothes are sticking to your tights, simply lift up your skirt and spray the hairspray right onto your legs and tights. Done!
9. Vaseline on the hairline.
If you're a fan of DIY box dyes like me, there's something you should always do before you start. Grab a vat of Vaseline or Lucas' Paw Paw Ointment and smear it thickly onto the parts of your skin where you tend to get dye stains. I put it on my hairline, neck, the tops of my ears, and my forearms... OK, basically my entire body. Don't judge. The Vaseline creates a barrier between your skin and the dye so you don't end up with weird, shadowy blotches everywhere.
When we interviewed Emily Simms from The Bachelor Australia she admitted omitting this step was "a mistake I made in The Bachelor house!” You've been warned.
What's your best beauty tip? Spill!