40 Genius #BeautyHacks That’ll Change Your Life

40 Genius #BeautyHacks That’ll Change Your Life

I spend nearly all my waking hours reading about, trying and also testing new hair and make-up looks and tricks. Over a period of time, I’ve come across some nifty tips both online and through my interactions with top make-up artists and hairstylists. I’m not a hoarder, so I’m sharing a lot of the goodness with you!

Here are 40 beauty tips that are nothing short of genius: 

 

LashFood BrowFood Phyto Medic Eyebrow Enhancer_Hauterfly

LashFood BrowFood Eyebrow Enhancer (Rs 6,038)

1. Get fuller brows

After years of overzealous tweezing and taming, do you bemoan the former lushness of your now barely-there eyebrows? Give them a shot of brow food to activate regrowth and prevent further brow loss. If you want a more natural remedy, give Castor Oil a shot. Our grandmothers really did know what they were talking about when they said Castor Oil promotes thicker, stronger, shinier hair. The Omega 9 fats in the oil really do work to increase hair growth and can be safely used on your eyebrows too.

 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation_Hauterfly-1

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (Rs 1,480)

2. Natural look foundation

Give your foundation a more natural look by applying it on the centre of your face first. Then blend it outwards using a foundation brush, so that the product fades out around the edges instead of looking like a visible halo around your face.

 

Fabindia Vitamin E Skin Hydrating Cream_Hauterfly

Fabindia Vitamin E Skin Hydrating Cream (Rs 250)

3. Hot water = bad news for skin

When there’s a nip in the air, a hot bath sounds tempting but it’s total BAD NEWS for your skin. Showering in extremely hot water followed by cool, dry air is a terrible idea. Try lukewarm water instead, and slap on some thick moisturising lotion while your skin is still moist from a shower.

 

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit_Hauterfly-1

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (Rs 2,799)

4. Correct way to apply concealer

Don’t apply concealer in a half-moon swipe under your eyes. It won’t look natural and you’ll use more product than necessary. Instead, draw an upside down triangle shape under your eyes and blend it in to brighten up the entire area.

 

Maybelline Color Show_Hauterfly

Maybelline Color Show Liner in Shiny Beige (Rs 250)

5. Get wide-awake eyes instantly

Whether you’re hungover or haven’t had gotten enough of your beauty sleep all night, the best way to look well-rested is to apply a nude or beige eye pencil along your eye’s waterline. It looks waaaaay more natural than a white eye pencil, and has you looking alert even when you’re anything but!

 

Nyx Cosmetics 3C Conceal Correct Contour Palette_Hauterfly

Nyx Cosmetics 3C Conceal Correct Contour Palette (Rs 1,490)

6. Contouring Shortcut

Couldn’t be bothered to go the whole hog when it comes to contouring? Yeah, neither do I. A simple hack is to use your bronzer in the shape of a “3” on the sides of your face. Here’s how: start the first curve from your temple, and swipe down in a continuous stroke to your cheekbones, and the final curve on your jawline. And blend.

 

Ardell Natural Strip Lashes_Hauterfly

Ardell Natural Strip Lashes (Rs 375)

7. Thicker lashes? Sure.

So you want lush lashes without the drama of falsies? They’re hardly appropriate for the day and one can spot them from a mile away. Try wearing lashes meant for lower lashes instead. They’re much shorter and create the appearance of thicker lashes without lengthening them unnaturally.

 

L'Oreal Paris True Match Concealer_Hauterfly-1

L’Oréal Paris True Match Concealer (Rs 760)

8. Want to cover up a zit?

Just using concealer on it won’t do. Instead, layer it first with foundation, concealer and finally setting powder, to ensure it is fully covered up and won’t budge all day.

 

L'Oréal Paris Super Liner 24 Hour Waterproof Gel Eyeliner_Hauterfly

L’Oréal Paris 24 Hour Waterproof Gel Eyeliner (Rs 825)

9. Get perfectly lined lids with this trick

Draw three dashes along your upper lashline – one in the centre, and one each in the inner and outer corner of the eye – and then connect these dashes to create a smooth, precise line.

 

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar_Hauterfly

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar (Rs 929)

10. Correct order to apply make-up

Never apply concealer before a foundation. Read why here.

 

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss - Apricot_Hauterfly

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Apricot (Rs 1,444)

11. Pout perfect lips

For a fuller-looking pout, outline your upper lips with a concealer brush dipped in foundation that’s darker than your skin tone. Don’t go all the way down to the corners. Apply lip gloss only on the centre of the lips.

 

Makeup Revolution Brow Dual Ultra Brow Arch & Shape

Makeup Revolution Brow Dual Ultra Brow Arch & Shape (Rs 650)

12. Create natural-looking brows

Use a pencil to draw hair-like, short, sharp lines at an angle inside your brow area instead of horizontal lines along the top and bottom. Then use a spoolie brush to diffuse and soften the lines, blending the product into your natural brows. The result? Fuller, sleeker arches.

 

Khadi Lavender Oil_Hauterfly

Khadi Lavender Oil (Rs 263)

13. Calm inflamed skin

Mix a few drops of rose and lavender essential oils to calm inflamed skin. Use sparingly though. Essential oils can be very strong and overpowering. There IS such a thing as too much of a good thing!

 

TheBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer_Hauterfly

TheBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer (Rs 1,215)

14. Oily skin + shimmer? No, thank you.

If you have an oily complexion, don’t use shimmering products as they’ll only make your face appear shinier. Instead, use a matte bronzer and a concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone to use as a highlighter.

 

Basicare Pedicure Brush With Pumice Stone_Hauterfly

Basicare Pedicure Brush With Pumice Stone (Rs 356)

15. Get rid of dead skin

Use a pumice stone to scrub your feet after you’ve showered. Skin becomes soft after a bath and is easier to slough off dead skin at that point. Do not use a blade to shave off dead skin under any circumstances. It’s far from ideal and the risk of infections are high!

 

Teadrop Pro Beauty Makeup Blender Sponge_Hauterfly

Teadrop Makeup Blender Sponge (Rs 754)

16. Tool tales

It’s not just your make-up brushes that need cleaning. You need to keep these beauty tools squeaky clean as well.

 

Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder_Hauterfly

Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder (Rs 2,832)

17. Make eyeshadow last longer

Oily lids lead to unevenly faded and creased eyeshadows. Make your eyelids oil-free by using an eyeshadow base or primer, or use loose powder first before applying the shadow.

 

Inglot Felt Tip Eyeliner Pen_Hauterfly

Inglot Felt Tip Eyeliner Pen (Rs 1,200)

18. Get the perfect cat eye

If you’re like me and love doing cat eyes, you know it sometimes require’s a surgeon’s level of precision. However, this foolproof trick will give you perfect feline flicks every single time.

 

Elizabeth Arden Color Intrigue Eyeshadow Gold_Hauterfly

Elizabeth Arden Color Intrigue Eyeshadow Gold (Rs 1,017)

19. Fake bigger eyes

It’s best to use an eyeshadow in light, shimmery colours if you have small, hooded eyes. Steer clear of dark eyeshadows as they will make your eyes look smaller than they are.

 

Duo Lash Adhesive_Hauterfly

Duo Lash Adhesive (Rs 750)

20. The Trick to gluing lashes

Do you struggle with making your falsies stay in place? You’re probably doing it wrong. Always apply more glue on the corners of falsies than the in the centre, since they are more likely to come off at the edges after application.

 

Forest Essentials Revitalising Kashmiri Walnut Gel Scrub_Hauterfly

Forest Essentials Revitalising Kashmiri Walnut Gel Scrub (Rs 995)

21. Prevent pimples

Make it a point to exfoliate your face at least once a week. Layering heavy moisturisers and make-up on your skin without exfoliating can lead to clogged pores, which in turn can lead to breakouts.

 

Benefit Badgal Waterproof Mascara_Hauterfly

Benefit Badgal Waterproof Mascara (Rs 2,990)

22. Don’t dry out your mascara

If your mascara is drying out quicker than usual, you’re definitely making this mistake.

 

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar Orange_Hauterfly

NYX Cosmetics Concealer Jar Orange (Rs 1,874)

23. Colour correction done right

Invest in colour correcting concealers instead of picking a concealer in only one shade, especially if you have zits, inflamed skin or dark circles. Orange-toned concealers counter the blueish tinge of dark circles, while a green tone helps in masking the redness of zits and inflamed skin. Purple-toned concealers can be used to cover bruises.

 

Colorbar Just Smoky Kajal Teal_Hauterfly

Colorbar Just Smoky Kajal in Just Teal (Rs 600)

24. When you’re stuck in a rut

Want to break out of your monotonous make-up routine? Pick the feature you are most complimented on, then switch up the colours you usually wear on it. If you wear lots of colour, try going neutral, and vice versa.

 

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream_Hauterfly

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream (Rs 2,174)

25. Chapped lips?

If nothing seems to be working on your dry, chapped lips, try using a rich, nourishing eye cream in a hydrating formula on your lips.

26. Face icing

This Kate Moss-endorsed anti-ageing trick is SO SIMPLE and easy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it yet.

 

Philips Professional Hair Dryer_Hauterfly

Philips Professional Hair Dryer (Rs 2,295)

27. Blow dry in a pinch

So you woke up late, have dripping wet hair, absolutely no time to blow dry all of it, but can’t travel with wet hair either? Try blow drying only the T-zone of your head: Your hairline and the crown. You will always look put together when the front and top of your head is neat.

 

Chanel Eclat Lumiere Highlighting Face Pen

Chanel Eclat Lumiere Highlighting Face Pen (Rs 3,216)

28. Get glowing skin

Even if you want dewy skin, start with a matte base. You can then make your skin luminous by using a highlighter where the light falls naturally on the high points of your face. This helps to keep your make-up from looking oily.

 

NARS Heat Wave_Hauterfly-1

NARS Heat Wave (Rs 1,772)

29. Naturally pink lips

If you want a naturally pink pout that stays all day, apply a red lipstick then wipe it off gently after a few minutes. The bright red colour will leave behind a lovely pink tint. You can add a coat of clear gloss or lip balm and you’re set.

 

Nyx Cosmetics Baked Eyeshadow Mademoiselle_Hauterfly

Nyx Cosmetics Baked Eyeshadow Mademoiselle (Rs 1,090)

30. How to get intense eyes

If you want your eyeshadow’s colour pay-off to be brighter, this genius trick is all it takes!

 

Tweezerman Slant Tweezer_Hauterfly

Tweezerman Slant Tweezer (Rs 1,378)

31. The correct distance between brows

While threading your eyebrows, remember that the ideal distance between two brows is the width of one eye. Anything lesser will make you look like you’re scowling, and any farther will give you a vague, vacuous look.

 

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry_Hauterfly

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry (Rs 1,480)

32. Create voluminous hair

When you use dry shampoo on two or three-day old hair, blow-dry the roots with a round brush. The dry shampoo and natural oils from your scalp work pretty much like a volumiser, giving your hair a natural lift.

 

Johnson's Baby Powder_Hauterfly

Johnson’s Baby Powder (Rs 110)

33. Here’s how to get crazy long lashes

To get crazy long lashes without the help of falsies, apply one coat of mascara, then dust your lashes with some baby powder using a Q-tip. Apply a second coat of mascara. The baby powder acts like fibre to add extension to your lashes.

 

TIGI Masterpiece Shine Hairspray_Hauterfly

TIGI Masterpiece Shine Hairspray (Rs 1,690)

34. Baby hair bothering you?

Trying to tame baby hair that stick out at odd angles along your hairline? Spray an unused toothbrush with hairspray and gently tame the annoying little buggers down.

 

Makeup Blender_Hauterfly

Makeup Blender (Rs 199)

35. Sponge as scrubber

Did you know your make-up sponge has more uses than just blending expertly? If you want to exfoliate skin but don’t have a scrub, wet the sponge and gently scrub your face with it in a circular motion. This is as much friction as your facial skin needs to slough away dead skin.

 

Nyx Color Mascara_Hauterfly

Nyx Color Mascara (Rs 1,039)

36. Mix and match

Apply brown mascara on your lower lashes even if you’re using black on the top lashes. It creates a contrast and is far more effective in opening up your eyes.

 

Inglot Makeup Brush_Hauterfly

Inglot Makeup Brush – 9S/S (Rs 1,210)

37. No eye primer? No problem!

Dip a brush in water, swirl it in any eyeshadow and then apply on your eyelids. This helps to deepen the colour of powder eyeshadow if you’ve run out of primer.

 

Kama Ayurveda Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil_Hauterfly

Kama Ayurveda Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil (Rs 495)

38. All hail coconut oil!

Don’t want to spend insane amounts of money on expensive make-up removers? Use a cotton ball soaked in coconut oil to clean up every last trace of make-up. It is gentle, mild and super effective.

 

Ikonic Teasing Brush_Hauterfly

Ikonic Teasing Brush (Rs 200)

39. Such a tease.

We all know that a little teasing on the crown can add much-needed volume to limp tresses. If you don’t have a teaser brush, use a regular toothbrush to tease your hair. It works just as well!

 

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly_Hauterfly

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (Rs 361)

40. Vaseline is a genius

Painting nails without getting any on your cuticles is a serious pro skill. For the rest of us mortals, there’s Vaseline. Apply a little on your cuticles before you start applying nail polish. Be careful though, you don’t want any on the nail bed. Paint your nails as usual, then wipe off the Vaseline. Softened cuticles are an added bonus. Win-win!

Hauterfly Staff

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