20 of Our Best Beauty Tips

To help you make this the best year ever, we want to give you 20 of our very favorite "be-beautiful" tips. These little-known tips are easy to implement, inexpensive and highly effective.

We hope you enjoy using them, and please feel free to reply to this email to let us know what you think—or share some of your own favorite secrets!

Freeze Your Eyeliner

Does your eyeliner constantly crumble while you’re putting it on? Try leaving it in the freezer for 15 minutes before applying your makeup. It should glide along your lash line seamlessly after that.

Shave With Conditioner

If you’re out of shaving cream, lather your legs with conditioner instead of soap. Conditioner will soften the hair on your legs (making it easier to shave) and will leave your skin feeling extra silky.

Rinse Hair With Beer or Vinegar

Rinsing your hair with beer helps restore moisture to your locks, and using vinegar will up the ante in shine. Soak your hair in either liquid (not at the same time) for a few minutes, then rinse with cold water.

Turn Up the Heat

For curlier, flirtier lashes, try heating your lash curler with a hair dryer for five to eight seconds before curling them.

Use Ice Cubes to Keep Fat, Acne and Wrinkles at Bay

Try massaging an ice cube over your face until the cube melts. Do this every night before bed and keep fat cells, acne and wrinkles under control.

Make Your Manicure Last and Last

Before applying nail polish, wipe nails with an acetone-based cleanser. Cleaning excess dirt, oil or moisturizer from your nails will ensure that the polish adheres properly.

Soothe Your Stomach and Face

According to dermatologist Dr. Frances Jang (Skinworks), Pepto-Bismol isn’t just for upset stomachs. It can also be used as a facial mask because it contains bismuth subsalicylate, commonly found in facial creams. Dr. Jang’s recommendation: Spread 2 teaspoons of Pepto-Bismol on your face. Let it dry for 15 to 30 minutes. Then rinse with warm water.

Apply Sunscreen Daily

Wear sunscreen every day—even when it’s cloudy. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 80% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays pass through clouds.

Lighten Hair With Chamomile Tea and Lemon Juice

To permanently lighten your tresses, hairstylist Popie Poulos (owner of The Salon in Ajax, Ont.) recommends rinsing your hair with a mixture of chamomile and fresh lemon juice instead of conditioner. Allow your hair to dry while sitting in the sun or use a blow dryer. The heat will lighten your locks.

De-Puff Your Eyes With Raw Potatoes

Try using raw potato slices to soothe and reduce puffiness around your eyes. Potatoes are astringent, which means they help decrease water retention. They also contain catalase, an enzyme that helps lighten dark circles under your eyes. First, wash and peel a potato. Next, cut two slices and place one on each eye for 10 minutes. Lay down, relax and let the potatoes work their magic. Rinse the eye areas gently with lukewarm water when you’re done.

Maximize the Lifespan of Your Blowout

I love walking out of the salon with a fresh blowout, but how do you prevent your locks from going limp in the days after? The experts say to plan early. Your hair naturally secretes oil. So be two steps ahead and spray your roots with dry shampoo before you start producing oil. (I absolutely love Klorane and you can check it out at Klorane Dry Shampoo) This way, the dry shampoo will absorb any moisture before it weighs down your tresses. Also, make sure you protect your hair from moisture. Rain is sure to ruin your mane, and touch up your blowout in the morning by using a hair dryer and round brush. It will give you an instant boost of volume.

Contouring Creates Dimension

The trick to achieving a chiseled celebrity-like face is to contour. (Angelina-Jolie cheekbones, anyone?) Your face is three-dimensional. So applying foundation in a single tone will only make your face appear flat. Add a highlighter to areas of your face that would usually catch light, but create enough shadow to emphasize your jaw line and cheekbones.

Avoid Overly Rosy Cheeks

Giving yourself a natural glow using blush is an “in look” for spring, but you’ll want to avoid looking like a clown by brushing on too much. So always start your blush line at two-finger width away from your nose and only apply it on the apples of your cheeks. This will ensure you create a natural glow without going overboard.

Keep Misbehaving Brows in Check

Spritz an old toothbrush or a clean mascara wand with hairspray, then brush brows and style them as desired. Even the most hard-to-tame brows will fall in line with this trick.

Applying False Lashes

Adding extra eye fringe amps up the glam instantly. First, take your falsies and loosen them by gently flexing the eyelash band. Then curl your natural lashes to make sure your falsies line up with your actual lash line. Apply glue on your falsies using a Q-tip. Using tweezers (or fingertips if you feel they give you more control), place your falsies as close to your lash line as possible. Let your lashes dry for a minute before adding a coat of mascara (if desired).

Blot Away Excess Oil

Do you start the morning with matte, fresh-looking skin—only to find that by the time 5 p.m. rolls in, you’re a shiny mess? If you have oily skin, blotting papers are a beauty godsend. Don’t use powder to soak up the oil. Using too much periodically throughout the day will make your skin appear cakey because you’re just layering makeup on top of more makeup. Opt for blotting papers instead. They can be purchased inexpensively almost anywhere beauty products are sold, and will soak up all that oil.

No Makeup Remover? Try Lotion Instead

If you’re out of makeup remover, use body lotion to get rid of makeup. It works especially well on tough mascara.

Create Fuller Lips

If you’re tired of having thin, pursed puckers, extend your lip line using a neutral-toned lip liner. Then apply lipstick over top. Be careful though. Don’t extend your lip line too much.

Lashes for Miles

Curl your lashes both before and after applying mascara for longer lashes. You may want to re-curl them throughout the day to get some extra lift. Just remember to be gentle when you apply pressure with your curler.

Stop Your Hair Color From Fading

If you’ve just had your hair dyed, the last thing you want is for the color to fade. One surefire way to prevent such a mishap is to use a deep-conditioning treatment once a month. This will help lock in color and has the added benefit of staving off dry and damaged locks.

Bonus Tip!

Use a flat iron to create waves. Flat irons are amazing tools with multiple uses. Not only can you use them to straighten your hair, you can also create tight curls or soft romantic waves.

And don’t forget—sweat is magic! Work up a good sweat every day to make your health and fitness wishes come true,

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