I am definitely not a professional, but over the years there have been a few tricks and tips from others or topics I researched myself that have bettered my beauty routine. Here are some of my favorite beauty tips, and see if one of these could be helpful to you!
1) Heating up your Eyelash Curler – A tip I actually got from a friend, and with my own research found that adding heat to an eyelash curler is a way to instantly increase the longevity of the curl and get better results. I had seen eyelash curlers that had the ability to heat up, but they were either too expensive or just looked dangerous. But using a hairdryer (or in my case a space heater), the tool can be heated up, then once warm enough to touch, can be used normally. I noticed my lashes stayed curled for longer and had a fuller look. If you are adding mascara after curling them another good tip is to use a plain spoolie to brush them out to help evenly distribute the product.
2) Investing in an Electric Nail File – My Mom actually had one for years and I was devastated when it finally died after decades of use. I bought another and still love it; I use it at least every other week. It is faster than using a typical nail file and requires less effort to achieve an effective filing. There are two different speeds but regardless of which I am able to use it and easily get no snags or sharp edges after using it. There are also three other attachment heads that would be good to use when buffing nails, but I personally do not use them for anything besides the filing.
3) Putting Products in the Fridge – This is a trick I learned about years ago and is one that is a very refreshing way to use your skincare. Products such as masks, eye serums, and moisturizers can go in the fridge to help make them feel better when applying and can actually help preserve some of the ingredients. Keeping them at a stable temperature helps save the product, especially if you are somewhere with warmer weather, or just want to try something new! Just like food items, skincare and beauty products often have an expiration date and it can be important to monitor those dates to get the best use of your skincare.
4) Making Sunscreen a Priority – Even in Seattle, individuals are susceptible to getting skin cancer, and a big way to reduce this is by wearing sunscreen on a daily basis. Incorporating it into a routine and making it a habit means you are protected year-round and there are so many different ways to get SPF into your routine. There are liquid kinds, powder, spf in a moisturizer, primer, and different ingredients to ensure that what you are using will be most compatible with your skin type. I’ve been through many but at the moment am using Tula’s spf 30 daily sunscreen, it has a subtle glow to it and I like that it goes well on its own and under other makeup.
5) Finding Second/Other Uses for Products – There are a lot of us who end up getting stuck with products that either does not work in our routine or are forgotten about. But there are a lot of ways to use products in your routine for different things. Exfoliation scrubs or masks can be used on other parts of the body such as your legs, and this also goes for extra lotion. If there are toners that irritated your skin they could instead be used as a deodorant. Finding a second use for them instead of letting them expire or be thrown out is a much better way to get your money’s worth.
6) Double Cleansing at Night – Especially if you are someone who wears makeup, finding an oil cleanser to use as a first cleanser is a less abrasive way to take off buildup and product from the day (vs a makeup wipe) and ensures that most is washed away. It is not stripping and there are many types of oil cleansers to make sure it is the right one for your skin type. The DHC cleansing oil is a good place to start for a basic oil cleanser, and it can even be found at Costco. It may seem counterintuitive to use oil to clean but it is able to clean deeply without damaging your moisture barrier and can be great if you have breakouts or sensitive skin.