Running late with one wing of eyeliner done and the other looking like a sneeze? These 8 beauty hacks are the quick tricks that fix that kind of morning, no new products required. You’ll use a strip of Scotch tape as an eyeliner stencil, set lipstick so it stays put through coffee, cancel out dark circles with color correcting and dunk wet nail polish in an ice bath so it hardens fast. There’s also where to dab perfume so it lasts all day, how to rescue makeup mistakes on the go and a mascara trick for clump-free lashes. And the grand finale is bouncy curls with just a blow-dryer and a round brush, so your curling iron can take the day off! Rather make your own beauty products from scratch? Head over to these DIY beauty ideas, and find even more shortcuts in the beauty and health hacks hub. Perfect for busy mornings, date nights and getting ready in five minutes flat.
1. Scotch Tape Eye Stencil
A piece of clear tape is the cheapest makeup tool there is. Stick it to the back of your hand first to take off some of the stickiness, then press it from the outer corner of your eye toward the end of your brow at the angle you want. Sweep shadow or liner right up to the edge, then peel the tape away for a crisp line. Do the other eye with a fresh strip at the same angle and both sides match, even if your hands aren’t steady.
Get the full tutorial at Her Campus.
2. Prevent Lipstick From Smudging
Lipstick that ends up on your teeth and your coffee cup needs a better base. Exfoliate, add balm, then dab a little foundation or concealer on your lips and set it with powder. Line and fill the whole lip with pencil, then swipe on lipstick. Lay a tissue over your mouth and dust loose powder through it, then blend and blot with a folded tissue. Matte and long wear formulas hold best. Skip petroleum jelly underneath, since that is a common reason color slides.
Get the full tutorial at STYLECRAZE.
3. Dark Circle Knock Out
Really dark under eye circles need color correction before concealer. Orange and blue sit across from each other on the color wheel, so they cancel out, and yellow does the same for purple. Pick a salmon or orange corrector for bluish circles and a yellow one for purple tones. Dip a foundation brush into the corrector and stamp it onto the darkest part of the circle, including the inner corner. Blend gently with your finger, then follow with foundation and a light dusting of powder.
Get the full tutorial at The Beauty Department.
4. Fix Make Up Blunders On The Go
Makeup mishaps never happen at home where all your products are. For chipped polish, buff a chip at the tip with a nail file until the edge looks smooth, or dip a concealer brush in polish remover to soften a smudge in the middle. Smudged liner cleans up with a cotton swab and a travel size remover, or blend it upward with brown shadow so it looks like a smoky eye on purpose. Blotting tissues soak up shine before foundation slides.
Get the full tutorial at StyleCaster.
5. Instantly Harden Nail Polish In An Ice Bath
Nail polish can take up to an hour to harden and about four hours to fully dry, which is a long time to sit still. Fill a bowl with ice and cold water while your last coat goes on. Once the polish is set enough not to wrinkle, dip your fingertips into the ice water for about one minute. The cold firms the polish fast, so you can get on with your day. Pat your nails dry gently with a towel afterward.
Get the full tutorial at theFashionSpot.
6. Where To Apply Perfume To Make It Last
Where you spray perfume matters as much as which one you buy. Pulse points like the wrists, the inner elbows, behind the ears and behind the knees are warmer, so they push scent out all day. Your collarbone works too. Hair holds fragrance well, but alcohol can dry it, so mist a brush or comb and pull it through instead of spraying strands directly. Moisturize first, since perfume lasts longer on hydrated skin.
Get the full tutorial at Daily Mail.
7. Apply Mascara Perfectly
Mascara goes on last, after shadow and liner, so you aren’t tempted to pile on extra coats. Curl first, since curling after mascara can break lashes. Apply two coats to one eye, two to the other, then go back for a final pass, and don’t dip the wand between every stroke or clumps follow. For bottom lashes, hold the wand straight up and down and wiggle it side to side. Let smudges dry, then lift them with a cotton swab.
Get the full tutorial at BeTrendsetter.
8. Curl Your Hair Without a Curling Iron
Is your curling iron on the fritz, or just too hot for your patience today? This beauty hack borrows a hairdresser’s trick and gets you loose, bouncy curls with only a blow-dryer and a round brush. Dry your roots first with a smoothing leave-in, then twist each section around a boar bristle round brush. Blast it with heat through the concentrator nozzle and here’s the secret: let it cool on the brush before you release it. That cool-down is what makes the curl hold. Salon waves, zero hot tools!
Get the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
