My Favourite Beauty Hacks.

My name is Christie. Some of my hobbies include watching TV whilst eating junk food, and laying in bed pinning all the things. That and Vodka. Always Vodka. The pins too often draw me in are the 'hacks', which speaks volumes about my character: lazy. That, and the fact that I'm pinning 'lazy girl guides' in bed at 1pm instead of going to the gym.. So, it's safe to assume that if there's a half-assed way of going about a task, that's the route I'm going to take.

There are the Pinterest hacks that are notorious for not working at all, and then there are the Pinterest hacks that work like a lazy girl's dream. Below are ten of the everyday beauty hacks that I have tried and tested and use, well, every day:

Rimming the waterline

I've been rimming my waterline has always been a favourite hack of mine, and I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. For those who don't know, 'rimming' (not the sex thing) is essentially stamping black eyeshadow over your pencil liner just like in this image tutorial. This trick is especially advantageous if you use a pencil that tends to smudge. It keeps everything in place, makes your liner last, and helps keep things waterproof.

'3' highlight

I spend a fair amount of time contouring my face if I'm due for a night out, but for an everyday look, I quite literally draw two quick squiggles on my face with my Models Prefer highlight and contour sticks, blend, and viola! I start by contouring, drawing a backwards "3" from my temple, making the middle line sit right below my cheekbone, and draw the bottom line underneath the jawbone. Then I quickly make a "3" with a highlighter, starting above my brow, ensuring the middle line is above the cheekbone, and the bottom line is above my jawbone (see the image tutorial here).

Using a fork to contour your nose

This hack has had the shit kicked out of it left right and centre, but I honestly found it amazing (as did Nikkitutorials) when I was first learning to contour my nose. The space between prongs is generally perfect for most nose shapes and sizes and allows for perfectly straight lines. Blending it all out seamlessly is left up to you, but with a solid starting point, you'll master the contour in no time.

Cinnamon oil 'botox'

I actually posted this hack a year or so back. Adding a few drops of cinnamon oil to your lip gloss makes for a temporarily plumper lips. This has been my sneaky little confidence booster for years. It's a perfect, portable pick-me-up that can be touched up throughout the day.

Baby powder 'falsies'

I just can't with the falsies. I've tried. I've failed. I've given up.
I found this pictorial a while back and have been doing this little trick every time I go out. You quite literally run a cotton bud dipped in baby powder across your lashes after you have applied a coat or two of non-clumping mascara. Finish off with one last coat and BAM! Thicker lashes.

Warm mascara in your bra
I read somewhere that warming your mascara before use it really allows you to get the most out of your tube. I began putting my mascara in my bra while I was getting ready in high school, and I still do today. By the time I've finished my foundation and eye make-up, the mascara is warmed up enough to go on super smooth and there is significantly less clumping. It's especially great if your tube is on the older side and is starting to run out or dry - you get more uses from the one tube AND it glides on much better.

Hairspray on a toothbrush for flyaways
I'm no hair genius - often a high ponytail is too much for me to handle, so I need all the help I can get. If I'm attempting an updo, or have styled my hair on a frizzy day, I'll finish it all off by spraying a little hairspray directly on an old toothbrush and smoothing down any flyaways or fine baby hair around the hairline.

Band-Aid manicures

I'm the clumsiest person on the planet Earth, so I've got about 4 packets of Band-Aids on me at all times. They're good for more than just covering up your ouchies; I've been using them as French tip stencils since seeing this blog post. As the ends are already curved, I find that band-aids work much better as stencils than plain old tape. If you find a pack with the large sized pore holes, they're also great for polka dot nail art!

Plastic spoon mascara guard

I'm a complete grot when it comes to putting mascara on my lower lashes. I found this pin a while back and it changed my life. You may need to do some explaining when your boyfriend sees you do it for the first time, but it definitely beats the wet cotton bud clean up which smudges your eye make-up, or the tape that removes half of your concealer.

Nivea Post Shave Balm as a primer
I'm sure you've all heard this beauty hype by now, but guess what? It works! The ingredient that makes work so well as a primer is glycerine, which is in just about every face primer on the market as it acts as a glue for foundation creating a tacky base for your make-up to stick to. Definitely an option if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to expensive primers or have sensitive skin. You can see my full review for more information.


What is your favourite beauty hack?