Got facial beauty products that didn't work out? Scrubs, masks, serums, creams? Just relegate to your body, and give it some well-deserved extra TLC. You can afford to be super-generous since otherwise these products would be headed for the bin...
With the sandal season upon us, it pays to know this: to safely put on closed-toe shoes after a pedicure, you need to let polish set for three to four hours, says New York supermanicurist Ji Baek.
To keep nail polish caps from becoming gummed up, clean the neck with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover every few times you paint your nails with that colour. Helps prolong the life of the polish in the bottle.
It's always best to use a heat-protective spray before hair straighteners or tongs – but at a pinch, use a bit of leave-in conditioner to protect hair.
Check in mentally and physically before you step out for a walk, and adjust your pace depending on how you're feeling. If you're feeling drained, make the pace more of a stroll. If you're feeling tip-top, push your pace.
Make-up artist Tom Pecheux explains that the type of brush you use will change the colour of the product you apply. A soft, fluffy brush will give a light veil of colour, whereas a harder, denser one gives a more vivid, dense hue.
In her book Love Your Skin: The Ultimate Guide to a Glowing Complexion, superfacialist Abigail James recommends keeping a bottle of facial oil beside the bed – handy for giving yourself a five-minute facial massage.
Cotton pillowcases – even gazillion thread count Egyptian ones – dry out hair. By contrast, silk doesn’t rough up the cuticles or wick away vital moisture.
Microfibre towels are gentler on hair, mopping up excess water faster than regular towels and cutting blow-dry time in half. Many women also find they reduce static flyaways.
Under-eye concealer always goes on more smoothly over eye cream – but be sure to allow 10 minutes to sink in before applying.
Beauty wisdom from Cheryl Cole: ‘I read cosmetics labels. I take a long time over that, because the instructions are there for a reason and help you get the best out of whatever product you’re using. A lot of my friends just whack on whatever, without looking at it – but I don’t think that’s productive.’
For shiniest-ever hair and to control frizziness, our friend Philip B. insists: ‘It’s important to blow with the grain of the hair, downward towards the ends. It makes the cuticle lie flat, and styles keep their shape longer.’
Love this globetrotting tip from Porter Travel Director Catherine Fairweather: ‘I don’t wear a watch when I travel. This makes it easier to get into the new time zone straight away, as you forget about what you would be doing if you were at home.’
Rather than fiddling around with highlighters and other luminising make-up, make-up artist Wendy Rowe recommends dotting a rich night cream on the tops of the cheekbones and along the brow-bones, for a natural-looking sheen.
When drying skin after you’ve washed your face, never rub: simply blot the face with a soft, clean towel to avoid skin appearing blotchy.
If you’re polishing toes, start polishing on your left foot, from little to big toe – and on the right foot, from big toe to little toe. If you’re left-handed, work from right to left to avoid smudging.
Feel stressed before big events? Breathe deep. Most adults don’t know how to breathe fully; we breathe in a shallow way with the chest muscles when we’re feeling angst-y. A deep diaphragmatic breath sends an impulse to the brain that tells the body to relax.
After tweezing, spritz brows with water: it'll show up any stray hairs that might have escaped your tweezing – especially 'baby' hairs.
Make-up artist Dick Page suggests applying blusher straight after foundation, and assessing the effect. 'Often, you'll be surprised how much it can brighten your face and you won't need anything else.'
We tried this tip for streaky self-tanner during our recent slather-a-thon for YOU Magazine: squeeze fresh lemon juice onto a loofah and scrub at dark areas in a warm shower. Following with an application of 'everyday' gradual tanner then helps to even the tan out.