To lengthen and lift lashes, try the ‘Push and Pull’ trick from Pat McGrath: ‘Swipe the wand from the base of the lash, zigzagging the formula back and forth through the lashes.’
The sun’s come out – which immediately triggers cold sores, in some people. Sunlight decreases your immune system’s ability to fight the HSV-1 virus. So wear a sunhat when outdoors and shield lips from sunlight with an SPF30. A lysine supplement can also help prevent breakouts.
We’re all trying to cut down on packaging. If you’re not vegetarian and you buy meat or fish from a butcher or fishmonger, take along your own airtight food container to carry your purchases home, rather than accepting plastic wrapping and/or carrier bags.
Get your blood sugar checked. Women over 45 make up to 60% of all new cases of adult-onset diabetes, we’re told. But if caught early, the disease can be controlled with exercise or diet.
Painting nails before bedtime will lead to dullness and smudges. If you must, apply only one coat of polish and wait at least 45 minutes before dozing off.
Fascinated by what makes us happy (or not)? Sign up for Yale University’s The Science of Well-Being course, which is apparently the most popular class in the history of the college, in which Professor Laurie Santos teaches the skills of ‘gratitude, happiness, meditation and savouring.’ coursera.org
When applying concealer to a blemish, deploy a fine-tipped brush – fingers can introduce bacteria to the area – to fan concealer around the pimple, blur the edges and tap it directly on top. (Be sure to clean the brush very regularly, though.)
The latest in an occasional series of inspirational quotes, from Linda Rodin, founder of Rodin Olio Lusso (and now an Instagram star, @linkawinks ). ‘Western culture tells women that we become invisible as we age, but now that I’m in my late 60s, I like to think that I’m old and interesting! A positive mindset and paying attention to how I present myself has made all the difference. My hair turned white early, so I embraced it rather than dyed it. I also love tinted glasses and strong lipstick. People say it’s a statement look but I never think of it that way – it just feels like me. I’ve been wearing jeans and sneakers since I was five years old and they still feel good – so why change now?’
If you like to body brush, switch from a hard-bristled brush to a soft brush at the neckline. This area calls for delicacy. Use a special facial brush (try Alexandra Soveral’s); just 10 seconds of gentle, northward strokes will rid the neck of dry, flaky skin.
When is the best time to embrace positive habits? New Year’s Day and the start of the school year are well-known, but times of change – such as a new job or moving house – are opportune moments to shape new habits, advises Gretchen Rubin, author of The Four Tendencies. Smokers who quit at the same time as moving house are often more successful, she says, as they have fewer triggers and associations to hamper them.
Avoid eating dairy products while hay fever symptoms are acute; they encourage mucus production and can exacerbate any allergies.
If you have limp, fine hair, consider colouring it. Colour is absorbed by the hair and expands the hair shaft, so hair looks fuller immediately – and will stay that way.
If you wash your hair regularly, it’s fine to use waxes, pomades, shine serums and leave-in conditioners. But if you like to leave longer than a couple of days between washes, use them sparingly (if at all). They can make hair look dull and grubby after a day or two. (Those instant enhancements come at a price.)
Don’t even think of applying concealer under your eyes without eye cream - but do give the cream a few moments to absorb beforehand. The dryness and thickness of concealer alone can make skin appear more wrinkled than it is.
Never rub wrists together when applying fragrance. You interfere with the top notes of the fragrance and alter the way it develops on the skin. Waft your wrists around a bit – it’s worth the wait, we promise!
As self-tan season beckons, VIP tanning expert Jules Von Hep has this advice: after applying fake tanner, run a dry washcloth over your body to buff off excess product and blend any potential mistakes.
We’re starting to think about getting our bodies out… And if yours is dry and flaky, look for a body lotion that contains AHAs (alpha-hydroxy fruit acids), which lightly exfoliate dead skin cells. Body oils and rich butters are great, but the key to optimum absorption is getting rid of the dusty cells on the surface, so they can penetrate better.
It’s time to refresh your make-up bag for summer, but go through anything that’s left over from last year and edit it. Throw away waterproof mascaras that may be flaky, cake-y tinted moisturisers and anything that’s changed consistency (gone runny or gloopy). And if a product has an SPF (such as a lipstick or protective sheer balm), be aware that the number on the packaging isn’t what you’ll get this summer, because SPFs can diminish when products are kept for a while.
Do you use make-up sponges to apply foundation? Be sure to dampen them beforehand. Add a few drops of water, then squeeze, and you’ll find that foundation glides on far more smoothly.
Feeling sluggish? Rather than reaching for a sugary snack or caffeine, head to the loo and run your wrists under cold water for a few seconds to increase alertness.