It’s always best to shop for fragrance in the morning. Research has shown that humans can detect one trillion distinct scents. Your sense of smell is relatively uncluttered in the morning – so it really is best to seek out a new addition to your fragrance wardrobe when your nose is ‘fresh’.
Once you've applied foundation or tinted moisturiser, give it a moment or two to 'set' before applying blusher or bronzer. It'll stay put better that way.
Do you have a fringe and suffer from acne? Avoid using deep conditioner that on hair or a fringe that touches your face.
After showering, or washing your hair, don't towel-dry hair or wrap it in a towel on top of your head – and don't rub. Those can rough up the cuticle, leading to frizz before hair's even dry. Keep old t-shirts to squeeze out the water – it's softer and gentler.
If the eyeliner you applied an hour ago has gone AWOL, 'This means you didn't put enough eyeliner on,' our make-up artist friend Bobbi Brown once advised us. 'Line your eyes with eyeshadow on a brush, then draw the line heavier than you think you need to.' If you're using pencil, look for pencils that aren't too greasy or creamy. And remember: if you have too much moisturiser under your eyes, that will cause pencil to run, too.
Be careful not to store foods in pots or cans, because the metals (with the exception of stainless steel) will react with the foods inside. Iron darkens foods. Copper turns them green. (Although while unappealing, neither effect is bad for you.) In a matter of days, aluminium (which means most pans that aren’t stainless steel) or aluminium foil can impart a metallic taste, especially acidic foods like tomatoes. We like to keep leftovers in thick glass bowls and jars, and if necessary cover with beeswax wrap.
Attack tangles by starting at the ends of the hair, as opposed to the centre of the knot. Gentle finger-combing is best. Yes, it takes more time – but not as much time as growing out broken hair.
To remove persistent dirt from around the edges of the nail – from gardening, most likely, in our case – use a cotton bud to remove a liquid cuticle remover around the area gently, to loosen it. Wash hands thoroughly so that remover doesn’t stay on the hands and nails for too long.
Hair too puffed up after blow-drying? Pull on a tight hat to flatten it. (Hair responds best to shaping tricks like this when still warm from the blow-dry.)
Lighten the load by being honest with yourself about the make-up products you touch up during the day, rather than lugging a whole kit around with you. Lipstick? Probably. (Although a tinted lip balm may do double-duty here, moisturising and adding sheer colour in one.) Blusher? Don't bother carrying blush with you; buy a retractable make-up brush, sweep it in blusher in the morning before you leave the house and use that for touching up. Ditto powder, if you like to defy shine. Your back will thank you for your make-up reality check...
Not a tip but a quote. And can we say how much we love Cara Delevingne for this...? 'I think beauty is generally moving towards a more inclusive place. Everyone should have the right to feel beautiful and no one should ever be made to feel ugly. Ugly people are the ones that use hate – it's nothing to do with what you look like in my opinion. We all desire to change things about ourselves but when we realise that we don't need to change anything, we are enough... That's what I want beauty to feel like.'
Tanning guru James Read recommends: 'Before you apply tan, rub an ice cube over your face to minimise pores. Then pat dry with a tissue. You should also apply a small amount of moisturiser over any spots of blemishes, so the tan does not cling to these areas.'
Too hot at night, at home or on holiday? When we don't want to sleep naked, we've been known to lightly splash a nightie or sarong with water before bedtime, to cool us down.
If you're experiencing make-up meltdown, switch to an oil-free moisturiser for the summer months – ideally with an SPF. Your skin's almost certainly producing plenty of oil of its own accord in the hot weather.
Do you have an ingrown toenail? Wear shoes with plenty of toe room and trim toenails straight across. To ward off infection and soothe pain, try soaking your toe in a solution of one part tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil or grapefruit seed extract and five parts water, two to three times a day. And the homeopathic remedy Silicea can also strengthen the nail, encouraging it to grow straight.
Well, it works for the eternally gorgeous Joan Collins… ‘Wear lipstick. It’s the most glamorous cosmetic invented. Mascara is the second.’ You have been told.
Facials on the floor of a department store (even if in a little room or behind a curtain) can be great, so long as you keep your expectations realistic. Consider them as an introduction to products, rather than as a potentially relaxing experience. You’ll really only get that in a salon.
If you don't have time to allow moisturiser to sink in for 10 minutes before applying make-up, blot your face with a tissue. Applying too soon – especially in hot weather – is a recipe for a fast-disappearing 'face'.
Between manicures, give your nails an oil bath. Soak fingertips in warm coconut, olive or vitamin E oil and massage for around 15 minutes before bedtime. (Great while watching your favourite TV show!) Allow to sink in overnight. (Cotton gloves definitely not obligatory at this time of year.)
To lower your temperature after a hot day, take a cool bath or shower. Adding a few drops of rose, sandalwood or fennel essential oil to cool bathwater can also help tackle the overabundance of pitta that accumulates in the body during a long, hot day.