To get more out of your hair mask (and you are applying these twice a week in this central heating season, aren’t you?), reach for something that will trap heat and moisture, creating a mini-steam room effect that will open up the hair shaft and allow the mask to penetrate more deeply. A shower cap, a plastic bag or a clingfilm will all do the trick.
Lucy Pollock, the author of The Book of Getting Older (For People Who Don’t Want to Talk About It), maintains that it’s never too late to start a fitness regime. True, the earlier in life you start to exercise, the less frail you’ll become. But as she points out, ‘It really is never too late. It Is the people who do least, but then move to doing a little who benefit the most. If you’re doing a marathon in your eighties, fantastic. but you don’t gain much by doing two marathons. Whereas if you move from sitting all day to standing up once every hour or 20 minutes, that makes a huge difference. For some of my patients, simply being able to stand up on their own out of a chair or bed means they can stay at home.’
From actress Ellie Bamber, some sage-beyond-her-years advice: ‘I used to have really bad breakouts and sometimes still do. Double cleansing helped so much and funnily enough, contrary to popular opinion, I think applying make-up also helps as I don’t touch my face.’
If a round brush makes your fringe too curly, try switching to an oval brush (like a Mason Pearson).
Do you sometimes use a particular dark shadow for eye-lining? If so, don't glop up the whole eyeshadow compact; instead, dedicate just a corner to this operation. (Once a shadow has been dampened, it behaves differently.)
If you always feel strapped for time, hang out with someone who follows their own rhythm, such as a treasured older member of the family, a child or even an animal. Notice any frustration that comes up in you as you allow your pace to match theirs. Look them deep in the eyes when you're talking to them, to establish a deep connection – and look upon the experience as an investment in yourself, rather than something to make you feel even more pressured. We all have the same amount of hours in a day; it's how we use them that matters.
To use blusher on oily skin, start with powder blusher (your natural oils will allow the pigments to stick), then layer cream blusher over it. For dry skin, apply the cream blush first: skin absorbs the emollients, and you should then dust powder blusher over it – the powder pigments adhere to the cream and stay put, advises make-up artist Laura Geller.
Love this quote from our make-up artist friend Mary Greenwell: ‘Don’t bother keeping old make-up. It’s not like keeping a nice leather coat. Lipsticks go rancid. Mascaras dry out. Foundations separate. It’s unhygienic. And even though the colour might be great three, four or five years on, the texture will be all wrong. All the newness in make-up comes in the textures. And nowadays, textures are changing very, very fast and getting better and better.’
Don’t be tempted to peel off old nail polish. It takes a very fine surface layer of the nail with it, affecting both the texture and strength of the nail, over time.
You don't need a face full of make-up to wake up tired-looking skin. Patting a creamy concealer at the inner and outer corners of eyes and long the cheekbones will instantly brighten the face, says make-up artist Gucci Westman.
Make-up artist Rumiko reveals: 'Your eyelashes are the same texture as your hair. People with fine hair usually have fine lashes, whereas those with thicker hair have naturally thick ones.' If you have thin eyelashes, go for a thickening or volumising formula, whereas if they are short you'll go for a lengthening version.
Don't kid yourself that alcohol is a sleep aid. Alcohol doesn't put you to sleep; it merely sedates the cortex of the brain, which isn't natural, healthy sleep. Instead it fragments sleep so that you wake up briefly many times through the night. It also suppresses REM (or dream) sleep, which is essential for proper rest. So: skip the nightcap.
To prolong your colour, ask your colourist about a clear glaze. It can extend the life of haircolour by at least two weeks, extending time between appointments.
Fingers or tools? Kay Montano starts with a sponge, but advises: ‘Ultimately, you’ll always need to use your fingers to blend any product. Nothing beats that final “hands-on” touch. It’s the only way to feel how much product is actually on the skin.’
You just washed your hair. Why would you dry it on a towel that's been in the bathroom for a few days...? Just sayin'. (Ideally, use a fluffy towel fresh from the airing cupboard, each time.)
Got an important meeting or a VIP event? We never recommend trying a new face mask, exfoliator or indeed pretty much any new product on the day (or the night before). You’re never going to be 100% sure it won’t trigger a reaction – and you don’t want to have that panicked feeling that you’d rather venture out with a paper bag over your head…
It's just fine to rub your body dry with a towel – it can help get rid of dead surface cells. But always pat rather than rub your face, where skin is more fragile.
Looking for skin-loving ingredients to add into your diet? Facialist Abigail James recommends flaxseed, chia, açai, spirulina, matcha, chlorella, baobab and something called 'aduna super-cacao'. We love to whoosh them into a smoothie with fresh fruit and/or soya milk, and sip with our other supplements.
For soothing and restful sleep, feng shui experts suggest positioning your bed diagonally facing the door, and never under a sloping ceiling as it creates stagnant energy to build up. They also recommend ditching mirrors in the bedroom, as they can cause insomnia. (Worth a shot, if you’re still finding it hard to slumber despite our regular recommendations for sleep-beckoning products!)
For a soft brow look, Bobbi Brown likes to use eyeshadow and a stiff, angled brush, using quick, light strokes. 'Powder is less obvious than harsh pencil lines, and it blends more easily.'