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.
No time to line eyes? You can define them by making sure your mascara wand reaches right to the root of the lashes; wiggle it there and you'll create a subtle lash-line.
You can clip bits of annoying cuticle skin sticking out around the nail – but be sure not to pick or peel them, as you'll invariably remove healthy skin and leave the area inflamed and painful. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap; using sterile nippers (which you've cleaned with alcohol before use), nip at the base of the skin. Then follow with a slathering of antibacterial ointment.
If you want to smell incredible all day, spritz your fragrance onto your ironing board before ironing your clothes and the heat will release the scent and ‘lock’ it into the fabric.
Waking up with puffy eyes with all this socialising? Make ice cubes out of chamomile tea. Drink half of it before bedtime the night before (it’ll aid sleep) and freeze the rest. In the morning, hold a cube under each eye for 10 seconds. The intense cold and anti-inflammatory properties will de-puff and brighten.
Become a skincare mixologist, advises Marie Helvin. ‘I am a great believer in doctoring beauty products,’ she says. ‘I add serums, oils and vitamins such as A and E.’
Really do always wash your hands before applying make-up. Did you know that the salt from the potato crisp you just snacked on can affect the chemistry of your make-up…?
You may be able to keep nail polish for longer than you think. Some can last for up to five years, although the one-coat polishes go much more quickly. Store away from direct light and occasionally give them a shake, and you may be surprised at their lifespan. (You can always try bringing back to life with a few drops of nail polish thinner, such as Seche Restore.)
Oily scalp? Try this DIY exfoliating recipe. Take an egg and beat till foamy, and then add 6 tablespoons of natural yoghurt. Apply the mixture to the scalp by parting the hair and placing it at the roots. After 15 minutes, rinse out and condition.
Ward off colds and flu with sprouts! Like all other fibrous veg (including broccoli and cabbage), they contain a micronutrient that helps maintain immunity in the gut, where 70% of the body’s immune cells reside. (Can’t stand the taste? You may not need them, then. Research shows that people who find them unbearably bitter are more able to ward off the bacteria that cause chest infections.)
There’s no need to rub while you’re removing polish. Soak the cotton pads in remover, hold onto the nail for a few seconds and you’ll find it much easier to swipe polish away.
If you have digestive problems, avoid sugar, which has been found to have a profoundly adverse effect on the gut. Adds nutritionist Christine Bailey, ‘Sugar feeds harmful bacteria which then cause bloating and all manner of damage to the gut lining. And it’s not only the sugar found in sweets and chocolate: be wary of concentrated doses in energy drinks, fruit juices and many low-fat foods.’
International trichologist Philip Kingsley recommends saw palmetto as a supplement for oily hair. ‘Take 160mg of the extract twice a day: it’s been shown to inhibit an enzyme that stimulates sebum secretion…’
Always ‘buffer’ the effect of a pumice stone on areas of hard skin by using it with soap.
Instead of reaching for another caffeine jolt, revive tired muscles and stimulate blood during that mid-afternoon slump by placing a plastic water bottle on the floor; take of your shoes and gently roll your foot over it from your heel to your toes for a minute or two. Repeat with the other foot. Miraculous!
For instantly fresher breath and cleaner teeth, grab an apple. As you chew, you’ll chew away any leftover particles of food caught between your teeth.
It’s not unusual to see models teasing their hair backstage with toothbrushes at a catwalk show. It’s well-known among session stylists that by using tiny bristles, you get right into the roots and give your hair ‘lift’ without making it look too big. (This technique’s especially good for giving volume to floppy fringes.)
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.
If you use a volumising product, make sure it’s spritzed onto towel-dried/damp (not sopping) hair: excess water dilutes the product.