It’s the time of year when chest rub can come into its own, but here’s an alternative use: use it to soothe aching feet. Try applying a thick coat of chest rub and covering feet with a pair of socks before going to bed at night. When you wake up, sore tired feet will be both moisturised and rejuvenated.
If choosing between two shades of foundation and neither is quite right – but you love the texture – go with the darker one. You’ll blend it well but it’s much easier than with a too-light shade.
Truly make facial massage an anti-ageing habit. ‘It stimulates circulation, which helps feed the skin and drain away toxins,’ advises superfacialist Sarah Chapman, adding: ‘We hold a lot of tension around the outer corners of the mouth, which pulls them down and starts the creation of jowls. Loosening this tension achieves an instant lifting effect. And if your skin looks dull and tired, a good cleansing massage followed by a washcloth to mildly exfoliate will bring it back to life.’
There are commercial coffee ground scrubs available, but have you ever considered making your own? Add a slosh of warmed coconut oil to a handful of coffee grounds for a great instant body buffer. (But do it in the shower to avoid the ‘gritty bottom’ effect.)
Just a handy household hint to reduce stress levels: if a drawer is sticking, remove it and rub a candle on the runners. The drawer should open more smoothly when you slip it back into place.
Suffering from dry hands? If there’s anyone who isn’t, they’re not washing their hands properly. Or enough. But it’s possible to reverse the cracing, dryness and soreness, according to Dr. Ifeoma Ejikeme, founder of the Adonia Medical Centre in London Best way to moisturise? Generously apply cream to both the front and back of clean hands, paying attention to moisturising between the fingers – it’s the area most likely to suffer.
Did you know that hair conditioner works to help prevent rust on tools…? Give the toolbox an overhaul: simply condition them (literally) with a touch of product, on a clean cloth.
If you have annoying flyaways along the forehead – which often happens when hair grows back after a post-pregnancy ‘fall-out’, by the way – brush them into place with an eyebrow brush doused in hairspray. (A clean toothbrush also works well, too.)
This season’s lipsticks too strong for your blood? Turn them into a really longlasting stain by applying three coats of a deep tone, leaving on for a few minutes then blotting with a tissue so only the pigment remains.
It always bears repeating, but never rub wrists together after applying a scent: the rubbing motion crushes the fragrance elements, altering their development. Experts sometimes refer to it as ‘breaking the heart’ of a perfume…)
If a mushy eye pencil is too smudge-y, put the cap on and let it sit in a glass of iced water for a few minutes.
Always start a blow-dry with the under-layers. If you start drying your hair with the top layer, you end up scooping wet hair from the underneath and pulling it through the brush, re-wetting areas that are already dry.
It’s the time of year when chest rub can come into its own, but here’s an alternative use: use it to soothe aching feet. Try applying a thick coat of chest rub and covering feet with a pair of socks before going to bed at night. When you wake up, sore tired feet will be both moisturised and rejuvenated.
As we head towards the end of Movember, you might want to share with the moustache-grower in your household that lip balm works as a brilliant styling wax for ’taches and other wild hairs.
Truly make facial massage an anti-ageing habit. ‘It stimulates circulation, which helps feed the skin and drain away toxins,’ advises superfacialist Sarah Chapman, adding: ‘We hold a lot of tension around the outer corners of the mouth, which pulls them down and starts the creation of jowls. Loosening this tension achieves an instant lifting effect. And if your skin looks dull and tired, a good cleansing massage followed by a washcloth to mildly exfoliate will bring it back to life.’
If your bathroom cupboard’s cluttered and products are hidden at the back making it hard to reach them, invest in a ‘Lazy Susan’ – one of those circular storage solutions you’ll find online at stores like Lakeland. The ‘turntable’ means you can access everything easily.
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? (Of which there are lots, at this time of year.) 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.
If you have brown eyes, make-up artist Gucci Westman suggests applying a little bronzer under your bottom lids to intensify the colour.