After three years of the Oscars, five Cannes red carpets, eight Paris Fashion Weeks, four Milan Fashion Weeks, four New York Fashion Weeks, 18 Mumbai and Delhi Fashion Weeks, 64 film shoots and an inestimable number of magazine beauty, fashion and cover shoots, I have learnt that makeup artists and celebs turn to the strangest of things to keep looking flawless hour after hour, day after day. These are the weirdest beauty fixes I have seen in action, which actually give proven results.
1. An ultra-deep nail polish has left that dreaded stain on your nails, which refuses to go away despite repeated swipes of the polish remover? Dip a lemon wedge in baking soda to scrub your nails squeaky clean.
2. ‘Tis the season for red lips but maintaining them all through the night is a pain. Make it easier by rubbing a bit of cherry Jell-O powder directly onto moistened lips before applying your lipstick. For maximum precision, apply with a Q-tip or clean lip bush – you really don’t want a red ring around the mouth! Even when the lipstick begins to fade, your bold lips will appear to be intact for hours due to your Jell-O primed pout.
3. Have unmanageably curly hair? Skip the generic towel and use a simple cotton tee to dry your strands after a shower. A bath towel actually increases frizziness by roughing up the hair cuticles, while a smooth cotton-knit fabric soaks in excess water without disturbing the natural ringlets.
4. Any facial moisturizer can do double duty as a makeup remover in a pinch. Simply pour onto a ball of cotton and wipe across the face to remove makeup, then rinse off with warm water. Or, apply on a Q-tip and use with a light hand to clean up smudged liner and flaky mascara.
5. Cold sores? Ultra-dry lips? Dab on a little bit of honey – it is excellent for repairing dry and cracked skin, while simultaneously warding off bacteria.
Have you tried any of these tricks-of-the-trade? What are your secret beauty fixes that work wonders?
– for hydration without the added shine.
