The best beauty secrets often come from experts in the field…
However, if you don’t have a beauty guru in your life, then don’t fret. We’ve got 14 of our best beauty buys, beauty tips and best-kept beauty secrets just for you – and once you’ve heard them, you won’t be able to live without them.
We have some tea to spill!
Secret number 1: Use the right makeup
So, what’s our first best beauty tip? Unflattering makeup can add years to your age. There are specific beauty brands that are made especially for mature skin to combat anti-ageing and minimise fine lines and wrinkles like Estée Lauder, Clarins and Elizabeth Arden. A general rule of thumb to follow is choosing creams and mouses more than powder as you age. Powder products set into fine lines and wrinkles.
Using the right makeup also means paying attention to colour – always test a product against your skin tone!
Secret number 2: Horses have great beauty products too!
Using horse shampoo was first brought to our attention by the permanently glossy-haired Jennifer Aniston. Quickly following in Aniston’s footsteps, similar admissions from Sarah Jessica Parker and Demi Moore cemented the trend and a new craze was born.
- DisChem stocks the Equiline Shampoo at R84.95.
- Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, R300 at Clicks, also fits the bill – apparently, Arden originally used to use the cream to soothe her horse’s legs!
ALSO SEE: Our favourite Jennifer Aniston hairstyles
Secret number 3: How to make your at-home manicure last longer
Even if you’re applying a polish to bare nails, give them a quick swipe with nail polish remover first. It removes the oils on the surface of the nail, which gives a longer-lasting manicure – perfect for when you’re on holiday or during the week when you don’t have the time to constantly re-apply nail polish.
Secret number 4: How to avoid dry skin after shaving
Don’t have shaving cream? First of all, step away from the soap! This will not help, trust us. Instead, reach for your hair products. Use hair conditioner to shave your legs in the morning. It’s so gentle on skin, you’ll never suffer from a post-shaving rash or dryness.
ALSO SEE: The complete guide to shaving you didn’t know you needed
Secret number 5: How to give your hands a quick makeover
In need of a quick hand pick-me-up? Mix a tablespoon of olive oil with a teaspoon of sugar and rub over your hands for a minute or so. Rinse off to reveal super-soft hands. Much cheaper, quicker and easier than hitting the manicurist every week!
Secret number 6: How to moisturise your skin like a beauty influencer
Rather than relying on moisturiser alone to meet all of your skincare needs, double up with a matching body oil to reveal your softest skin yet. This is especially necessary in winter to lock in moisture and keep dry flaking skin at bay.
Try Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil, R575 for 100ml at Woolworths. This seriously hydrating product won Best Body Oil in our W&H Beauty Awards. ‘I absolutely love this product. It felt like self-care in a bottle. Very luxurious and nourishing,’ said W&H Beauty Awards judge Aisha Baker.
ALSO SEE: The best anti-ageing products from the W&H Beauty Awards
Secret number 7: How to add a hint of colour to your skin, every day
For those of us with fair skin, rather than splashing out on an expensive tinted moisturiser or an extra self-tan just for your face, mix a few drops of your usual self-tan product in with your favourite moisturiser for a light, but lasting, hint of colour.
Secret number 8: How to have sweet-smelling hair
For hair that smells great, every day, spritz your hair brush with perfume and brush through to leave your hair smelling sweet all day. A great tip to refresh your locks between washes!
Secret number 9: How to cure calluses overnight
Rather than spending hours hunched over with a foot file, the quickest and easiest way to remove hard skin and calluses is to do it while you sleep. Slather on Vaseline before bed, cover with cling wrap, put some socks on, go to sleep… wake up with super soft feet!
Secret number 10: How to repair a broken nail
Don’t you hate it when all of your nails look perfect except for one? Rather than cutting or filing them all down, you can actually repair that broken nail in an instant. Try dabbing a bit of superglue over a broken nail, then add a coat of nail varnish to cover. No one will ever know!
Secret number 11: How to fix a streaky fake tan
If you find yourself looking more streaky than glowing after applying self-tan, there is a fix that can give you an even colour. Put some baking soda on a loofah and gently scrub away the stripes, to leave an even base for you to layer up the tan once again.
Secret number 12: How to give your hairstyle natural hold
For the final step of your blow-dry, spritz hairspray onto your brush and run it through strands from roots to tips. This way, your ‘do isn’t so plastered and stiff, as it would be if you finished with a heavy dose of hairspray, but still adds some extra volume and shine.
We still love L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hair Spray, R117.95 at DisChem. It was named Most Iconic Haircare product in our W&H Beauty Awards.
ALSO SEE: W&H Beauty Awards 2022 in Haircare
Secret number 13: How to make your eyeliner last longer
Getting your eyeliner right can be tricky at the best of times – it’s even harder if your eye pencil crumbles down onto your face, or smears across your eyelid. To stop this happening, store the liner in the freezer for 15 minutes before use.
This will firm-up the tip, so the liner goes on your skin smoothly.
Secret number 14: How to make your own perfumed moisturiser
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of your favourite fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on and the scent will last for hours. Just make sure it is skin aproved!
Disclaimer: The information provided within this site is strictly for the purposes of information only and is not a replacement or substitute for professional advice.
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