What's your beauty secret?

Question

Are there certain things you eat/wear/do as part of your beauty regime that are little known secrets?

e.g. I wear clear mascara on my eyebrows to hold them in place, and I shave my legs with hair conditioner instead of foam because it makes them smoother.

Answer 1

1. Know yourself, have a solid sense of self: strengths and weaknesses (external physical attributes and inner qualities); what looks good and feels good to YOU. This way, you are locked in any social or cosmetic prison; you can adjust accordingly, through seasonal trends (so you don't get stuck in a rut) and external beauty standards.

2. Invest your time, energy, and money in skincare.
Flawless, soft, radiant skin is the perfect canvas for any makeup palette, as well as the single most beautiful "foundation" anybody can wear.

I don't wear makeup that much, as the activity of putting on/wiping off makeup tugs at the skin (especially around the eyes) too much, causing premature wrinkles. My favorite "makeup" products consist of a good antioxidant serum (in addition to eating healthy and/or taking vitamins), Estee Lauder's Idealist Skin Refinisher (evenly tones my skin instead of using foundation), 10% Benzoly Peroxide (limited to only once a day due to skin sensitivity), and SUNSCREEN (Oil of Olay's SPF 15 or Neutrogena's SPF 45 for face, depending on the season).

I purposely buy skincare products from Estee Lauder or Lancome ONLY when they have "free gifts" (usually makeup samples), my cosmetic bag (also free) has less than $40 worth of actual makeup products:

---Neutrogena's Daily Defense SPF 30 Pressed Powder ($10-$11 from Walmart).
---Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara ($5-$6 for a pack of 3 from EBay, that's only $2 per tube).
---CoverGirl Eyeshadows (less than $4 from Walmart) and free eyeshadows.
---Free blush.
---Clear Mascara for eyebrows (CoverGirl or Maxfactor for about $4).
---Free eyeliners.
---Free lipsticks. (Make ANY lipstick long-lasting, through an 8-hour work day, with eating and drinking, by applying 1st coat, dust on pressed powder, then apply another coat and blot. If you want deep-kiss-proof lipstick, Maxfactor's Lipfinity is by far the best choice.)
---Generic brand Preparation H (Great for dark circles, as the Phenylephrine medication shrinks blood vessels.)

Answer 2

Once in a while I'll use a honey and sugar scrub on my face (homemade, just use a tsp of each on a wet face). It really helps to polish off the dead, dry skin and makes moisturizers easier to apply...I usually use less of them too.

I exfoliate my lips gently with a wet washcloth. They get very chapped, even in the summer! This is also a way to plump them too, and definitely worth the $30 you save instead of buying crappy lip enhancers that say they plump when they don't.

I use Pantene's Relaxed & Natural Creme as a treatment once a week. I apply a whole lot of it to dry hair, comb it through and let it sit 20 minutes, then when I need to wash it, since I don't have a clarifying shampoo at the moment I use dish soap (Dawn Ultra in Apple Blossom, it's very gentle too), and then follow up with a regular conditioner. It makes my dry hair a lot more smooth, and the results last for about a week or two with daily washings. It doesn't leave it greasy. Much cheaper than getting it done at the salon, and the results last longer than salon treatments which just feel like water in my hair.

Answer 3

In the winter my hands get really dry, so I put Vaseline on them instead of lotion right before bed and then put gloves on and sleep with them on. My hands are soft in the morning when I wake up. I do the same with my feet.

On rainy days or humid days, I'll smooth a little regular conditioner through my wet hair without rinsing out before I style to keep from getting frizz. Kind of a deep-conditioning leave-in.

PS I do the shaving with conditioner too sometimes.

Answer 4

I second the shaving legs with hair conditioner!

But I coat my lashes everynight with vaseline. I have super long, curly eyelashes and I like to accentuate my BEST features instead of my worst. Also I hold my eyebrows in place with hair spray! Sometimes clear mascara makes me breakout... I am not sure why...?

Answer 5

I use clear mascara on my eyebrows, too! Also, I use shower gel instead of shaving cream, and I use razors for men instead of women. (Sometimes the women's razors have too much rounded plastic around the blade and it makes it hard to get a close shave.)

I put Vaseline on my lips every night before bed, and once a week I slather it on my hands, too, and put on cotton gloves before going to bed. In the morning, they're super soft.

Answer 6

This isn't a beauty secret, but if you've got 10 bucks go buy "911 Beauty Secrets" or look for it on Amazon for cheaper... it's seriously the best beauty secret book!

Answer 7

Mario Badescu makes this wonderful drying lotion for pimples... it's looks sorta funny going to bed with a pink dot on your face.. but it will heal a pimple better than anything I've ever found.....

Answer 8

I use an eyeliner brush and black eyeshadow instead of an eyeliner pencil. It looks much more natural.

Answer 9

i get my eyebrows professionally shaped on a regular basis, like every 2-weeks.
it makes you look better and more well kept, even if you're not wearing make-up!
oh, and wearing heels.... they make everything look better! ;)

Answer 10

sometimes I wash my face with baking soda and warm water.it smooths out my skin..it leaves it super soft and satiny.