When it comes to looking your best, you don't always have time to go that extra mile. Lucky for you, these sneaky beauty tricks will allow you to skip steps without compromising your hotness.
Check out extra beauty and fashion shortcuts here.
1. Give Yourself a Facial
There's nothing better than a professional facial. But if you have a big night and no time, you can still get luminous skin without the royal treatment. Try this 10-minute routine, suggested by Elena Arboleda, head aesthetician at Mario Badescu Skin Care, in New York City. First, wash your face with a cleanser for your skin type. Next, massage on a gentle scrub for 30 seconds with your fingertips. Rinse and apply a thin layer of a mask containing fruit enzymes, such as papaya, which will help give your face a glow. After five minutes, rinse off, and blot your skin dry. Finish with moisturizer, eye cream, and lip balm.
Related: How to Look Amazing on Lousy Days
2. Send Wrinkles into Hiding
After moisturizing, dab a small amount of premakeup base containing silicone over smile lines, crow's-feet, and small creases. "It visibly blurs the lines and makes skin look much smoother," says makeup artist Nick Barose. Try Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, $28. Finish with a lightweight liquid foundation (heavy concealers make wrinkles appear deeper) and a dusting of light-reflecting loose powder.
Related: How to Fight Wrinkles at Every Age
3. Fix a Mani Smudge
Hey, you've got places to go - which is why you inevitably end up bolting from the nail salon before your polish has dried completely. You know what comes next - an ugly smudge. Try this quick fix: "As soon as you get home, carefully pour nail enamel remover into the cap," says Ji Baek, owner of New York City's Rescue Beauty Lounges and author of Rescue Your Nails. "Dip the pad of another finger into the liquid and lightly tap and smooth the smudged nail. Then apply a high-shine topcoat." This time, sit tight!
Related: Fast-Drying Tips for DIY Nails
4. Cut Your Blow-Drying Time
Towel-blot hair well, then do what we call a faux-out. Normally, you'd clip up the top and start drying the bottom layer of hair. But to save time, "Put your dryer on high heat and finger-tousle the underside of your hair to zap out the moisture," says hairstylist Jimmy Paul of Bumble and Bumble. Then focus your attention on the top layer. "Use a round brush to blow out sections that are the same width as the brush, applying lots of tension from roots to ends," he adds. The smooth, shiny top layers will conceal what's underneath.
Related: How to Master the Bombshell Blowout
5. Freshen Up After the Gym
First, use a disposable face wipe on various body parts - face, arms, and pits, advises Grace Lazenby, personal trainer and founder of iTrain.com. Then rub on a scented body powder, which will do double duty by mopping up excess moisture and making you smell great. Since you'll already have natural color in your cheeks, just swipe on lip gloss and a coat of mascara.
Related: Your Most Embarrassing Beauty Questions Answered
6. Touch Up Your Roots in a Pinch
To cover peekaboo roots between salon appointments, colorist Rita Hazan of the Rita Hazan Salon, in New York City, suggests trying a touch-up stick. Her pick: Roux 'Tween Time Instant Haircolor Touch-Up Stick, $12, which you can find at most beauty-supply stores. "Choose the shade that matches your hair color best, moisten the tip, and paint it onto your roots like a lipstick," she explains. Or if you're really crunched for time, "put your hair up in a ponytail with a gorgeous headband to hide regrowth," Hazan says.
Related: Find Out How a New Hair Color Would Look on You!
7. Make Dirty Hair Look Chic
There are times when your unwashed hair screams, "For the love of God, shampoo me!" But when you don't have time to lather and rinse, create a messy bun. "Mist your hair with a little bit of hair spray, which will absorb oil and add texture," says Paul. "Tease at the crown, then twist back individual sections one by one, away from your face, securing each with a bobby pin." Finally, gather the length into a loose bun.
Related: Check Out Our Favorite Time-Saver - Dry Shampoo
What are your beauty shortcuts?
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.