Beauty blogs and vlogs can seem redundant because honestly, how many eyeshadow palettes can one girl have?! I know good and well a new lipstick isn’t going to change my life, and here I am each week in Sephora saying, “But this mauve is 10000x different than my other 14 mauves.” Despite the silly redundancies beauty reviews are my favorite blog posts and YouTube videos to watch! Doing my makeup each morning is honestly therapeutic for me and I love hearing about little tricks and tips I can test out. Sharing is caring, so today I thought I’d share my 10 favorite beauty hacks! I’d love to hear yours below!
1. Exfoliate
We spend so much time researching specific serums and treatments, but you always want to be proactive in your skincare routine as opposed to reactive. Exfoliation is the most proactive thing you can do. Lack of exfoliation is what leads to blemishes, wrinkles, dry skin and dullness. If you are in your 20s you should be exfoliating twice a week and if you are in your 30s you should be exfoliating three times a week.
My favorite exfoliators:
Tula Exfoliating Mask [not a traditional exfoliator but works as one through a mask! Great if you hate the beads.] Use code: KATEYKIT20 at checkout for 20% off!
If you have more mature skin, I recommend this!
2. Acne Fix
If you’ve tried everything for your acne and you are at your wit’s end, cut dairy and sugar from your diet. This is a recommendation many Dermatologists will make before a patient makes a more serious medical commitment like Accutane. Of course speak with your doctor if they think this would help you and they can help you get calcium through other supplements! Try Whole 30 and see if you like it! Worst thing that happens is you cleanse your body of toxins and get a little healthier. So many people swear this is what fixes their cystic acne.
3. Losing Hair
If you are losing hair, try cedarwood oil! Many people who experience postpartum hair loss apply a few drops to their fingertips and massage their scalp with them after. If you want something a little more intense, try Neuhair! It is from the makers of Neulash and I have loved using it in the past. I’ve seen an inch of growth in a month of using! In general, they say results take about 12 weeks but most see results sooner.
4. Get The Lash Extension Look
Your eyelashes are hair just like the any other part of your body. Chances are you use more than one product on your hair to achieve a certain look and your lashes are no exception. It may seem a little silly to layer mascaras, but it’s the best way to apply mascara! The traction of different brushes and application of different formulas is what is going to get you long, separated, voluminous lashes. I love to do two swipes of this mascara, let it dry for 30 seconds and then apply two coats of this mascara.
5. Whiter Teeth
Oil pulling is a great natural way to get white teeth and detox your body! It sounds gross and it may take a few days to get used to the texture, but it is great for you. Right when you wake up take a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes. Don’t swallow it and then spit it out! It improves oral health, whitens teeth and removes impurities from your body. Some people say this helps their metabolism as well. If your gums bleed when you floss this is also a great way to help heal your gums. Plus, it makes your breath fresh all day. You may also consider implant dentures and teeth whitening services from a dental office. You can visit this website at vanhoofdental.com/implants/ and learn more about the process and procedure of this implant.
6. Fix Brassy Blonde
I’ve tried every purple shampoo under the sun and this is by far the best treatment to fight brassy tones in your blonde. Be careful! It is so pigmented if you leave it on too long you’ll end up with lavender locks. I use it twice a week and leave on for about 30 seconds to a minute.
7. Switch Shampoo
Speaking of shampoo, you should switch your shampoo each season. Your hair acclimates to products more quickly than your skin does. Certain shampoos will just continue to build up and not do their job at a certain point, so try to change up your routine every season. This is the shampoo I currently use.
8. Dry Shampoo Before Bed
If you hate the texture of dry shampoo [raises hand high!] apply it at night before bed. The dry shampoo will absorb the oils throughout the night and you’ll wake up in the morning with clean-feeling hair filled with volume. The best part is that it won’t feel like you have a chalky buildup in your scalp! This is my favorite dry shampoo [ever!], and this one is great if you workout a lot and need your hair to actually be clean as it is the only one on the market that does so!
9. Polish in Ice
Right after you paint your nails, dunk them into a bowl filled with ice water. Leave them in for about 20 seconds and your polish will be dry.
10. Layer Polishes
I love to wear white nail polish or light pastels and one question I always get is how to avoid your polish cracking or dirty looking. Gel polish is very porous, so your cleaning products and skincare to break it down and open it up to cracks and dirt. Be careful when using your acidic skincare to not allow it to touch your finger nails. Another trick for keeping white and light polish looking bright is to layer your colors. A little texture and transition in color will help be a buffer for lighter shades. For example, mix OPI Funny Bunny with OPI Chiffon My Mind. Both are whites but one has a teeny tiny bit of shimmer in it, so it won’t be as stark white. You still get the color effect, but don’t have to deal with the effects. I also like to layer Essie Fiji with OPI Mod about You if I’m wanting a pink. I also layer my gel polishes at the salon, so just pick two that are similar and apply.
I hope you learned a new trick or two to try! Have a happy Wednesday!
I’m going to recommend your tips about losing hair to my boyfriend. He’s always complaining that he’s going to go bald, haha. I tell him it’s because he’s always so stressed out about work – he needs to take it easy!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
These are really great tips! Going to try dry shampoo before bed and dunking my nails in ice water. Thanks for the ideas!
Your beauty tricks are seriously the best! My carts are loaded with products to try because of you
http://www.cashmereandjeans.com
I ran out and bought the Kenra purple mask over the weekend and I used it this morning for the first time. It’s the best mask ever!!!!! My color was getting a little brassy but now it looks like I just got back from the salon and not to mention my hair is so soft. I feel like I just had an olaplex treatment. Thanks for the recommendations Katey!
http://www.cashmereandjeans.com
I ordered the TULA discovery kit from your recommendation and got the exfoliating mask with it. I am loving it!! Also, great tip on layering different mascaras; I’ve never tried that. I have natural long lashes but needed a trick for volume and fullness without the need of falsies.
This is becoming my new go to blog!!
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear!! xo
Is #5 supposed to say 20 minutes or seconds?! I don’t think I could swish for 20 minutes haha
Haha no, it’s 20 minutes! It’s definitely not for everyone, it’s a very odd little trick to try! But apparently people say after like 3 times you get addicted to doing it because your mouth feels so clean!
I need to try those mascaras!! I used to toy around with the idea of lash extensions but don’t think I want to commit so I’ve been looking for alternatives!
Allie
http://www.champagne-tuesdays.com
Loved this post, thanks for the tips! I always have issues with my lighter nail polish and I am definitely going to try your hack. Thanks!
Dry shampoo before bed changed my world! My hair produces the most oil overnight so when I figured that out it was a game changer and now I can go two or three days without washing (used to wash every single day!)
Will definitely be trying the cedarwood oil trick!
Hi katey!
Do you use neulash or any serum since you’re breastfeeding?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Carolyn! I don’t use it while breastfeeding! I hope this helps!
Such amazing tips! I’ve been trying so hard to get into oil pulling but the texture just makes me gag haha! It’s also crazy how much cutting sugar helps your skin! Great tips, Katey <3
xx Tess | Sequins are the New Black
Hi Katey!
I was wondering if you knew if Tula was good for sensitive skin?? Or do you know of a really good exfoliator for sensitive skin? I have to be very careful and was just wondering before I spent money on it.
I love reading your blog and I love seeing how you adapting to life with Maxi! She is so precious!
Do you know if Tula is safe to use for someone with sensitive skin? I have to be very careful with everything and just wanted to check before I bought it!
Yes! I have sensitive skin with discoid lupus! I love it! xo
Thank you! Very good recommendations!
Really loved this post! I am going to try those mascaras the brush seems similar to Too Faced Better Than Sex. And I am pregnant and can’t use teeth whitening products, I think I might try oil pulling again!
Hannah
glamlifeliving.com
I love all of these tips! I tried oil pulling before and it is so hard to keep the coconut oil in for 20 minutes, I did it once lol I’ve heard amazing results from it though! Maybe I’ll try again… maybe
xoxo, nicole | http://www.blondeintheburbs.com
I have heard of the oil pulling and how great it is–I don’t know how to survive the 20 min but the benefits will make me try it at least once!
The dry shampoo trick is a weekly ritual of mine. I definitely recommend it. Cuts my morning routine time way down. Excited to try the nail polish tricks! Love your blog.
I love your tip about dry shampooing before bed! I’ve been solely using dry shampoo at night lately and it works so well! All the oil in my hair is gone when I wake up, and the gritty feeling that the dry shampoo often leaves is totally gone!
These are great tips & tricks!
Face products/regimens are my obsession. I LOVE exfoliating. Since having my baby two months ago, I have just recently started losing hair around my hairline, so I will definitely be trying the cedar wood oil. I have essential oils, but for some reason they intimidate me, so I’m looking forward to your essential oils post. Definitely going to try the mascara trick! And the coconut oil trick (hopefully I can handle it)! And the switching shampoos! Also, I HATE dry shampoo, so thank you for the recommendations. Those are two that I haven’t seen before. My hair gets super oily overnight, and I usually wash it daily, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I like one of these dry shampoos to try the overnight trick.
Hey girl, thanks for all the tips! I have to tell you I just switched over to Surface Pure Blonde Violet shampoo for my blonde and let me tell you… BEST product of all time. Really brightens up my strands and I highly recommend making the switch, nothing beats it for me!
Love this post! So excited to try the purple shampoo treatment…none of the purple shampoos work for me, even when I leave them in for 10 minutes.