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There are several things I use daily that I'm happy to say can do double, even sometimes triple duty. Whether it's a second use for your beauty routine or a surprise use for something you didn't think of before, when you're on a super tight budget, this can certainly save the day! I wanted to share a few of my favovorites and while some may be old school, they still work...here we go:
Facial Moisturizer: I've used several different kinds of moisturizers over the years and sometimes have to vary it a bit throughout the year because of weather. (Northeast Winters can be pretty brutal on skin.) But something I love about whatever one I choose, there is a second use for them that I use all year long...makeup remover. I only use waterproof mascara and sometimes that stuff just will not come off. Even when you think you've gotten it all, you may still wake up with raccoon eyes. One morning after a night out, I woke up looking, let's just say, a bit more goth than I did when I went to bed. Just for the heck of it, I grabbed my jar of moisturizer, took a small dab on my finger and very gently rubbed some on my closed eye. The makeup immediately started to dissolve and with a gentle wipe or two with a tissue, the makeup came off. It worked like old school cold cream and not only took off all the makeup, it left my skin soft as well. (note: it does sometimes take more than one time doing it, but it's a lot more gentle than soap or a harsh remover) Bonus tip: Facial moisturizers are also great on cuticles!
My favorite facial moisturizer!
Bobby Pins: There are so many uses for bobby pins, it will be hard to narrow it down to just a couple. The great thing about these little gems of metal is that they can be used for the basic holding your hair back or, day to day stuff such as holding a charger cable at bay as well.
Some quick uses for bobby pins...hair basics: pulling annoying bangs back; creating pin curls; tucking in a ponytail or bun; cleaning out a hairbrush. Nails: use as a dotting tool for nail art, use the edges to help clean up excess polish around the nail bed. Day to day: put a charger or headphone cable in the end of it and then slide a bobby pin onto the edge of a shirt or jacket, or while in bed, on a tissue box or pillow case to keep it out of the way. Clip thinner socks or stockings to keep pairs together in a drawer. Use to clip a shirt together in a button hole if a button breaks. I've also used them to clip some tissues together in my purse if I'm out of a travel pack. This way too, not only do I have tissues with me, I also have a bobby pin handy if I need one! (they also fit great on an inside zipper pull of a purse to keep a few on hand)
Clear Nail Polish: A bottle of this should always be handy. Besides being able to use it as both a top and bottom coat for a manicure if you're out of either, clear polish has some extra uses as well: liquid bandage on a cut; save a button from falling off by brushing a little bit on the stitching; fix a run in stockings or tights; mix your own color of polish with some powder makeup like eyeshadow or blush, crush it up and mix it with the clear polish; and a new favorite, when you have a chip in a screen, like your iPad, clear nail polish can be a life saver! I have some broken glass around my home button and I use some thicker clear nail polish on the edges of the broken areas to smooth out the sharp edges and save my thumbs.
Bonus tip: If you color your hair at home and miss, I've used a little nail polish remover to get the color out of the grout on the floor. I dabbed first with a cotton pad to make sure the grout can handle it and when it was ok, (and the color was stubborn), I'd use a bit more and it came right up.
My go to top coat/clear polish.
Baking Soda: This is the multi-personality of staples and a box should always be kept in the house. Besides the many household uses for this magic powder (like the old refrigerator trick), there's beauty and hygiene tricks for it as well. Baking soda can be used for: deodorant, teeth whitener, bug bites and even use to exfoliate top to bottom! Just add a little bit to your face or body wash and scrub gently. Add a little to your body lotion and give your feet a good massage. Let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse. Alternatively, you can soak your tootsies in a foot bath of baking soda and water and it will help soften calluses and rough patches. Then pat dry and apply lotion. If it's before bedtime, throw cotton socks on right after moisturizing to sleep in and wake up to soft, happy feet. The beauty of a lot of products is that they have more than one use. What's even better is that they don't even have to cost a lot to begin with. Getting multiple uses out of inexpensive basics are not only great deals but also space savers as well! Have a mulit-tasker in your routine? Let us know what it is!
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What would a lifestyle stuff site be without Beauty Stuff? Everyone has to have some Beauty Stuff!
Let me clarify...we are not a group of people who glam up just to get coffee or take selfies all day. Personally, I'm lucky if my hair is out of a ponytail at any given time these days. So this is not going to be one of those beauty blogs that shows you how to use 7 different kinds of concealer to hide who you really are. We do like to play here and there and try new stuff every now and then but then again, don't we all? I'm hoping this will be a place to come for some tips and tricks of what "real" people do; shortcuts for those with no time on their hands and of course do it all with a touch of humor added to the mix. This won't be just another glam blog by any means, but rather a fun place to come and be comfortable with normal folks and routines that fit busy schedules. Basically, we're not beauty experts we just know how to get through the day and every now and then, kick it up a notch. But let's be real, for the most part? We're all about the ponytails, sweats and comfort factor. Ok and a little mascara! |