12 Most Life-Changing Beauty Hacks Ever

Looking gorgeous and smelling incredible have never been more foolproof

Looking gorgeous and smelling incredible have never been more foolproof.

1. For better grip, flip the bobby pin over so the wavy side is against your head.

If you have a hard time keeping your bobby pins in place, try flipping the pin over. The straight side is slicker and won't grip as well as the wavy, more textured side.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

2. Insert bobby pins into your ponytail holder vertically to prop up your ponytail.

Once you've put your hair in a ponytail, insert two or three bobby pins halfway inside the elastic and facing downward toward the crown of your head. Then, fluff your ponytail and flip it over for a fuller look that won't sag or droop.

Left: Before; Right: After

3. Texturize milkmaid braids with a teasing brush or toothbrush.
French maid braids look best when they're roughed up a little to achieve that lived-in look. To get that effect instantly, take a teasing brush or a toothbrush, and texturize the braids by brushing them against the way they've been braided.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

4. Twist your hair, and slip your bobby pin underneath to discreetly pin back your strands.

 
If you're looking for a way to pull back the sides of your hair but don't want the pins to show, try this simple technique: Insert a bobby pin with the open end pointing toward your face and in the opposite direction of the section you're pinning back. If one bobby pin isn't strong enough, try using a larger one or reinforce it with a second pin right below.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

5. Dust an eyeshadow (in the same color family as your hair) along your part to shade your scalp slightly, making your hair appear thicker.
Not only will this trick work IRL, but in pictures your hair will appear super-thick. You can also use this hack along your hairline if you wear it in a ponytail a lot or simply don't like to part your hair to get the same results.

 

6. Use a concealer that's slightly lighter than your skin tone to line three tiny sections of your eyes: the inner "V," the middle section of your eyelid, and just below your brow bone.

 
Lightly blend for instantly well-rested eyes and a highlight that looks natural. Great for days when you didn't get enough sleep.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

Product in this look: Nudestix Concealer Pencil Crayon Correcteur in "Light 2"

7. Amp up your going-out makeup by contouring and highlighting your facial features with two concealers: one two shades darker than your skin tone and one two shades lighter. 

 
If you're using pencil concealers, you have more control of the placement, which makes contouring easy. Just draw the lighter shade of concealer on the areas that naturally catch light, and use a darker one to shade in the areas that are naturally shaded. Then, blend with a buffing brush like this one from Tarte Cosmetics.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

Products in this look: Nudestix Concealer Pencil Crayon Correcteur in "Light 1"; Nudestix Concealer Pencil Crayon Correcteur in "Deep 8"; and Sonia Kashuk Core Tools Large Duo Fibre Multipurpose Brush

8. Fix foundation stains with a little bit of shaving cream.
If you take off your shirt and accidentally smudge your makeup on the collar, just wipe a dollop of shaving cream on the spot to pretreat it before tossing it in the wash.

9. Turn a pencil eyeliner into a gel formula with the help of a match.
Hold your black, green, burgundy, etc., kohl eye pencil (which typically creates a thin, harder-to-apply line), under the flame for one second, let it cool for 15 seconds, and then watch the consistency change right before your eyes. Glide on your newly made gel liner for an instantly smudgier formula.

10. Use the handle and the rounded edge of a spoon to create the perfect winged liner.
Hold the handle of a spoon against the outer corner of your eye, and draw a straight line. Then, flip the spoon so it's hugging your eyelid, and use the rounded outer edge to create a perfectly curved, winged tip. After you've made your outline, fill it in, and draw a line across your lashline to finish the look.

Courtesy of Kathleen Kamphausen

 

11. Dust baby powder over your eyelashes between the first and second coats of mascara to plump up your lashes.
Translucent powder or baby powder has grip, so it will stick to your lashes in between each coat of mascara, making your lashes appear more voluminous.

Courtesy of Elizabeth Griffin

 

12. Get the perfect smoky eye by drawing a hashtag on the outer corner of your eyelid and smudging it out with the sponge.
Keep drawing hashtags and smudging it out to get a darker, smokier look.

Place the edge of the tape in line with your bottom lash line and angle the top toward the end of your eyebrow.