15 Effortless Beauty Hacks That Will Make You Gorgeous

There are thousands of ridiculous beauty hacks out there, but here are 15 that have been tested and confirmed legit, by me, your average uni student.

18, journalism student, loves dogs and Parks and Recreation

There are thousands of beauty hacks out there, some work, and some are completely ridiculous. Here are 15 beauty hacks which have been tested and confirmed legit, by me, your average uni student.

1. The real 5 minute makeup look

I hate going onto YouTube and finding the ‘5 minute makeup tutorials’ that, realistically, take half an hour or longer. Five minutes will not allow you to put on everything, so just stick to the essentials. I just fill in my eyebrows and put mascara on, which enhances my look very subtly. However, if you’d rather a little bit more, you could also do some spot concealing, or put on some BB cream. If you still have a little bit of time after this, put a neutral brown shade on your eyelids or a lip balm/gloss.

2. Use Q Tips to clean everything up

I go through a ridiculous amount of Q Tips, but I cannot do my makeup without them. Use them to clean up around your eyebrows, takeaway mascara smudges where they aren’t wanted and to perfect your winged eyeliner. Works every time.

3. Use a toothbrush to secure fly-aways

Simply spray hairspray onto a toothbrush (not the one you clean your teeth with) and brush it through your hair, mainly where you have fly-aways. This will help keep them down all day and not use an excessive amount of hairspray.

4. Use scotch tape to get a clean eyeshadow look

Rip off a piece of scotch tape, about the size of your pinkie finger, and stick it from the outer corner of your eye and align it to the end of your eyebrow. Apply eyeshadow and when you take the tape off you should be left with a clean line.

5. Fix an oily face with oil sheets

Putting more powder on an oily face will just make it cakier and clog your pores. It’s much better and more effective to blot your face. Oil sheets are cheap and you can easily carry them in your purse.

6. Use a toothbrush to exfoliate lips

It’s important to have a good base when applying lipstick. Use an old toothbrush and gently rub it on your lips to exfoliate them and make them smooth.

7. Perfect your eyebrows with concealer

Use a small brush and some concealer to line the bottom and top of your brows. This will clean up any product that may have escaped and make your brows look super clean.

8. Bobby pins wavy side down

There seems to be a debate about which way a bobby pin should truly be used. To get the best hold, make sure the wavy side is down.

9. Charcoal to whiten teeth

For a natural way to whiten teeth, try using charcoal. If used continually, you should see results. It may look a little strange but it will leave your teeth feeling fresh and smooth.

10. Fix oily skin with oil

This may sound crazy, but it has worked for me. At night, I put Jojoba oil on my face to help my oily skin. This particular oil is similar to the oil your skin produces and thus tricks your skin into thinking it has already produced enough. I still get a bit of sheen, but it definitely reduces it.

11. Fan dry your setting spray

Setting spray is great for helping you make up last all day. To make it stay even longer, fan dry it immediately after you apply it. Works like a treat.

12. Make sure your skin is moisturised

If your skin is dry, your foundation will likely cling to it. Make sure your skin has enough moisture in it before applying foundation to keep a smooth appearance.

13. Use eyeshadow to conceal the part in your hair

Especially if your hair is darker, your scalp stands out a lot when you part it. Use a bit of eyeshadow the same colour as your hair and lightly brush it along your part.

14. Match your foundation to your neck

When you put foundation on, you blend it into your neck. It’s important when finding a colour you don’t match it to your face as it is often toned differently to the rest of your body.

15. Spray bobby pins with hairspray

Spray your bobby pins with a bit of hairspray before using them to give them some extra hold.