25 Incredibly Easy Beauty Hacks That Will Instantly Change Your Life

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For a beauty-lover, Fashion Week is a feast of new hair and makeup inspiration. For a beauty editor, it's the best opportunity to get real-girl hacks from the professionals. We're always discovering new tricks from the stylists backstage — like how to use eye shadow as highlighter or mascara as eyeliner. We are hanging out backstage at the top shows to get the best tricks from the biggest names in the industry. And luckily, you don't have to wait until Spring 2015 to try these expert tips at home. In fact, we recommend you test them out right now!

01
Tone Down a Bright Lip
Getty | Monica Schipper

Tone Down a Bright Lip

You loved that neon lip color in the drugstore aisle, but on your lips it's more Las Vegas showgirl than runway chic. Backstage at ICB by Prabal Gurung, Hannah Murray taught us the secret to toning down a too-bright lip hue. She customized the coral lip color to all the models using concealer ($19). At home, you have two application options. Apply your bold lipstick then add concealer on top, or blend the two hues on your hand before putting on your lips. This is also a way to make that not-so-nude lipstick you splurged on your perfect barely there shade.

02
Brighten Yellow Tips
Getty | Mireya Acierto

Brighten Yellow Tips

The french manicure may be coming back in style, but that pink-and-white airbrush finish is staying in the '90s, where it belongs. Instead, make your naturally long tips stand out with a coat of opaque white nail polish (or white pencil) underneath the free edge. The bright shade will help take out any yellow discoloration when you're wearing a sheer, nude nail polish. This nude manicure style is more diffused than adding a layer of white polish on top of your tips. Backstage at Timo Weiland, Zoya manicurist Rebecca Isa used this trick to brighten up tips on this pastel manicure.

03
Apply Glitter With Ease
IMAXTREE | @IvanLattuada

Apply Glitter With Ease

The holidays are still a few months away, but we're already gearing up our glitter game plan. The key to making your festive shadow stick is all in the glue . . . or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream ($21). Makeup artist Polly Osmond used the skin care favorite to adhere holographic plastic and MAC glitter ($21) to eyelids. Ooh, sparkly!

04
Foundation For Blush Overload
IMAXTREE

Foundation For Blush Overload

Oops! You've put on too much blush, and now your look reads more drag queen than innocent schoolgirl. Don't your dare reach for the makeup remover! Aaron de Mey actually recommends blurring the color with foundation or concealer on top. Use a flat natural hairbrush to apply your base over the blush color (backstage at Adeam, Aaron used MAC M'Orange lipstick, $20, on cheeks). The finished look will appear more realistic, giving you that flushed-from-within glow.

05
Brush Down Flyaways
IMAXTREE | @IvanLattuada

Brush Down Flyaways

You've probably heard of using an old toothbrush to tame flyaways, but who has time to brush their hair with a tool the size of your finger? (Not us.) Backstage at Donna Karan, Eugene Souleiman used a flat-topped kabuki brush spritzed with Stay Firm Finishing Spray ($15) to finish off the circular rope braids. That way your style isn't greasy with product but just lightly tamed.

06
Add a Base Coat For a Better Nude Nail
Butter London

Add a Base Coat For a Better Nude Nail

We don't know how many times we thought we'd found the perfect nude nail polish only to come out of the salon with a pastel-pink manicure (cute but not exactly what we were going for). You can tone down the rosy undertones by putting a creamy, taupe base coat on top. For the Milly show, Katie Jane Hughes used Butter London Nail Foundation ($19). Just make sure to still add a high-shine topcoat over this reverse paint job.

07
Get Your Headband to Stay Put
IMAXTREE | MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net

Get Your Headband to Stay Put

Problem: your headband seems to slip every time you move into Downward Dog at the yoga studio. Well, hair spray is your solution. Make sure the strands under the rubber band have plenty of grit with
the help of hair spray, dry shampoo, or pomade. Position your accessory, and give it one more shot of product over the top. The models at Tracy Reese got a similar treatment from Scunci before the runway. Namaste!

08
Try Lipstick as Bronzer
IMAXTREE

Try Lipstick as Bronzer

Sometimes bronzer can look dirty — like you literally smeared brown powder on your cheeks. The way to avoid that is to use a creamy formula (rather than a powder) that will actually blend into your skin. At the Mara Hoffman show, Alice Lane for Maybelline proved that a bronzed lipstick actually makes the best bronzer. To try it, she said, "Start with a clean face and clean fingers, then put the lipstick on your finger pads. Think about high points on your face where the sun would hit (tops of brows, cheeks, nose, etc.), and blend it in with your fingers so that all melts in." Give your face even more of a glow by using a shimmer eye shadow as a blush (mind blown!), such as Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink ($7). According to Lane, as long as you like the color and texture, you can use any makeup product anywhere on your face.

09
Tame Unruly Arches
IMAXTREE | MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net

Tame Unruly Arches

If you are blessed with thick, unruly, out-of-control brows . . . We don't want to hear any complaints out of you, missy! But really, we understand how bold arches can be hard to tame. That's why makeup artist Aaron de Mey's brow hack is our new favorite. Just spritz a disposable mascara wand or spoolie brush with hair spray, and brush up the hair.

10
Quick Hair-Glue Cleanup
Getty | Brian Ach

Quick Hair-Glue Cleanup

So you tried your hand at glue-in extensions, and now it's time for the takedown. Don't risk pulling out your scalp (and hair) during the process. Instead, rely on hair spray ($5), which will actually help loosen tacky glue residue. Saturate the area where the glue and extension meet the scalp, then use the pointed end of a rat-tail comb to remove the fake hair at the root. Did we also mention it will cut your extension-removal process in half?

11
A Barely There Liner Trick
IMAXTREE | @DavideGallizio

A Barely There Liner Trick

You know how when you wash your face and you're left with perfectly clean skin and just a smudge of eyeliner? Diane Kendal figured out how to get that #IWokeUpLikeThis look daily. At Jason Wu, she lined the models' eyes with Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Black Coffee ($26) and then removed excess liner with a Q-tip dipped in face serum. The result is stunning, subtly smudged eyeliner that seems natural.

12
Ombré Nail Art in One Swipe
IMAXTREE | MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net

Ombré Nail Art in One Swipe

Want an easy nail-art look that doesn't require any fine-motor skills? To give your nails an ombré effect, apply two shades of color (one on top and another on bottom). Then immediately brush on a topcoat while the lacquer is still wet. The finished result creates a blurred, watercoloresque manicure fit for Summer as seen on the Rebecca Minkoff runway using Essie nail polishes ($9) in Bikini So Teeny, Lollipop, and Turquoise & Caicos.

13
Achieve Multidimensional Eye Makeup
IMAXTREE | MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net

Achieve Multidimensional Eye Makeup

Halloween is coming, and this backstage secret is the key to winning your holiday makeup contest — Duo Eyelash Glue ($6). At Monique Lhuillier, Val Garland added tiny pieces of cellophane around the eyes using this falsie staple. But you can do feathers or sequins depending on your costume.

14
Use Office Supplies as Nail Stencils
Getty | Fernanda Calfat

Use Office Supplies as Nail Stencils

A perfect half-moon manicure requires a stop by your local office-supply store for reinforcement stickers. Set the makeshift stencil on top of your base coat. Then secure the edges to the cuticles with a dotting tool or bobby pin. Finally, apply your favorite pastel-blue nail polish. Backstage at Charlotte Ronson, Miss Pop used OPI That's Hula-rious! (coming Spring 2015).

15
How to Get the Perfect Pompadour
IMAXTREE | @IvanLattuada

How to Get the Perfect Pompadour

Does your pompadour fall flat? Pull out your extra hairpins. Wella stylist Eugene Souleiman used the extralong U-shaped pins to hold up hair while blow-drying at Peter Som. First, apply mousse to the hair. Then, create lift using a few angled pins. Once your hair is dry, you can remove the pins for a heightened hairstyle.

16
Use a Needle For Precise 3D Nail Art
IMAXTREE | MatteoScarpellini/almaphotos.net

Use a Needle For Precise 3D Nail Art

Want to try 3D nail art like at Honor? Buy embellishments with holes already like seed beads or sequins. Then you can use a needle or safety pin to perfectly place the designs on the small canvas. Apply super glue to the polish, thread the bead through the needle, then slide down onto the nail.

17
Try Mascara as Brow Filler
Getty

Try Mascara as Brow Filler

The most natural way to to fill in your brows is not with an angled tool (excuse us while we burn our favorite brush). At Kate Spade New York, Lyne Desnoyers recommended using a fluffier eye shadow brush to fill in sparse arches without creating an over-done shape. You can also swipe your mascara over the hair as brow tint in a pinch.

18
Erase Excess Nail Polish
IMAXTREE

Erase Excess Nail Polish

You know that little bit of polish that never seems to budge when you're taking off bold nail colors? Well the secret to removing stubborn stains from nail crevices is a disposable mascara wand ($4). You can dip the tool in polish remover to really scrub away at the corners. Then once you're painted your new manicure, use an angled liner brush to clear mistakes.

19
Wear Lipstick as Eye Shadow
IMAXTREE | @DavideGallizio

Wear Lipstick as Eye Shadow

When it comes to makeup, there are no hard-and-fast rules to how a product should be used. So why not use lipstick as eye shadow (yes, you read that right). At Peter Som, Yadim used a bright red-orange pigment under the eyes. But to get the look at home, use a cherry lipstick like Maybelline Lipstick in Vibrant Mandarin ($7) and set the color with a dusting of translucent powder. Is there anything lipstick can't do?

20
Get Shiny Nails Without Polish
IMAXTREE | @IvanLattuada

Get Shiny Nails Without Polish

You've decided to try the negative-space nail art trend, but your tips are rough and discolored. Backstage at Marissa Webb, Honey gave us the secret to smooth natural nails. First, mix honey and sugar for an easy DIY hand scrub. Then, apply olive oil to the nail bed before you buff. You can skip the clear coat and go naked with nails that shiny.

21
Use Shadow as Highlighter
Getty | Fernanda Calfat

Use Shadow as Highlighter

If you have trouble finding a highlighter that is not too pink and not too gold, opt for eye shadow instead. Makeup artist Yadim used Color Tattoo Pure Pigments ($7) loose eye shadow as a highlighter at the Dannijo show. Take a fluffy, domed brush to apply the product in a C shape from the outer corner of the eyes to the apples of your cheeks.

22
Lengthen Your Ponytail With Extensions
Getty | Fernanda Calfat

Lengthen Your Ponytail With Extensions

Here's how to get a waist-length ponytail in minutes (that's right, lob ladies — this hack is just for you). At Dannijo, Rodney Cutler wrapped small sections of synthetic hair ($19) around a rubber band underneath the fishtail braid to extend the ponytail. You can place another clear hair tie at the base to give it a more polished and secure finish. We see a hip-grazing phony pony in your future!

23
Spritz Salt Spray Like Perfume
Getty | Stephen Lovekin

Spritz Salt Spray Like Perfume

So, it turns out you're using salt spray ($15) all wrong (we're guilty of it too). Bumble and Bumble stylist Anthony Turner likes to use a perfume technique. Spray the product in a cloud above your head instead of going section by section. The distance ensures it doesn't dry crunchy. You can also avoid that gritty texture by applying the spritz to damp hair, then rough-drying with your fingers and a blow-dryer. The result is soft surfer waves that will be easy to comb out on day two.

24
DIY Cream Eye Shadow With Lip Gloss
IMAXTREE | @IvanLattuada

DIY Cream Eye Shadow With Lip Gloss

Glossy eyelids are the latest trend to hit the runway, but apply it wrong and you could end up with product in your eye (which is totally painful). Backstage the makeup artists used MAC Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish (available Spring 2015). You can get a similar look by mixing a loose eye shadow and lip gloss. But the pro trick is to apply the concoction with a flat brush. Without the tool, you'll end up with sticky lashes.

25
Use Mascara as Eyeliner
Getty | John Lamparski

Use Mascara as Eyeliner

We'll be throwing out our eyeliner for good thanks to Tina Turnbow (just kidding). At Costello Tagliapietra, she used Jane Iredale mascara ($33) on the lower lash line (cranial explosion)! Just dip an angled brush onto the wand and smudge at the root of your lashes. This technique gives lower lashes a plumper look, which takes the place of traditional eyeliner.

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