We are back with the fourth and final part of our 101 Beauty Tips And Tricks series. Don’t forget to catch up on Part one! Part 2!and Part 3!

Shampoo & Condition

76. Wash The Roots, Not The Ends

When shampooing, concentrate on the roots, not the ends, of the hair – this will clean out the greasiest sebum-producing area without stripping the drier parts. Don’t worry about not being clean – the shampoo will cleanse the length of the hair as it rinses out.

77. Work Out Knots

Throughly detangle your hair before you wash it – wet hair is much more fragile, so brushing it can cause split ends and tears.

78. Coconut Condition

Massage hair and scalp with coconut oil to lock moisture into the hair shaft and replenish lost lustre. Coconut also helps to protect sun and heat damage.

79. Conditioner For All

All hair needs a conditioner every time you shampoo. For very fine hair, use a light oil-free variety on the ends of the hair only. Stronger hair may need a leave-in conditioner as well as a rinse-out one.

80. Get Your Products Right

Experiment with shampoos and conditioners until you find one that suits your hair and alternate them with another variety every few months to ensure the ingredients are working to their best ability and your hair’s not “getting used” to them.

Styling

81. Rough Dry Before Styling

Blow-drying isn’t all bad for your hair – instead of blow-drying your hair from wet, rough dry hair until it is 80% dry, the blow-dry or style in sections to avoid heat damage.

82. French Plat

For a great way to create waves, especially on thick hair, French plait your hair while it is still damp, then leave it in for several hours and use fingers to tease out the curls.

83. Volume Lifter

If you have long hair that can drag down with gravity, or if you have limp hair that needs extra volume, apply some volumizer spray to the roots of damp hair and add life by blow-drying your hair upside down.

84. New Day, New Look

For a new look without a cut, simply change your parting, a centre once can really make your features stand out and give you a fresher, younger look.

85. Shine On The Spray

To get instant lustrous shine all over, use a spray gloss in the same was you would hairspray. This is a gloss product that delivers a fine, light mist without leaving the heavy slickness of a serum.

Hair Removal

86. Condition And Shave

If you have run out of shaving foam, use hair conditioner when shaving legs. Because it’s smooth, it will stop the skin dragging and help you shave smoothly without stretching the skin.

87. Be A Water Baby

To ensure an extremely close shave, soften hairs first by having a short, warm bath as this is a great way to hydrate before shaving and hair is easier to cut when wet and supple.

88. Get It All Out

When plucking be sure to pull the hair out by the roots by pulling in the direction of hair growth in smooth, even pulls. Do not allow the hair to break below the skin surface, which can lead to rough regrowth and ingrown hairs.

89. To Point Or Angle 

If you’re plucking areas like the eyebrow, chin or upper lip choose angled tweezers for targeted hair removal – the slant makes it easier to grasp and pluck in the direction of the hair growth, which reduces soreness and redness. Pointed tweezers should be used to extract very short hairs.

90. We Shave For Smooth Skin

As any barber will tell you, wet shaves are the most effective. Before shaving, wet the hair as well as the skin, use a foam mousse specifically for shaving and pull the skin taut to ensure a smooth finish. Work upwards with long, even strokes.

Beauty Emergencies 

91. Smooth A Blotchy Tan

There is only one real solution for an unevenly applied fake tan – exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate, If you don’t have the time to invest, try a tan remover; even if it’s not the brand of your fake tan, it should neutralise some of the colour.

92. Try The Toothpaste Trick

If you suddenly find you have a spot the night before an event, apply a toothpaste to it overnight, which will help dry out the skin a reduce redness around the area.

93. Take The Sponge

If there’s one thing you should carry with you in case of beauty emergencies, is a packet of clean cosmetic sponges, which can be used to smooth out or reapply foundation, blend creased eyeshadow and blend streaky areas.

94. Ice Those Cold Sores

If you feel the tingling sensation of a cold sore, treat the area with ice immediately, which can help reduce the inflammation around the site and stop the sore from developing. Once it has erupted apply cold sore cream.

95. Big Squeeze

You’ve squeezed a spot and it’s red and inflamed. Now what? Apply antibacterial ointment and wait for the area to dry. Then apply concealer to the red area and over the base of the spot. Avoid covering up a spot with loose powder before it’s dry as the powder can cause age spot to turn crusty – wait until the blemish has stopped weeping first.

96. Horror Hair Colour

If you hate your hair, do not ever try to correct it yourself with an at-home dye or go to an alternative hairdresser. Immediately return to the original stylist, tell them you are unhappy and ask if they can remedy the situation. They prefer happy clients, so will usually comply, free of charge and you won’t be throwing good money after bad. The same goes with nails!

97. Banish Green With Ketchup

Blonde hair that’s been tinged green from the copper and chlorine in swimming pools can be treated with a good dose of tomato ketchup – apply it from the roots to the tips and leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse off for instant colour correction.

Fragrance

98. Keep It Boxed Up

Keeping perfumes in their boxes shields them from light, which can help them last longer.

99. Try This Lotion

If you’re favourite scent doesn’t have a matching body lotion, make your own by buying an unperformed body lotion and adding a few drops of perfume. Make up small amounts to avoid it going off.

100. Take A Break

There is some evidence that you can “get used” to a fragrance if worn everyday. To prevent this don’t wear the same scent everyday.

101. Get Scents-ible

Perfume and sent can change the way you feel. To give yourself a lift opt for citrus scents.

Taken from 1001 Little Beauty Miracles: Secrets and Solutions from Head to Toe by Esme Floyd.