With modern technology, ingredients, trends and sensibilities, sometimes the beauty tips handed down to us from our mothers and grandmothers seem dated and useless. Why follow the old methods of skincare and makeup application when modern tips seem so much more in sync with what’s currently accepted as “correct” and “true.” However, remember that at one point in the past, those same tips were considered cutting-edge and absolutely on-trend. So, don’t be so quick to ignore beauty secrets from the past. There are plenty of gems amongst those old-fashioned tips that still work now. In fact, many of these tips are less expensive ways to achieve the same look with more expensive products and instruments. Incorporate them into your modern beauty routine for the best of both worlds.
Makeup
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Classic Red Lipstick -If you’re bored with your current style, shake things up with a bold red lip (unless that is already your go-to look). Seen on so many Old Hollywood stars, the eye-catching look is bound to instantly make you feel more glamorous. To pick out the perfect shade for your skin, first find out if you have cool, neutral or warm undertones. Hint: Red lipstick with a bluish undertone will make your teeth look whiter and your smile more dazzling.
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Keep Your Lashes Curled -
To keep the curl in your lashes longer, heat up your eyelash curler with a quick blast from your hair dryer. The heated metal will help curl your lashes more effectively (in the same way curling irons work). Just make sure you check it against your finger before applying it to your eyelashes—you don’t want to accidentally burn your eye! Then swipe on a layer of your favorite mascara, like Maybelline Great Lash, which has been the favorite of makeup artists for years.
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Keep Eyeshadow Inplace -
Run out of eyeshadow primer? Swipe on a very thin layer of petroleum jelly instead to help hold the powder in place. Make sure it’s a very thin layer—you don’t want it to be lumpy and gloppy.
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Combat Shine-
We’re all dependent on blotting paper to fresh up our makeup throughout the day. An old-fashioned stand-in for modern blotting papers is tissue paper! Blot away excess oil with a tissue paper the next time you find yourself without powder or blotters.
Skin
If you don’t want to invest in fancy eye makeup removers, and regular cleansers aren’t getting rid of the mascara, liner, and eyeshadow, try baby oil. Your mother and your grandmother used it for good reason: gentle, inexpensive, and easy-to-find, baby oil is a very effective eye makeup remover.
Here’s an oldie-but-goodie:
if you have puffy eyes from a late night out with the girls, or a late one in with your favorite tearjerker, put slices of cucumber, drained tea bags, or chilled teaspoons on your eyes to help bring down the swelling.
While you can’t close up your pores (they don’t open and close), you can help make your skin look tighter with a quick splash of cold water after you finish washing your face. The cold water improves circulation to the skin, which can also help bring about a slight glow.
Nails
Whether you’re playing the role of a secretary in a private dick film noir moment, or just giving yourself a manicure, make sure you file your nails all in one direction. The back-and-forth sawing motion will cause the nail to split more easily.
If your nails are yellowed from prolong nail polish wear, soak them in lemon juice and water in between manicures to clear them right up.
When all else fails, don a pair of enormous sunglasses to hide tired eyes and add a bit of mystery and glamour to your look. There’s a reason celebrities still use this trick!
These tips, while old-fashioned, are still effective and often less expensive than a pile of beauty products and tools. Shake up your look and inject a little bit of old-school glamour into your daily routine with these retro beauty tricks.
Gwen Eve Lewis is a freelance writer from Southern California who has contributed to beauty blogs such as Bellezza Spa’s blog. She loves finding out old beauty secrets that she can incorporate in her everyday beauty routine.
Thank you Gwen for these wonderful retro-beauty tricks. Maybelline started out as a beauty-trick in 1915, when Mabel Williams, mixed ash and Vaseline together and applied it to her lashes and brows. Her brother, Tom Lyle Williams ran wih the idea and formed the first cake mascara, called Maybelline in her honor. Hope you read all about it in my book, The Maybelline Story.
