A Redditors’ Guide to the 9 Most Brilliant Beauty Hacks That Cost Zero Dollars
1. Moisturize your hands and cuticles
When you're bingeing on Normal People on Netflix, use that time to multitask and apply oils to your cuticles. "It's relaxing for me to massage the oil into my fingers, and then rub the residual oil into my hands," one Redditor writes. "It makes my nails and hands look so supple. Even if you're not someone who paints their nails, just moisturizing your hands can make a huge difference in appearance." Any moisturizing oil will do, though one Redditor's hack for a cuticle oil is to fill an empty lip gloss container with olive oil to do the job. And we can all use extra hand moisture these days.
2. Set a hair washing routine
One Redditor, who went to hairdressing school and worked in salons, learned that so many people deal with greasy hair if they washed it every day. "When you're continually stripping the oil from your scalp, your body's reaction is to produce more of that oil," she writes, going on to say that it's smart to schedule wash days. "Let your hair get a little greasy in between, and within a couple of weeks, you will notice a significant difference in the oiliness of your hair and scalp." Just add that shampoo day to your calendar much like you would with a meeting or a workout.
3. Do inversions
All ya need for this beauty trick is to go upside down—literally. "The main part of this method is flipping your head upside down," one Redditor writes, adding that you can do this by sitting on a chair and putting your head between your legs. "Massage your scalp for two to five minutes. Now I know this sounds tedious, but it's totally free and it leads to a way healthier scalp and hair, which can lead to more hair growth." There is even science behind this, so get to that head massage.
4. Style your hair without heat
There are a wide number of beauty hacks that give you heatless hairstyling methods, and a Redditor recommends searching for those that work best for your hair length and texture. "Once you find one that works well it can help so much with the health of your hair, and it can also save a lot of time if it's an overnight style," they write. Her trick? As someone with shoulder-length thick hair, she ties her hair into three loose braids when her head is damp, then wakes up with gorgeous, tousled waves—no blowdrying or heat damage involved.
5. Exfoliate your lips
There's no need to order anything online for this tip, which will leave you with "your softest lips ever," according to one Redditor. "You can make [a lip scrub] with sugar and oil or you can use a warm wash cloth," they write. Simply rub it over your lips, apply a balm or Vaseline afterwards, and voila: You've got nicely exfoliated lips.
6. Make your body glow
The easiest (and cheapest) way to make your skin radiant from head to toe? A Redditor swears by taking a dry brush or even a loofah, washcloth, or some sort of scrub to rub all over their body. It buffs away dead skin to reveal softer, smoother skin—and it helps to prevent ingrown hair. "I was someone who suffered from chronic ingrown hairs and shaving irritation until I started regularly exfoliating the areas I was shaving every single day," they write. "The dead skin that would usually accumulate on top of those growing hairs is being buffed away before they get trapped under the skin."
7. Steam your skin
One of the dreamiest parts of an in-salon facial is having your face steamed, which opens up your pores to absorb the rest of the treatment. But you don't need to hit up the spa or buy a steamer—just boil water. "Transfer it to a large mixing bowl, and put a towel over it to create steam, then put the towel over your head," one Redditor recommends, noting that they follow this step with a moisturizing mask. "My skin has been so soft." As an added tip, putting one or two bags of chamomile tea in the hot water will give you more of a spa-like feeling.
8. Use ice-cold water
One Redditor says that water is the most underrated beauty hero that you have access to. "I turn the water to cold for the last few minutes of my shower, and my hair looks shinier, and my skin almost glows," they write. "I also dunk my face in ice water before I do my makeup for big events." The icy cold water boosts your circulation, shrinks the appearance of pores, and is a method that supermodel Kate Moss swears by... so try it for yourself.
9. Increase your skin-care product absorption
Applying hyaluronic acid to your skin when it's damp is one of the beauty hacks that dermatologists recommend for better absorption. You can also do this with just water, says one Redditor. "When you apply your final moisturizing cream or gel, lightly apply it until it is halfway absorbed and rubbed in, then dampen your hands," they write, adding that you don't need much for the job. "Rub in that last bit with the water. Let this air dry and you've absorbed even more water into your skin." Voila.
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