Consider yourself in good company if you’ve tried your fair share of questionable beauty tricks. Millennials will remember the noughties concealer-on-the-lips trend. Others will recall when we doused our hair in lemon juice and basked in the sun hoping for highlights.
You might have supposed we’d moved on from going to bizarre lengths in the name of elevating our look, but we’ve raided the lockers of industry experts to find otherwise. Few would argue there’s a place for lube outside the bedroom or that nipple cream should be used by anyone other than a breastfeeding mother – except these pros. Here’s their list of the best unglamorous beauty essentials.
1
Teabags for nail repairs
Teabags are the perfect DIY tool for fixing broken nails before applying gel or polish. Push the break shut and use nail glue to stick a small piece of the outer net to the area, like a mesh connecting the pieces of nail. Add a layer of top coat to the entire nail, sealing everything in. Then trim any over-hanging teabag to the shape of your choosing, filing down any rough edges. Refresh your teabag plaster with every manicure until the split grows out.
Giorgia Cappella, nail artist and trainer at The GelBottle
Yorkshire Tea, £4.50 for 160 bags
groceries.asda.com
Clipper Fairtrade organic teabags, £2.50 for 80 bags
amazon.co.uk
2
Glycerin and rosewater to moisturise your scalp
Grandma’s best-kept secret is making a comeback as an alternative to hyaluronic acid (HA). Glycerin effectively draws water into the skin: it has a smaller molecular structure than HA, which allows it to penetrate deeper. Rosewater is anti-inflammatory and soothing. Glycerin and rosewater products are typically seen as skincare, but can be used as scalp moisturisers once or twice a week. Decant the product into a spray bottle, squirt directly on your scalp and go about your day. Using a moisturiser rather than an oil on your scalp will prevent dryness while reducing clogged follicles, which inhibit growth.
Joke Adejumo, founder of Bodied massage therapy
Traditional glycerin and rosewater, £2.50
boots.com
Rosewater with glycerin, £11.99
amazon.co.uk
We would never use ketchup in a salon, but at home it can be used to reduce khaki or greenish tones in the hair, to correct a toner gone wrong or the buildup of ashy tones on over-processed hair. If bleached or light hair has a green hue after swimming, it’s easily available even on remote holidays. It works because the red colouring counteracts the green tones, while the acidity acts as a clarifying agent, helping to improve the purity of the colour. Apply to dry hair (only on the green areas), leave for 10-20 mins, and then shampoo and condition as normal.
Anita Rice, co-founder of Buller and Rice salons
Heinz tomato ketchup, £3
sainsburys.co.uk
or £3
tesco.com
Using lubricant for a high-fashion wet-look hairstyle is one of the oddest secrets in hairdressing. Session stylists often use it on celebrities before they hit the red carpet. Water-based or silicone-based lube will work, although if the hair has been pre-styled, silicone-based lube will retain the style’s shape while making hair appear wet – though it will require much more washing out afterwards. It defines the hair texture, adds an incredible wet-look shine and will not dry into the hair, unlike gels or mousses.
Tom Smith, international colour director for Evo Hair and ambassador for Olaplex
Knect lube, £4.25
boots.com
or £5.75
superdrug.com
5
Lip balm for unruly brows
I use lip balm to tame my brows and control hair frizz, particularly at the front. I prefer emollient-based balms, like Lanolips or Laneige lip sleeping mask, for their lasting power and ability to hold strays in place. They provide excellent moisture and control, keeping my brows neat and my hair smooth throughout the day. And because they not only serve their primary purpose, but also double as an effective solution for unruly hair, they are a versatile staple in my beauty routine.
Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and founder of Self London
Laneige lip sleeping mask, £21
cultbeauty.co.uk
Lansinoh lanolin lip balm, £6.99
amazon.co.uk
I use lanolin nipple cream – which is ultra-hydrating – on my lips to give them a glassy finish with no stickiness. I use it all year round, but more frequently in winter when lips can be chapped. I discovered the cream when I was breastfeeding: I had my daughter in a harsh winter and realised the nipple cream made a great hand moisturiser, and then started using it on my lips, too.
Dr Leah Totton, medical and cosmetic doctor and founder of Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinics
Lansinoh lanolin nipple cream, £6.59
boots.com
or £9.25
amazon.co.uk
7
A spoon to relieve neck and shoulder tightness
Using a spoon – or even better, a Chinese soup spoon – to give myself a face, neck and shoulder massage is my go-to hack when I don’t have any tools with me. It can alleviate tightness and not only helps in depuffing but also gives the face a natural lift. To begin, apply a few drops of face oil to your skin to act as a lubricant. Allowing the spoon to glide smoothly, and with gentle pressure, use the rounded edge to massage the neck, shoulders and face in upward strokes. This motion promotes blood circulation, relieves tension and stimulates lymphatic drainage, resulting in a rejuvenated appearance.
Donna Ryan, holistic skincare expert and facialist
Anyday teaspoons, £5 for a set of four
johnlewis.com
Teaspoons, £8 for a set of four
procook.co.uk
8
Sports socks as a tanning mitt
When my airbrush machine broke two minutes into a client’s tanning treatment I had a sick, sinking feeling. Luckily, I always carry tanning mousse in my kit; I just needed a tanning applicator. I asked whether my client had any spare sports socks. She produced a large clean pair of her husband’s, and with my hand inside one of the socks – like a glove puppet – I smoothed the tanning foam on her legs, getting an even finish without staining my hands. The next night she looked glistening while accepting an award – all thanks to that sock.
James Harknett, celebrity tanner and global creative artist for Three Warriors tanning
Adidas socks, £12 for a pack of three
johnlewis.com
or £7.99
amazon.co.uk
9
Olive oil as makeup remover
If you are travelling and find that you have left your cleanser at home, don’t use the soaps provided in hotels and holiday apartments, which are often cheap and harsh on the skin. Look in the kitchen (if you have one) or ask the staff at your hotel for a little olive oil or coconut oil instead. Either of these will remove even the most stubborn makeup without leaving a residue, and they work on makeup brushes. To use: warm the oil in your hands before massaging over the face, then wipe away with a wet towel. If your skin is prone to acne, make sure you rinse it thoroughly. You can also use oil to moisturise your skin, cuticles and hairs’ dry ends.
Ruby Hammer, makeup artist and founder of Ruby Hammer Beauty
Organic coconut oil, £3.35
sainsburys.co.uk
Olive oil, £5.75 for 500ml
tesco.com
10
Nappy cream for shaving rash
Growing up in the US, I’d never heard of Sudocrem. Recently, I had an itchy, persistent rash on my leg from shaving. My normal go-tos weren’t working but I remembered that I had used nappy rash products in California for this very thing. I tried Sudocrem, applying it twice daily over three days. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can help relieve itching. It worked perfectly.
Pam Marshall, founder of skin clinic Mortar & Milk
Sudocrem nappy cream, £3.75
boots.com
or £3
tesco.com
11
Vitamin E pills to recover from the sun
I love using Vitamin E capsules on my skin in the summer. I use mega-high potency capsules and squeeze the liquid into my cream to make a powerful overnight moisturiser/aftersun. It acts as a multi-functional workhorse, protecting against free-radical damage caused by exposure to the sun and pollution, while also aiding cell repair. It also works to reverse the effects of sun damage and has helped me fade scarring.
Inge Theron, founder of FaceGym
Vitamin E capsules, £8.99 for 90 capsules
hollandandbarratt.com
£8 for 90 capsules
boots.com
12
Rice water for an ice facial
We recommend making ice cubes out of concentrated rice water (yes, literally the water leftover from washing your rice before you cook it) and then running them over your cleansed face in the morning to get dreamy, supple, super-bright and soft skin. It works so well because the rice water is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as ferric acid, which help improve tone and radiance. The ice cube format is a bonus – the cold helps tighten pores and depuff the face.
Catarina Oliveira and Rui Liu, founders of beauty brand Herbar
Ice cube tray, £6.50
johnlewis.com
Ball ice cube tray, £5
argos.co.uk
My non-sexy, go-to product is black tights. It may be a very well known hack, but I swear by it as sometimes my wig cap goes awol, usually when I am about to run out of the house for that all-important meeting! So, out come the tights – the lower the denier the better, as that way it’s not putting too much friction on your hairline.
I cut them close to the gusset, to create the equivalent of a big pair of pants, then pop the crotch at the top of my head and place my wig on top. It feels firmly rooted for the rest of the day.
Judy Koloko, founder of The Steam Bar
10 denier tights, £8 for a pack of five
marksandspencer.com
40 denier tights, £8.50 for a pack of three
johnlewis.com
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Model: Natasha Patrick. Hair, nails and makeup: Sarah Cherry using Trinny London. Lighting: Declan Slattery. Shower curtain and towel: Zara Home. Bracelet: Hey Harper. Plant: Patch Plants.
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Hayley Spencer is a writer and editor, specialising in beauty and style
