Need to look good fast? Try these beauty hacks, perfect for a late summer boost
Clear up: Using sun cream is essential in summer, but it can lead to blocked pores and congestion. Clear up the problem fast by using a product containing salicylic acid to stimulate natural exfoliation, help clear clogged follicles and prevent future breakout activity. Try Dermalogica’s MediBac Clearing Skin Wash, a foaming cleanser that helps to clear oils and bacteria on breakout-prone skin, and Medik8’s Pore Refining Scrub Natural Exfoliator, which dissolves deep-seated impurities and oil to decongest and tighten pores.
Thirsty skin: If summer is drying out your skin – or you’ve had a sunburn incident on holiday (hey, it happens), apply an ultra-rich moisturiser to heal the damage fast. Dermalogica’s Body Hydrating Cream is packed with hydroxy acids and essential plant oils to smooth and condition skin, with botanical extracts and essential oils to moisturise and condition.
Softer locks: If your hair is suffering from summer frizz, try deep conditioning during the day to harness the late summer heat. Apply a hair mask in the morning then throw your hair into a bun for the day. If it’s a scorcher, the heat from your head will help to intensify the results. Rinse your hair in the evening and your locks should feel super-soft and deeply nourished. Give L’Oreal Professionnel’s new Inforcer Masque a go.
Full brows: To speed-up and perfect your eyebrow styling, comb your brows backwards use a clean eyebrow brush. Starting at the thin end of the brow to reveal sparse areas, then fill them with a neutral brow pencil or gel to get a lush, natural look. Try New CiD’s iGroom Neutral, which has a built-in brush.
Overnight makeover: If you’re looking for an overnight balm to moisturise and nourish, you’ll need something that cares for the skin delicately. Decleor’s Magnolia Youthful Night Balm, made with 100 per cent natural origin ingredients, is a rich, overnight cream with skin-friendly botanical butters of mango and jojoba to re-energise the skin throughout the night.
Eye see: Squinting in the sun can take its toll, so treat your eyes to a flash treatment that will leave the skin around those peepers looking visibly
smoother and feeling intensely moisturised. Elemis Pro Collagen Hydra Gel Eye Masks are formulated to instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with potent plankton extract to provide an instant skin-tightening effect, whilst hyaluronic acid hydrates the fragile eye area.
Root boost: For an extra-fresh hair boost, use dry shampoo on your roots before you go to bed; this will absorb excess oil while you sleep. In the morning, a super-quick style will do before you’re ready to run out the door. If you have fair hair, try Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Light Tones, or Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo Dark Tones if your hair is brown or black.
Scrub up: If your skin needs a wake-up call, you could try using salt or sugar as a scrub – but take care: although this is a popular beauty hack, salt and sugar can be coarse on the skin. Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow Body Scrub contains mineral salts that are perfect for use on the body. This product can be used daily and melts on contact with skin to leave it beautifully soft and nourished. The infusion of exotic Tahitian monoi oil and frangipani flowers seals in moisture, as well as leaving your skin delicately fragranced.
Brush detox: If your brushes have been coping with an SPF under your make-up, they may be overdue a good clean. One of the best ways to clean make-up brushes is to use a make-up remover: soaking them with a little Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel is a surefire way to get super-clean brushes, ready to see you through to the autumn.
