TRIED AND TRUE BEAUTY HABITS THAT WORK!
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” – Coco Chanel
From age-old beauty secrets used by Cleopatra to more recent inventions, these tricks are tried and true. Perfection is never attainable, and realizing this early on is a good thing. A little imperfection is positively charming. The Mediterranean influence tells us that, when it comes to beauty, one can be healthy and sated. This is where a “joie de vivre” attitude comes into play. Eating at a leisurely pace, walking a lot, and making sure you have a lot of colors on your plate all contribute to a healthy lifestyle and diet. Embrace your natural features. Less filler, more confidence! Fine lines are indicative of a life well-lived; your face should actually move. And yes, you can have amazing skin that still looks natural. We all have flaws, and it’s time to embrace them.
There are, however, beauty tricks and hacks we all love to take note of—whether they’re brand new or very old. Some are charming and others a little dated, but most have stuck around for a reason: they work. Heatless waves are making a big comeback; if you look in any beauty aisle, you’ll see padded headbands used to roll your hair so you can sleep comfortably and wake up with uniform waves that bounce. Curling papers are incredibly old-school, but they work and, yes, your grandma probably used them (this way you can have stylish ringlets without damaging your locks). Sleeping with gloves on may sound a little extreme, but this holds in moisture after you slather on hand cream before bed—and your skin will feel so incredibly soft. Wearing gloves during the day is also paramount for beauty; do this to protect your hands and nails while cleaning, doing dishes, and, of course, gardening.
- Old-fashioned women would never remove makeup with soap and water, but always cold cream and tissues.
- They also used to wear control-top pantyhose or a girdle every single day, no matter whether they wore a skirt or not (the Skims and Spanx of their day), curled their lashes with a spoon, and performed the old credit card trick for mascara. Using any stiff card (even a playing card) held at the end of your lashes while applying mascara and brushing it all the way onto the card will cover every last millimeter of lash, creating extra length and volume enviable even by Bambi.
- Do the polar plunge every morning! Dunk your face in a bowl of ice water for an instant lift and wake-up call.
- Layer several lipsticks in differing shades to create your own bespoke shade like Marilyn Monroe; this also creates the illusion of fuller lips (but powder them first for a dramatic, lasting effect).
- Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar for shine, use castor oil for eyelash growth, and rose water to tighten pores and tone skin. Tea bags and cucumbers work miracles for tired eyes, while oatmeal baths are soothing for dry, irritated skin, and lemon juice brightens.
- Sleeping in a bra is a bit controversial and old-fashioned; it sounds uncomfortable, but many women love the support and swear by it, saying it keeps their bust perky.
- Always sleep on clean, crisp sheets (no, they don’t have to be silk, though silk is ideal for pillow slips because it prevents hair static) and do your leg raises in bed. The exercise where you place your legs up the wall is great for your lymphatic system to counteract gravity and improve circulation. This is extremely helpful for legs that swell after a long day on your feet.
- Get a little bit of sun (trust us, some is better than none). While UV rays are becoming more intense, and you shouldn’t expose unprotected skin for too long, a little color never hurt anyone. It looks better to have skin slightly tanned and kissed by the sun rather than extreme pallor. When in the sun for a while, do apply sunscreen, but if you forget to bring it or apply it, wear a hat or even carry a parasol.
Finally, embrace your inner queen bee with liquid gold. Whether it’s turmeric, olive oil, or honey, these natural ingredients have proven their worth time and time again when it comes to wellness and beauty. From Cleopatra to Beyoncé, honey has been used as a face mask for soft, hydrated skin for centuries. Because it’s a humectant, honey draws moisture from the air and locks it into our most sensitive skin. This is why it’s so effective at soothing a sore throat. From boosting immunity to quelling inflamed skin, honey has natural anti-bacterial properties, and it’s oh so sweet and luxurious. Think of it as the ultimate panacea. Nabila K offers manuka honey beauty products available in a cream, oil, serum, polish and balm!
Turmeric is also an age-old beauty secret used to calm inflammation. Nabila K’s turmeric & basil face polish combines a long-revered blend from India to cleanse, “banish dark circles, puffiness, and to encourage blood flow” for skin prone to “dryness, eczema and rosacea.” It also works wonders on stretch marks! Milk baths and egg white facials are also recipes for beautiful skin. “Building on the centuries-old beauty secret (milk),” Nabila K has “formulated an amazing facial cleanser that embraces the healing power of milk with the restorative properties of plant-based collagen.” Women of Saudi Arabia (where this concoction was discovered) have utilized milk for millennia to repair skin that is exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
For more on the Nabila K products mentioned above—that include rose water, milk, turmeric, and honey—click the links below:
https://nabilak.com/product/collagen-milk-cleanser
https://nabilak.com/product/manuka-honey-whip-face-cream-with-aloe-vera-shea-butter
https://nabilak.com/product/manuka-honey-face-polish-with-muscovado-sugar-and-milk-thistle
https://nabilak.com/product/manuka-honey-renewal-deep-hydration-face-oil
https://nabilak.com/product/manuka-honey-face-serum-with-hyaluronic-acid-peptide
https://nabilak.com/product/manuka-honey-face-balm-with-shea-and-cupuacu-butters
For more on vintage beauty treatments, click the following: