Get ahead to save stressing out in December
WORDS: RHIANNON DERBYSHIRE. PHOTOS: GETTY
7 BEAUTY HACKS! FROM £5
1Are your feet and nails ready?
An exfoliating treatment like Footner Exfoliating Socks, £9.99, Boots, is best done weeks before you pop on your party sandals. Seven to 10 days after use, dry skin on your feet starts to shed in an equally horrifying and satisfying way. After about two weeks, they’ll look and feel baby-soft.
Most gel manicures last 2-3 weeks, whether you get them done in a salon or not. You can stretch it out by applying another layer of topcoat after a week or two, to seal in the colour and keep it looking shiny.
Had a chip, or a nail fail? Use Le Mini Macaron Gel Manicure Kit, £36, sephora. co.uk – it has a cute individual UV lamp, so you don’t have to redo your mani.
2 Blemish-free skin
Having a consistent skincare routine is much better than trying to fight fires when your skin acts up. Focus on hydration – this time of year can take a toll on your skin, so opt for nourishing, soothing buys. Use a hyaluronic acid serum to keep it quenched and bouncy – we love L’Oréal Paris Revitalift 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid Serum, £25, Sainsbury’s. Your skin goes into repair mode while you sleep, so take advantage and use a hard-working night cream, like Revolution Pro Miracle Night Cream, £12, Superdrug.
3 Beautiful brows
You don’t have to visit the salon to get good eyebrows, but it’s worth the spend to get a professional to shape them – when done correctly, it can knock years off your face. You can get your brows threaded or waxed in most salons for around £15. Do it now and you can just tweeze any stragglers as they come through, from now until Christmas. Tint your brows too – it adds definition. You can go to a salon to have it done, but it’s easy to do it yourself – we swear by Eylure Dybrow, £8, lookfantastic.com.
4 Colour-saving haircare
We all want our hair colour to look its best in December, but sometimes fitting a session at the salon around everything else isn’t the easiest to juggle.
You can save time and money by dyeing your hair at home – we’re big fans of Garnier Good Permanent Hair Dye, £12, Boots, which is easy to use with minimal mess. And be sure to use a colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner to help your colour last as long as possible. Blondes can keep hair looking light
