We admire the people who manage to whip up DIY projects left and right, but let’s be honest—how many of us really have the time, attention to detail or library of crafty materials to be regularly making lamps out of mason jars or organic dog treats? We unfortunately don’t, so we have to be selective about the projects we take on—and what we do have is baking soda, seltzer water and the desire to try things that promise a beautiful result. Here, 10 easy DIY beauty hacks using household riff-raff. (It’s about time you put it to good use!)
Brighten Your Smile
Mix lemon juice and baking soda for a natural teeth-whitening paste that’s gentler than store-bought strips. Apply with a cotton ball or Q-tip and let sit for one minute before brushing.
Photo: @alliemarieevans
Get Dry On The Fly
Wrap your wet locks in a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel to dry them more quickly and prevent breakage.
Photo: @peaceloveshea
Make Waves
To create beachy waves without a curling iron, spray wet hair with salt spray, wrap it into two buns and blow it mostly dry with a blow-dryer. You can make your own salt spray with seltzer water and a tablespoon of sea salt.
Photo: @couldihavethat
Swap Your Brushes
To get the effect of an expensive mascara using a drugstore formula, save the wand from your designer splurge and use it on your CVS find. Most of what makes a tube pricey is in the design of the brush.
Photo: @honest_beauty
Stretch The Shelf Life
To bring aging mascara back to life, add in a few drops of contact solution.
Photo: @gigihadid
Lengthen Your Lashes
To make your lashes appear longer without extensions, apply baby powder to them with a Q-tip between mascara applications.
Photo: @kyliejenner
Line It Up
If your eyeliner pencil is too crumbly, stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes. If it’s too solid and you want a smudgier look, hold it over the burner on your stove for a few seconds.
Photo: @arahluceroglam
Zap Your Zits
You can also mix crushed aspirin with water for a makeshift acne cream.
Photo: @thebeautydept
Fake A Tan
Mix ¼ cup cacao powder with ¼ cup lotion for a temporary self-tan. Powdered bronzer can also work in place of the cacao powder.
Photo: @chantellebaker
Steal from Starbucks (We Kid! Kinda.)
Believe it or not, Starbucks napkins are pretty good replacements for actual oil-blotting sheets. Considering the price of a latte, we feel okay about grabbing a couple extra from time to time.
Photo: @starbucks
