Photo: Photo by Jim DeYonker
It’s a one-minute world with timeless expectations. That is, everyone expects us to look polished, put-together and professionally groomed, but we have less and less time (and energy) to do it. Makeup? You’re wearing your glasses, today. Manicure? You’ll nibble those cuticles off and deal with a Frenchy later. Hair? Hat. But despite what others’ expectations are, we know that looking good often means feeling good. And, what feels better than looking good without a fight?
Having your nails done can do more to make you look polished—no pun intended—and boost your self-esteem more than a new pair of jeans.
- New York fashion stylist Kalyn Johnson
Polished Brow
There are two people who can pull off the unibrow: Frida Kahlo, and Salma Hayek starring as Frida Kahlo. Anyone else might do well to trim the hedges a bit. In the same way a good haircut frames your face, a tidied brow accents and frames your eyes, while a bad brow distracts from them.
"The shape of your brow is what sets the stage for your entire look and flatters your eye shape, so keeping them groomed is ultra-important," says Raychel Wade, New York makeup artist and founder of La Prarie Colour Ambassador. Though brow trends come and go (2009’s shaved eyebrows to 2010’s thick return), a well-defined arch with a delicate taper remains the standard bearer. Most women’s natural brow could benefit from at least a little attention, and you can take care of runaways and strays at home with a pair of tweezers. But, beware of overdoing it as over-plucking leads to sparse brows.
A full reshaping can instantly transform your face, but if you’re a novice, it’s best left to the professionals. Salons will know the best brow shape for your face—tweezing, threading or waxing to create the look—and they’ll often do it for as little as $5. If you’re comfortable wielding a pair of tweezers, you can do the reshaping yourself. In which case, “the arch should be just above the pupil or slightly off-set to the outside edge of it," says Indianapolis-based, 20-year beauty consultant Carolyn Oosterlinck
The (Quick) Fix Is In: Use a pencil as a guide, resting it vertically against the side of your nose and gradually tilting it to the outside corner of your eye, Oosterlinck explains. "When the body of the pencil intersects with the outside edge of your eye, the tip will intersect with your eyebrow. That's where your eyebrow should end."
There's only so much that fits into one purse. De-clutter by removing non-essentials, but always include these must-haves.
Blotting Sheets: To combat excess oil, carry a supply of blotting sheets and sneak into the restroom to discreetly dab it all away. Focus on the T-zone (nose and forehead), where oil tends to gather. This is a better option than powder, which settles on and accents fine lines.
Eye Drops: Even if you don't wear contacts, a tiny bottle of eye drops is a beauty must. A few drops can instantly ban dry, bloodshot or sleepy-looking eyes and help you look fresh and alert.
Concealer: Many use concealer to hide blemishes and scars, but it's a handy tool for other reasons. Apply a tiny amount under your eyes to conceal dark circles or bags or on either side of your nose to hide veins and redness. Also use concealer on eyelids to keep shadow in place.
White Teeth
Coffee, breakfast, coffee, lunch, soda, dinner can leave us with not-so pearly whites. And unless you are willing to give up your frequent trips to Starbucks, you are gonna have to take some precautionary measures. Even the most prudent caretakers of teeth see pearly whites give way to amber. That’s not always bad hygiene. That’s just life—tedious, frustrating, yellowing life.
Still, combating this discoloration does signal good hygiene, and it accents more than your mouth. A gleaming smile can complement a face, makeup, your hair, even an outfit. More importantly, it builds confidence and can make you appear more youthful, says celebrity cosmetic dentist Dr. Catrise Austin, author of "5 Steps to the Hollywood A-List Smile."
Home-bleaching kits, whitening mouthwashes, toothpastes and whitening pens are abundant. Many times they’re inexpensive—many times not—and easy to use. But quicker fixes abound. Austin recommended making a paste with a mashed-up strawberry and a tablespoon of baking soda. Applying the paste five minutes a day for a week will show signs of whitening “without breaking the bank,” she says.
The (Quick) Fix Is In: Makeup artist James Vincent, who’s worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Liv Tyler and Joan Jett, advised an even quicker fix on the fly. Applying a blue-based lipstick just before running out the door can temporarily subdue the yellow teeth tones until longer-term remedies take effect.
Healthy Nails
“Once bitten, twice shy” doesn’t only apply to relationships. Gnawed-on nails can find fingers scrambling for cover when in public. Similarly, peeling cuticles and white spots are common signs of neglected nails. Finding a middle ground is a beauty must. Clean and healthy nails indicate mature grooming habits and an ability to pay attention to detail. Like good teeth, good nail care can enhance an overall appearance.
To do this, pay little mind to trends or expensive nail salon trips. The goal here is light maintenance for heavy impact. Keep your nails the same length, remove dead cuticles and use a buffer for sheen.
"Having your nails done can do more to make you look polished—no pun intended—and boost your self-esteem more than a new pair of jeans," says New York fashion stylist Kalyn Johnson. "There's just something about having your nails neat and clean that makes one appear 'put together.'"
The (Quick) Fix Is In: For a fast remedy, apply a drop of olive oil to each nail after filing. Rub the oil into your nails and around the cuticles with a buffer to create instantly shiny fingernails. If you're out of oil, substitute a dab of lip balm.
Highlighted Face
A frigid morning shower and triple-shot of espresso might wake your body, but some days, your face is still pressing the snooze button. That’s when a facial highlighter should be your best friend. When applied in the right spots in the right amount, this shimmery cosmetic tool immediately creates a more refreshed appearance. It's so handy, in fact, that using it may fool others into thinking you relished in a nine-hour dream state the night before.
"By using a product that illuminates the skin, you are instantly giving the skin that extra pickup it needs," says celebrity makeup artist Christopher Drummond, who owns a line of cosmetics and has worked with Jennifer Lopez and Brooke Shields, among others.
The (Quick) Fix Is In: Drummond recommends lightly applying highlighter to your cheekbones, nose and forehead. You can also use it on the corner of your eyes to brighten tired peepers. If you don't have any highlight handy, substitute a pale, light-reflecting eye shadow.
Groomed Hair
You wash it, condition it, apply products to it, straighten it, curl it, apply more products, pin it and twist it. And, then, you fret over it. Nobody likes dealing with a mop of hair in the morning, nor do you always have the time. That’s why the “hair-up” day makes the weekly—OK, twice-weekly—rotation. But imagine if you went to that important meeting, the class presentation or the brunch with the boyfriend’s parents with frazzled and unkempt hair? The term “hairy situation” never had so much meaning.
Because hair is so often the point of first physical impression, your hair needs a little quality time. But QT needn’t be costly when mornings require a speedy front-door departure.
"Curl the front sections of your hair," says Kimberly Daly, former Glamour Magazine beauty editor and Shape Magazine contributor. "No one really sees the back, so feel free to skip that spot."
The (Quick) Fix Is In: If there's no time for curling, a dollop of shining serum creates moisturized, healthy-looking tresses. Conversely, there’s still room for the no-mess updo. A chignon—a fancy-pants terms for a small bun—calls for pulled-back hair secured with clear or neutral-hued elastic at the nape. Paired with the perfect earrings, low-maintenance meets high-society in minutes.
Lastly, regularly moisturize your hair and lay off on all those heated styling products for healthy-looking locks. That means you'll spend less time tweaking, twisting and teasing, and, less time fretting.
