Ways to Refresh Your Look in 60 Seconds

Time-Saving Beauty Advice

Unless you’re a Real Housewife, you probably don’t have endless amounts of time to spend getting pampered. And while it’s important to follow the run-of-the- mill beauty advice – wear SPF daily, take off your makeup before bed, and eat a balanced diet – for glowing skin and hair, there are other surprising beauty hacks that’ll give your look a boost in less than a minute.

Here, top industry experts share their best tips for getting gorgeous when you’re short on time.

Brush Up Your Brows

The secret to looking put together in no time is taking a few seconds to groom your eyebrows. “The key face-framer is your brows,” says Sonia Kashuk, makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty. Take a moment to fill in any sparse spots with a brow pencil in a shade slightly lighter than your natural hair color and then comb them through with a tool like Sonia Kashuk Spoolie Brush No. 127. Finish with a brow gel to set hairs in place, adds Kashuk.

Part With Flat Hair

Nothing can make you feel down about your look faster than flat, stringy hair. Add major volume in a pinch without going under the scissors by simply swapping your part from the left side to the right side (or vice versa). “Switching the part confuses the memory of your hair and makes it want to push back to its regular side, resulting in volume,” says Matt Fugate, stylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown in New York City. “It also tricks the eye because it opens up the other side of your face and emphasizes different features.”

Raid the Pantry for Glowing Skin

Turn a dull, drab complexion into a fresh glow in less than a minute by sprinkling baking soda into your regular cleanser. Adding the kitchen staple to your face wash will enhance the exfoliation process and give your skin enviable radiance, says Debra Jaliman, MD, a New York City dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

“Make a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water, rub the formulation in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells, and rinse clean with warm water,” she instructs. The quick and gentle alternative to store-bought products will leave your skin soft and dewy without irritation.

Think Outside the Bottle for Smooth Strands

Frazzled fringe can mar your look faster than you can say “bad hair day.” For a smooth finish – without getting your hands dirty – spritz an industrial- strength hairspray like CHI Style & Stay Firm Hold Protecting Spray on flyaways and “tame stray hairs using the outside of the can as your smoothing element,” says Fugate. “That way you avoid getting your hands sticky while you use the hairspray and still get a polished look in under a minute.”

Add Light Diffusers for an Even Skin Tone

It only takes seconds to create an optical illusion that’ll give off the look of flawless skin. To start, mix a drop or two of liquid highlighter into your everyday foundation. Apply the combo to your face as normal and blend well for a light-diffusing trick that hides skin imperfections. “Be sure to use a highlighter with a neutral base tone, so the luminosity is understated and subtle,” says Kashuk. “Stay towards a pinky rose gold hue – anything with too much white or silver can be artificial and harsh.”

Nourish Your Skin From Within

Add an omega-3 supplement to your beauty routine for a fast skin-smoother. “[Omega-3s] delay the skin’s aging process to prevent wrinkles,” says David Bank, MD, director of the Center for Dermatology in Mt. Kisco, New York. One 2005 study found that EPA, a type of omega-3 found primarily in fish oil, helps block the release of ultraviolet-induced enzymes that eat away at your skin’s collagen, causing lines and sagging skin. Experts suggest a recommended dose of 600 mg of DHA per day to reap the benefits. Just check with your doctor before adding the supplement to your regimen.

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