Makeovers are a great way to cheer up, to steer away boredom, and to feel better about yourself. Making small changes can help you with a quick makeover; while changing some of your habits like conscious shopping for a new wardrobe, exercising regularly and eating well and indulging in DIY skin care can help you achieve a more dramatic makeover.
Everybody loves a good, affordable makeover. But sometimes we need to look our best for an unexpected event or struggling to find a salon to accommodate our last-minute appointment or running late for a very important date. Well, don’t press the panic button just yet. Check out these tips and keep them handy for mini makeovers you can do in a flash!
Light up any room with a brighter smile:
Your smile is your best accessory. We all want gleaming pearly whites, but we also like stain-inducing coffee, soda, and red wine. So what do we do? To brighten teeth in a flash, try brushing with baking soda and water before an important event and flash your most confident smile.
Up your hair game:
Even a little thing like changing your hair parting goes a long way because it can change the way your haircut looks as the layers will now fall differently. For a high-impact change, go for bangs as they can create an illusion that can maximize your features. Side-swept bangs look great on almost all face shapes. Even if you're not emotionally ready to make a major chop, taking off an inch or two off the ends can refresh your style and make your hair healthier. It's also important to have some layering, which provides movement and shape.
Most women tend to hold on to a style that has worked for them for ages but shorter, collarbone-length hair can accentuate features like eyes and smile making them look younger. And if you have had short hair for a very long time, extensions can up your makeover game dramatically. Add instant length to your hair by using Temporary hair extensions that can be clipped easily into your hair.
If sleek and straight hair is what you desire, prepping your hair starts in the shower. Wash your hair using a sulphate-free shampoo and finish off with cold water to keep the cuticles closed and prevent frizz. Use a styling serum and make the flat iron your magic wand. If beach waves are what you lust after, French braid wet hair at night before you go to bed and undo with your fingers upon waking up to get tousled waves. Finish with a hair spray. If you have lesser time or seek more professional results, give in to the curling iron.
Hydration is the key to maintaining your crowning glory, especially when you expose it to heat and styling tools. A weekly deep-conditioning mask with Eggs and olive oil will keep your mane from looking dull and lifeless. Also, if you wake up without time to wash your hair or you just get stuck too long sweating in the summer humidity, apply baby powder around scalp on unwashed hair and witness it absorbing the oil right up.
Colour is the name of the game:
Getting a new hair colour is something you can do just hours before heading to a party and staying within two shades of your natural hair colour, whether you're going lighter or darker, will help make maintenance a breeze. Even subtle highlights can uplift your look. You can either get it done professionally or do it at home now that the top companies are selling DIY hair highlighting kits. Highlights don’t have to be a total overhaul to have an electrifying effect. Subtle highlights can be as redefining (going from brown hair to blonde or honey depending on what compliments your skin tone).
Try new colour shades in your make-up too. Most of us associate the word ‘blush’ with pink, so a peach-coloured blush can be a surprising, yet natural-looking. Swap out your usual black or brown eyeliner for something more adventurous like teal green, amethyst or sapphire. Also, a little shimmer is one of those things can add just the right amount for sparkle.
Another thing that’s small but always noticeable is your nails. Whether you’re waving at someone or just clutching your morning coffee, they make a statement. File your nails right and finish with nail colours in the classy nudes, reds, or let your mood take the pick. Moisturize your hands well.
Keep a brow profile:
These days, eyebrows are all the rage. Properly groomed brows have a framing effect on the face and can make the face look sharper and more defined. Thankfully, taking just 30 seconds to apply some eyebrow pencil or powder is all it takes to get fuller and longer brows. For an instant eye lift, trace the arch a little higher on the top of the brow and use concealer under your brow to keep it neat and add more definition.
Shaping and maintaining your brows makes a huge impact. Find the best eyebrow shape for your face and shape your eyebrows to match. Square faces look good with soft, rounded eyebrows, while round faces look good with high angled eyebrows. Remember to only pluck hair from underneath your eyebrow and avoid plucking too much.
Closet Makeover:
Take a look at yourself and decide what you want to change. What do you like about your look? What do you want to improve? Bring all your clothes out into the open. Mix and match pieces together in combinations that you normally don’t try. Take pictures of combinations that you like so that you can recreate them later.
So, I have whole lot of things to suggest here. Firstly, you may be tempted to dress down on days when you don’t have enough time to do your usual hair and makeup routine, but that’s actually a huge mistake. Instead, pull out your most beautiful and pick-me-up dress. Not only will you look gorgeous, but your mood will improve, too!
You can also do a clothing swap with friends. Invite several friends who are the same shape and have a good taste to bring clothes and accessories that they would like to exchange. This is a good way to freshen up your wardrobe and to mix-and-match different styles.
If you are finding yourself buying the same types of clothes all the time, think about shopping at completely new places. Visit a few new shops every time to check out other styles. Abandon the jeans for a while. They are comfortable and match with just about everything but they do nothing great for your overall look. Try skirts, sundresses, jumpsuits or co-ords instead to experiment with your look.
If you wear glasses, try a different style of frame. Alternately, you can switch to contact lenses and it will completely change the way you look. If it is summertime, try on a hat as it can instantly add an element of class. If it is winter, opt for a cute scarf and try different ways of wearing it to see what suits you. Experiment with scarves of various colours, textures and lengths.
Adding some classy earrings or a statement necklace is enough for people to notice the difference. If you want to draw attention away or towards a certain area, jewellery is definitely the way to go.
Rock Bold Lips and Eyes:Â
If you want to make a statement with your look in about five seconds flat, grab a great lipstick. A jolt of colour on lips is an effortless way to breathe new life into any look. Get a gorgeous lipstick that you can rely on for most occasions. Keep it in your bag for touch ups so you can apply it even on the go!
Beware that bright lips can highlight flakiness on your lips, so be sure to exfoliate first by brushing lips gently with a damp toothbrush/ washcloth or use a gentle exfoliating scrub. Then apply lip balm to hydrate your lips. You can follow with foundation over the lips if you have uneven lip tone. You usually can’t go wrong with a red pout if you find a shade that’s right for your skin tone.
And yeah, we weren't born with full, lustrous lashes but we can buy them. Or better yet, choose the best voluminous mascara. Fuller lashes can enhance your look in just one go. If you ever choose to use only one eye product, let that be mascara! Curl your lashes before applying mascara for a magical effect.
Self Care:Â
Self-indulgence is the biggest indulgence. Once a week, treat you self to a at-home body polish. Scrub off the dead skin with a mixture of oatmeal, honey, brown sugar and olive oil (Partially grind this with a blender if required). Honey aids in moisturizing, oatmeal improves the skin texture, Sugar exfoliates while olive oil nourishes. The result is amazingly happy skin!
Also try to apply grated potato, cucumber or aloe-vera gel on your eyes and keep it for 15-20 minutes. You can do this thrice a week and you will definitely notice a change in how your eyes look.
Get lots of sleep. It will reduce your stress levels, which will make you look and feel better. Aim to get about 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night. Keep your skin looking fresh and your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. You may get the added benefit of feeling fresh and energetic. Drink about 8-10 glasses of water every day. Also remember to stay active and exercise about 150 minutes a week.
Perfume:Â
If you simply don’t have time to look your best, then try playing with the other senses to feel attractive. Apply just a spritz or two of a nice, sassy, classy perfume before you rush out of the door. Certain scents have a big influence on your mood. And if your mood needs a makeover, bypass the bar and head for the fragrance counter. Citrusy fragrances are usually energizing as they makes you feel awake and alert while musk makes you feel sensuous.
Posture:
Posture can make or break your look! Anyone who is or has been overweight, has a tendency to slump forward.
Spending hours hunched over computers or smartphones is a recipe for poor posture. Becoming aware of your posture is the first step to correcting it. Lift your shoulder and pull your back. You really can change a lot about how you appear to others just by straightening your back or relaxing your shoulders. Good posture can make you appear taller and thinner, while also boosting your confidence!
Attitude!:Â
You’ve heard it before, but I’ll tell you again – confidence is the key! If you go out into the world thinking you look gorgeous, chances are people will believe you. Just give yourself some positive affirmations before you leave the house.
Don’t get too wrapped up in how you look. While a makeover can help you feel better, it’s also important to feel good on the inside and to be content with how you look.
