Five Beauty Shortcuts

1. You Want: Smooth, Even Skin

Skip the heavy foundation. To lighten up, blend equal parts face lotion and foundation in the palm of one hand, then press both palms together and apply the mixture like moisturizer. Get even better staying power by combining base one-to-one with water-resistant sunscreen. Use SPF60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, a water-resistant matte formula with broad-spectrum protection.



2. You Want: Melt-Proof Makeup

Opt for feather-light formulations (the less makeup you put on, the less you have to worry about it sliding around). In steamy weather, you'll sweat through most makeup, even powders. Professional Make up artists advice: Switch to tinted moisturizer, or simply disguise any discoloration with a concealer or stick foundation. To enhance lashes without smudges, use waterproof mascara, which forms a clear, watertight seal over your favorite brand. If you're fair or just a low-maintenance gal, lash tints safely darken eyelashes for up to four days, even through showers and swims. (However, they won't add volume or length. On lips, try a sheer stain. Dab away excess shine with blotting paper or a tissue. "Face powder can look cakey on sweaty skin,".



3. You Want: To Fake a Tan — Fast

Brush on a believable shade of bronze. Pick a color within a couple of shades of your skin tone. If you're fair, try a tan shade with peach tones like Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Pressed Bronzer in Fair to Light, which has vitamins and moisturizers designed to enhance your color. If you're medium-toned, go for caramels like Victoria's Secret VS Liquid Bronzing Brush in Light to Medium, a gel bronzer with a built-in brush. For already-tanned or brown skin, choose a deeper bronze: Lorac Tantalizer Baked Matte Satin Bronzer SPF 15 can be applied wet or dry, depending on the color intensity you're after. Use a big, fluffy brush to apply the color around the perimeter of your face, then work it in toward the center and add a touch of blush on cheeks.



4. You Want: A Better Way to Tame Your Frizzy Hair

Silicone serums are the gold standard for reducing frizz, but they can weigh hair down and make it greasy. To see if it works, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested it against the leading frizz serum. In the lab, frizz-prone women applied one of six Living Proof products (each is for a different hair type and straightening or curl-defining effect) to half their wet hair and the control product to the other half, then styled as usual. They then spent 20 minutes in a climatology chamber set to 80 degrees and 80 percent relative humidity. The volunteers also used the frizz product at home as their sole styler for one week. The results: In the lab, the Living Proof products tamed frizz better than the control for half the testers, and at least as well for all but one of the rest. Over half the women also said Living Proof prevented frizz and improved the look and feel of their hair more than their current product. The highest marks came from volunteers who wanted to maintain their waves.



5. You Want: Sandal-Ready Feet

Try this express "spa" pedicure: Shape uneven nails by filing them straight across the tops, then smooth feet with a mixture of salt and lotion or olive oil — an exfoliating treatment combining hydrating oils and Dead Sea salts that smells like a day at the beach. Rinse and dry thoroughly (push back cuticles with the towel as you dry).