Five Cool Beauty Tools
Jan 8, 2015
There are so many beauty products and tools on the market designed to change your life that it’s hard to know which ones are really life changing. Here are a few tools that are really worth the money.
Regular cleansing keeps your brushes performing their best and keeps bacteria and grime off of your face. Even if you have the proper washing technique, it’s important to dry your brushes upside down. Inverted drying keeps water away from the ferrule (the base of the brush head), and prevents your brushes from losing bristles and loosening over time.
This Benjabelle Brush Tree makes inverted drying a cinch. Looking for something travel-friendly? I own this Sigma brush roll that also facilitates inverted drying.
Chella Heated Eyelash Curler ($20)
Need perfectly curled lashes in seconds? Sick of having your lashes pulled out by traditional eyelash curlers? Try this heated eyelash curler from Chella. This and a bit of volume mascara and my lashes look positively fake.
The Tanda Zap Power is a heated blue light device that kills acne bacteria at the source. The second you feel the blemish coming on, apply the Tanda Zap for 2-minutes and start healing the blemish immediately. This is a great tool for clearing deep acne that takes a while to come to the surface. Looking for something a little cheaper? The original Tanda Zap is $49.
People are always shocked when I tell them that I use hot rollers. These little cylinders give me blowout-worthy curls with very little effort. I just blow-dry my hair, add my hot rollers, and apply my makeup and get dressed while they set. (Here’s a tutorial.) Take them out, spritz with a good hair spray, and go on with your life. Your hair basically styles itself.
Sephora Hide and Sleek Contour Brush ($16)
Need perfect blush application every time? This curvy brush hugs your cheekbones and applies the perfect amount of blush or bronzer right where you need it. It takes a little practice to get using it exactly right, but once you do, it’s foolproof.
lol washing my brushes, nah
This is a better and cheaper way to hang makeup brushes upside down. It is shown a little before the 2 minute mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvy2CXuKFIc
I’m not sure if this is better, but it certainly is cheaper. It is the method I employ just because I don’t want to spend money on yet another contraption that I have to find a place to store when not in use.
Belle, do you prefer the Tanda to the Zeno? My zeno is on its last 10 uses and wonder if I should switch over.
I did like it better.
The Tanda Zap is on MyHabit for $29 right now.
For drying makeup brushes, I gently squeeze excess moisture with a towel and stand them up against the mirror on a clean tissue. They take a while to dry, but they are good to go after a quick blast with my hair dryer. Cheap and easy!
Oh Belle semi-related question to hot rollers, do you use any styling product or heat protectant before blow drying? I’ve been searching for something that protects my hair from heat but doesn’t feel gross.
I just use the Pantene volume mousse.
Ah, okay. That product seems to be best for fine hair, so I guess the search continues. Thanks for sharing!
Greetings Belle – I used hot rollers for years, going through a couple of Conair sets. I loved that I could set my hair and do other things such as makeup and pull out my morning outfit while my hair was curling. I’ve since switched to a large barrel curling iron as the rollers took up too much space in my suitcase when traveling. Your readers may appreciate your recommendations for a travel set. Cheers – Jennifer
I may be the only one this inept with hot rollers — but — I need HELP! Every single time I try to use them on my own (I used to have a truly talented roommate that would help me for fancy occasions) I always get this weird bend/dent about an inch or two from my ends. What am I doing wrong??
Happens to me when I try to tuck the end of my hair into the roll and pull it taut. I use my straightener to smooth it out (there are internet tutorials on how to use a straightener as a curling iron; it’s the same principle).
Hi Liz – try wrapping from the middle of the hair. I found that once I started wrapping from the middle, a lot of the weird bumps disappeared. (Its an Oprah tutorial, but its seriously great https://www.oprah.com/style/How-to-Use-Hot-Rollers)
Thank you both, looks like I know what I will be trying this weekend!`
Regarding hot rollers, you may want to use a fine-tooth (rat tail) comb to go through each section of your hair prior to rolling it. This kind of comb helps align the hair shafts better than a wide tooth comb and should give you smoother, shiner results. This also works with curling or straightening irons. And if you have any doubt about hot rollers, check out Amy Adams’ hair in American Hustle. Those were the days!