10 Fast Holiday Hair and Makeup Tricks

Hair and Makeup Tricks

Beauty Ideas For You
Beauty Ideas For You
(Image credit: Greg Delves)

Got a need for speed? Between basting a the turkey, refilling the eggnog, and making sure that no one is opening their gift earlier than they should be — who has time for hair and makeup? Here, some quick and easy hair and makeup tips to keep you looking chic from Thanksgiving through New Year's!

1. Get Clean Skin Quick

To sop up oil and refresh makeup, lightly mist your face with toner, then pat with a tissue, says Eva Scrivo, makeup artist and owner of the eponymous New York City salon. Finish with a dusting of loose powder.

2. Lighten Locks Instantly

If scalp grease (or too many products) have left your light hair looking like dirty dishwater, sprinkle translucent powder over your roots, then brush through, says makeup artist Morgen Schick.

3. Hydrate Your Skin in Half the Time

Use conditioner to moisturize your hair — and body, says Schick. Just massage it in neck-to-toe in the shower, rinse, and dry off. The conditioner will hydrate nearly as well as body lotion — without the time suck of waiting for it to sink in.

4. Get Gorgeous Nails Now

Schick's 60-second strategy: Remove all polish, clean under your nails (with lemon juice, if you have it), and massage the thickest lotion you can find (lip balm will suffice in a pinch) into your cuticles.

5. Use Pink to Fake Perfect Skin

Surprise! Concealer is only half the battle when it comes to fixing flaws. To really perfect your complexion (no matter what your skin tone), try wearing lipstick in a warm pink. "It distracts people's eyes from blemishes and other imperfections," says Schick.

6. Depuff Your 'Do in a Flash

To flatten frizz, dampen your hands with water and a drop of hand lotion, then gently pull your hair back into a French twist. Wait 10 minutes; take your strands down. Voil — fuzz free!

7. Focus on the Front to Speed Hairstyling

When you're strapped for time, do the T-zone blow-dry: down your part and around your hairline only. "As long as the front and top of your hair looks finished," says Scrivo, "so will you."

8. Score Evening Eyes in Just One Step

Eyeliner is the fastest way to look sexy, says Delux Beauty creator Jillian Dempsey. To do: Trace your top lash lines to just past the outer corners of your eyes.

9. Pull It Together with a Ponytail

There's nothing wrong with resorting to a ponytail — after all, it's the ultimate easy style. To do: Pull your hair back haphazardly with your fingers and spritz with hairspray, says Roy Teeluck, owner of the Roy Teeluck Salon in New York City. Last, twist a stray tendril around your hair elastic; pin.

10. Revive Your Face Rapidly

To look alive after a long night, pat concealer onto the inner corners of your eyes, under your lower lashes, and next to your nose, says Scrivo. Finish by swirling bronzer over your cheeks.