We have more options than ever before when it comes to makeup and beauty tools. There are plenty of gizmos and gadgets you can use to help you get the hair and skin of your dreams!
But even with all the modern formulas, technologies, and equipment that we enjoy, that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn anything from the past. In fact, there are plenty of beauty hacks that would be considered “old school” today that still work just as well as they did back in the day!
Today I’ll be sharing 11 effective beauty hacks from decades past. These solutions are quick, cheap, and easy, and often rely on natural ingredients. My hope is that these tips prove that when it comes to beauty, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel—sometimes all you need is a great tip that people have been using for years. :-)
11 Old School Beauty Hacks That Still Work
1. Soften Eyeliner
Remember that old lighter trick for softening up an eyeliner pencil? It’s still one of the easiest ways to get your eyeliner to glide on smoothly.
Just light up a lighter and pass the tip of the eyeliner through the flame for a second or two, then blow on the tip of the eyeliner to cool it off and apply as usual. The heat softens the tip and makes it much easier to apply, and it won’t tug on your eyelids either.
2. Tighten Pores
If your face is looking a little red, tired, or puffy, use the magic of ice water! A good old fashioned dunk in cold water will restrict the blood flow in your face, making your skin look less puffy and more awake. Just fill a bowl or your sink with cold water and a few ice cubes and dunk your face right in. Hold it in the water for 8-10 seconds for best results.
3. Soothe Eyes
Staring at a computer screen for hours can make your eyes look puffy and irritated, but previously brewed tea bags make a soothing de-puffing treatment. Just steep two bags of tea in 1/2 cup of hot water for about 3 minutes or so, then remove the bags and refrigerate them.
Once they’re cold, apply a bag to each eye and relax for 10 minutes. Your eyes will feel refreshed and look less puffy!
4. Tone Skin
Apple cider vinegar makes a great toner that not only leaves skin feeling softer and smoother, but can help dry out blemishes too. Mix 1 part apple cider vinegar and 4 parts water together and apply the mixture to your face using a cotton ball or pad.
5. Add Shine To Hair
If your hair is looking a bit dull and drab, you can use olive oil to infuse moisture and shine back in. Heat up 1/2 cup of olive oil in your microwave for about 10 seconds, until it’s warm but not hot. Apply the warm oil to your hair, then put on a shower cap and let it sit for 20 minutes.
Wash your hair as usual (though you will likely need to shampoo it more than once to get all the oil out). Once your hair is clean and dry, you’ll notice it looks softer and shinier than ever!
6. Amplify Lashes
When your lashes need some extra convincing to curl, grab your hair dryer and use it to warm up your eyelash curler for a few seconds. (Make sure you don’t get it too hot—you don’t want to accidentally burn yourself!) Use the warm eyelash curler to curl your lashes, and say hello to your perfectly fanned and flirty lashes!
Related: 23 Unexpected Things You Can Do With Your Hair Dryer
7. Scrub Away Dead Skin
You don’t need a fancy or expensive scrub to exfoliate your skin when sugar from your kitchen works just as well! Combine 2 parts sugar to 1 part coconut oil or olive oil. Rub the mixture gently into your skin, then rinse with warm water. (This mixture also works well as a lip scrub, so you can get two benefits in one!)
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8. Reduce Redness
Some blemishes have so much redness that it’s impossible to cover them up. In these cases, it pays to keep a bottle of eye drops handy! Eyedrops are meant to reduce redness in your eyes, but they can have a similar effect on pimples too.
Soak the end of a cotton swab in eye drops, then apply it to your blemish for a few minutes. It won’t make it smaller, but it will mask some of the redness for a few hours!
Related: 11 Practical Uses For Cotton Swabs Around The House
9. Hydrate Skin
Using avocado as a facial treatment can help hydrate and nourish your skin. Just mash up an avocado and spread it evenly over your face. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so, then rinse clean with warm water. You won’t believe how smooth your skin feels afterward!
10. Treat Dandruff
Dandruff can stem from a variety of issues, many of them involving the balance of oils and chemicals on your scalp. You can use apple cider vinegar to rebalance the pH level of your scalp to help eliminate dandruff. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water, then pour over wet, shampooed hair. Rinse thoroughly, then condition as usual.
11. Deodorant Substitute
If you’ve run out of deodorant and you’re in a bind, use baking soda to help neutralize bacteria and odor in a snap. Mix 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/4 teaspoon of water and apply the mixture to your underarms. (You can also add a drop of tea tree essential oil to the mixture for added deodorizing and antibacterial power.)
Do you have a favorite beauty hack from back in the day?
This tip isn’t beauty related. Once a week I warm up a little dab of olive oil- about 10 seconds in the microwave. I put a dab in my ears . Then I put cotton rounds in and leave overnight. This kind of helps if excess earwax can effect your hearing due to allergies and helps if you tend to get stubborn ear wax buildup.
when using apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’, do you shake it up first or not?
Definitely shake it up! :-)
thanks. Seemed like that should be right but just wanted to be sure. :-)
Growing up we used:
1. A can of beer after rinsing the shampoo out of our hair then rinsed it again. Gave lots of shine and manageability.
2. Used the olive oil on hair only once a month.
3. Used hydrogen peroxide band baking soda for toothpaste. Dipped the toothbrush in the peroxide then the baking soda and brushed 2 minutes. Then rinsed with water.
4. Mixed oatmeal with milk to make a thick paste and used it as a face mask. Applied it to our faces and let it dry then rinsed it off. It took care of pimples and left skin soft.
5. Heated our eyeliner before using it but today I use my hairdryer instead of a match.
6. Kept a jar filled 1/4 way up with water. We put those little pieces of soap in the jar when they became too small and difficult to use. We stirred it uever so often to soften
those little gems and make a jelly. We used it in the washing machine or for hands.
Guess these show my age!
Thanks for all the suggestions. I’m glad to see the simpler way of life resurging.
Blessings!
These are great tips! Thanks you Roz!
My eyeliner caught on fire this morning when I tried this!!! Attempt with caution!
U need to just swish the lighter past it do not put it on it directly!
You never cease to amaze me with your helpful, no-nonsense hints. Thank You!!
Thank you Sally! :-)
On number 5, using olive oil for your hair, I use coconut oil and do the same thing. After putting on the shower cap, I use the blow dryer and heat up the oil. It penetrates the hair and the scalp. I only use this about once a month or so though. I also use coconut oil to moisturize my skin. Face and all.
Sounds wonderful!
I’ve used the olive oil one years ago for an itchy scalp. This is great to use in the Winter time.
Interesting article. I have been using Witch Hazel for many years for red, irritated eyes: just moisten a cotton swab with Witch Hazel then apply to each eye for about 10 minutes.
Dry out the avocado skin, then gently “scrub” your skin with it – helps to clear out your pores and blackheads.
Mascara tube getting low – fill a glass with enough hot water to reach just below the cap and let it sit for a few minutes. You’ll find you have lots of mascara left.
I use this method to soothe rosacea when it is really irritated: soak some oats in yoghurt or milk then add a drop or two of honey and olive oil. Mix well, apply to the face then let dry and rinse off. Its a messy method but works extremely well.
Used cool tea bags work too.
Great tips – I love the avocado scrub idea!
You have to to do it very gently though so you don’t hurt your skin. I learned this many years ago.
Great ideas. I’ve done the visited, eyelash curler and tea bag hacks. For the tea bags I just hold them under hot water for about 1 minute. This is also great for when my eyes are itchy and swollen from seasonal allergies.
I’ve also used the witch hazel for years.I use it as a toner after washing my face. I’m not one to spend a lot of money on fancy toner if I can get good results with something much cheaper.
I’ve used the Visine trick before for red pimples. This one isn’t old school, but you can also prick open a liquid Advil type capsule if you have a pimple that’s very puffy and immflamed and apply the liquid to the zit. I’ve had some success with this.
I just learned another tip. For breakouts along your hairline.Mix 2 oz witch hazel and add 5-10 drops lavender. Store in a jar for up to 2 weeks. This is great for summertime and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.