Hear those birds chirping? Feel that sunshine on your face? That’s spring making its bright and cheery way into our lives, y’all, and I don’t know about you, but I’m welcoming this season with open arms. With warm weather upon us, our beauty routines tend to lighten up — in fact, spring is the perfect season to experiment with new ways to keep yourself looking fresh (and fly).
We teamed up with HEALTHY ESSENTIALS®, a destination for helpful advice, tips, tricks and money-saving coupons, to help you refresh without piling on makeup products. The site provides real-time insights and answers – personalized just for you – to help you care for yourself (and save some money, too!). Whether you’re in need of a mid-day pick-me-up at your desk or are heading out to carpe that diem with pals, here are five ways to revitalize yourself sans makeup.
USE A DIY FACE MIST
A refreshing, DIY face mist is a must-have for fresh-ups (touch-ups without makeup, duh!), especially if you’re a busy girl on-the-go. It doesn’t get easier than making your own DIY face mist: Grab a small spray bottle, fill it up with your favorite gentle skin toner and witch hazel (half toner, half witch hazel) and then add a small drop of tea tree oil to make it minty. Spritz, spritz, spritz this stuff on your face whenever you want to wake up and invigorate your senses. Pro tip: Stash one of these in your purse, on your desk and atop your vanity. You’ll use it all the time — promise.
BRIGHTEN YOUR EYES
You might not realize how much having tired eyes can affect your overall appearance. If you’ve been staring at a screen for a long time or have fallen victim to allergy season, it’ll show in your eyes: They can take on a dull and/or irritated appearance, not to mention that they can also feel super dry. A couple drops of moisturizing, gentle eye drops like Visine Tired Eyes will instantly bring your peepers back to that bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed state. I always have one of these in my purse and one on my desk, because I can’t stand the way my eyes look and feel after a long day.
GIVE YOUR LIPS A TREATMENT
Whether or not you’re a lipstick lover, it’s easy for our puckers to get chapped, dry and flaky. This is not cute. A DIY lip treatment — made with ingredients you prob already have in your cupboard — is an absolute must.
Mix together equal parts of brown sugar, olive oil and honey, and apply it to your lips (don’t forget to have a taste; it’s so yummy!). You’ll instantly have super smooth, hydrated lips that are ready for anything — including red lipstick.
DO THE BEND AND FLIP
You already know about the bend and snap from Legally Blonde, but have you heard of the bend and flip? It’s my go-to hair hack when my locks are lifeless and in need of a little love, but I don’t have time to re-style. Start by brushing your hair as you normally would. Then, flip your head over so your hair is pointing toward the ground. Give it an upside down brushing from root to tip, and then FLIP over! Your hair will look a little crazy at this point. Give it some oomph at the roots by zhushing it with your fingers, and then lightly smooth it out with the brush. Voilà!
WHITEN YOUR TEETH
Having a white and bright smile is key to looking fresh. Even if you’re not at home, you should give your mouth a little TEETH-L-C with Listerine Healthy Whitening mouthwash. I know what you’re thinking: Am I supposed to carry around a big container of mouthwash with me? No! Put a couple capfuls of this effective mouthwash into a travel-sized bottle, and toss it in your purse or in your desk drawer. Do a couple swishes whenever you want to freshen your breath, whiten your teeth and refresh your mouth. It’s as close to brushing your teeth on-the-go as you can get!
Easy as that! Don’t think that freshening up has to mean applying more makeup, y’all. Embrace spring, and don’t forget to check out HealthyEssentials.com for more ways to stay fresh and win prizes. From a digital fitness tracker to music downloads to a 12 month magazine subscription, Brit + Co readers can win an assortment of prizes that will help them stay on top of their 2016 resolutions. Starting December 27, 2015 through March, 27, 2016 when you register for HealthyEssentials.com, you’ll have the opportunity to “spin the wheel” for a chance to win wellness-related products. Note: There will be 100 winners DAILY!
This post is a collaboration with HEALTHY ESSENTIALS®.
Authored by Beth Wischnia
Beauty Production, Styling + Modeling: Beth Wischnia
Photography: Chris Andre