12 'smart girl' hacks to make life easier – and more beautiful – for the next half of the year

Hack your way to happiness

1/13

Woah, hold up – is it June already? If you’ve been harassed and hard-pressed the last half of the year, it may be time to hit the pause button and take stock of your life. Try these homespun hacks to renew and recharge yourself from top to toe, in skin and in spirit. Cheers to new beginnings!

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1. Put purpose to paper

2/13

This is such an incredibly intuitive but crucial component: Write down your goals. Jotting them down is part of the planning process and may just be the kick in the butt you need to jump-start your journey. Oh, and make sure you have said  strung up and prominently displayed – your office desk or vanity table are prime spots to consider – so you’re continually reminded of the need to work on said goals. #Fighting!

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2. Amp up your alarm

3/13

Are you a stubborn snooze hitter who has to be dragged kicking and screaming away from the bedsheets in the AM? Try this top trick: Stash your smartphone or alarm clock in an empty cup next to your bed. The glass will amplify the sound of your alarm to rouse you that much quicker from your slumber. 

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3. No more smelly shoes

4/13

The sweaty dog days of our Singapore “summer” in June can result in rancid smells wafting from your shoe cabinet. Freshen up your funky footwear by stuffing fresh tea bags into the soles for the night. 

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4. Dunk your nails in ice water

5/13

Hate twiddling your thumbs while waiting for your nail polish to dry? Steep them in a bowl of ice-cold water after painting them – the cold will “freeze” the pigments into place in a jiffy.

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5. Moisturise your mascara

6/13

If you find your beloved bottle of mascara flaking up before its stipulated three-month expiry date is up, try re-wetting and reviving the formula by squeezing in a drop or two of saline solution. Very “visionary”, right?

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6. Powder up your peepers for fatter eyelashes

7/13

Here’s an insider trick: A dusting of loose powder between lashings of mascara will stick to your hairs like a plumping and perfecting primer for thicker, longer – and sexier – lashes.

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7. Highlight your brow for an instant eye lift 

8/13

Look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in an instant by blending in a creamy white eyeliner above and below the hairs of your eyebrows. 

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits

8. Switch to airplane mode when charging your phone

9/13

Need to leave your house (and your charger) at home in 20 minutes? Setting your phone to airplane mode cuts out the “noise” of all radio frequencies so your device can focus on powering up to full battery faster than it would on its default setting. 

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits

9. A 'sticky' way to make scents last longer

10/13

This is an oldie but surprisingly underrated goodie: Smear a smidgen of petroleum jelly onto your pulse points – I like the nook of my elbows for this purpose – then spritz on your precious perfume to seal in the scent. 

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits

10. Freshen up your fringe

11/13

Want to skip shampooing your entire head but loathe to leave the house with greasy bangs? Easy: Pull your hair back into a ponytail, wet your palms with a soapy solution of warm water and shampoo, then run your fingers through your fringe and wringing it out under a house tap. 

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits

11. Iron your clothes with a hair straightener

12/13

About to step out of your house when you notice a crinkly collar or wonky hem? Easy: Whip out your hair straightener to iron out the kinks in your outfit. This saves you from having to drag out your ironing board – and besides, odds are you’ll already have your straightener on standby after setting your hair. 

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits

12. Chill your Chianti with frozen grapes

13/13

And finally, here’s a cool cocktail trick that wouldn’t water down your warm wine: Keep a bunch of grapes in the freezer and use them as a substitute for ice cubes in your vino. Right, then. A toast and cheers to a better half of the year ahead!

ALSO READ: You won't find it a chore applying these super-light sunscreens, which feel so good on the skin!; No makeup? No problem! Zoe Tay, Fann Wong and more stars who look gorgeous with bare faces; Yes, you ARE what you eat: This yummy Korean food has been 'proven' to zap zits