Thinkstock/iStock(NEW YORK) — Lifestyle expert Gretta Monahan appeared on “Good Morning America” Wednesday to share some of her best time-saving beauty tips to maintain healthy skin and hair during the cold season.
Here are some of her top tips:
Trade a Thick Bath Towel for an Old T-shirt to Dry Your Hair
A simple T-shirt works like an expensive hair towel, but costs next to nothing and wraps perfectly around the head while not pulling at your hair like a regular towel. A T-shirt will absorb the water much faster and more efficiently while still being gentle on your strands to avoid breakage and dullness. Using a T-shirt as a hair wrap after showering will also cut your blow-dry time by a third to a half, according to Monahan.
How to Get Perfect Morning Waves With Second-Day Hair
To get perfect waves with unwashed hair, Monahan suggests to spritz your strands with water or hair tonic to dampen your hair. Then make two loose pony tails directly on top of one another on the top of your head, twist the pony tails and secure them by slipping the ends into holder. By the morning your hair will set into perfect loose bends with no added time.
Cut Time and Save Money With This Makeup Hack
Mix foundation or face tint with primer and you can go from day to night with no touch-ups. Make any lip color triple long-wearing by applying concealer all over the lip area first then applying the color. This locks in the color in for three times as long, Monahan said.
Exfoliate Chapped Winter Lips
Monahan also shared solutions for chapped winter lips, emphasizing how important it is to exfoliate your lips, especially during the dry winter months. One tip is to use a clean, soft toothbrush over your lips, brushing in a circular motion to remove dead, flaky, skin from your lips. You can also make an at-home lip exfoliating paste with equal parts sugar, honey, cinnamon and warm water and apply the exfoliating honey lip treatment at night while you sleep to wake up with a perfect pout.
Supercharge Your Skin With a Serum
Monahan suggested to supercharge your winter skincare regimen with No.7’s “Protect and Perfect Intense Advanced Serum.” Monahan recommends using the serum which is packed with nutrients both day and night. Your skin will start to look younger and by four weeks of using the serum you can expect to see a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, according to Monahan, who is a spokesperson for the beauty brand “Number 7,” which is a sponsor of “GMA.”
Take a Lukewarm Shower
A fix for dry and flaky hair that Monahan shared on “GMA” is to take a lukewarm shower instead of a hot shower during the cold months, as hot water dries out your scalp and hair. A homemade remedy Monahan shared on “GMA” to remove product buildup, dryness, and balance an oily scalp is to fill a spray bottle with warm water and one teaspoon of sea salt, then shake gently and spritz onto the roots of your hair. Leave the spray on for five minutes and then wash and condition as usual.
Lastly, Monahan said on “GMA” that when it comes to skincare, a big part of maintaining healthy skin is from the inside out, and that your diet can have a huge impact on your skin. Monahan recommends eating antioxidant and Vitamin C-rich foods, especially colorful fruits and vegetables.
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