Over the years we’ve pretty much tried everything (and ironed the t-shirt) on the beauty front. Make-up artists, hairdressers, skincare pros: we’ve been privileged enough to meet most of the Big Beauty Names – and pick up some truly effective tips, along the way. So for this VH site update, we thought we’d share some of our favourites…

1. Light-reflecting concealers don’t just work to conceal dark shadows: stroke the brush or wand along frown-lines, pat – and they’re instantly diminished. (We are also big fans of the new generation of line ‘fillers’, but this trick holds good.)
2. When you’re testing lipstick colour at a counter, apply to the inner pads of your fingertips, which have a natural rosiness not unlike lips, giving a much better impression of how a shade will appear on your lips. You can also extend the lippie and hold it horizontally in front of your mouth to see what it looks like with your skintone.
3. The best freebie beauty tool you’ll ever find is a mascara wand. When you get to the end of your mascara, clean the brush with an oil-based or foaming cleanser to get rid of every last trace of product, then dry and use for combing brows into place. If they’re really straggly (and brow hairs do make a bid for freedom after un certain age), you can use them with a touch of hair gel or a little spritz-ette of hairspray.
4. If you have a cold, smear lip balm around your nose to stop that post-sniffle cracking and flaking. Not very glamorous, but effective.
5. Brushing on powder is great for dealing with shine, but it can build up and look ‘cake-y’. We like ‘blotting sheets’ which simply lift off the oil, or at a pinch, you can use a Kleenex or even a piece of soft loo paper: simply peel the two layers apart, and press one onto shiny patches.
6. When you’ve had a manicure or pedicure, avoid soaking your hands/feet in a bath that evening. Hot water softens polish, encouraging peeling – so if you are going to bathe, keep your newly-varnished extremities above the water-line.
7. To prevent lines around the eyes and crow’s feet, always choose sunglasses with really wide, Jackie O-style arms. Absolutely the best way to stop sunlight from ageing this so-vulnerable zone.
8. If you’re a scaredy-cat when it comes to tweezing, a dab of Bonjela mouth ulcer treatment numbs the area just fine.
9. Best ever-ever-ever way to combat under-eye puffiness: use an ice cube to smooth away the under-eye excess baggage. If you’re prone to broken veins, wrap it in Clingfilm first. Use an outward movement, towards the temples.
10. We don’t like to use microwaves for food, but they’re great for warming up hair masks: dollop mask into a bowl, switch on for 15 seconds, remove from microwave and slather on. (Check the temperature first: you may want to put it on for a few seconds more if it’s still not warm. But think warm, not hot.)
11. Always remember to take your chosen nail polish shade to the salon when you have a professional manicure or pedicure. Otherwise you a) have to buy theirs, or b) accept your manicure won’t last as long, because you can’t touch it up at home.
12. For a fuller-looking pout, a dab of gloss in the centre of the bottom lip – or a touch of shimmery lipstick – does the a brilliant trick-of-the-light.
13. Use hand lotion on your legs after shaving, to leave skin ultra-silky. (Hair conditioner works, too.)
14. Nothing – nothing in the world – revives your ‘glow’ like facial massage. Try to incorporate two minutes of facial massage into your night-time ritual, either while you’re removing cleanser, or applying a facial oil.
15. We’ve always loved this tip from our bi-coastal hair guru friend Philip B., who teases hair with a toothbrush to add instant volume – ideal for fringes or the crown of the head.
16. To whisk away the hard skin on feet, use a foot file with a very light touch, as hard whisking will compact the skin’s layers. Our pedicurist friend Bastien Gonzalez recommends deeply massaging any areas of hard skin, to break them down – and it works.
17. Whenever you apply SPF15 to your face, apply it to the backs of your hands. Best way to prevent age spots. (We also advise carrying a tube of SPF15 hand cream around with you, and reapplying after hand-washing.)
18. Stress is ageing in all sorts of ways, not least because it shows up on the face. A really effective instant de-stresser is simply to let your hands flop, then shake them vigorously for 30 seconds. Magic.
19. No matter how great and ‘foolproof’ your fake tan, you will always get better results by thoroughly exfoliating then moisturising first.
20. A smile is the fastest way to take off 10 years. End. Of.

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