Notabilia

Miscellaneous

Nifty Knacks

301 through 325

Back to where you came from. The same text in Greek.

  1. Look after your dog.
    There is no need to get sunglasses for your dog in summer, but you must give it frequent drinks of fresh water.

  2. Make nail polish last longer.
    Keep nail polish in a cool place where it is not exposed to heat and light, and it won't go hard. Always take care to close bottles properly after use. Clean brushes and the necks of nail polish bottles every so often with a little acetone on a piece of cotton wool. That way they will be easy to open and close and the brushes won't get sticky when they are not used for some time.

  3. So you don't get a headache.
    Your hair keeps getting in your eyes and the best solution you can think of is to hold it back with an Alice band or your glasses. The only problem is that after a while you get a headache. Use your hairdrier. Let the hot air blow onto the middle part of the Alice band or the ear grips of your glasses for a little while. Problem solved.

  4. Twice as much lotion.
    A bottle of skin toning lotion only seems to last half as long as a bottle of cleansing lotion of the same size. Make skin toning lotion go further by applying it on damp cotton wool. Damp cotton wool absorbs less lotion.

  5. Economical shower.
    As well as being more refreshing and quicker than a bath, a shower is also more economical on water. Go easy on shower gel and other liquid soaps though. At two to three times the price of conventional soap, they are actually quite expensive!

  6. Home made face packs.
    Cucumber cleans greasy skin, banana soothes dry skin, and carrot brightens the complexion.

  7. Warmth for longer life.
    Before using beauty products (toning lotions, cleansing lotions, day cream, night cream, tinted foundation and such like) warm them up in your hands. When they are at body temperature, they are easier to apply and are more readily absorbed, so... you will not need to use so much.

  8. Long-lasting perfume.
    Heat soon spoils cologne and perfume - and light is even worse. To keep it in tip top condition for as long as possible, store it in its original box in a cupboard. Go for smaller bottles. Colognes and perfumes spoil much more quickly when they are in big bottles.

  9. Down to the last drop.
    Store tubes and small bottlles upside down. This will allow you to use every drop of whatever is in them. As for bottles of shampoo, top them up with water when they start running low. You will get one or two more shampoos out of them!

  10. Extra protection cream.
    Cold weather and wind soon dry your skin out. If the cream you normally use is not rich enough to cope, put it on in two layers. Apply one layer and wait five minutes before applying the second so the skin has time to absorb the first layer. That way you will not need to spend extra money on a more nourishing cream.

  11. Free samples.
    Don't be shy of asking for samples at pharmacies and beauty product shops so that you can try out new creams. That way you will know whether or not a cream is really suitable for your skin before you decide to buy it.

  12. Long-lasting nail polish.
    Always close bottles of nail polish very carefully after use and put them in the fridge. It will last longer that way. If, in spite of that, it starts to go hard, dilute it with a drop of clear base coat. Don't use remover because it will stop it from spreading evenly on your nails afterwards.

  13. Keep an eye on your toothbrush.
    Once every two months: that is how often you should replace your toothbrush. But don't throw the old one away - use it to groom your eyebrows.

  14. Just like a beauty salon.
    How can you give yourself a facial at home? Drape a towel over your head and hold your face over a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Then dry your face on a facial tissue. Heat opens the pores in skin making it easier to get rid of black heads. Use your forefingers wrapped in facial tissue and squeeze gently. Then apply antiseptic straight away.

  15. Make shampoo last longer.
    Shampoo is often in a very concentrated form and should not be used as it is. It should be diluted with a little water. You do not need to use much either. Use just a little and do not repeat if you wash you hair every day!

  16. When colour deceives.
    Seen in artificial store lighting, tinted foundation may look right, but when you look at it in natural light, you see it is too dark for your skin tone. Don't throw it away. You can make it a shade lighter by mixing it with a tiny amount of day cream.

  17. Water and cream for grooming hair.
    When your hair is full of static electricity, wet your hands and run your fingers through your hair. If you run out of mousse and can't fix those curls, use a little day cream. Use only a tiny amount though, otherwise it will weigh your hair down.

  18. Brushes that are always good.
    Get into the habit of washing your make-up brushes, powder puffs and facial sponges with soap and water at least once a week. Your brushes will not shed hairs before their time and you won't get germs building up there and possibly causing dreaded spots.

  19. Care in the use of creams.
    Maintain the rules of hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly before using cream, especially if it is in a jar. Always use the spatula which may be included in the box.

  20. Long-lasting make-up.
    Spray a little water on your face when you have finished putting on your make up. It will last longer. You can use a plant sprayer filled with natural mineral water.

  21. Shiny hair.
    Give your hair a three-minute rinse in lukewarm water and finish off with cold. That is the ideal follow up to a shampoo if you want your hair to shine. There is no need to buy special products.

  22. Before you start, remember...
    It is easier to remove a stain while it is still fresh, especially if you turn the garment inside out before putting it in the washing machine, and always read the instructions on the labels in garments.

  23. Colourfast test.
    Dampen a small area, cover it with a piece of white cloth and iron it. If any colour comes out, wash the garment separately and rinse in cold water.

  24. Never use...
    Acetone on garments made of viscose, rayon or acetate.
    Klinex Color on nylon clothes.
    Whitening agents or bleach on wool or silk.

  25. Blood.
    Immerse the garment immediately in cold water with some salt in it. Keep changing the water until it stays clear. Then wash with detergent. If the stain is old, soak in cold water with hydrogen peroxide or Klinex Color in it (test for colourfastness first). Then give it a rub and wash in the usual way.