From knives to coffee filters, 8 household items that make for genius beauty hacks

As beauty lovers know, an obsession with makeup and skincare can get expensive. From springing for the luxurious, like a serum made from diamonds, to the everyday expense of a new foundation or concealer—it can all add up. So it’s no surprise that we look for inexpensive, accessible alternatives to fix our beauty problems. And for almost everything you could think of, there is a strange household remedy. Need to whiten your teeth? Try the peels from your banana at breakfast. Looking to keep your oil at bay throughout the day? Forget expensive blotting papers and try grabbing a coffee filter from the lunch room at work (no one will notice…most likely). Whatever your need may be, there’s almost certainly a cheaper household alternative.

Banana peels as teeth whiteners

To avoid spending an outrageous amount on teeth whitening products, why not try some fruit from your own kitchen? Peel a fully ripe banana (as this is when they are most rich in minerals) and press the peel against your teeth. Rub until your teeth are coated, and then let the banana paste sit on the teeth for ten minutes. When ten minutes are up, use a dry tooth brush to work the paste into teeth more thoroughly. Finally, rinse and brush as normal. After a week or two of repeating this daily, you should notice a whiter smile (and possibly a sudden dislike for bananas).

Cooking spray will seal a manicure, and help nail polish to dry faster

Likely the oddest household hack, it’s also the easiest to do. After painting your nails as you normally would, simply spray a generous coat of cooking spray on the nails, and wait two minutes before wiping off and washing your hands.

Plastic knife as a brow comb

Forget buying an expensive brow brush, just try the plastic knife from your latest fast food outing. The small, bristle like tines on the knife will comb your brows perfectly into place.

Coffee filters for blotting papers

There’s no need to purchase high end blotting papers when coffee filters are a perfect alternative. Since they’re made out of a similar, thin papery material, coffee filters can be substituted in if you’re on the run and you forgot your pack of blotting papers at home, or if you prefer to just make your own.

Whitening tooth paste can remove stains from finger nails

If you’re on the hunt for the perfect at home manicure, this is a must-have step. Just like it does for your teeth, whitening toothpaste will brighten and strengthen nails. So if you have frail or yellowing nails, this should be your go-to solution.

Coffee as a colour booster for brunettes

We’ve all been there – it’s been an embarrassingly long time since the last dye job, and the strands are starting to look a bit dull. For a natural colour booster, just make a fresh pot of coffee and wait for the brew to cool. When it’s room temperature, douse your strands with the coffee and rinse with warm water. Who knew that coffee not only liven up your morning, but your hair, too?

Lip and cheek stain from pomegranate seeds

If you’re looking to save on your makeup expenses, or if you just want a fun natural, alternative to blush, pomegranate seeds are where it’s at. Simply grind the seeds together to extract the juice, and dab it on your lips and cheeks. If you’re feeling especially ambitious, try mixing the juice with some melted coconut oil for a moisturizing, colourful (and tasty!) lip balm.

Match book striking strip as nail file

We’ve all had that frustrating moment when a nail breaks and there’s not a file or a manicurist in sight. If you have a matchbook laying around, it might just save the day. The striking strip is made from a similar material and has the same texture as an emery board. So file away… just be careful not to start a fire.

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