The 12 best beauty tricks of all time

My abuela's old-school tricks are priceless and the other day one totally saved my life: Last week, I realized my feet needed help. My nail polish was still pretty fresh and not a single nail was chipped, but my heels were horrifyingly dry and chapped! So what did I do? I slathered on some petroleum jelly all over my feet before bed and put socks on right after to smooth away any rough or dry skin. And guess what? It totally worked! Abuela: 1, nasty feet: 0!

It's funny how a simple DIY fix can totally rescue you from a beauty blunder, not to mention save you some cash! Here are the best ever simple and practical at-home beauty tricks that will keep you looking beautiful without breaking your wallet!

Readmore ¿Qué más? How to break these 4 horrible hair habits now!

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Powder your roots

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If your scalp is getting a little greasy and there’s no time to shampoo, rub a dusting of baby powder to your roots to absorb the excess oil and freshen up your hair.

Add some heat to your curler

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For stick-straight lashes, try heating up your eyelash curler with your blow dryer for a few seconds. This helps your lashes bend more easily. Apply your mascara immediately after, for a dramatic effect. Believe me your lashes won’t fall off!

Oil up your nails

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Lately my nails have taken a serious beating from all the polish I put on them. I’m talking white, brittle, split nails! My mom always tells me to massage some olive oil on my nails at least once a week whenever this happens. This clears and softens brittle nails that are likely to break.

Whiten your teeth

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Even though I drink at least 3 cups of tea a day, my teeth are usually pretty white. I grew up with my dentist father constantly telling me to brush away my stains at least once a day with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. I have to admit, though, I’ve kind of been slacking on this one lately! Simply add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to baking soda until it forms a pasty consistency. Then use it the way you would your regular tooth paste!

Condition while you shave

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Whenever I’m out of shaving cream, I just coat my legs with some hair conditioner before shaving. It not only softens the hairs so they're easier to shave off, but it leaves my legs feeling super soft!

Fight flakes with vinegar

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During the winter seasons I tend to suffer from dry scalp. So I soak my hair in apple cider vinegar before shampooing to combat those pesky white flakes!

Zap zits with toothpaste

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This old beauty myth really does work! Apply a pea-size amount (using a cotton swab) to your pimple. Let it sit for at least 10 to15 minutes, so that it absorbs the oil. It’s an amazing and affordable spot-on treatment for acne!

Aspirin to zap zits

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Crush an aspirin pill and put a little water on it until it forms a paste. This cremita is magical when it comes to banishing redness and irritation from any pimples that are popping out on your face!

Use a spoon for a perfect cat-eye

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It could not be easier to create the perfect sexy cat-eye with this simple spoon trick. Genius and prrrrr!

Toothbrush for perfect brows

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Yes a toothbrush can give you pearly white teeth AND perfect brows. Simply put some hair spray on a toothbrush and comb through brows; use this instead of brow gel. It's cheaper and better!

Toilet seat cover to banish oil

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Don't have those pricey oil-blotting sheets on hand? No problem! Just use a clean toilet seat cover to blot your skin and you'll banish the oily skin in no time.

Petroleum jelly to smell great

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Dab some petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) on your pulse points and before applying perfume to make the scent last waaaaay longer. But be sure to use just a bit on certain points or else your clothes and hair could get oily!