Life hacks are all the rage because who wouldn’t want to make everyday tasks just a bit simpler? That being said, life as a woman can be a bit different — for better and worse. Women have more concerns in regards to their safety, they tend to dabble more with makeup, and their bodies require a lot of care. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 40+ life hacks, specifically for women!
Use Rubber Bands for Manicures
Many people think that they can’t give themselves a professional-looking manicure because they’re maybe not the best with a brush. However, you don’t need to have a manicurist’s finesse in order to get flawless French tips.
Simply slide a rubber band over your nail and get to applying your polish! Just make sure you wait for the nail polish to dry before removing the band so that you don’t mess up your perfect manicure.
Use Dryer Sheets on Deodorant Marks
It can be frustrating when you feel like you’ve got the perfect outfit picked out but then realize that you’ve got deodorant marks all over it. As it turns out, those are relatively easy to remove, so you can still sport your look of choice!
Rub a dryer sheet on the deodorant mark until it disappears. If you don’t have any dryer sheets nearby, you can rub the item’s fabric on itself. However, this should be a last resort, as it can stretch or wrinkle the material.
Cover Sink Drains
If a piece of jewelry falls into the sink, don’t try to catch it. Instead, cover the drain with your hand. The truth is that unless you’ve got the reflexes of Serena Williams, you probably won’t catch the falling jewelry.
Those of us who aren’t the quickest will have a much better chance of covering the drain before our jewelry gets into the pipes. We also recommend covering your drain with netting, so that water can still get through but your precious items cannot.
Buy Men’s Products
Certain products simply work better and are cheaper if you buy the men’s versions. For example, men’s razors are cheaper than women’s — the only difference is they aren’t pink. Deodorant is also better when purchased from the men’s section.
Women’s deodorant comes in scents like ‘Lily’ and ‘Morning Dew,’ which is nice and all. Still, it doesn’t exactly get the job done the way that men’s antiperspirant does.
Shave With Baby Oil
Baby oil is a cheaper and more moisturizing alternative to shaving cream. It can also be used to clean your razor’s blades, as it’s quite gentle and will help your razor last longer. Simply soak your razor in baby oil between uses.
If you’re not a fan of baby oil, you can also use conditioner as a shaving cream substitute. It’ll give you that same glide and still leave your skin feeling soft.
Sit on the Toilet Backward
While wearing a long poofy dress may make you look like a princess, it’ll make you feel more like a court jester when it’s time to use the restroom. In order to avoid things going where they shouldn’t, sit on the toilet backward — facing the cistern.
This way, you can see exactly what’s going on with the back of your dress, rather than trying to feel around behind yourself, hoping for the best.
Don’t Use Ice Cubes
We get wanting to have a cold drink on a hot day but ice cubes tend to water down even the best beverages. In order to keep your drinks cool but without losing the flavor, simply pour the drink itself into an ice tray and freeze it!
For example, you can make iced coffee with frozen coffee cubes. When it comes to adult beverages, you can put frozen grapes into your drink. Bonus points if you eat the grapes afterward!
Use Velvet Scrunchies
Scrunchies are making a serious comeback right now and for good reason! They don’t tug at the hair as elastic ponytail holders do, so scrunchie-wearers don’t run the risk of getting their hair pulled out.
Furthermore, since a ponytail done with a scrunchie doesn’t have such a tight hold, it’ll minimize ponytail bumps and create a sleeker hairstyle. Velvet, specifically, is great for all hair types since it’s so soft — making velvet scrunchies the best possible option.
Light Candles With Spaghetti
Just because your favorite candle has burned down to the wick doesn’t mean that you have to go without using it. No, we’re not suggesting that you hurt your fingers either — there’s a far more simple solution to get any candle lit.
Use a piece of uncooked spaghetti as a very long match to reach those trickier candles. Another option is to light a piece of paper and use that. Although, we suggest using caution with that method as the fire will spread through the paper quickly.
Use the Bathroom After These Activities
Using the bathroom straightaway after certain activities is crucial for a woman’s health. One of these instances is after intimacy, in order to flush out any bacteria and avoid infection. Another scenario in which one should use the restroom is after a bath.
This is particularly true if you like to use bubbles or oils in the tub. The general rule of thumb is to use the bathroom within 30 minutes after completing these activities — but the sooner, the better.
Put Clumpy Mascara in Hot Water
If your mascara is getting clumpy or dried up, simply dip the tube in a cup of hot water and let it soak for a few minutes. If you want to clean the brush altogether, leave it in hot water for around 15 minutes.
While we’re at it, ignore the overused beauty advice of pumping your mascara in the tube before application. That actually creates clumps rather than gets rid of them! Instead, twirl your mascara in the tube before applying it to your lashes.
Use Dryer Sheets on Frizzy Hair
If you feel like none of your hair products are working on reducing your frizz or flyaways, maybe it’s time to turn to your laundry products instead. Dryer sheets work absolute miracles on frizzy hair!
Place a dryer sheet onto your hairbrush and comb it through in order to smooth any static or flyaways. Dryer sheets are positively charged, while hair is negatively charged, so the result is a smoothed-down and tame mane.
Put Pads on Underwear Before Showering
We all know that dreaded race against time and gravity when trying to get out of the shower while you’re on your period. Luckily, there’s an easier way than frantically trying to get your pad sticking to your underwear, and then onto your body, in time.
Instead, attach your pad to your underwear before you start showering, and leave it on the countertop for when you’re done. This way, your pad and underwear combo will be ready to go as soon as you’re out of the shower!
Use Ice Cubes on Wrinkled Clothes
Even if your clothes are wrinkled and you don’t have an iron, that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on wearing a certain outfit. Instead, put the clothes into the dryer along with two to four ice cubes and turn the machine on for about 10 minutes.
The ice cubes will melt in the dryer, creating an effect similar to that of a steamer. Bonus points for the fact that, with this method, you won’t have to worry about iron marks!
Put Bracelets on With Tape
Trying to put on a bracelet alone can feel like a dog chasing its tail, as the chain just goes around and around your wrist, seemingly impossible to catch. For those who don’t have someone at home to help them put their bracelet on, or if you simply want to demonstrate your independence, use tape to hold your jewelry in place while you work the clasp.
This way, you’ll always leave the house fully accessorized but without the frustration of fighting with your bracelet all morning.
Coat Jewelry With Nail Polish
We highly suggest coating costume jewelry with clear nail polish. The nail polish will act as a protective layer, preventing your jewelry from getting discolored and chipped.
Also, if you’re one of those people whose skin turns green from the metals in costume jewelry, then the nail polish will help out with that as well. It’ll act as a shield between the jewelry and your skin, so you don’t wind up looking like a well-accessorized version of the Hulk.
Unjam Zippers With Soap or ChapStick
A jammed zipper can make even the calmest person start to panic. It’s hard not to imagine needing to cut yourself out of your clothes the moment your zipper gets stuck. But, before you reach for the scissors, grab a bar of soap instead.
Rubbing soap over the zipper should create enough lubrication to get it unstuck. If you’re on the go, use ChapStick instead. The waxy substance will have the same effect as a soap bar. No outfits need to be harmed in this process.
Avoid Rust Rings With Nail Polish
No, you’re not imagining things, nail polish really is the answer to many of life’s problems. Yet another use for this product is to avoid rust rings around the house. Anyone who has a lot of toiletries in their bathroom has dealt with those dreaded rust rings.
Next time, simply coat the bottom of the can or bottle in nail polish and that’ll act as a shield between the toiletry and the bathroom’s surfaces.
Store Money in a ChapStick Tube
Finding a safe place to keep your money can be difficult, especially if you’re traveling. The best way to ensure pickpockets won’t come after your cash is by storing it somewhere completely unexpected. For example, inside a ChapStick tube!
No one will find it odd that you have some ChapStick in your purse and they’re certainly not going to bother stealing it. We do warn you, though, that there’s a risk of forgetting and trying to moisturize your lips with a 20.
Keep Bobby Pins on Magnets
Like socks in a dryer, bobby pins seem to have a magical way of disappearing from one’s dresser. It feels like no matter what you do, bobby pins are always getting lost and then magically turning up in random places.
In order to keep these hair accessories from wandering around the house, stick them to a magnet! That way, your bobby pins will stay put and be readily available when you need them.
Use Vaseline When Dying Hair
Nobody wants to be that person who ends up with spots of hair dye all over their face after DIYing a new look. In order to avoid this hair faux pas, rub a thick layer of vaseline onto the skin around your hairline (including your ears and neck) before starting to dye.
This way, any wayward hair dye will go onto the vaseline, which is easy to wash off, rather than getting absorbed into your skin.
Create a Medical Business Card
If you have a lot of food allergies or sensitivities to medication, it’s worthwhile to create a “business card” that lists those items, in the event that something happens while you’re out and about.
This is particularly helpful if you carry around any sort of emergency medication and want people to know to look for it in your bag. You can also write down on your card who to call in case of emergency or what passersby can do to help.
Use a Hair Iron on Clothes
If you find yourself in a bind in which your clothes are wrinkled but you don’t have a clothes iron, you can use a hair iron instead. This is particularly useful while traveling, as you likely won’t want to pack both.
Even if you do have a clothes iron available, you may want to opt for a hair iron anyway when it comes to smaller areas of the clothing, like a shirt collar or an embellished piece.
Pack Shoes in Shower Caps
One of the many challenges of packing a suitcase is figuring out how to pack your shoes without them dirtying up your clothes. Luckily, most hotels give away free shower caps! Simply wrap your shoes up in the shower caps and they’ll be ready to be packed.
If you don’t have any shower caps, you can use a plastic bag instead. Now, there’s just the issue of how to make all your shoes fit into one suitcase!
Remove Gum From Hair With Ice
If you ever find yourself a victim of the cliche of getting gum stuck in your hair, don’t worry that you’ll have to cut your locks. Instead, you can use ice cubes to freeze the gum, making it much easier to remove.
Just hold some ice on the gum for 5-15 minutes, until it hardens. There’s also, of course, the peanut butter trick too. But, we can probably all agree that ice cubes are a lot less messy.
Carry a “Home Alone” Card
Any kind of mom, be it a mom to humans or pets, should carry around a “home alone” emergency card.
In the event that something happens to you, this card will let people know that there’s someone at your house who can’t fend for themselves and is relying on you to come back. Just write down on the card who to call that can go take care of your child until you get home.
Break Shoes in With a Blowdryer
Gone are the days when you need to brace yourself for pain while you break in a new pair of shoes. Instead, break them in before you ever wear them! Put on some thin socks and put the new shoes over them, then blow dry the shoes for several minutes.
When you’re done, allow the shoes to cool off and they’ll be molded to your feet. That definitely beats walking around all day in pain!
Use a Razor on Pilled Clothes
One can always go out and buy a fabric razor to renew pilled clothing, however, they can be quite expensive and you probably have another product at home that’ll work just as well.
A disposable razor, like the one you use to shave your legs, will get the job done just like an expensive fabric razor. Simply pull the fabric taught and use a razor to shave the pilled bits off your clothing.
Keep Sneakers in Your Office
A lot of workplaces have formal dress codes, but many women find it uncomfortable to wear heels all day. If you’re in that situation, we recommend you keep a pair of sneakers in your office.
You can change into them when sitting at your desk, and slip on your fancy heels before going into a meeting. The same concept applies to your car too. You can keep heels in your car, wear sneakers while driving, and change shoes when you reach your destination.
Buy a Portable Charger
It’s a good idea to keep a portable phone charger in your bag just in case you get stuck somewhere or decide to stay out longer than anticipated. This little hack ranges from saving you the inconvenience of not being able to take pictures to possibly ensuring your safety if you need to make an emergency call.
Given how small some portable charges are, and how easy it is to throw one into your bag, we think it’s well worth implementing this trick.
Have a Fake Phone and Wallet
If you’re having a night out in a questionable part of town, consider carrying a fake phone and wallet in your purse. That way, if someone were to compel you to give them your valuables, you wouldn’t be left stranded.
And, as an extra bit of karma, they’d be long gone before they realized what you gave them was useless! Plus, now you finally know what to do with that old phone that’s been sitting in a drawer for ages.
Hide Noise With Toilet Paper
If you ask us, no one should have to be embarrassed about doing their business in the bathroom. After all, we all have these bodily functions, and that’s what restrooms are for.
That said, we know some people are self-conscious about bathroom noises, and may have a hard time going in a public restroom. If that’s the case, you can put a layer of toilet paper in the toilet bowl, above the water. That’ll muffle any sounds of impact that may occur.
Moisturize
One of the best pieces of anti-aging advice out there is — moisturize. Your skin and hair need proper moisture in order to stay healthy. We recommend moisturizing one’s skin (face and body) at least once a day, every single day, and hair at least twice a week.
When it comes to skin and hair care, it’s important to remember that you won’t see results right away. But trust us, getting into the habit of moisturizing now is something you’ll be grateful for when you’re older.
Know Your Measurements
Clothes shopping can be an extremely frustrating experience, especially because sizes vary widely between brands as size tags are unregulated. That being said, you can make the process a bit easier by knowing your measurements.
Measure all of the relevant parts of your body and log the information into your phone before your next trip to the mall. This won’t completely replace trying stuff on but it’ll definitely narrow down your choices, saving you a lot of time and exasperation.
Getting Those Clothes Clean
Even when you keep up with the laundry diligently and follow all the wash instructions on the tag to a T, there are some messes that just seem more stubborn than others.
If you have deodorant stains on your clothes, first of all, you definitely aren’t alone. It can sometimes seem like a necessary sacrifice on your clothes. Before you give up, though, try taking a dryer sheet to the stain and see if it comes up.
Fix a Broken Bra
Let’s be honest, bras aren’t always cheap and the last thing you want is one to break right when you need it most. For those that wear bras, this hack is one you have to make sure to commit to memory.
Until you can fix it in a permanent fashion, all you need is a panty liner to cover the broken wire and hold it in place. You can use a larger pad too, but you’ll want to cut it down to fit.
Handy Hairdryers
You probably already know that your hairdryers can really help speed your get-ready routine along. We’re not here to tell you what you already know!
What you might not know is that hairdryers are a great tool for fixing a deformed cup in a bra. This can easily happen in a dryer or drawer but it’s a bit of a pain. The thicker the fabric is, the higher the heat will need to be. Just give it a couple of minutes and some molding, and you’ll have that bra back in shape!
A Great Use for Hairdryers
There’s more than one tip that you can hold on to when it comes to your hairdryer. It can, quite literally, help you out from head to toe. For this hack, you’ll need your hair dryer and a pair of shoes.
Throw on a pair of thick socks and then put on your new shoes. All you have to do after that is hit them with some heat from the blow dryer for a few minutes. Let the shoes cool back down before you take them off and they’ll stretch to accommodate your foot’s shape better.
On the Go
When you hit the road for a family gathering or a business trip, there are a few things you absolutely need to grab. For instance, a phone charger, clothes, and shoes are must-haves.
If you need to dress nicely while you’re out and about, what can you do if you have wrinkles in your clothes? Odds are, there’s not a spare iron in your carry-on. In a pinch, your flat iron can help get some of those wrinkles out.
Make it a Racerback
There are some people who really don’t like the way it looks when their bra straps are visible, rather than covered by their shirts. This can be a problem on a racerback shirt.
In those cases, you might think you’re limited to buying a new bra if you ever want the shirt to look just right. Yet, there are a few ways that you can fix this. You can buy bra clips or, honestly, just use a paperclip in its place.
Avoid Annoying Tangles
There are some annoying things in life it seems like you can’t avoid. If you put a few necklaces in your bag when you travel, is it possible to ever untangle them again?
The good news is that you can do something to prevent the problem in the first place. If you get a few straws – disposable or reusable, it’s up to you – and thread the jewelry through the straw. Finally, close the necklace to keep the straw in place.
Keep Jewelry Clean
Once you have your jewelry organized, you want to make sure they look as good as possible and remain easily wearable.
To clean your jewelry at home, get a bowl of warm water and add about a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Next, you can start cleaning the jewelry with a soft-bristled brush to get any dirt caught in the crevices. A toothbrush is a great tool for this.
Packing
Packing your shoes for a trip away can be complicated. After all, you might not want the bottoms of your shoes right on top of the clean clothes you just packed.
Instead of doing that, put a shower cap on the bottom of your shoes to keep them together and covered. That way, you’ll be able to put your shoes in your suitcase without worrying about getting everything else dirty.
Saving Closet Space
Unfortunately, as much as we may wish otherwise, most of us don’t have the expansive walk-in closet of our dreams. As such, it’s important to save space when you can.
This hack is a great way to save space and upcycle a few pieces of trash you might otherwise toss away. All you need is the tab from a metal can to loop onto your hanger and you can hang another hanger onto the second loop. This works better with thinner coat hangers, like wire hangers.
Fixing a Zipper
There are few things more inconvenient than a broken zipper. However, you often don’t need to consider a zipper broken just because it’s not moving.
If your zipper is simply stuck, there’s still hope yet! If you have a tube of lip balm or a bar of soap, you can try to get the zipper unstuck by rubbing either option on the zipper and its track. The waxy coating will help lubricate the track.
Out of Shaving Cream?
If you’re someone who shaves, you’re probably familiar with the dreaded moment when you’re in the shower and you realize that you’re all out of shaving cream.
Even worse, maybe you were partway through shaving and just ran out! There are a few other products you might already have in your bathroom that can stand in. Either baby oil or hair conditioner will work great in place of shaving cream.
Switch Up Your Hair Ties
Are you getting headaches from a tight ponytail? Are your hair ties coming out at the end of the day with too much hair still tangled up around them?
If you’re looking for a type of hairband that won’t pull your hair while you wear it, look for something made of velvet or silk. Scrunchies are a stylish and comfortable option when you’re keeping this in mind.
Catch That Earring!
If you have a piercing, odds are that you have spent some time in front of the mirror putting jewelry in or taking it out. Dropping an earring backing or ball can be a pain, though.
Instinctually, you might grab for the piercing component as it bounces around. Instead, cover the drain as quickly as possible because once it goes down there, it’s probably lost. Even better, cover the drain before you start changing your jewelry in front of the bathroom mirror.
Another Way to Store Jewelry
If you do have your ears pierced, odds are you don’t just stick with one pair of earrings for the rest of your life. Yet, you’ll want to make sure to keep them all together and tidy.
For those times when you don’t feel like buying a new jewelry box, there are a few different ways that you can DIY an earring holder. One option is even right in your kitchen! A cheese grater already has holes in it to hang earrings from, and a fun paint job can really spice things up.
