Sometimes, it may seem that women need to do many more steps than men to keep up. We’ve got a ton of stuff we need to make time for, and anything time-saving hacks or tips to make life easier in any way are always welcome. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of 20 hacks you should know as an urban woman.
1. Cycle without flashing your underwear – Your date plans an unexpected cycling activity but you’re in a skirt. Gather the front and back of the skirt in between the legs and twist a coin in. Secure it with a hair tie to create a temporary pair of culottes.
2. Get your lip line right every time – Draw an ‘x’ on your Cupid’s Bow with the tip of the lipstick or a lip liner before filling your puckers in. When you do this, there’s a lesser chance of messing it up.
3. Wear loose ponytails to avoid bald spots – When your hair is extremely snatched in a ponytail, your hair follicles can get strained and this disrupts the hair growth over time. Also, try to tie your ponytail at different heights once in a while.
4. Get rid of nasty entry stamps – You went to a bar and have an important meeting the next morning, but the stupid stamp mark on the back of your hand won’t come off. Just use a salicylic-based skincare pad or toner to wipe it off.
5. Hide your overgrown manicure – Don’t have time to go for a full blown manicure but need to look tiptop? Just apply some glitter polish from the base of the nail to conceal the overgrown nail space.
6. Use magnetic strips – Every woman has surely misplaced bobby pins at least once. To better organise, attach all your metal tools or products to a magnetic strip so they stay in one place and won’t tip over, unlike in a little dish.
7. Fix shrunken jeans – If your jeans unfortunately shrunk in the wash, do this. Lay your jeans flat and use a spray bottle filled with water to slightly wet the areas you want to stretch. Tug and pull those areas, then let the jeans dry. Ta daa!
8. Boost the staying power of your fragrance – Does your perfume disappear or develop into a peculiar scent throughout the day? Try applying some Vaseline on your pulse points before spritzing on the fragrance and see the difference.
9. Put necklace through a straw – Have you gone through the frustration of detangling your necklaces when you travel? Unhook the clasps and string one end through a straw, then secure the clasps. They’ll never get tangled again.
10. Retain the look of denim jackets – Denim jackets can lose colour and perfect distressing after multiple washes. Put it in a baggy and pop it in the freezer to wipe out odour-causing bacteria and keep it looking as is, reducing washes in between wears.
11. Period cramps be gone – Period cramps are despicable. To relieve the discomfort, make a DIY hot pack from rice and a sock. Just insert the rice into the sock and sew the end together. Heat it up in the microwave for one minute before using it.
12. Utilise space in suitcases – A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do, so if you’re running out of space in your wardrobe and clothes rack, store bulky winter wear and holiday sweaters in unused suitcases, to make room for .. well, more shopping.
13. Clear nail polish is your best friend – Love affordable rings but hate those green marks they leave behind? Paint the inside of the ring with clear nail polish to protect your fingers.
14. Apply sunscreen on your own back – Cut off a piece of cling film big enough to cross your back and lay it flat. Before you put on your swimsuit, squeeze sunscreen on the film and move it around your back like a towel to apply the product.
15. Wrap up sanitary pads – Make it a habit to wrap your used sanitary pad with a sheet of newspaper before discarding it in the bin. It reduces the stench, and your guests or housemates won’t be sickened by the sight of the bin.
16. Exercise those arms while styling hair – Before you blow dry your hair or style your mane with heated tools, put on weights on your wrists to work out those arm muscles. Multitasking at its finest!
17. Drying hair with a cotton T-shirt – A cotton T-shirt is often more absorbent than a towel, and hurrah, the friction is less harsh, so it won’t cause as much breakage on the hair.
18. Keep lipstick looking perfect – If you can’t use a straw for whatever reason, just lick the rim of the glass before taking a sip and your lipstick won’t stick to the glass or leave a mark.
19. Get rid of the smell of garlic – Ain’t no lady would want the smell of garlic lingering on her hands while she’s out on a romantic date. Simply rub your hands on something made of stainless steel while washing until the smell goes away.
20. No shaving cream, no problem – Don’t go through the fuss of going out of the house and buying a brand new bottle. Just use conditioner, baby oil, or your body wash instead.
