Life is hard, and that's why we have fashion and beauty hacks. Despite modern conveniences (or, you know, indulgences) like Apple watches and cookie straws, some everyday issues can’t be solved by edible utensils alone. Try using a smartwatch to find your lost earring back (if, that is, there isn’t already an app for that). How’s that venti s’mores frapp with a side of straw working out for you? Can it be used to remove the wad of gum you sat on during your morning commute?
Luckily, Dan Marshall feels us. Life Hacks: Helpful Hints to Make Life Easier (Harper Design), his handy illustrated guide to short-cutting minor stresses, maps out over 130 simple tricks to help streamline your life. Want to whiten your teeth without those nasty strips that’ll probably end up dissolving your gums away? (I should mention that I am not a dentist). Mash up a strawberry with a teaspoon of baking powder till it forms a paste, swipe it over your teeth, rinse it off five minutes later, and voilà! A natural bleach that Shailene Woodley would approve of. Oh, and that wad of gum still stuck to your butt? Stick your pants in the freezer for an hour and the sucker will come right off.
Check out 3 more of Marshall's fashion and beauty hacks, plus their easy-to-follow diagrams, below. You, young jedi, are well on your way to mastering your life (or at least a head of shiny hair).
Small Shoes Small Problem
"To get the shoes to fit, put on several pairs of socks and squeeze your feet into the overly tight shoes — this tip works especially well with leather but is also effective for other material types. Grab your blow-dryer and blast your feet with hot air for about 10 minutes (be aware this may get a little hot, so use caution!). The stretching effect, combined with the heat, should help to loosen the shoes and make them fit better."
Wardrobe Expansion Kit
"Save the pull tabs from cans of soft drinks and beer and thread them onto the hook of a hanger, letting them rest at the bottom where the hook meets the hanger itself. You have now created a loop to attach another hanger, thus doubling the capacity."
Vodka... For Hair
"Add a shot or two of vodka to your shampoo and it will not only strengthen your hair but also stop your scalp drying out and help cure dandruff. Just don’t be tempted to drink the concoction — fruit-scented shampoo does not make a good mixer."
Bam. Now you have something cool to talk about at a cocktail party, too — if you're not busy putting the vodka from your drink in your hair.
Image: meenakshi madhavan/Flickr
