7 Nuggets of Beauty Wisdom I'll Never Forget

Some of the skin care, hair, and nail tips that still stick with me to this day

After many years of working in beauty, I’ve held onto a pretty hefty mental cache of beauty advice—tips I learned from various experts, read in research, or just figured out on my own through everyday living and testing.

Yes, we all know about drinking plenty of water and layering skin care thinnest to thickest. But here are some of the lesser-known tidbits that have stuck in my memory through the years.

Gently blow-drying is actually better for your hair than air drying

Heat styling catches a lot of flack, and for good reason. Heat does damage hair. But your hair is actually in a very vulnerable state when it’s soaking wet because it swells and becomes weak. A study in Korea found that “Using a hair dryer at a distance of 15 cm with continuous motion causes less damage than drying hair naturally.” So it’s better to apply heat protectant and blow it dry on a low heat setting until it’s 90 percent dry. Mind-blowing, right?

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READ: 30 Best Beauty Products Under $30

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Paint your nails earlier in the day

If you use regular polish, don’t do your nails after 4PM. Even though it may feel dry after 20 or 30 minutes, polish can still be prone to dings and wrinkles for hours after it feels set, especially if you’ve done multiple or thicker coats. I’ve gone to bed many hours after polishing only to wake up with bed wrinkles etched onto my nails. If you go to a a salon, take the morning or lunchtime appointment.

Also, I extend the life of my mani by applying another top coat 3 days later

Chemical sunscreen is not immediate

Physical sunscreens (check out my favorites here) work immediately because they block the sun’s rays. But remember: chemical sunscreens take 15-30 minutes to absorb and to be activated. If you’re going out into full, direct sunlight, apply before you go out and give it a little time.

Beware of the thinker pose

This sounds like such a silly one but it made a big difference for me. I was having a lot of breakouts on my chin for a while and another beauty editor told me some advice she had heard from a dermatologist: be mindful of how often you touch your chin or rest your chin on your hands throughout the day. After I became more aware of it, I realized that I was constantly doing it. My chin breakouts greatly decreased after I stopped.

Are those hands clean, baby?