Top 10 TikTok beauty hacks of 2021 – from makeup to skincare to hair care

Everyone loves a good beauty hack. And you can count on TikTok to serve up some of the best ones. Or at least the most curious-looking ones.

On the platform, beauty creators continually impart game-changing hacks that simplify our beauty routine while amping our A-game – from slugging your way to baby-smooth skin, soap brows that give laminated ones a serious run for their money, and heatless curls. CNA lifestyle rounds up the most popular beauty hacks of 2021.

SOAP BROW

A spillover from 2020, the soap brow continued to reign in 2021 for its laminated brow effect.

Instead of turning to brow gels, the soap brow is a lot more low-maintenance. It only involves a spoolie brush and a bar of soap. Wet the spoolie with water, coat it in soap and brush (in an up and out motion) through the eyebrows for fluffy, full yet natural-looking brows.

The glycerin in soap coats the surface of the brow strands and keeps them in place. Beware that some soaps can cause a harsh reaction on sensitive skin – you’re better off sticking to formulas that have a pH-balance equivalent to our skin (that is between pH 4.8 to 6). And stay out of the rain or risk soap getting into your eyes. Ouch.

SLUGGING

Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung is said to be a huge fan of this hugely popular K-beauty trend. The fact that the 40-year-old star doesn’t look a day over 30 is persuasive enough for us mere mortals to give it a go.

This skincare trend, which originated from K-town where plump and dewy skin is prized, involves coating the face with Vaseline in order to prevent transepidermal water loss. Leave it on overnight and wake up to hydrated, baby-smooth skin.

It can get a little messy though so it’s probably a good idea to line your pillow with a towel to avoid slimy product transfer. Not for everyday use, slugging is best for when your skin needs an occasional overnight treatment to address skin dryness or flaking.

AIRWRAP BUT BETTER

New York hairstylist Matt Newman looped a section of his hair through the middle of a hair dryer attachment, flipped it upside down, dragged the dryer from top down and scored perfectly straight hair. Some netizens were insistent that the hairstylist wrongly used the attachment but 11 million others followed suit. The “wrong” way to use the hair attachment turned out to be an easier way to blow dry.

THE RIGHT WAY TO USE DRY SHAMPOO   

If you think dry shampoo doesn’t work for you, it’s because you’re doing it wrong, says TikTok creator @olivia.caputo. In her video, she sprayed dry shampoo on the roots at night and went straight to bed. The trick is in leaving the product to settle – "don't rub it in", she cautioned – and like her, you'll wake up to perfectly clean hair.  

FACE-LIFTING BLUSH

How you apply your blush will make a world of difference in how you look, and Tiktok users have been sharing lots of ways to do so, from enhancing to sculpting.

Create higher cheekbones by wearing the blusher higher up on your cheeks and blend up toward your temples. To sculpt your face, simply apply the blusher closer to the bottom of your cheekbones and blend down towards the hollow of your cheeks. Either way, your face looks instantly lifted and contoured.

BACKWARDS MAKEUP

This is a real game-changer. According to TikTok creator @sylvi.uhh, who prefers to do her makeup in a reverse sequence, translucent powder goes on right after moisturiser.

Set powder with setting spray. Let setting spray dry before applying primer. For the last step, blend in your foundation. Not only does this reverse method guarantee a flawless finish, as she demonstrated in her video clip, it also weather-proofs it.

PERFECTLY WINGED EYELINER

The classic winged eye is arguably one of the trickiest make-up look to nail. Or is it? TikTok creator @kat_longoria dreamt up an easy alternative to perfecting the winged look.

No need for a steady hand to draw perfectly straight lines, all you really need is a Bobby pin. Paint the end of the pin with eyeliner and apply it at the end of your lash line for a perfectly positioned wing. Then fill in the rest with eyeliner. Don’t have a Bobby pin? Tape also does the trick. As does a satay stick.

LIP BALM APPLICATOR

Amp up your makeup with lip balm, says TikTok creator @glamzilla. Lip balms are usually formulated with beeswax or petroleum jelly which makes them the perfect mixing medium for colour pigments. According to her, the opportunities are endless. All you need is an eyeshadow palette and an imagination. Scoop the eye shadow onto the tip of the lip balm and apply as you will to eyelids, cheeks or lips. 

FACE DETOX

Congested pores are no match for Caudalie’s Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox mask. The hashtag #detoxmask, which has more than 16 million views, hails this mask as the gold standard for visibly eliminating excess sebum and tightening pores. TikTok beauty fans love the satisfaction of seeing gunk get pulled out of pores by the purifying rose clay mask. The mask tends to sell out the minute it hits the shelves so grab it immediately if you ever get the chance.

SOCK CURLS

You don’t need a hairstylist to get perfectly curled hair. All you really need is some socks. Yes, socks. TikTok creator @222bev scored Disney princess curls using just a couple of long socks. She took a section of her hair and wound it around a sock – the more twists, the tighter the curls. Then she held each section in place with hair ties. Let the curls set overnight and remove the socks in the morning to reveal bouncy curls. Simple.