Great things have been achieved with the simplest of inventions.

Like the wheel. And ink. And simple beauty tools that make life so much easier and happier. Imagine removing facial hair with a spring, pinning up your hair with Velcro, or using tape to reinforce or alter the shape of your eyelid.

Epistick Facial Hair Remover

If I were the manufacturer, I’d have named it The EPICstick! — because the results I get from this little spring are nothing short of epic. Lodged between two rubber handles is a tightly coiled metal spring that works to remove those little hairs on your upper lip, cheeks, chins, and forehead.

To use the Epistick, grab it at both ends, and bend it into an inverted U-shape. Then, roll it in an outward motion along the surface of your skin to remove the hair in that area. Simple instructions for one of the most amazing tools ever invented to remove facial hair.

The sensation is similar to threading, a little prickly, but oh-so-worth it. I find it hurts less than threading actually because how much pain you endure during threading depends on the skill of the person performing the procedure. When you do it yourself, you can always pause in between for a breather. I usually do it while watching TV to distract myself from the pain, and because, well, I don’t have to look at myself in the mirror to know where my upper lip and chin are.

Having a face clear of obvious facial hair not only makes you look fresher and cleaner, it also allows for a smoother canvas for makeup application. WE WANT!

Mascara Guard

Ever done a fantastic rainbow eyeshadow look only to ruin it by accidentally getting mascara on your lids? And do you also avoid applying mascara on your lower lashes to reduce the risk of getting the product on your under-eye area? Hell, YES to both questions!

But those sad times are a thing of the past ever since I got the Mascara Guard. This oddly-shaped piece of plastic fits the contours of the eye area so that you can apply mascara without fear of staining your eyelids and under-eyes. Because I don’t have to be as careful when I use it, it also effectively cuts down the time it takes to apply mascara on my lower lashes. I don’t like to be careful because careful takes time. The double-sided comb on the other end can also be used to comb out mascara clumps or separate individual lashes.

Hair Fringe Velcro

What do you use to pin up your hair when you apply makeup? Bobbi pins, butterfly clips, a hairband?

Me? I use this.





This lightweight accessory has Velcro on one side to firmly but gently keep hair in place. Most importantly, it doesn’t leave a mark behind. Say buh-bye to kinks on the fringe and spending time blow-drying to get your hair back in shape. I can’t even figure out an easier way to describe how to use it than to say, “ just stick it on your hair.”

Double Eyelid Tape

An eyelid tape or sticker may seem strange to someone who naturally has a crease that coincides with their orbital rim (a double eyelid), but for many people of Asian descent, a flatter, smoother bone structure with more fat content under the lid results in the formation of a crease nearer to their lash line, or, in some cases, no crease at all (called a monolid). There are interesting differences in the crease and contour areas between some Asian and Caucasian eyes.

The word “crease” is used less often in Asia, and “double eyelid” is a more commonly used term. Many people with monolids use eyelid tape to create a double eyelid, which some find easier to work with when it comes to applying eye makeup. I have double eyelids, but my left one can be unstable sometimes and can turn into a triple eyelid or hooded eyelid. It has a mind of its own, I tell ya. In such cases, I also use an eyelid sticker to “coax” it back to its original state.

Eyelid tapes come in mainly 2 forms — pre-cut strips, and in a roll for those who prefer to cut it their own way.

Grease Pencil as “Picker-Upper” for Nail Art

Sweating profusely, I cursed at my nicely painted nails, which were ruined by tweezer marks and the upturned rhinestones that slipped off the tweezer. Casually, my dad came up to me and asked, “Why don’t you use this?” with a grease pencil (aka a China Marker) in his hand.

“Huh?”

He effortlessly picked up a stone from the mess with the tip of the China Marker and placed it on my fingernail. And beamed with pride.

For those who have struggled with tools like tweezers and toothpicks that never seem to be able to pick up the small rhinestones for nail art, struggle no more! Because they are made of hardened, non-toxic wax and rarely scratch surfaces, grease pencils, or China Markers, are widely used by artists and handymen to draw on plastic, ceramics, and glass, among other things.

The wax not only sticks to the rhinestone long enough to allow you to set it on a stronger adhesive (your wet nail polish), it is also extremely gentle to the surface of the stones, so you can be sure to have accurately placed gleaming gems on your nails!

Who would’ve thought that such an unassuming, plain-looking wax writing tool would be such an awesome tool for nail art?

And there you have it! 5 wacky but extremely useful beauty tools. Which one(s) have you seen or used before?