Kiss your old lipstick good-bye
If you've been wearing the same shade since the Rachel was the hottest haircut, it's official: You're stuck in a lipstick rut. The easiest way to try something new and still feel like you? Pick a color similar to your favorite formula but with a hint of gold, says Los Angeles-based makeup artist Julie Hewett. (Two of our favorites: Lancôme Juicy Rouge in Sorbet, above, and Avon Double Impact Lipcolor in Champagne.) The big (surprising) impact of that tiny change? Instantly brighter eyes.

Create cheekbones
Forget '80s-style racing stripes. There's a far more natural way to contour your cheeks, says celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose: Choose a powder blush a couple of shades darker than your skin tone (like a bronzer, but not too brown). Starting right under your cheekbone, sweep the color toward your hairline, fading it slightly as you go; then apply a golden-toned illuminating powder or cream directly above. (We like BeComing Added Brilliance Powder Blush and Highlighter in Tempting; it contains both shades.) As the higher spot catches the light and the darker, lower area recedes, voilà! More-prominent cheekbones.

Prevent foundation from caking around your nose
The secret, says Barose, is to first apply a thin layer of eye gel around your nostrils. (Try Origins No Puffery eye gel or Nivea Visage Soothing Eye Gel.) As the gel dries, it creates a smoother surface for makeup to attach to. And choose a stick-formula foundation -- its less creamy texture also wards off creases.

Perform (almost) pain-free waxing
When it comes to waxing, what you don't know can hurt you. So here's the skin-saving scoop: Caffeine can make you more sensitive to pain, so break that coffee habit for a week before you plan to wax. Another factor: Are you using Retin A or a glycolic acid product? According to Tina West, M.D., a dermatologist in Chevy Chase, Maryland, both cause epidermal cells to separate, so the wax could pull off an entire layer of skin! Again, stop using these products for a week before hair removal. Lastly, look for a wax that (1) doesn't require gauze strips, which can cause more irritation; and (2) contains a soothing ingredient like chamomile or aloe, says Cindy Barshop, owner of New York City's Completely Bare Spas. (Try Nair Cool Fruit Wax Strips, above, or A.I.I. Surgi-Wax Sticks with Green Tea & Aloe.)

Shopping details: Added Brilliance Powder Blush and Highlighter in Tempting, $14, from BeComing; 866-423-2663; www.becoming.com. No Puffery eye gel, $20, from Origins; at Origins and select department stores; www.origins.com. Visage Soothing Eye Gel, $9.59, from Nivea; at mass merchandisers. Cool Fruit Wax Strips, $5.69, from Nair; at mass merchandisers. Surgi-Wax Sticks with Green Tea & Aloe, $3, from A.I.I.; at mass merchandisers. Juicy Rouge in Sorbet, $19.50, from Lancôme; at department stores; www.lancome.com. Double Impact Lipcolor in Champagne, $8, from Avon; 800-367-2866; www.avon.com.