Six Beauty Shortcuts

4. You Want: A Better Way to Tame Your Frizzy Hair

Silicone serums are the gold standard for reducing frizz, but they can weigh hair down and make it greasy. Living Proof No Frizz ($24; Sephora) claims to prevent humidity from penetrating the hair, via a lightweight, moisture-repelling, friction-reducing molecule (PolyfluoroEster) that was developed by an MIT professor and his team of scientists and hair experts. To see if it works, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested it against the leading frizz serum. In the lab, frizz-prone women applied one of six Living Proof products (each is for a different hair type and straightening or curl-defining effect) to half their wet hair and the control product to the other half, then styled as usual. They then spent 20 minutes in a climatology chamber set to 80 degrees and 80 percent relative humidity. The volunteers also used the frizz product at home as their sole styler for one week. The results: In the lab, the Living Proof products tamed frizz better than the control for half the testers, and at least as well for all but one of the rest. Over half the women also said Living Proof prevented frizz and improved the look and feel of their hair more than their current product. The highest marks came from volunteers who wanted to maintain their waves.

5. You Want: Sun-Kissed Strands

Shampoo your way to beachy-blond highlights: John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner ($9 each, drugstores) both contain lactic acid to gradually brighten natural and color-treated blond strands without ammonia or peroxide, the traditional bleaching agents. You should notice a change after about two weeks of daily use, though you can keep using the products until you reach your desired shade. Two caveats: You'll see a difference only on hair that's already in the blond family, and you should skip it if your hair is prone to dryness, because lactic acid can further dehydrate it, according to New York City trichologist Philip Kingsley.

6. You Want: Sandal-Ready Feet

Try this express "spa" pedicure: Shape uneven nails by filing them straight across the tops, then smooth feet with a mixture of salt and lotion or olive oil — or try Barielle 60 Second Mani-Pedi ($25, barielle.com), an exfoliating treatment combining hydrating oils and Dead Sea salts that smells like a day at the beach. Rinse and dry thoroughly (push back cuticles with the towel as you dry). To get out the door faster, use shimmer polish; any mistakes won't be quite as obvious, and the mica in shimmer adheres better, says CND cofounder Jan Arnold. Try N.Y.C. In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish in Bryant Park ($2, drugstores).

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