When beauty hacks save us time, money and get us out of some seriously sticky situations, it's hard to imagine what we ever did without them.
Using our hair-washing products outside of the bathroom is a brand new one for us, but Hairtrade.com have come up with some brilliant multipurpose uses for even the most basic of shampoo and conditioner (well, you probably won't want to use your Kérastase to wash the dishes).
From a DIY manicure, to washing your most expensive silky pants, here are 13 genius ways to use those handy little bottles:
1. As washing up liquid
Shampoo is twice as effective on dirt than regular dish soap and much gentler on skin.
2. As a makeup brush and hairbrush cleanser
Keeping makeup and hairbrushes clean is essential for banishing hidden dirt and bacteria. Remove excess hair and residue from your brushes then leave them to soak in a bowl of warm water and shampoo for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and leave them to dry out for squeaky-clean brushes.
3. To clean delicates
Instead of forking out for expensive hand wash products, just use shampoo to wash your delicates instead. Use shampoo as you would normal hand wash detergent and rinse out.
4. For an at home manicure
You don’t have to go to the salon to treat yourself to a manicure. Soak hands in shampoo and warm water for silky soft mitts and clean cuticles.
5. To stop mirrors from fogging
Squirt a bit of shampoo on a paper towel and rub it into the mirror then with a clean cloth wipe it away. Next time you shower your mirror will be fog free with no streaks.
6. As a body wash
If you’ve run out of shower gel or want to save space on packing, shampoo can easily be used as body wash.
7. As a fabric softener
Keep a bottle of conditioner in your laundry room for when you run out of fabric softener. Conditioner does the exact same job.
8. To remove make up
At a pinch, a dab of conditioner can remove make up, just put some on a cotton pad to gently remove make up then rinse your face.. This is great for when you’ve forgotten your make up remover on holiday.
9. As a cuticle cream
Some cuticle creams can leave you with greasy fingers, instead try dabbing a little conditioner onto your nails beds before pushing them back.
10. To tame static hair
If you're prone to frizz or static hair, put a tiny amount of conditioner on your palms, rub them together and lightly smooth them over your hair. It will keep flyaways at bay and provide a gorgeous scent.
11. As a DIY detangler
Get an empty spray bottle, fill with water and a dash of conditioner and shake well. Spritz over wet hair to avoid knotty nightmares.
12. To fix stubborn zippers
Conditioner is technically a lubricant so if you have a stiff zipper, rub a little on either side of the zip to get it going again.
13. As a shaving cream
Conditioner is a great alternative to shaving cream as it gives you a close shave and moisturises at the same time. Some people find it leaves their skin less irritated than soap too.