This article originally appeared on InStyle.com.

I've always said that my life didn't really come together until my eyebrows did.

Around the time I learned not to tweeze them into a comma-looking shape, figured out where they should actually start, and most importantly, how to fill them in, other aspects of my life I had stressed over for years somehow started to fall into place on their own. Maybe my eyebrows were my good luck charm—or maybe the rest of the world just started taking me seriously once I stopped walking around looking like the punctuation page in everyone's high school grammar textbook. I've tried a few different methods of filling in my brows, and stuck with the powder and setting gel combo, but Chanel's Crayon Sourcils pencil ($29; nordstrom.com) is the product that changed me.

Chanel Crayon Sourcils Brow Pencil

Though some people go for the twist-up brow liners over the wooden pencils, I actually prefer the latter option. Sure, you have to sharpen them a bit more, but they're more straightforward, and you don't have to guess how much product you have left in the tube.

Chanel's formula aside, many of the pencils I've tried were often too dry. They would sometimes yank out a few of my hairs as I was filling in my brows, which like, that's totally counterintuitive. The point is to make me look like I have fuller brows, not pull out the hairs I'm desperately trying to recultivate.

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I was strictly using brow powder until Chanel's Crayon Sourcils in Brun Naturel came across my desk, and I was immediately impressed with how creamy the texture was. It's almost as if the brand somehow took the smooth finish of a pomade, and poured it into a wooden pencil, though despite the soft texture, it doesn't break or crumble as easily as you'd assume. I'll sharpen it to a point if needed, then use the side of the pencil to trace the shape of my arches and tails of the brow. To get that faded effect at the beginning, I'll do strike each at the top and bottom, then blend it all out with the spoolie brush on the opposite end.

I may still be paying for the sins I committed with tweezers back in the 8th grade, but the world will never know.

If you thought a donation at your local blood drive was the only way to harness your blood's powers for good, think again. Human blood has become an increasingly popular beauty ingredient, and more and more celebrities are crediting blood-infused moisturizers and "vampire facials" for their their flawless complexions. But do these treatments actually work?

Dr. Barbara Sturm, a German physician who launched an eponymous skincare line, has become well-known for her MC1 cream (or blood cream, as it's often called). The customized moisturizer is made after drawing a few vials of a customer's blood, and is said to harness blood's skin-soothing properties to boost collagen and reduce signs of aging. Prices for the cream aren't listed on Dr. Sturm's website (it's only available at her clinics in Munich and Düsseldorf), but one jar reportedly costs more than $1,000. The pricey treatment has gained popularity among beauty insiders and A-listers, including model Hailey Baldwin and fitness influencer Hannah Bronfman (below), who recently gave social media followers a glimpse into Dr. Sturm's process on Instagram.

RELATED: The All-Natural Moisturizer That Finally Saved My Parched Skin

Then there are vampire facials. Instead of applying a blood-infused topical treatment, vampire facials involve injecting small amounts of your own blood back into the skin on your face. Kim Kardashian is a fan, and helped popularize the treatment when she was filmed getting one on a 2013 episode of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. These facials are available at spas around the country, where they're usually referred to as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) facials or PRP injections.

But even if you're not squeamish about having your blood drawn in the name of great skin, do these treatments actually work?

New York City-based dermatologist Bruce E. Katz, MD, tells Health that while blood may have skin-improving powers, it wouldn't be effective as a topical treatment. "The plasma in the cream dies right away, and it’s no longer active," he says. "The MC1 doesn't get past the skin barrier."

That's not to say that Dr. Strum's MC1 cream doesn't benefit skin; the formula reportedly contains complexion-helpers like antioxidants and purslane in addition to blood. But Dr. Katz says that blood alone wouldn't contribute to any transformative effects. (Health reached out to Dr. Sturm, who was unavailable for comment.)

RELATED: 7 Beauty Treatments That Deliver Real Results in 10 Minutes or Less

On the other hand, vampire facials may actually be worth the splurge (and discomfort). In these treatments, blood is immediately injected into the skin after it's drawn, which means the good-for-you proteins from platelet-rich plasma remain intact…

I’ve always loved the look of second-day hair—perfectly-undone, slightly tousled waves like you just rolled out of bed. To achieve the style without waiting 48 hours, I used to wash my hair every night, curl it, then use a flat iron to transform the curls into waves that looked naturally lived-in. I loved the end result, but the process was time-consuming—and worse, it was damaging my hair. To top it off, I had oily roots, which meant my "second-day" look actually needed to be recreated every day. I needed a change.

About a year ago, I decided to wash my hair less often. I'd recently splurged on balayage highlights, and I was eager to make the color last. My goal was to eventually go a week in between washes, but I started gradually, cutting back one day at a time. And I'm not going to lie: during those first few weeks, my hair felt like an oil slick, and I was constantly tempted to shampoo it. But I resisted, and as time went on, my strands adapted to the new routine. 

Now, I can honestly say that weekly washing transformed my hair, and I'll never go back to washing it daily. Here's how I make my once-a-week shampoo look fresh for a full seven days.

Day one: Prep hair for the week ahead

Day one (photo: Jinwoo Chong)

One of the most important things I've learned during this process is that when you're shampooing every seven days, that wash needs to be thorough and effective. So once a week, I lather, rinse, and repeat with a clarifying shampoo and conditioner. My favorite are Hask Charcoal Clarifying Shampoo ($6; walgreens.com) and Hask Charcoal Clarifying Conditioner ($6; walgreens.com). After, I apply my one major product splurge: Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask With Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil ($71; sephora.com). It's pricey, but leaves my hair noticeably soft and smooth for days on end. If I'm trying to save money, I'll use Neutrogena Triple Moisture Professional Deep Recovery Mask ($9; walgreens.com) instead. It's significantly cheaper, but still hydrating.

After my weekly wash, I blow dry and curl my hair, always dividing it into two layers and curling away from my face, leaving the last half inch off the wand for a natural finish.

RELATED: Here's What Happened When I Used Only Conditioner for a Month

During the week: Less is more

Day three (photo: Jinwoo Chong)

It seems counterintuitive, but I've learned that the best way to maintain my hairstyle throughout the week is to use as little product as possible. At most, I'll spritz Batiste Dry Shampoo ($9, walgreens.com) on my roots, which adds texture and absorbs grease. But other than that, I refrain from using any style-extending products, which I find can become crunchy after a few days…