1. Redness.
Use a green concealer to hide redness from pimples or irritation. Green neutralizes red and will help balance the appearance of your skin tone until the redness goes away. Try NYX Incredible Waterproof Concealer Stick, $5.
2. Makeup stains on clothing.
Oh, the agony of dropping your mascara wand on your brand new white pants. Or absentmindedly touching your shirt with foundation-stained fingers.
To remove…
Liquid foundation: Use 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
Lipstick: Use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel.
Mascara: Use dish soap and water.
More cleaning details here.
3. Deodorant stains on clothing.
This one’s super easy—rub the fabric against itself and the stain will disappear. You don’t even need water.
4. Forgetting to apply deodorant.
Well, at least you avoided the stain problem. But now you smell…less than pleasant. So here’s what you do: Rub antibacterial hand sanitizer on those pits. There’s a sanitizing station in almost every bathroom, and the antibacterial hand sanitizer will kill the bacteria that cause your sweat to smell. The only downside is it may sting a bit, especially if you’re freshly shaved.
5. Greasy hair.
You stayed up all night studying for chem, your hair is looking gross, but you don’t have time to wash before your exam. This is where a great dry shampoo, like Batiste Dry Shampoo, $7.75, comes in handy.
6. Big ole zits.
Zap ‘em with a product like Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment, $7.99.
Don’t have time to run to the store? Dab some non-fluoride toothpaste on the zit to dry it up. However, it is not recommended for regular use, as toothpaste is not designed for the skin and could cause irritation. Another option is to mix water with a little baking soda and leave it on the blemish for no more than 5 minutes.
7. Cracked, chapped lips.
These are nearly unavoidable in the Rochester winter. To effectively keep your lips moisturized, avoid lip balms with alcohol (OL), camphor, phenol, menthol, and salicylic acid, as these ingredients will actually dry out your lips and force you to use more of the product. Burt’s Bees products are free of these. You can also prevent chapped lips by drinking LOTS of water.
8. Mega split ends.
The truth is there is no way to repair split ends, no matter how many products promise you miracles. To get rid of them you have to cut them off. But—there are products for helping conceal split ends, like John Freida Frizz Eaze Miraculous Recovery Serum, $8.99. To avoid these, get regular trims and keep your hair extra moisturized in harsh, dry weather.