Note: This post is inspired by Valentine's Day, but the lessons learned will help you in life. Here are quick and easy solutions for your most embarrassing beauty disasters. You know, that pimple that pops up right before you're meeting a new fling for drinks, dreaded self tanning streaks, ingrown hairs (yes, even down there) and more.
Self Tanning Streaks “Since self-tanners dye the skin the best way to remove any streaks is by sloughing off any dead skin cells. You can create a great DIY at home natural remedy with two simple ingredients, Lemon and Sugar. In a bowl squeeze 3 lemons and add 2 table spoons of sugar, creating a paste. Work the paste in circular motions until all steaks are removed. Wash off any excess. Your skin tone will not only be even but also baby soft.“ - Natalie Soto-Carlisle, Global Educator for jane iredale
Ingrown Hairs “Prevention is better than the cure – throw away the razor, and switch to waxing with an all natural, elastic wax applied by professionals to ensure you won’t get an ingrown hair. Not only is the wax beneficial for your skin, and ouchless when it removes hair, the highly trained waxers apply an individual cold pack, this closes the pores to prevent bacteria from entering, which is the main cause of ingrown hairs.
However, if you are looking for a cure at the last minute, exfoliate with a gentle scrub as exfoliating will remove dead skin cells and release that ingrown hair, allowing your skin to return to its clean unblemished self.” – Noemi Grupenmager, CEO and Founder of Uni K Wax Centers
Pimples “Put Aspirin on a pimple (liquid from a liquid el or crushed up aspirin with water). Aspirin is a common household medicine. Almost all acne treatments on the market contain the ingredient, salicylic acid, which is also found in aspirin. Salicylic acid works to clean pores, exfoliate, and remove dead skin cells. As an acne treatment, aspirin is a safe and pretty effective method. However, it may take up to 24 hours to see results.
Put eye drops on pimples. Eye drops contain agents that constrict blood vessels which can reduce inflammation and redness in eyes. For this reason, it is possible to use eye drops on pimples in an effort to soothe swelling and irritation. It is key to find eye drops that specifically advertise “redness relief”.
For breakouts, look for products with benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil, salicylic acid, sulfur, or mandelic acid in them, all of which work to kill bacteria, clear up oil, and getting rid of dead skin cells.” - Dr. Ariel Ostad, NYC dermatologist
Cold Sores “As soon as you feel a cold store coming on, apply ice directly to the sore. It will bring down the swelling and ease the pain temporarily. If you use this tactic early enough in the game — at the first sign of tingling — you may end up with a smaller sore than you otherwise would have.
For a cold sore, use an over-the-counter medication like Abreva. OTCs like this are most effective if you take them as soon as you feel the telltale tingle of an oncoming cold sore.” – Dr. Ariel Ostad, NYC dermatologist
