Beauty

Quick fixes to 8 common beauty problems

Quick fixes to 8 common beauty problems

Author: Canadian Living

Beauty

Quick fixes to 8 common beauty problems

We all make beauty blunders -- from last-minute makeup mistakes to major missteps that make us wish there was an undo button for our goof-ups. (Botched at-home hair dye job, anyone?)

Whether you've gone tweezer-happy on your eyebrows or singed yourself with your flatiron, don't worry -- your beauty grievances can be remedied. We asked Shobana Lakkavally, a makeup artist with Judy Inc. and owner of Amplified Soul Makeup + Hair Couture in Toronto, to give us her tips for fixing beauty mistakes in a cinch.

Beauty blunder No. 1: Broken or chipped nails

Quick fix: If you chip a nail while you're on the go, look for the closest rough surface to serve as a makeshift nail file. The coarse strip on the back of a matchbook will work wonders on a snagged nail, for instance. Otherwise, gently file down the chipped nail using a nail file or file all of your nails to the same length, says Lakkavally. You can always use stick-on nails while you wait for the nail to grow back.

Beauty blunder No. 2: Burn from a flatiron
Quick fix: Treat accidental singes from hairstyling tools as you would any other minor burns, says Lakkavally. "Clean the area with an alcohol swab and place ice on it," she says. To prevent scarring, apply vitamin E or aloe vera to the affected area. If the burn is near your face, you can cover it up using a cream concealer that doesn't require a lot of blending -- and be sure to pat it on gently so you don't aggravate your skin. The most important thing to do is to avoid picking at the burned skin until it heals.

Beauty blunder No. 3: Overplucked eyebrows
Quick fix: Thin eyebrows were once de rigueur, but these days they're more commonly regarded as a beauty gaffe. The remedy? "Choose an eye shadow that is a bit lighter than the colour of your eyebrow hair and lightly fill in your brows with feather strokes using an angled brush," says Lakkavally.

Blend the eye shadow out using a clean mascara wand to give your brows a more natural look. You can even use eyebrow stencils as a guide if you're unsure of where to draw in the hairs. Continue to pluck outside the stencil area until your brows start to grow back.

Page 1 of 2 -- Discover quick beauty fixes for blemishes, smeared lipstick and clumped mascara on page 2

Beauty blunder No. 4: Fake tan overkill
Quick fix:
If pale winter skin has you reaching for the self-tanner, exercise restraint. You don't want to slather on so much that you end up looking like Snooki from "Jersey Shore." If you make a mistake on your body, use an exfoliating scrub to slough off the self-tanner, says Lakkavally. Remember not to overscrub though -- you can damage your skin. If you've gone overboard with self-tanner on your face, gently exfoliate your skin and then apply foundation to minimize the orange effect.

Beauty blunder No. 5: Unexpected blemish
Quick fix: Because blemishes are caused by bacteria growth, Lakavally recommends always using makeup that is oil free, dermatologist tested and non-comedogenic. Wash your hands and clean your face with a gentle cleanser before you tend to the zit. Then apply an acne treatment containing salicylic acid to the problem spot.

Follow up with your regular moisturizer, but be sure to avoid the blemish area. Dab a small amount of concealer onto the blemish using a sponge (instead of a concealer wand) so that the bacteria doesn't spread. Then use loose or pressed powder to even out the rest of your skin.

Beauty blunder No. 6: Heavy-handed makeup
Quick fix:
We can all get a little overzealous with our makeup application. If you've caked on too much foundation, wet a sponge and pat it all over your face to remove the excess makeup. The damp sponge will give the foundation a more sheer finish and allow your skin to radiate through. If your blush makes you look like less of a cherub and more of a clown, you can dust some translucent powder onto your cheeks to soften the extremity of the colour.

Beauty blunder No. 7: Smeared lipstick

Quick fix: If you love bright reds and corals for your pout, chances are you've already experienced a lipstick mishap. If you accidentally smear lipstick outside of your lip line, use foundation or concealer to go over the smudged area. The foundation will dilute the lipstick colour and help blend it into your skin.

Beauty blunder No. 8: Clumpy mascara
Quick fix: Spidery eyelashes may have been a mainstay on the fall runways, but they're less flattering off the catwalk. "Using a clean mascara wand, work through your lashes in a slight zigzag motion to remove clumps," says Lakkavally. This trick works best on lashes that are still a bit wet, so perform the zigzag motion right after you've applied your mascara.

Beauty blunders can happen to anyone, but keep these handy tips at the ready and you'll be armed to fix any of them in a hurry.

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Beauty

Quick fixes to 8 common beauty problems

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