We've all been there. Perhaps you drank too much and stayed out too late last night, or maybe you just survived The Worst Day Ever- a tearful 24 hours that's left you looking like a hot mess. Now you've got places to go and people to see with an important day ahead of you. Whether it's a formal event or a high-pressure presentation at work, we've got you covered with our emergency beauty hacks.
The Problem: Bloodshot Eyes. You woke up looking like a character from The Walking Dead and your eyes are a dead-giveaway of last night's shenanigans.
The Solution: Eye-drops seem like the obvious choice, but not all products are created equal. Your secret eye-care weapon is Rohto® Cool Max Eye Drops ( available here): a mix of fast-acting and highly effective ingredients that provide fast, cooling relief for eight symptoms: red, dry, itchy, irritated, burning, gritty, watery, and stinging eyes. Unlike ordinary eye drops it contains Rohto's proprietary Freshkick™ technology: an intense freshness formula, which relieves irritation, soothes, and comforts eyes for up to eight hours.
The Problem: Dark, Puffy Eyes. Lack of sleep has caused the delicate skin around your eyes to darken and swell.
The Solution: Wash your face with cool water. Then apply a cold, wet face clothe to your eyes for a few minutes to reduce swelling. Camouflage under eye circles with a highly pigmented concealer. Professional make-up artist and artistic director Alejandro Falcon recommends using a concealer brush to add a small amount and layer coverage as needed until all darkness is disguised.
The Problem: Red, Inflamed Skin. Rosy cheeks are a sign of health and beauty, but ruddy cheeks are the worst. The discoloration can be caused by too much sun, too little hydration, stress... you name it.
The Solution: Use a gentle, natural, and oil-based cleanser free of parabens. Traditional soaps actually dry out the skin, leaving it more aggravated and inflamed. Avoid heat by cleansing with lukewarm or cool water. Pat to dry and apply a mild facial mask to tone and hydrate before lathering up with organic oils or all-natural lotions. Look for masks and lotions with calming properties, anti-inflammatory botanicals, and hyaluronic acid.
The Problem: Pimples. Waking up with a monstrous zit on your face is guaranteed to put you in a bad mood. With this solution, it doesn't have to ruin your day.
The Solution: Start by cleaning and gently exfoliating the skin. Pay dry, and add a small amount of salicylic acid and let dry. Apply your primer and base. Using a clean finger or makeup sponge, dap concealer on and around the blemish as you "don't want the concealer, or the blemish underneath, to be obvious," says makeup artist Laura Geller. Set with powder and leave it alone! As soon as you're done with your event, wash your makeup off and apply the salicilyc acid again. Try to keep the area clean and makeup-free until it goes away.
The Problem: A Bad Hair Day. You've slept in and your mane is a mess. Trying to fix a bad hair day is the easiest way to add unwanted minutes on to your morning routine and stress you out for the rest of your day.
The Solution: Salon owner George Gonzalez recommends dampening your hair with water or a styling primer before styling. "If one part does not look good, spray it with water and redo it. Never keep going over dry hair again and again with your tools or brush. This will just make it worse. Not re-wetting hair could be the reason most women have bad hair days- because they try too hard, take too long to fix it and then over-dry their hair."
This article is sponsored by Rhoto®. I received compensation for this post, but all opinions are my own. For more information about Rohto ® Cooling Eye Drops, visit www.rohtoeyedrops.com or join them on Facebook and Twitter.
