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Cures for Summer Beauty Bummers
High-temperatures are making you sweaty...and a little stinky.
Since your sweat doesn't actually smell until it comes in contact with bacteria on your skin, suds up first with an anti-bacterial body wash. Then swipe on a strong antiperspirant/deodorant (look for one that contains aluminum chloride), says NYC derm Diane S. Berson. A new one: Ban Intensely Fresh, $2.99.
Self-tanner turns your palms orange.
When scrubbing with soap isn't enough, try soaking two cotton pads in lemon juice, then rubbing them all over your hands. The acid will exfoliate away the color. Next time you fake tan, wear a pair of latex gloves.
Your breakouts are migrating toward your back and chest.
The best body zit-obliterating method is to treat the affected areas with a scrub that contains salicylic acid, says Dr. Berson. Try Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub, $5.99. Postshower, mist on an acne-fighting body spray. Try MD Formulations Vit-A-Plus Body Clearing Complex Spray, $30.
The heat is making your mane limper than a bowl of linguine.
The moisture in the air can zap all the body out of straight strands. Pump them back up with a volumizing mousse. But instead of just applying it to your roots, scrunch a golf ball-size amount throughout the length of your hair, then blow-dry with your head flipped over. We like Tigi Catwalk Fashionista Big and Bigger, $16.95. If your do falls flat midday, just spritz it with water to reactivate the mousse.
Your foxy floral fragrance is attracting boys...and bugs.
The sweeter you smell, the more enticing you are to bees, mosquitos, and such, says Kansas City derm Audrey Kunin. That means you should avoid strong flowery or sugary scents in favor of clean, fresh-smelling juices. To further prevent becoming a bug buffet, use an insect repellent (some of them smell nice now!). Try Avon SSS Bug Guard, $10, which has a citrusy aroma.
Your pale nail polish yellows in the sun.
When wearing a light pink or beige lacquer, you should apply a UV-protectant topcoat, says Carla Kay, manicurist at The Bungalow in L.A. Try Essie Non-Yellowing Topcoat, $8. If it's too late, just buff away the top layer of your polish with a fine-grained block file and slick on a clear lacquer.
You have ugly red bumps on your arms.
Almost 50 percent of women have "chicken skin" (red bumps from skin cells that build up around your hair follicles). Chlorine and heat exposure can make it worse, says Dr. Kunin. The solution: a scrub that has a combo of glycolic, lactic, and azelaic acids. She created Dermadoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub, $44.
Your hair is drier than hay.
Summer activities like swimming, playing sports, and cruising in a convertible can sap your strands of moisture, leaving them feeling strawlike. Keep them hydrated with a weekly intense oil or cream tress treatment, says Abell Oujaddou, a stylist at the John Frieda Salon in NYC. Alberto VO5, Got2B, John Frieda, and Redken all have great new ones.
Your sexy strand shade is fading fast.
Brighten up your hue with Kool-Aid, says Matrix celeb colorist Jennifer J., who works with Kate Beckinsale. Mix a pinch of the powder with your shampoo. Blonds should use lemon-flavored and redheads can go for cherry. (Brunettes should skip the juice mix and use instant coffee instead.) Lather up and rinse well. The boost will last through a few shampoos.
Dips in the pool tint your light locks green.
The metals in the pool water can bond to your hair, causing a greenish cast. But if you saturate your strands with a water-repellent oil before you hit the pool, it'll seal your hair's cuticle so the chemicals won't seep in, says Jennifer J. Try Biolage Sunsorials Protective Hair Oil, $13.95.
Your lip loot melts in your bag.
Choose a lip color that comes in a plastic tube rather than a pot or a bullet (same goes for other creamy primpers, like concealer). This way, even if it melts, it won't ooze all over. We love the tubes from Global Goddess Beauty, Lancome, Bobbi Brown, L'Oreal, and Cover Girl. Another savvy solution when at the beach: Pack your beauty booty in your cooler.
Your waterproof mascara doesn't come off. Ever.
If the pool party ended hours ago, but your mascara is still going strong, put eye-makeup remover on a cotton pad, hold it on your lashes for several seconds longer than you would normally, then wipe, says makeup artist Leslie Lopez.
Ingrowns are the bane of your bikini line.
Excess oil production in teh summer can plug up hair follicles and cause ingrowns. Use a salicylic acid scrub on the area to clear away the dead skin cells, says Dr. Kunin. Follow up with a pad that contains either salicylic, glycolic, or hydroxy acid. We like Bliss Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads, $42.
You're perspiring in scary places.
You can use your antiperspirant to control sweating in unusual areas, like between your boobs and thighs, says Dr. Kunin. She recommends using an aerosol version, which is less sticky than a roll-on or solid and won't look chalky on your skin. Our pick: Secret Aerosol, $4.
You have oily roots and dry ends.
For starters, shampoo just your scalp area and only condition your tips. Then when styling, try a double-duty product like Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion, $20. The powder formula de-greases roots and tames ends. How? When you rub it in your hands, it emulsifies into a light cream.
You have a ring-around-the-eyes sunglasses tan.
Mix a drop of liquid bronzer with your eye cream, then blend it around your eyes, says celeb makeup artist Matin, who primps Ashlee Simpson. Or use a gradual formula self-tanner, like Jergens Natural Glow Face, $7. Next time, apply SPF to your entire face -- and wear a hat.
Since your sweat doesn't actually smell until it comes in contact with bacteria on your skin, suds up first with an anti-bacterial body wash. Then swipe on a strong antiperspirant/deodorant (look for one that contains aluminum chloride), says NYC derm Diane S. Berson. A new one: Ban Intensely Fresh, $2.99.
Self-tanner turns your palms orange.
When scrubbing with soap isn't enough, try soaking two cotton pads in lemon juice, then rubbing them all over your hands. The acid will exfoliate away the color. Next time you fake tan, wear a pair of latex gloves.
Your breakouts are migrating toward your back and chest.
The best body zit-obliterating method is to treat the affected areas with a scrub that contains salicylic acid, says Dr. Berson. Try Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub, $5.99. Postshower, mist on an acne-fighting body spray. Try MD Formulations Vit-A-Plus Body Clearing Complex Spray, $30.
The heat is making your mane limper than a bowl of linguine.
The moisture in the air can zap all the body out of straight strands. Pump them back up with a volumizing mousse. But instead of just applying it to your roots, scrunch a golf ball-size amount throughout the length of your hair, then blow-dry with your head flipped over. We like Tigi Catwalk Fashionista Big and Bigger, $16.95. If your do falls flat midday, just spritz it with water to reactivate the mousse.
Your foxy floral fragrance is attracting boys...and bugs.
The sweeter you smell, the more enticing you are to bees, mosquitos, and such, says Kansas City derm Audrey Kunin. That means you should avoid strong flowery or sugary scents in favor of clean, fresh-smelling juices. To further prevent becoming a bug buffet, use an insect repellent (some of them smell nice now!). Try Avon SSS Bug Guard, $10, which has a citrusy aroma.
Your pale nail polish yellows in the sun.
When wearing a light pink or beige lacquer, you should apply a UV-protectant topcoat, says Carla Kay, manicurist at The Bungalow in L.A. Try Essie Non-Yellowing Topcoat, $8. If it's too late, just buff away the top layer of your polish with a fine-grained block file and slick on a clear lacquer.
You have ugly red bumps on your arms.
Almost 50 percent of women have "chicken skin" (red bumps from skin cells that build up around your hair follicles). Chlorine and heat exposure can make it worse, says Dr. Kunin. The solution: a scrub that has a combo of glycolic, lactic, and azelaic acids. She created Dermadoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Body Scrub, $44.
Your hair is drier than hay.
Summer activities like swimming, playing sports, and cruising in a convertible can sap your strands of moisture, leaving them feeling strawlike. Keep them hydrated with a weekly intense oil or cream tress treatment, says Abell Oujaddou, a stylist at the John Frieda Salon in NYC. Alberto VO5, Got2B, John Frieda, and Redken all have great new ones.
Your sexy strand shade is fading fast.
Brighten up your hue with Kool-Aid, says Matrix celeb colorist Jennifer J., who works with Kate Beckinsale. Mix a pinch of the powder with your shampoo. Blonds should use lemon-flavored and redheads can go for cherry. (Brunettes should skip the juice mix and use instant coffee instead.) Lather up and rinse well. The boost will last through a few shampoos.
Dips in the pool tint your light locks green.
The metals in the pool water can bond to your hair, causing a greenish cast. But if you saturate your strands with a water-repellent oil before you hit the pool, it'll seal your hair's cuticle so the chemicals won't seep in, says Jennifer J. Try Biolage Sunsorials Protective Hair Oil, $13.95.
Your lip loot melts in your bag.
Choose a lip color that comes in a plastic tube rather than a pot or a bullet (same goes for other creamy primpers, like concealer). This way, even if it melts, it won't ooze all over. We love the tubes from Global Goddess Beauty, Lancome, Bobbi Brown, L'Oreal, and Cover Girl. Another savvy solution when at the beach: Pack your beauty booty in your cooler.
Your waterproof mascara doesn't come off. Ever.
If the pool party ended hours ago, but your mascara is still going strong, put eye-makeup remover on a cotton pad, hold it on your lashes for several seconds longer than you would normally, then wipe, says makeup artist Leslie Lopez.
Ingrowns are the bane of your bikini line.
Excess oil production in teh summer can plug up hair follicles and cause ingrowns. Use a salicylic acid scrub on the area to clear away the dead skin cells, says Dr. Kunin. Follow up with a pad that contains either salicylic, glycolic, or hydroxy acid. We like Bliss Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads, $42.
You're perspiring in scary places.
You can use your antiperspirant to control sweating in unusual areas, like between your boobs and thighs, says Dr. Kunin. She recommends using an aerosol version, which is less sticky than a roll-on or solid and won't look chalky on your skin. Our pick: Secret Aerosol, $4.
You have oily roots and dry ends.
For starters, shampoo just your scalp area and only condition your tips. Then when styling, try a double-duty product like Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion, $20. The powder formula de-greases roots and tames ends. How? When you rub it in your hands, it emulsifies into a light cream.
You have a ring-around-the-eyes sunglasses tan.
Mix a drop of liquid bronzer with your eye cream, then blend it around your eyes, says celeb makeup artist Matin, who primps Ashlee Simpson. Or use a gradual formula self-tanner, like Jergens Natural Glow Face, $7. Next time, apply SPF to your entire face -- and wear a hat.
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