10 Fast and Easy Fixes for Common Beauty Problems

We’ve all made makeup mistakes and committed cardinal hairstyling sins. Thankfully there’s a fast fix for (almost) everything. Instead of stressing out and starting over, try these easy beauty fixes.

The Beauty Problem: You’ve Got Red Lipstick on Your Teeth.

Racy red lips are the epitome of sexy. That is, until you smile and realize that your lipstick has somehow migrated off your pout and onto your two front teeth. 1) Embarrassing! 2) Talk about sex appeal gone in an instant!

The Solution: As soon as lipstick’s applied, always press crimson-color lips onto a folded square of tissue to blot. Then stick your forefinger in your mouth and slowly pull it out to remove any lipstick that you may have mistakenly applied on the insides of your lips. For extra protection, swipe a super-thin coat of Vaseline across your top row of teeth; it’s far too slick for lipstick to adhere.

The Beauty Problem: There’s Eyeshadow Fallout All Over Your Cheeks.

Dusting powder eyeshadow onto your lids after you’ve done your foundation can end up being a time-consuming mistake. Why? Chances are, a little excess will trickle down and settle onto your cheeks, and you’ll have to immediately touch up your face.

The Solution: When applying shadow, fold a single square of tissue and hold it underneath each eye. It will always catch any loose pigment fallout while protecting your freshly done foundation.

The Beauty Problem: You Have Deodorant Marks on Your Clothes.

The last thing you want to see on your sexy LBD or favorite blouse is a tacky trail of chalky white streaks, and the last thing you want to do is head back to the drawing board to try to find something else to wear.

The Solution: Switch to an invisible solid formulation. But in the meantime, gently buff the affected area with a dryer sheet to remove the white residue. If you don’t have one handy, remove the garment and gently rub the white-marked area of the fabric together (against itself) to remove all traces. (Be sure to pat underneath your arms with a towel to get rid of the remaining excess residue before you put the garment back on!)

The Beauty Problem: Your Mascara Is Clumpy.

It’s OK to admit that you want to look like you were naturally blessed with Kardashian-like eyelashes, but know this: There’s a fine line between long, lush lashes and Tammy Faye Baker–ville.

The Solution: First, toss out your mascara—it’s probably far too old. Next, gently clamp your lashes with a baby wipe between your forefinger and thumb, and pull lashes all the way through to remove any excess formula. Then put a little Vaseline on your fingertips and lightly run them across the tips of your lashes to separate, darken, and define them.

The Beauty Problem: You’ve Put On Way Too Much Blush.

Perhaps you were bit heavy-handed with the rouge? You could wash your face and start from scratch, or you could completely throw caution to the wind and step outside looking like Bozo. For the record, we vote for neither.

The Solution: If it’s powder blush, liberally dust loose translucent powder over your cheeks to diffuse the color. If you’re wearing cream blush, tone it down by sponging an ever-so-slight amount of liquid foundation on top.

The Beauty Problem: Your Beautiful Bronzy (Fake) Tan Is Uneven.

Bronze here, pale there—le sigh! If you’ve committed the ultimate fake tan faux pas, it’s OK—practice makes perfect. (No one learned to master the art of evenly applied self-tanner on the first try anyway!)

The Solution: Keep liquid bronzer on standby to hide streaks and quickly distribute color to any areas you may have mistakenly missed. If it’s still too sheer, dust over it with bronzing body powder for a sexy, evenly tan finish.

The Beauty Problem: Your Flyaways Are Frizzy.

Your hairstyle is anything but sleek and chic when some of your strands flat-out refuse to unfrizz.

The Solution: As silly as this may sound, if fighting the frizz is a daily plight, you might want to keep a box of dryer sheets under your bathroom sink as well as in the laundry room. Rubbing one over your hair drastically reduces humidity-related static cling, allowing fussy strands to fall right into place. (Bonus: They make your hair smell ahhhmazing, too!)

The Beauty Problem: You’ve Popped a Pimple.

Yes, they’re unsightly and annoying, but performing amateur plastic surgery on a mountainous pimple may cause it to become infected.

The Solution: To reduce swelling and inflammation, wrap an ice cube in a paper towel and use it to apply pressure against the zit for five to 10 minutes. Apply an antibiotic ointment to safeguard from infection, and follow with concealer to cover any remaining redness.

The Beauty Problem: Your Fingernails and Toenails Have an Icky Yellowish Tint.

While dark-color nail polish may be incredibly trendy, consistent wear can leave your natural nails looking like they’ve been permanently dyed a scary shade of sunflower. What now?

The Solution: To restore your nail beds to their natural nude hue, mix a few drops of fresh lemon juice with ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide in a plastic bowl. Completely saturate a few cotton balls in the mixture and rub your fingernails and toenails until the stain is removed. Moving forward, be sure to double up on your base coats!