Zits, facial bloat, dull skin, bad hair, ungroomed nails: Easy hacks for these beauty emergencies

Party season is here once again and you’re likely to be attending plenty of gatherings and dressing up for the festivities. It goes without saying that you’d want to look your best and it’s not just about the outfit – who wouldn’t want to be able to flaunt fabulous skin and great hair at the same time?

Unfortunately, while you may have plans set in place for that event, certain situations can crop up unexpectedly and disrupt them. A period of stress, or simply a lack of time for self-care can result in common skin emergencies or leave you looking tired or perhaps not as well-groomed as you’d like to be.

But even if they do happen to you, know that there are ways to quickly solve or – at the very least – alleviate these beauty issues. Here are a few common problems that can be tackled easily with simple tools and tricks, so that they won’t ruin your day completely.

A BAD BREAKOUT

One of the most frustrating things that can happen right before a special event is the untimely emergence of a huge, angry-looking zit. There’s only so much concealer can do – it will help cover up small to mid-size pimples that have gone past the inflammation phase, but not if you’re dealing with a more severe case.

While there’s no miracle solution, what you can do is to try to alleviate the inflammation and swelling with products that are designed to do this. Pimple patches and spot-drying solutions can help relieve these symptoms and speed up the healing process of acne. It’s important to use them as soon as you feel a pimple coming up, instead of waiting till the very last minute.

You can try this viral hack for minimising the appearance of pimples too – applying over-the-counter eyedrops on spots (with a cotton bud) can help reduce the swelling and redness temporarily. This won’t treat the spot, and shouldn’t be used as a long-term acne solution, but there’s no harm trying it for a one-off emergency. Avoid using this hack, however, if you’ve already picked at the spot and there’s broken skin.

Try: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, S$36

Available at Sephora.

Try: Dermalogica Deep Breakout Invisible Liquid Patch, S$59

Available at Dermalogica.

Try: CosRX Acne Pimple Master Patch, S$6

Available at Watsons.

A DULL COMPLEXION

Yes, you can fake a glow with makeup, but it can only be accomplished if you have a smooth and reasonably healthy “canvas” to begin with. Plus, no one wants a full face of thick makeup that is bound to become streaky and cakey in our humidity, unless you’re staying in an air-conditioned room the entire day.

No time for an in-salon facial? Fix a dull-looking and patchy complexion at home quickly by doing the following. Exfoliating is a must, if you haven’t been doing so for a while. Reveal a brighter complexion and smoother skin with a gentle physical exfoliant that won’t cause irritation. Then, pop on a brightening and hydrating mask that will give your skin an immediate boost and help makeup go on skin smoothly.

Try: Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream, S$43

Available at Sephora.

Try: Abib Gummy Sheet Mask Vita Sticker, S$5.90 for a piece

Available at Watsons.

Try: Torriden Dive-in Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Mask, S$40 for 10 pieces

Available at Cocomo.

UNGROOMED NAILS

Can’t secure a manicure booking in time for that Christmas bash you’re going to and hopeless at painting your own nails? Thank goodness for the instant nail fixes that can be used to glam up those digits in a matter of minutes.

Nail decals and press-on nails are easy to put on and come in a wide variety of designs, even fancy nail art that looks like the work of an accomplished manicurist. But try not to leave putting them on to the very last minute, if you’re a newbie at it.

While these “instant” products are by no means difficult to use, there is a small learning curve to putting them on immaculately. Get them on a day before your event, so that your nails still look freshly done and you won’t have to worry about having not enough time to fix any potential issues.

Try: Wabi Sabi press-on nails, S$52

Available at Khaki Olives.

Try: Tiffany’s Brush nail polish wraps, S$15

Available at Pretty Poke Nails.

A BAD HAIR DAY

A bad haircut is difficult to fix, unless wearing a hat is appropriate for the event you’re attending. A bad hair day, on the other hand, is much easier to correct. A wash and proper blow-dry should solve whatever hair issue you’re experiencing – be it cowlicks, an oily scalp or flat hair.

If you haven’t got enough time on your hands, here’s what you can do (if you have the following tools at home). Dry shampoo is a wonder product that can absorb the oil on your scalp and in your hair quickly, which will make flat and greasy hair strands look clean and fresh, as well as give them an instant lift at the roots.

A hair straightener is another invaluable tool that will come in handy when your hair isn’t behaving the way you want it to. Tame cowlicks and frizzy hair simply by running the hair iron through problematic areas, then spritz on a little bit of hairspray to keep strands in place.

Try: Olaplex No4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo, S$52

Available at Sephora.

A BLOATED FACE

We’ve all had days when we wake up with a puffy face, but what can one do when it happens on a day when you need to look your best? Here are some ways to relieve the water retention much more quickly than it naturally would resolve by itself.

Splashing your face with cold water is the easiest thing you can do. Icing your face is another technique that can help diminish the bloating, but should only be used by those who do not have sensitive skin. Placing a wet towel on your face for a few minutes can help too, or pop on a sheet mask instead, since it’ll provide both skin-cooling and hydrating benefits.

Try a facial massage if you want to speed things up further – use a facial roller if you have it; if not, your fingers can perform the task adequately, too.