A couple of days ago I dyed my eyebrows. That’s not really newsworthy, but I forgot to put some Vaseline or petroleum jelly on the skin around the actual brows meaning that when I removed the dye it looked as though two black furry caterpillars were stuck to my face. Not attractive. Whilst frantically searching the Internet for the cure I realised just how many beauty blunders I have made over the past 15 years. Self-tanning disasters, pimple popping scabs, hair removal cream nightmares. I have done them all and I have compiled all of the home remedies and quick fixes right here for you.
Eyebrow/Eyelash Tint
Basically what you need is a light abrasive scrub to remove the dye from your skin. Mix two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid with two tablespoons of baking soda. Blend them together into a paste and apply a small amount with a washcloth gently rubbing the affected skin. Re-do as many times as necessary, rinse completely and then apply some moisturizer to the skin as dishwashing liquid causes skin to become incredibly dry. I can testify to this actually working; it removes all traces of eyebrow dye from the skin without stripping the eyebrows themselves.
Splotchy Self-Tanning Lotion
Whether it’s patchy in places such as knees, elbows and ankles or you didn’t get to your palms in time and they're now a brilliant orange color, this recipe will remove the self-tanner a layer at a time until you get to a color that you like or give you a blank canvas to re-do the whole thing.
According to Elaine Sauer from Elizabeth Arden Salons, run baby oil into your skin, let it soak in for five to ten minutes, then use an exfoliator to remove the tan.
Tanning Advice recommends using plain old soap and a pumice stone. Lather up the affected areas with loads of soap, then gently, I repeat gently, exfoliate with the pumice stone in small circles. Continue until you reach the color that you want and wash off.
Lemon and salt are also an old favourite. Tanning Advice suggests cutting a lemon in half, dipping it in salt and gently scrubbing away your self tanning lotion with that. The abrasive salt mixed with the citric acid peels the orange away.
Inflamed Pimple Squeezing
According to Sensible Acne Advice 90% of people get pimples. One of the worst things that you can do to yourself and something that most people are guilty of is picking and popping pimples. Obviously, you should refrain from this practice, however, if you find yourself with the problem of inflamed and swollen skin from pimples use this simple method. Wrap an ice cube in a cloth and press it on to the swollen pimple. This will immediately reduce swelling and redness
Hair Removal Cream Burns and Irritations
What you should do depends on the area treated and the actual severity of the problem. If you find yourself with an irritated chin, or lipline from removing upper lip hair, grab an ice cube, wrap it in a tissue and use it as a cold compress against the area. The cold reduces redness and swelling. The use of a hydrocortisone cream which is available over-the-counter is also effective.
If you have suffered a burn or irritation to an area such as the bikini line, Live Strong advises that you run it under cold water at a medium water pressure for 20 minutes. It may be tempting to put a cream of some kind on it but with burns any ointments or creams can in fact worsen the condition. Wrap a clean gauze or bandage around the area. Wear loose clothing so as not to put pressure on the area, and if severe, contact your doctor for treatment.
Bikini Wax Bleeding
Again, this depends on the severity of the problem. If it is just a small amount of bleeding, Sophie from Sophie’s Soaps says to use a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide to stop the bleeding and to avoid infection. If you are bleeding quite a lot, please see you doctor immediately.
Ingrown Hair Plucking
You remove an ingrown hair and now it is infected? Did you sterilise your tweezers and have a shower before you tried to remove the ingrown? Very simple to avoid, yet if you have an infection from plucking out an ingrown hair wipe it with a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide and cover with a plaster. Apply the hydrogen peroxide twice daily until the ingrown infection disappears.
If you try to remove an ingrown hair always sterilize your equipment and skin beforehand and after use an antiseptic wipe.
Nail Discoloration
If you have removed your nail polish to find that your nails have turned a bright yellow it’s simple to fix. Mix some lemon juice with peroxide, soak a cotton ball with the mixture and wipe the discoloration off. Always use a clear base coat before painting nails or the pigment can stain them.
The above treatments are quick fixes that actually work for all those little beauty blunders that you make. Try these home remedies and fix those little problems immediately and cost-effectively. If in doubt about the severity of your problem, please see your doctor for treatment advice.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sources
- Associated Content, " How to Remove Hair Dye from Skin ", Accessed 4 June 2011.
- Ingrown Hair Facts, " Ingrown Pubic Hair- Treatment & Prevention ", Accessed 5 June 2011.
- Live Strong, "Side Effects of Hair Remover Chemicals", Accessed 4 June 2001.
- Sensible Acne Advice, "How Many People Get Acne?", Accessed 5 June 2011.
- Sophie’s Soaps, ‘ What You Should Know Before Getting Waxed ’, Accessed 5 June 2011.
- Tanning Advice, "How to Remove a Fake Tan", Accessed 5 June 2011.
Alison Hornsey - Alison Hornsey is an Australian who for the last three years has lived in the French Alps and is currently living in Spain. She was first ...
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