Top tips to solve three major beauty dilemmas
It doesn't have to be Friday the 13th for a beauty disaster of seismic proportions to occur. Here's how to deal with the very worst the beauty gods can throw at us.
Spot check
So, you're getting ready for a night on the town only to discover that the mother of all spots has just put in an appearance. Here's how to cope.
"Avoid picking the spot," says Dr Sam Bunting, a cosmetic dermatologist. "Instead, try treating the area with an anti-inflammatory acne preparation containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, allow it to dry and then cover with concealer (I recommend Vichy Dermablend which is non-comedogenic and comes in a great array of colours), then leave it alone."
But let's face it, how many of us can honestly resist the temptation to have a scratch? "If you've picked a spot and it's red and raw, it's important to interfere with it as little as possible, to reduce the risk of scarring," warns Dr Bunting.
"This is especially true if the spot had not yet come to a white head when you picked it. Until the erosion has healed over, it will be almost impossible to get make up to adhere and it may well cause a secondary infection. Wipe the area with a gentle antiseptic such as witch hazel and apply light pressure for a minute. Then apply an anti-inflammatory acne preparation and leave it be."
Product suggestion: Sk:n Intense Spot Lotion, £12, sknclinics
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Red, red wine (and teeth)
Most wine drinkers will know that red wine can often leave a dark stain on the teeth. But what they don't realise is that it's the acidic properties within the wine which makes staining more likely.
In other words, it's one big, boozy, wine-fuelled vicious circle, and stained, red teeth is one look that's never going to be in. "Red wine has acidic properties so it weakens the enamel, making the teeth more exposed to staining," explains Adam Boulding, a clinical scientist who specialises in oral care.
"If you're at a party and stains start to appear, drink some water - water will help neutralise the acid and wash away the stain. For ultimate protection, use a toothpaste that has stain prevention technology and helps to reduce tartar, as it's these build-ups that stains will stick to."
Product suggestion: Oral-B Pro-Expert, £8.99 (pack of 3), Amazon.co.uk
This hi-tech toothpaste is proven to remove 96% of surface stains in 2 weeks.
The one thing guaranteed to take the shine off a romantic is dinner is finding a chunk of dinner has become lodged between your teeth. If you're all out of tooth picks, here's what to do.
"Swishing with water should dislodge most bits of debris between your teeth," says Adam Boulding. Using the right toothpaste can also make it less likely that the seeds from your artisan bread roll will end up wedged between your pearly whites.
"Use a toothpaste which is highly effective against plaque and tartar - this will reduce the build-up in the gaps between your teeth which will make it easier to swish water through and dislodge the particles. Also floss regularly - it will help to keep the gaps between your teeth clear, allowing room for the water to swish around and to dislodge chunks of food.
Floss is also something that's easy to carry around and to use in an emergency situations like this."
Product suggestion: Colgate Total Dental Floss, £2.81, Boots.
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Follicular fail
We all know the feeling - you're heading over to your favourite bar (sans umbrella) only for the heavens to open and leave you looking like a drowned rat. Richard Ward explains what to do. "Slick, wet-look hair is a great trend for this spring/summer, so why not use the weather to your advantage and disguise your bad hair day?" Says the hairdresser to the stars. "Simply apply a gel or serum to hair, comb through (creating a strong centre parting) and brush your hair back into a slick pony tail."
Product suggestion: Joico K-Pak Protect and Shine Serum, £14.95, Feelunique.com
If you've overslept and haven't had time to wash your hair, spritz on a product which contains body-boosting ingredients such as wheat protein to mask greasiness and boost volume. If you wake to serious case of frizz but you're all out of serum, head for the bathroom cabinet. "If you've run out of serum, then use a small amount of Vaseline to tame the ends of your hair and any split ends," suggests Richard Ward.
Product suggestion: Vaseline, of course! Who knew it had so many uses? From £2.05, Boots.
