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Genius Beauty Hacks for Dark Circles, Frizzy Hair, and More
In a perfect world, you'd never wake up too late to wash your hair, and you'd be able to pack your whole bathroom seamlessly every time you go on a trip. But, alas, in the real world, alarm clocks fail and there's that whole "size restriction"-thing airlines insist upon. No worries.
Learn these derm-approved hacks now so the next time you're in a beauty pinch, you'll know exactly what to do.
Eye drops for dark under-eye circles or bags
Too much partying, savory eats, and a lack of sleep equals a one way ticket to #bagsville. A nice afternoon snooze and loads of H20 may be helpful, but if those two aren't in the cards, grab some Visine ($7, amazon.com). The culprit, again, is cortisol, which leads to water retention and blood vessel dilation, most obvious on our thinnest skin, the eyelids. Visine constricts those vessels, Dr. Chiu says. This lightens the circles and squeezes fluid away from the eye. Douse a cotton ball and swipe it gently over the area starting at the center and moving outward. The swipe also helps to encourage de-puffing.
Teeth whitening strips for minor cuts and scrapes
Nick your leg while shaving? Do not fear, teeth whitening strips are here. Okay, it sounds weird, but they work in a pinch. The strips are made of peroxide, which is much better than water at cleaning out bacteria. (Using peroxide repetitively to dress a wound can be damaging to the skin, but once is just fine.) Simply place the strip, and some manual pressure, on the area for five minutes, then remove and cover with a band-aid, suggests Rebecca Tung, MD, a dermatologist at Loyola University in Chicago. That short amount of time is usually enough to stop bleeding and ensure cleaning.
Fabric softener sheet for frizzy, greasy, or even stinky hair
These are an all-around fixer: whether you're traveling (and you've picked up the ever-so-sultry eau de airline), dealing with major humidity, or you don't have time to wash, it can help. Reach for a nicely scented dryer sheet, and rub it gently along your hair to tame your mane. The smell rubs off, plus its smooths frizziness, thanks to the sheet's static.
Chapstick for hang nails
Mona Gohara, MD, is an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine.