Festive fixers
Beauty crisis? We’ve solved it, so you shall go to the ball!
Big deadlines, looming work pressures and endless social stuff… there’s a lot going on before your hard-earned holiday break. The last thing you want to worry about is breakouts, brittleness or dark circles under your eyes. Instead of trying to juggle this and everything else, we’ve solved those pesky beauty problems for you. Read on for easy solutions because we want you to have fun and look your best while doing it! It’s party time, and you have a throbbing spot somewhere obvious. Panic? Not us. “If you can catch a spot early, massage a spot-fighting scrub over it in a sliding movement, pushing out towards your ears to drain toxins under the skin,” advises facialist Katie Light. We love [1] Pond’s Spot Clear Even Tone Facial Foam + Scrub (R32.99). “Then apply a clay mask directly to the spot with an earbud, leaving it on for as long as possible.”
Party season means washing and styling your hair more often, which makes your colour vulnerable to damage. A colour-lock treatment will both protect and hydrate – winning! TRY [6] Wella System Professional Color Save Mask (R336).
3Dry skin Wind, sun and dryness can sap your skin of moisture. Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Frances Prenna Jones suggests using “emollients that attract water – not oil – into the skin, like hyaluronic acid. But don’t over moisturise, or you may suffer a breakout.” We love gentle [5] Cetaphil Moisturising Cream High Tolerance ( R188).
4Redness “Ditch the red wine if you’re prone to redness – it will only make it worse,” advises facialist Abigail James. “Slather on a cooling mask, then place a damp muslin cloth straight from the fridge over the top. Or, if you have aloe vera, snap off a piece, put it in the freezer for 10 minutes, then glide it over your face.” Then apply [10] Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer SPF20 ( R760) to cancel out redness.
675Chipped mani “A dip in sponge-style polish oil will smooth out the chip without removing all of the paint, and will enable you to cover more evenly with the same shade,” reveals manicurist Rebecca Jade Wilson. TRY [8] Essence Quick & Easy Sponge Nail Polish Remover (R64.95). Or, paint glitter polish on the tips to hide it and add sparkle.
Hangover face Woken up with grey skin and puffy cheeks? “Late nights and too much alcohol means skin works harder to flush out the extra toxins, resulting in puffiness, dullness and extra-obvious blemishes and fine lines,” says Katie. “Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells, then apply an antioxidant mask,” adds Abigail. Go for [7] L’oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Overnight Mask (R269.95).
8 9
If you’re using stickers, allow your polish to dry completely before layering them on. For DIY cellophane pieces though, set in place while the polish is still slightly damp. Don’t overthink the design. “There are no rules,” explains Eunkyung. She anchors the nail with two larger shards, then fills in with smaller slivers, alternating the pointy tips up or down (use tweezers to help).
Finish with a topcoat
Brush on two layers, plus extra over your tips. We like [3] Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat (R119).