SUMMER CONFIDENCE FOUND BEAT BLOAT
Easy hacks to outsmart beauty bothers
We waited forever to feel the warmth of the sun shining, but it didn’t take long before all that heat became less of a boost and
more of a bother as we battle frizzy tresses, sunburns and oh-so-much outfit-ruining sweat! Here to help:
Top celebrity beauty and fashion pros share the tried-and-true solutions that keep their clients looking and feeling fabulous on steamy days. Steal their secrets to flawless! Shoes feel a bit tight? Clothes sort of snug at the waist? Face just looks puffier? Summer bloat (thanks to water retention from heat, salty snacks or fizzy drinks) can leave you looking and feeling 10 pounds heavier. To shrink inches from head to toe in under 5 minutes, try a ginger-oil massage. The massage helps increase lymph flow to flush away the stagnant fluids that lead to bloat while ginger’s warming properties help speed the detoxification process, explains aesthetician Michelle Schlekewey of the Golden Door Resort and Spa in San Marcos, California, a favorite of A-listers including Julia Roberts and Oprah Winfrey.
TO DO: Mix 3 drops of ginger oil with 1 Tbs. of liquefied coconut oil. Massage the oil from your jawline down the sides of your neck (where lymph nodes are located) for 1 minute. Next, lie on your back and gently massage the oil around your stomach, working clockwise around your belly button for 2 minutes. Finally, elevate your legs, then place your hands on both sides of one ankle and use slight pressure to move your hands in long upward strokes toward the knee; repeat 10 times, then switch sides.
AVOID SWEAT STAINS AND ODOR
Ugh! Some days our sweat glands seem to just go into overdrive, leaving our clothes marked by telltale stains under our arms, around our waist and down our back! The stay-dry solution? A sage-infused body spray. “The herb’s tannic acid temporarily constricts sweat glands to help control excess sweat production,” says Heather Wilson, aesthetician and director of brand development for InstaNatural skin care. And the herb is antibacterial and antifungal to nix any odor-causing bacteria, so you’ll stay dry and smell fresh all day long. Even better: It’s gentle enough to spray anywhere on the body.
In a saucepan, bring 1 Tbs. of dried sage
TO DO: and 1 cup of water to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool. Next, pour the liquid into a spray bottle and spritz onto the skin that tends to get damp; massage into skin. Using every three to five days should keep skin dry. (Store the bottle in the fridge for up to 30 days.)
OUTSMART CHAFING
The painful rash of chub rub, which can result from even the slightest friction between thighs, can have us shying away from stepping out in thigh-baring shorts, sundresses and swimsuits. A genius way to prevent chafing? Prep the area with deodorant, suggests New York City dermatologist Jody Levine, M.D. “The light formula creates a protective layer that keeps thighs from touching while also reducing sweating—both key to alleviating any irritating chafing.”
TO DO: Pick a spray-on deodorant, which allows for mess-free application. We recommend choosing one that’s infused with skin-soothing nutrients, like Dove Nourished Beauty Dry Spray (Walmart.com), which contains vitamin E–rich sunflower seed oil to help heal and moisturize skin if it’s already irritated.
SUN-PROOF HAIR COLOR
A little swimming and sunning is a boon for the mind and body—but exposure to harsh UV rays and chlorine can do a number on hair, giving silver strands a yellow tinge and turning blondes brassy. To combat this, colorists recommend purple shampoo, since blue-violet pigments neutralize the yellow and orange. But those shampoos can be pricey. For a clever hack that delivers the same benefits, mix your regular shampoo with grape Kool-Aid powder. It sounds a bit wacky, but colorist Kyle White, who has worked with Naomi Watts and Robin Wright, says it works!
In a bowl, combine 3⁄4 tsp. of grape KoolAid
TO DO: powder with 4 Tbs. of shampoo. Apply to damp hair from roots to ends; let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing out. Use once a week to keep yellow or brassy tones at bay all season long.
The halter-neck swimsuit you wore last week gave “the ladies” a nice boost, but you’re not loving the awkward tan lines it left behind. Makeup artist Jami Svay, who has worked with Julianne Moore and Freida Pinto, has a two-step fix: First, lighten skin with a salve made from lemon juice (its citric acid sloughs off dead skin cells to help blur the line of demarcation between tan and lighter skin) and honey (it moisturizes skin and reduces possible sensitivity to lemon juice). Then even out skin color using self-tanner.
Mix 1 Tbs. of lemon juice with 1 Tbs. of honey.
TO DO: Apply on and around tan lines and let sit for 25 minutes; rinse. Next, pat skin dry and use a makeup sponge to sweep a small amount of a self-tanning mousse (we like Sally Hansen Airbrush Sun Instant Tanning Mousse, Walgreens.com) onto paler areas; blend into tanned skin. Let dry for 30 minutes and repeat if needed. (Two applications should be enough to give skin an even, natural-looking glow.)