When beauty bummers like chapped lips, hangnails, and ingrown hairs pop up, your first instinct is to try to get a handle on the issue immediately. And as it turns out, taking matters into your own hands can be quite effective—if you know how to do it correctly. Find out what it takes to make these ugly situations do a 180 as soon as they start. The issue: Nail fungusYour DIY solution: When you start seeing spots, soak your nails in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 5 parts water—fungus can’t live in an acidic environment. A saline solution also provides a hostile environment for fungus, decreases excess perspiration, and softens skin so antifungal meds can penetrate deeper. If the problem is popping up on your feet, soak them for 5 to 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 teaspoons of salt per pint of warm water, says New York City-based podiatric surgeon Suzanne M. Levine, DPM. But if the issue persists or you see an abnormal change in texture or color of your nails, see your doctor, as the spots could indicate a more serious problem. (Nails keep breaking? Here’s why.) The issue: HangnailsYour DIY solution: Carefully nip these dead pieces of skin with a cuticle trimmer (which, ironically, you should never use on your actual cuticles), and prevent future hangnails by soaking your fingers in warmed coconut oil. Drench the nails in oil to deeply hydrate them, then wrap your hands in warm, wet towels (heat in the microwave and let cool for a few minutes so they won’t burn your skin), to lock in moisture. Do this once a week. MORE: 5 Best Vitamins For Beautiful Skin The issue: Flat hairYour DIY solution: If you’ve used every volumizing product ever created and still can’t get your hair to do anything but lie flat as a pancake on your head, try this root-lifting blow drying trick (that won’t kill your arms): First, work a palm full of mousse from your roots through to the ends, then flip your head over and dry your hair upside down and away from the scalp. Hair should be slightly damp before you flip it back up. Voila, volume! The issue: Hair breakage Photo by Alexander Bedrin/Getty Images Your DIY solution: When you step out of the shower, gently squeeze and blot the hair (never rub!) with an old cotton T-shirt instead of a towel. It’ll still soak up excess moisture, but won’t cause breakage. When its time to detangle, remember this: Being rough can cause the cuticle (the outer layer of the hair shaft) to fray, exposing the fragile inner shaft and making it more likely to snap. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, working your way up from the end of your hair, using the least amount of strokes as possible, and secure with a gentle tie, like the smooth, all-fabric ones from Twistband ($10 for 6, twistband.com), if you’re pulling it back. The pressure of a super-tight band around a ponytail can wear away at your hair’s cuticle and cause the strands to break. MORE: How To Finally Beat Dandruff—And 4 More Annoying Hair Problems, Solved The issue: Fading hair colorYour DIY solution: The water that comes out of your showerhead often contains minerals like copper and chemicals like chlorine that can alter your hair’s hue. Install a purifying showerhead filter, such as the T3 Source Showerhead Filter ($130, sephora.com), to protect your color (with zero effort, we might add) during your daily wash. But even with a filter, it’s inevitable that your color will lose intensity eventually. When it does, use an at-home glaze or gloss like John Frieda’s Colour Refreshing Gloss ($12, johnfrieda.com) to add high-wattage shine and boost the hue, like a topcoat does for nail polish. The issue: Ingrown hairsYour DIY solution: If you have an ingrown hair, that telltale redness and inflammation is due to a bacterial infection underneath the skin. Keep things clear by applying a lotion or oil with anti-bacterial ingredients, such as tea tree oil or lavender oil, like Nature’s Gate Moisturing Lotion Tea Tree ($11, walgreens.com) daily. “Don’t use rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based products,” warns esthetician Sonya Dakkar, founder of the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic in Los Angeles. “They’ll dry out, irritate, and further inflame the skin.” (Here are 3 ways to (safely!) remove ingrown hairs.) The Issue: Brown spotsYour DIY solution: Getting rid of brown spots entirely is a long-term project that calls for diligent use of brightening ingredients like licorice and kojic acid, and probably a few laser treatments, too. But if you’re looking for a fix right this minute, artfully applied makeup is your best option. First, dab concealer that’s one or two shades lighter than your foundation onto the spot with a concealer brush, then follow with a dot of foundation that exactly matches your skin tone, and blend it well for a seamless look, says New York City-based makeup artist Jessica Liebeskind. The issue: Stretch marksYour DIY solution: Unfortunately, research doesn’t support the age-old cocoa butter advice. But a study in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that pregnant women who used a cream with vitamin E had fewer marks than those who didn’t. Try Derma e’s Vitamin E 12,000 IU Crème ($14, dermae.com). You can also dab a retinoid cream like prescription-only Renova on the area to help generate new collagen and blend existing stretch marks with the rest of your skin. An over-the-counter retinol—though weaker than its prescription counterpart—can help minimize newer stretch marks and prevent them from becoming worse, too. The issue: Chapped lipsThe DIY solve: One of the worst things you can do for chapped lips is lick them; when saliva evaporates, it removes any natural oils that you have on your lips. Instead, restore moisture with natural, hypoallergenic moisturizers like almond oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax. Another trick? Rub on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, moisturizing olive oil two or three times a day to soothe, soften, and lubricate your raw lips. They’ll feel better right away, but it will take a few days before they start to heal on their own. The issue: Yellow teeth Photo by JNicolas Hansen/Getty Images Your DIY solution: Brushing with a paste made of baking soda and water a few times a month removes superficial staining and whitens teeth by a shade or two. “The graininess neutralizes stains and polishes teeth but isn’t abrasive enough to wear down your enamel,” says Jennifer Jablow, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. Just don’t do it more frequently than that—baking soda is too abrasive for your everyday brush. For an immediate fix, lipsticks with blue undertones can also make teeth appear brighter, says Liebeskind. To figure out which of your lipsticks fit the bill, she recommends lining up three or four shades—in comparison to each other; it will be obvious which are blue-based and which have yellow or gold undertones, which will bring out the yellow in teeth. MORE: The Best Ways To Whiten Your Teeth On Any Budget The issue: Smudged lipstickYour DIY solution: First, grab your toothbrush and lightly rub it over your lips to to gently exfoliate any flakes. Then, apply a thin layer of hydrating primer—the one you use on your face will do the trick—to remove moisture and flatten fine lines so the surface of your lips is smooth and ready for color. Fill in your lips with liner in the same shade as your lipstick, and dab on a couple thin coats of your lipstick (they’re less likely to clump and flake than one thick coat). Finally, set your look by blotting lightly with a tissue and using a large makeup brush to lightly dust a thin layer of powder over your lips. The issue: Raccoon eyesYour DIY solution: Keep mascara on your lashes, not under them, by starting with a matte surface—oiliness makes your liner, shadow, and mascara more likely to run. Go over the area with an oil-free makeup remover, and absorb any extra oil by dusting a powder over your concealer before you start. Do the same for your lashes by brushing them with a hint of eye shadow or loose powder, suggests Heather Cummings, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist. Finally, sweep on a layer of regular mascara and lightly apply waterproof on top for extra staying power. MORE: 4 Simple Ways To Make Your Tired Office Eyes Happier
