Here, the four beauty products that could actually get you through the end of the world less sunburned, less infected, and a little bit softer. Nail File: Throw out the soft, spongy emery boards. I’m talking about the glass, crystal, or old-school metal ones that come to a somewhat-sharp point at the end. Why should you throw a hefty handful in your survival kit? For one, hangnails hurt like the devil whether the world ends or not. But if things get really dire, these are part manicurist, part protection. Sunscreen: The Mayans didn’t mark Melanoma Monday on their calendar, but you’ll be glad you did. If the ozone layer decides to bottom out, revealing a scorching level of UV rays, free radicals, and other potentially skin-ravaging elements, make sure you’re protected. Choose a sunscreen that has SPF 50 (the highest legit level of protection) with UVA and UVB Broad Spectrum coverage, so you’re shielding yourself from cancer-causing rays and the ones that burn you. Check out more sun safety conundrums here! Baking Soda: It’s all about multitasking in this brave, new world, and if we could line our shelves with one thing, it’d be baking soda. It calms an uneasy stomach (read: too many canned beans), can be made into a deodorant, softens tough calluses (from pillaging and hunting, of course), and has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties to keep things clean. We couldn’t decide why we loved it the most, so here are our top 10 reasons we love baking soda. Salt Scrub: If we can guarantee something about the ending of the world as we know it, we all know it’s going to get messy. A mixture of sea salt, lemon juice, and water will get rid of any caked on mess, help clean wounds, and give you the softest post-apocalyptic skin those zombies have ever seen. (The Mayans accounted for zombies, right?)
