Each one of us (namely ladies) have fallen prey to any number of the following hiccups. But we aren’t always prepared when they occur…so we have gathered some solid and proven tips to get your wardrobe, accessories or beauty products on the straight and narrow.
1. A Literal Green Thumb
It is a fairly common misconception that when you wear a certain metal that turns your skin green, you are allergic to that metal. In actuality, this is simply the way your chemical makeup mixes with the metal’s properties. The most common metals to pigment your skin copper or nickel, which can be found in traces in many pieces of jewelry unless it’s pure. If you are, in fact allergic, your skin will itch and get red…so watch out for that. If that’s not happening, don’t be so quick to throw out those rings and baubles.
Here are some ways to avoid skin verdigris:
1. Coat the parts that touch your skin in a clear nail polish. This may have to be repeated over time.
2. Don’t get your skin wet when wearing the jewelry…it won’t react as quickly.
3. Don’t wear the jewelry for prolonged periods of time. A night out is fine, but all day is bound to rub off a little.
4. If it’s a finer piece of jewelry, find a jeweler that can coat it in a clear finish or other metal that does not bother you.
2. Stockings on the Run
This is the peskiest wardrobe malfunction of them all. It’s one that starts fast and acts fast, quickly switching your look from classy to trashy. There are really only three options to fix this. If you’re wearing an edgy outfit (something black, leather, combat boots, etc) just rock it! If it’s more elegant than that, you either need to ditch them or fix them…here’s how:
1. If you are going out with nylons on, always toss a bottle of clear nail polish in your purse.
2. When you see a hole or run begin, get ahead of it. Bust out that polish, wipe the excess off the brush, carefully pull the nylon slightly off your skin, and dab the polish on the top and bottom of the damaged area.
3. Wait for the polish to dry. This will stop the run in its tracks…and voila! Keep dancing.
3. Click of the Heel
Ah, the bane of high heel’s existence…a worn down heel tip. You’re walking down the street and all of a sudden, you sound more like a tap dancer than a pedestrian. It’s time to get handy with your heels:
1. Buy heel tip replacements. These can be found at shoe repair shops, craft stores, and some shoe stores.
2. You’ll need the tips, a pair of pliers, superglue, and a hammer.
3. First, pry the old heel tip out of the shoe with your pliers.
4. Fix up any loose leather or material with superglue around the edge of the heel.
5. Replace the new heel tip into the hole where the old one was.
6. Secure that baby in place by hitting it with a hammer. Be careful to hit steady and straight so that it doesn’t end up crooked.
4. Pilling Parade
Have you ever bought that cozy winter sweater, worn it a week, then noticed it had lost some of its luster? The fabric has begun to ball up around the elbows, slowly creeping up the arms, eventually eating up the whole sweater up with heaps of pilling. This is the plight of just about every sweater, whether it’s a cheap blend or cashmere. Never fear, there’s a DIY trick for this!
The easiest, most effective trick is to use a throw-away razor. Lay your garment out flat and gently start running the razor over the top layer, where it is pilling. Be extra cautious that you aren’t pressing down too hard on the razor, so that you don’t damage the rest of the fabric. This is tedious, so expect to take your time…but it does work.
You can also use a pilling machine, but it does precisely the same thing as a razor…sometimes proving to be less effective. If the pilling hasn’t gotten too out of hand and the fabric is not too delicate, you can try a pumice stone as well to slough away the bound up fabric.
5. Sweating is the Pits
The classic white tee or button up is never quite the same once the armpits are donning a yellowed ring around them. Typically, just washing the shirt won’t make sweat stains fully disappear and it may even set the stain even further. After you’ve worn your crisp whites, mix up this quick concoction to wipe the armpit slate clean again:
What you’ll need:
Dawn dishwashing liquid soap
Hydrogen peroxide
Baking soda
A scrubbing brush
Mix one part Dawn with two parts hydrogen peroxide. Stir in just a bit of baking soda and slather this directly on the stain. Scrub the mixture with your brush and let it sit for about an hour. When you come back, rinse this, run the shirt through the wash, and it’ll look like new!
6. The Inevitable Smudge
Mascara mistakes happen. You might be getting ready uber fast, don’t have a steady hand, or are using the wrong kind. In any case, you wind up looking disheveled or raccoon-esque from time to time. You might have better luck if you keep these tips in mind:
1. To avoid getting mascara on your eyelids or brow bone, place a card of some sort over that area like a shield while you are applying.
2. The more oily the skin, the more likely you’ll have eye makeup transfer issues. Try dusting powder, primer, or oil blotting papers around the eye area before you apply your mascara or eyeliner.
3. You want to keep as little product away from the end of your lashes as possible to prevent this problem. When you’re going in to start brushing mascara over your lashes, begin right at the root and dig it in a bit to get the excess to apply closer to the lash base, then let it taper as the wand glides out.
4. You can also try a clear mascara after the rest is dry to seal in your color. Waterproof formulas also stay in place well, if your mascara tends to run.
7. Strap Mishaps
Bras are a b*tch. But lucky for us gals, they are a must if we want to keep a perky (not to mention pain-free) bust. Bras serve many, many purposes these days…so they require more know-how.
If you find that your bra straps fall down all of the time, it’s not necessarily poorly constructed. The strap is holding up those cups, it’s got to be adjusted correctly in the first place in order to do it’s job. If the strap is adjusted correctly but still falling down, you may want to consider a smaller cup size. If there’s not enough weight or volume filling up the bra’s specific cup build, the straps won’t have enough to support.
Your bra strap is your friend, it should not be hurting you. But if you find that the straps are pinching you or making an indentation, there’s a problem with the size again. First, try loosening the straps. If that doesn’t do the trick, you need to get fitted to find out your true bra band and bra cup size.
Strapless bras are a whole other ball game. Supposedly, we wear these for support without the strap showing on a strapless or shoulder baring dress. But what usually happens, is you end up with sad or constrained looking tots and it’s rarely comfortable. Unless you can find that perfect strapless bra, go for the ‘chicken cutlets’ or pasties instead. A sticky bra can give you push up and will stay all night. If you’re not concerned with holding your girls up, a pastie in a flesh color can neutralize the skin around that area so that nothing shows through.
8. I Wasn’t Supposed to Start til Tomorrow!
Don’t blush, this happens to the best of us. You’re out, you wore white, and your period starts early. Whoops! If you don’t have a girlfriend or a drug store around, there are a few options to keep your secret safe with you.
If you need a cover up stat, pull from the grunge era and wrap a jacket or sweater around your waist. Then, go to the nearest restroom and utilize their paper materials. You can create a makeshift feminine product by wrapping toilet paper around the narrow lining of your panties. Obviously, it’s best to have a tampon on you at all times. Try to remember to keep at least one in your purse for times like these. But this happens to EVERY girl…it’s nature and it’s unpredictable.
9. Lopsided Eye
For help with uneven eyeliner, we couldn’t have said it better than Siobhan of Letz Makeup:
10. White Stripes
This one is easy! If you have on a dark colored top and notice deodorant streaks are upon you…grab a baby wipe or makeup remover wipe, it’ll come right off. If you don’t have one, wet a paper towel and dab it away.
