RED ALERT

A beauty emergency (like any other emergency) doesn’t spare anyone. The trick is to be prepared, always.

It’s an important day in your calendar – a red carpet event, your best friend’s wedding or perhaps your own wedding – and of course, you need to look your best and you have done your best to look your best. You are perhaps a tad bit over excited. That’s the point. Check yourself at this stage immediately. Take a step back, review what you intend to do and then take a decision. Here are a few points to keep in mind when you are just a few days away from a special day:

• Don’t try any new treatment like a peel or laser when you are just a week away from the important date
• Keep your dermatologist, hairstylist and makeup artist on speed dial. If there is an emergency, call them first for advice
• Unless you have had a fall out with your dermatologist, hair stylist or makeup artist, do not change your specialist just days before the big day. This is really not the time to be adventurous
• Water is the best medicine. So keep yourself well hydrated when you are approaching an important date. Drinking enough water will keep your system humming and misting your body with a thermal spring water mist will keep your skin hydrated and soothed. Try adding a few drops of Rescue Remedy (it’s a Bach Flower Remedy) to your drinking water and keep sipping it through the day. As the name suggests, this remedy helps you cope better with a stressful situation.

Having said that, if and when an emergency occur, fret not. There is a solution. You can put your best face forward. No one has to know.

PROBLEM: Laser Burn

SOLUTION: A laser burn or a sun burn is like any other burn and its treatment is dependent on the degree of the burn.  Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Varun Katyal explains that usually burns from aesthetic laser treatments are first degree burns. Second degree burns can occur but a third degree burn is unlikely. So if you suspect a laser burn or sunburn, contact your dermat immediately and cool down your skin as soon as you can, this is critical. Don’t apply ice directly. Soak a clean soft cloth in ice-cold water, wring out the excess water and apply it over the burn, when you feel the cloth getting warm, change it. Soak again in cold water and compress. Continue this till you reach you doc. “Don’t do anything else or apply anything else as that can irritate your skin,” cautions Mumbai-based dermatologist Dr Rashmi Shetty.

Products: In this situation you should initially only apply the antibiotic cream or topical hydrocortisone cream prescribed by your doctor. Dr Shetty suggests, “First apply a calming and hydrating ointment like Dermocalm or Calosoft and then follow it up with steroid cream that your doctor suggests.” Consult your physician and keep spritzing your skin with a soothing mist like Avene Eau Thermale Thermal Spring Water. The brand has done extensive research that proves that the pure water from the thermal spring have fabulous healing properties. In fact, this water is used extensively for treating acute sensitive skin conditions at their Hydrotherapy Center in France. The water contains minerals that help balance the pH level of the skin and reduces any inflammation or irritation.

Pulse dye or V Beam laser for bruise.

PROBLEM: Sensitised Skin

SOULUTION: Sensitised skin is different from sensitive skin. Sensitive skin is a skin type while sensitised skin is caused due to over peeling or irritable reaction to some makeup or skin product. This is a temporary situation but can make your skin very fragile and vulnerable. This condition needs tremendous amount of TLC and of course, doctor’s advice. Essentially it needs to be kept clean, nourished, hydrated and protected. Therefore, use gentle, non-comedogenic and fragrance-free products to nurse yourself back to health. Look for products that are cooling and hydrating. You could also opt for a cooling and rejuvenating Oxygen Facial at your dermat’s clinic or at a trusted medi-spa. Avoid sun or friction, calamine lotion

Products: For such a condition Dr Shetty recommends a gentle cleanser like Kiehl’s Centella Skin-Calming Facial Cleanser to be followed up by a healing and soothing moisturiser Kiehl’s Centella Recovery Skin Salve or Restylane Recovery Cream. Avoid sun exposure and when stepping out ensure that you use a broad spectrum sunscreen like Dermalogica Pure Light SPF 50 – the unique combination of red algae (a storehouse of perhaps the most potent antioxidant) and hyaluronic acid makes it a perfect healer and protector of sensitised, irritable skin.

PROBLEM: Acne Breakout

SOLUTION: “Please understand that acne prone skin is a condition that needs sustained treatment for complete cure,” says Dr Katyal, “So if you are aware that your skin has a tendency for breakouts, start your acne treatment at least 10 days before an important event.” A Salicylic Acid Peel or a Yellow Peel is what you should opt for. Dr Agarwal also recommends a session of non-invasive mesotherapy. However, if it is cystic acne that you suffer from and it is unfortunate to have popped up just days ahead of an event, speak to your dermat about the pros and cons of an intralesional injection.

Product: Some of us might get these angry bumps if we are particularly stressed or PMS-ing. In such situations what works well are spot treatments like Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Targeted Spot Treatment and The Face Shop Clean Face Spot Clear Intensive Patch. Let the bump subside, and then conceal it with a matte concealer advises makeup artist, Anu Kaushik. Try M.A.C. Studio Finish Concealer or Make Up For Ever Camouflage Cream in Green (the green pigment help cut out the redness of the acne bump. You could also use medicated, hypo-allegenic concealers like Murad Acne Treatment Concealer or Covermark Foundation. These products contain ingredients like salicylic acid that helps treat the acne while offering excellent coverage.

PROBLEM: Puffy Eyes

SOLUTION: The morning after the cocktail party you can expect to wake up with puffy eyes. “Reduce your salt intake and drink plenty of water,” advises Dr Shetty. “Squeeze your eyes shot and open after a count of five. Repeat 8-10 times. This with help reduce the puffiness.” A Radio Frequency treatment with or without micro-needling at your dermat’s clinic should also do the trick. However, if the condition is chronic or permanent, consult your doctor who may suggest a filler or Lower Lip Blepharoplasty after evaluating your condition, suggest dermatologist, Dr Jaishree Sharad.

Product: If you are prone to puffy eyes you should keep Estee Lauder Cooling Eye Illuminator always in your kitty. Its ceramic-tip massager has a cooling effect on the skin and gently helps unclog the area to reveal a fresh look. It’s a great travel companion especially on long haul flights.

PROBLEM: Water Retention

SOLUTION: Unless you have a medical problem, water retention could occur due to stress, travel, or certain foods. Water – drinking plenty of it – is one of the best solutions. Dry brushing your body before a shower is also a good option. Dr Shetty says, “Just hit the gym and work it out with an intensive cardio session followed by 15 minutes in the steam.” However, if you wish to pamper yourself, book in at a spa for a lymphatic drainage massage. “Diuretics might help but please speak to your doctor for a prescription before taking the medicine,” advises Dr Shetty.

Products: Start using body contouring or shaping products about two weeks prior to the big day. Try Soap&Glory The Firminator, Bliss FatGirlSlim Skin Firming Cream or Clarins Body Shaping Cream. These products contain ingredients like caffeine, crowberry extracts, or ginseng root extracts which when massaged onto the skin helps improve the circulation which in turn revs up the metabolism and thereby helps in toning up. They work best when used in a lymphatic drainage massage and along with proper diet and exercise.

PROBLEM: Overplucked Eyebrows

SOLUTION: Corrective makeup is the only quick fix to this problem. Remember brows can take really long to grow back and it is an essential feature of your face. In fact, most makeup artists believe that it is the characterizing feature of your persona. Hence, never ever compromise with your eye brow therapist. Get it done by your makeup artist, as a makeup artist will have the correct understanding of your brow shape and curve. However, even after much caution you have landed in this situation; learn to fix it with makeup. Speak to a makeup artist to understand what shape suits you best and then learn from her the tricks to correct the brow with makeup. To make your brows appear thicker you can draw it with a brow pencil matching your brow hair and then blend it. “Alternately, use an eye shadow to fill in the gaps between the hair for a softer effect,” says Kaushik. A visit to a Benefit Brow Bar or a M.A.C store wouldn’t be a bad idea. While a cover up is the practical, immediate solution, you must treat the area with hair growth stimulating potions. Makeup artist Elizabeth Gruzka recommends Talika Liposils – it’s a plant extract gel – and Nu Brow by Anastasia Soare (it has vitamins and proteins to help promote the growth of your brows.)

Products: Look no further than Benefit Brow Zings. When a brand has done so much research to put together such a smart product, why should you stress looking for anything else?

PROBLEM: Dark Circles

SOLUTION: Lack of sleep and stress could lead to this problem. So a good, pampering facial with focus on brightening your under eye dark circles is just what you need. Dr Shetty recommends Argenine Peels that help boost collagen production, detoxify the area and lightens the skin tone or a Q-Switched ND yag Laser that helps clear the pimentation. A Chakra Healing session with a yoga therapist or a healer or a gentle lymphatic drainage massage could also work well. Check out the video of Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum video on YouTube – just watching the massage will help you relax.

Products: “To conceal under eye dark circles with makeup, use a colour corrector followed by a concealer,” advises Kaushik. Look for a colour corrector in orange or rusty peach to camouflage the “blueness” of the area. Try Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Corrector in Peach. Its lightweight formula neutralises the discolouration and preps the area for the concealer.

PROBLEM: Lip Filler Debacle

SOLUTION: If your lip job has gone wrong the only way you can put it right is by going back to a dermat. However, just wait it out. Sometimes because it is something different for the face you are used to seeing, you might be feeling the un-ease. So ask a trusted friend – someone who will not think twice to give an honest answer – for her opinion. If after that you still want to do away with it speak to a doctor. At the clinic the expert will either give you a Hyaluronidase injections are to dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers or insert of a hypodermic needle to extract the product.

Products: There are no products to tackle this problem topically. However, using a good lip balm will help in maintaining the health of the lips. Our recommendations include: Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil and Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments.

PROBLEM: Sensitised Hair

SOLUTION: This happens when the hair shaft has undergone a very harsh and abrasive chemical procedure that it is so damaged that it could fall off. “The ultimate solution would be remove the worst areas and treat what’s left with a product called Olaplex  (a patented product ) that restructures the hair to bring it back to what it should be,” suggests hair designer Rod Anker. Dr Sharad explains that products Q Sera, Olaplex and Vichy Neogenic contain peptides, vitamins and capaxils that help repair the hair shaft. When these treatments and delivered through Mesotherapy the effect is even better. If that damage is not too bad, hair artist Sumit Israni, recommends Kerastase Chronologiste Hair Ritual.

Products: “For sensitised hair try Kerastase Nutritive Collection for daily use shampoo and conditioner,” suggests Israni. They contain glucose, protein and lipids that help repair and restore the nutritive balance of the hair fibre. “ Protein, biotin, keratin, and iron supplements helps hair re-growth,” advises Dr Sharad, “But take them only after consulting a doctor.”

PROBLEM: Hair Highlights Debacle

SOLUTION: “Don’t react as a lot of problems are caused by quickly trying to get a fix when it’s best to stop assess and evaluate next step,” advises Anker. Your highlights have got botched up in the first place perhaps because you didn’t do enough research before zeroing in on your stylist. So now instead of hitting panic buttons, research for a trusted hair artist and then move forward. “In all probabilities after assessing your hair condition, a stylist will recommend a corrective colour procedure after a gap of 2-3 days,” suggests Israni. You could also go in for a hair spa Farmavita Amethyste Colouring Mask Collection. The treatment will give you a uniform, healthy glow to your hair that will last for one wash.

Products: If you have opted for a colour in brown or red tone, then to give it an uniformity you may try Toni&Guy Colour Reviver Shampoo in Rustic Copper or Chocolate brown