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Makeup mishaps: How to fix a beauty disaster

Whether it's messy eyeliner or bronzer overload, here's how to fix a beauty faux pas -- fast.

By Maryse Benge

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12. Loud mouth That lipstick looked fierce in the tube -- but on your lips, it's a Day-Glo disaster. Dab on just a hint of colour, then apply a thin layer of gloss to blend it out, says Maleterre.

13. Lash out There's nothing sexy about clumpy, Tammy Faye-style lashes. "Wipe the excess off your mascara wand," says Maleterre. "Starting with the underside of your lashes, gently slide the brush toward the outer tip to loosen clumps."

14. Light show Hairdresser gone highlight-happy? Squeeze in some lemon juice and sit outside. "The sun and citrus will lighten the darker strands and give a slight lift to the pieces that are already blonde," says Claire. Wash and apply a leave-in conditioner, such as Infusium Colourologie Leave-In Treatment ($7), to counteract the drying effects of citrus.


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15. Tenderflake Although you were going for that fresh-faced glow, sometimes an at-home peel or microdermabrasion treatment can leave skin irritated, red and flaky. "Apply a moisturizer, like Cliniderm or Impruv, or a mild, 0.5-percent strength cortisone cream," says Taraska. "It will lock in moisture and keep your skin smooth."

16. Straight-up Suffering from over-straightened locks? Velcro rollers to the rescue. "Roll them from the tips of your hair to the roots," says Claire. "Leave them in for about 10 minutes: you'll get some bounce, but your hair will still be smooth and straight."

17. Heavyweight Using too much styling product can weigh your hair down and leave it sticky. "Mist your hair," says Jurenas. "The water will dilute the product without removing it entirely. Now restyle your hair and you're all set."

18. Extreme eyes If your eyeshadow application was heavy-handed, don't try to soften it with another shade. "You're only going to create some other
colour," says Semple. "Grab a full, soft brush and dust a little loose translucent powder over your lids. It's a great way to diffuse the colour."

19. Limp locks No time to shampoo? "Put a few shakes of baby powder in your hand, bend over and work it through your hair," says Jurenas. Because it contains talc, the powder will absorb excess oil.

20. Bronze age Pale skin is better than a streaky bronzed fiasco. If you've overdone it with the bronzer, "dip a large, fluffy brush into translucent powder and blend it into the skin," says Hutchinson.

21. Thick and thin It's meant to hide imperfections, but a high-coverage
concealer can look thick and cakey. "Use your fingers to dab a bit of foundation on top and blend it in," says Wencel.

22. Upper hand Nails a mess but no time for a manicure? "It's all about buffing and polishing your nails," says Hutchinson. Buff in a horizontal direction across your nails to smooth out any ridges, then apply a clear topcoat.

23. Wax figure If waxing leaves your skin red and irritated, use a vitamin E-based product to calm it down, says Taraska. "Use an ointment rather than a cream, as the preservatives in creams can cause stinging." Or, apply an aloe-vera-based product, like Yves Rocher Aloe Vera Essentiel SOS Post-Waxing Oil ($18).

24. Lip service The '80s are back in fashion -- but that doesn't mean you can get away with lipliner that's too dark. "Use a lip brush or the pad of your ring finger to blend down and soften the line," says Semple. "Start from the corner of your mouth and work inward." Or, try the colourless DuWop Reverse Lipliner ($26).

25. Shine on While they may give you a glow, light-reflecting powders and foundations also accentuate fine lines. "Work moisturizer into problem areas -- laugh lines and crow's feet -- in an upward circular motion," says Hutchinson.

Related articles:
Our best at-home beauty trips
Beauty news: Red is the hottest shade
Get lippy with these red lipstick ideas

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