Every teenager is faced with countless pimple, zit, and acne obstacles; puffy, dark eyes from the weekly all-nighters; dull, flat, frizzy, and overly oily hair; and morning dry, chalky skin to the oily mess at the end of the day. I am here to assist you with all of these with extremely easy and quick fixes.

Acne:

Everyone gets pimples. There’s nothing strange about it, it’s completely natural and happens to everyone. Here’s a few easy solutions to help you get rid of those small pesky blemishes.

Ice- The cooling effect of ice instantly soothes inflammation and redness. All you have to do is rub ice on the aggravated area for 30-40 minutes in five minute intervals before you go to bed. By morning the swelling, redness, and inflammation should have gone down.

Oatmeal and honey- Not only does this combination taste delicious, but mix it into a face mask and the oatmeal helps prevent oil production, which can cause acne. Honey is a great addition because it contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help kill the bacteria in your pimples. Just let it sit for an hour then rinse it off and by morning you will definitely notice a difference!

Tea tree oil-  Known as one of the fastest ways to treat acne, it can be applied on the affected area and will help dry out the pimples and reduce inflammation and redness.

Toothpaste- Apply it straight onto your pimple before you catch some Z’s. The next day you will notice that you no longer have huge zits or bumps!

Puffy Eyes:

Whether it be your allergies acting up or lack of sleep, puffy eyes are a definite day-damper. Try out these easy tricks to get sleek, flat skin.

Chilled tea bags- After brewing a hot cup of tea, don’t throw the tea bag out right away. Pop it in the fridge for your own puffy eye-soother. Black and green work best because Cold spoons- Pop a spoon in the freezer for five to ten minutes then gently press it around your eyes. The cool temperature will help reduce swelling.

Not only do they contain caffeine (which helps reduce the gorged blood vessels to diminish puffiness and dark circles), but they also have beneficial antioxidants that include tannins. Tannins are what give the tea its color and flavor, but most importantly, tannins also stimulate healthy blood circulation and help tighten and soothe skin. Leave on for five to fifteen minutes.

Cucumbers- Cucumbers consist of many antioxidants which are thought to reduce irritation, while the coolness of the vegetable helps reduce swelling.

 Sleep- I know it’ll be hard, but finish your homework early, say goodnight to your boyfriend, and get off of Facebook, because getting that eight hours of sleep is a life saver. It’s called “beauty rest” for a reason.

Dark Circles:

These are sometimes hereditary, but it can also happen if you aren’t getting enough sleep.

Concealer- Make sure to invest in a good concealer (for girls) that matches your skin tone! It might not fix your problem permanently, but you have a temporary cheat to look like you have bright eyes! If you only have mild darkness or discoloration, pick a liquid formula. On the other hand, if your circles are darker, then you should purchase a cream or cake concealer.

Tea bags- Not only do they reduce swelling and puffiness, they reduce dark circles. Cucumbers also have this effect.

Bad hair days:

Oily hair- A definite quick fix is baby powder. Take a little on your hands and blot it through your roots, then blow dry or shake out with towel. The baby powder will absorb the oils. Flour or dry shampoo are also great products for this. Also, try washing your hair every two days instead of every day. Everyday wash strips your hair of nutrients and essential natural oils, and to compensate your body produces even more oils.  If that still doesn’t work for you, make sure you apply conditioner from your ears down.From dry, straw-like hair to stringy, greasy hair, or frizzy unmanageable hair to dull, lifeless hair, well we all have our own hair battles.

Dull Hair- Mix two capsules of shampoo, ¼ cup of warm water, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Whisk this all together in a small bowl until sudsy. Apply to dry hair and massage it in, SLOWLY add water and build up frothy suds. Keep massaging for about 30 seconds. Proceed to rinse thoroughly. Add in a lightweight finishing rinse, and you’re done!

Flat hair- Make sure you’re using a lightweight shampoo and conditioner. Towel dry your hair and apply volumizing foam from root to tips of your hair. Now, with your blowdryer and a round brush, style as desired. A great substitute for blow drying are large, hot curlers.

Frizzy hair- I find a smoothing (oily) serum best for my frizzy unruly hair. I love any shine serum or frizz tamer. Most people who have frizzy hair are curl based and if you don’t take care of your curls properly, you end up with a big bundle of frizz. I suggest laying off the heat for a while and start doing hair treatments; avocado & olive oil is a great healer and coconut oil is a blessing! Apply from your ears down and you will definitely notice a difference! But if you don’t have time to heal your hair, grab a good heat protectant and whip out that straightener! To finish, hairspray fly-aways.

I hope these tips give you a head start on any obstacle in your way.

Stay Classy,

M&M