Clothes, Hair & Makeup

Before applying your makeup, try one of these tricks from Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., author of 6 Weeks to Sensational Skin: Ice the spot for 5 to 10 minutes to decrease swelling and redness. Then, apply an acne treatment like Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment, $7, drugstores. Another option? Cover the blemish with a hydrocortisone cream, like Cortaid Maximum Strength Cream, $8, drugstores. This should significantly reduce the swelling, “just like it would if the dermatologist gave you a shot of cortisone in the pimple,” Dr. Ciraldo explains. If you’re treating the zit before bed, slap a Band-Aid on to keep the cream in place.