The key to a beauty routine that endures? Being prepared for mishap after mishap – and having a few quick tricks up your sleeve. And since I’m not one to hold on to a good secret, I’ll let you in on a couple of mine.

Green skin, be gone.
This beaming five-karat rock? That’s five karats of plastic. And the band, well – let’s just say there’s no Tiffany & Co. inscription hidden on there. For four bucks it was too flashy and fabulous to pass up, but unfortunately, there’s a not-so-fabulous green ring around my finger by the end of the night. The solution? Clear nail polish (not just for runs in your tights). Paint one coat around the inside of your costume jewels, let it dry, and your wicked-witch skin problem is solved.

The lipstick trick.
We’ve all been there. You’re in a cab, it’s dark, you try to freshen up your lipstick, but instead, you twist it into the cap. A perfectly good piece of makeup, ruined – or so you think. You’ve had a few Um… yes answers to Is there food in my teeth?, so you should have mini dental floss in every handbag. Pull out a small piece, twist the lipstick down so the broken part is the only part exposed, hold the tube firmly, and glide the floss flat across the top. Voilà! You’re ready to reapply. Left your floss behind? Use a piece of hair. I swear, it works.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

Questions? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Put on this upbeat tune and make your nails dance with a few super-easy music notes. If this doesn’t cure your case of the Mondays, nothing will. Just follow these steps.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in black
• Clear top coat
• Music note template

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white nail polish and let dry.
2. Using the black nail pen, draw three straight lines at the base of each nail.
3. Next, draw two dots diagonally on the top line and again on the middle line for the “music notes.”
4. With the music note template as a guide, continue to draw different notes on each nail.
5. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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This Father’s Day, show Dad (and every father figure you know) how much you care with this DIY tie manicure. Just follow the simple steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• White and blue nail polish (I used Sally Hansen’s “White On” and O.P.I’s “What’s with the Cattitude”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pens (in any bright colors)
• Toothpicks
• Metallic nail polish (in gold or silver)
• Clear top coat

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of polish, alternating between white and blue on each nail. Let nails dry completely.
2. Using a Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen, draw a small upside-down triangle at the top of the nail.
3. Using the same pen, draw a diamond shape starting at the bottom point of the triangle to create the “tie.”
4. Do this for each nail, using different Sally Hansen Nail Art Pens for each.
5. Dip a toothpick into the colored polish and draw either dots or stripes onto the “tie.”
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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Aviators, cat-eye, or classic square – nothing says summer like a pair of shades. Keep your nails cool in the sun, too, by painting this beachy staple on your tips.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Five colored nail polishes
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen, in black
• Scrap paper
• Mechanical pencil
• Clear top coat

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white nail polish and let dry.
2. Using the black nail pen, draw two closed U-shapes side by side on each nail to create the lenses.
3. Draw two thin lines at the corner of each “lens” for the arms of the sunglasses.
4. Drip a few dots of the first colored polish on the scrap paper.
5. Dip the tip of the pencil into the polish and carefully fill in the “lenses” with it.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining polishes.
7. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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Achieving a streak-free sunless tan? It’s no easy feat. We’ve all made the rookie mistakes that result in orange hands or splotchy knees. But, as an avid collector of these products – with a strict UV-free policy – I have created a system to swear by. For best results, start the process before you head to bed and then shower in the morning.

1. Exfoliate. Shave your legs. Then scrub with bath salts. A smooth surface is essential.

2. Moisturize. Any lotion will do. Dry skin will cause your sunless tan to flake sooner rather than later. Wait 5 – 8 minutes for the lotion to dry.

3. Apply tanning lotion with gloves. (If you choose not to use gloves, be sure to wash your hands with scrubbing salts when you’re finished.) Using both hands, massage the lotion in a circular motion. Start above your ankles and work your way up. Ask a friend to help with your back. Areas to skip for now: feet, ankles, knees, elbows, neck, face. Let the tanning lotion dry completely before continuing.

4. Once the lotion is dry, use a tanning spray held 4 – 6 inches from your body to lightly sweep over your legs, midsection, arms, back, and the areas you skipped in step 3 (except your face). This will cover any spots missed by the lotion. Let it dry for 5 – 10 minutes before bed.

5. To add a little color to your face, incorporate bronzer into your makeup routine. Or, use a dab of face tanning lotion and mix it into your moisturizer or liquid concealer.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

Questions? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Summer brings a season of impromptu plans – especially in New England. Mainly because we would rather relish every second of warm weather than waste time inside getting ready. Which, of course, presents a small set of problems.

Whether you’re planning to be out all Saturday, heading straight to a date after work, or rushing out the door because your friends prefer not to give you any warning, this checklist will come in handy. With a small cosmetic bag filled with these must-have items, you can be out the door and freshening up in the cab in moments.

Our Tweezerman Boutique opens Tuesday, May 28, at 11AM ET.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

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As summer approaches, the air changes – and our skin goes into its routine seasonal shock. Dark sun spots. Red pimples (curse the humidity). Freckles appearing as if from nowhere. And that natural, barely there look you were aiming for turns in to a cakey mess with the over-application of ivory concealers, nude foundations, and white powders.

Enter: The Color Correction Compact. The age-old theory is that the colors opposite each other on the color wheel cancel each other out. Here’s how it works.

1. Assess your face in the mirror and identify the areas that require coverage.

• Red spots: pimples or rosacea
• Brown spots: sun spots or scars
• Purple or blue spots: veiny eyelids or circles under eyes
• Orange spots: freckles

 
2. Use a color corrector liquid or powder compact (or both, depending on the severity of your spots) to dab away blemishes with their color opposites.

Hint: Less is more. The advantage of this technique, as opposed to using cover-up, is that these colors disguise the blemishes completely. Try not to paint it on.

3. Use an allover white face powder after you color correct and before applying bronzer or blush.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

Questions? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our Rue How-To column every Wednesday.

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Photo courtesy of Maggie Pageau.

Lisa Frank has some competition with these 90s-inspired nails. To tie-dye your tips, just follow the five simple steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• White nail polish
• Thin paintbrush
• 4 – 5 bright nail colors
• Paper towels
• Nail polish remover
• Clear top coat
• Tie-dye inspiration

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of white polish and let dry completely.
2. With the first bright nail color, use the paintbrush to make little circles in a swirl from the center of the nail to the edge (as shown above).
3. Dip the paintbrush in nail polish remover and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Repeat steps two and three with each of the different nail colors until you’re happy with the design.
5. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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When rainy days hit, brighten things up with this fun (and easy) DIY umbrella manicure. Follow the steps below to create your own.

What You’ll Need:

• Grey nail polish (I used SEPHORA by OPI’s “Metro Chic”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen, in black
• Light blue nail polish (I used OPI’s “What’s with the Cattitude?”)
• Scrap paper
• Mechanical pencil
• Clear top coat

 
The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the grey polish and let dry completely.
2. Below the tip of the nail, use the black nail pen to make the umbrella – draw multiple “W” shapes from left to right, then fill it in.
3. Continuing with the black nail pen, draw a backwards “J” for the handle.
4. Place a dot of blue nail polish on a piece of scrap paper.
5. Dip the tip of the mechanical pencil into the polish and sporadically place dots on the nail to create the look of rain drops.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

 
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

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Spring is upon us and we can’t let our feet have all the fun. Dazzle your tips with this DIY sneaker manicure – just follow the steps below.

What You’ll Need:

• Colored nail polish (I used SEPHORA by OPI’s “Metro Chic”)
• Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen, in both white and black
• Clear top coat

The How-To:

1. Paint your nails with two coats of the colored polish and let dry completely.
2. Using the white nail pen, paint the tips of the nails (like a thick French manicure).
3. Make the lace holes by placing eight dots on each nail with the black nail pen.
4. Line the nail tips with the black nail pen to create the look of a Converse sneaker.
5. With the white pen, connect the dots with diagonal lines to make the laces.
6. Finish with a clear top coat.

By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer

Want more mani how-tos? Check out our weekly Mani Monday column. 

Not a Member and like The (Style) Guide? You’ll love Rue La La. Join now.