How to look great in a pinch

Many of us have a list of things we’d like to achieve on a given day, in addition to the list of things that we absolutely must get done on that day.

Whether you’re a full-time mom, student, employee, or a mish-mash of all three, we are equally plagued with a desperate need to look great in a pinch and feel our best with the precious little time we have.

Here are a few friendly cheats to beat the clock and look your best.

The counterfeit pedicure

How many times has it dawned on you 15 minutes before the party that your open toe pumps are a better choice than booties?

Problem: your tree climbers look like something out of National Geographic.

No problem: grab your favorite nail polish and put a fresh coat on the toes that peek out of the shoe. Your polish will dry by the time you arrive at the big event.

Faux glow

While we most often fuss over white legs in shorts, flashing your tan lines in a strapless dress cheats the décolletage of entitled admiration.

Forge a tan for the day with Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. Spray lightly on your arms, chest and shoulders. Rub into the skin like lotion, then blend with a makeup sponge.

The product will not streak on your skin or rub off on clothes (unless you plan to break a serious sweat).

Recycled laundry

If you’ve located your favorite jeans at the bottom of the laundry pile half an hour before a night on the town, don’t despair.

Survey pants to ensure you didn’t spill New England Clam Chowder or sit in gum during the last wear, then spray generously with a household odor eliminator such as Febreze, and fire up the iron.

Gently mist jeans with spray starch, and press your pants on a medium setting with steam. Your jeans will look and smell brand new.

Your arch nemesis: the zit

Even Gisele Bündchen gets zits. This fun fact probably won’t console the senior on prom night or the bride on her wedding day, but it is important to embrace the positives instead of hiding something under hideous gobs of makeup.

If you have time, get a spray tan—we feel sexier when we’re bronzed and the color helps camouflage skin imperfections.

Use a tiny amount of green-based concealer to neutralize redness from the blemish, then highlight your best facial asset.

If you have pretty eyes, use black liner to create the sexy cat-eye. If you have full lips, pick a yummy pink gloss to sport for the day. Admirers will not be looking at your blemish.

Worst-case scenario

We’ve all encountered the worst-case scenario—you overslept and are (really) late for work, woke up next to your future husband, or you spent all morning running errands and now you have to meet your (prettiest) friends for lunch.

The solution? Stash a kit of inexpensive lip gloss, mascara, blush and an eyebrow pencil everywhere—your purse, a desk drawer, glove compartment, workout bag, baby bag, backpack, etc.

The worst-case scenario means a little inexpensive something is a lot better than nothing.

Cheryl Says

If you skip the shower, don’t sweat missing the shampoo–I’m a big fan of second-day hair!