Rescue Me! Holiday Beauty Survival Tips

Bah! Acne Breakouts

Cause: Stress. The too-much-to-do-in-too-little-time holiday syndrome can leave your nerves frayed and your skin blemished.

Aah! If you’re prone to breakouts and don’t have overly sensitive or dry skin, try preventing them with regular use of a face soap that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. If an important event is coming up and you tend to break out when you’re run-down, “starting a week before, use a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide cream every night on the area where blemishes usually occur,” says Diane Berson, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, in New York City. “When a pimple does appear, place an ice pack on it for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce swelling, then pat the area dry and apply benzoyl peroxide cream or gel with a clean cotton swab,” says Berson. “You can top it with concealer that also contains benzoyl peroxide.”