Toothpaste, Potatoes, and Pepto? Of Course!

If you’re facing a beauty emergency and can’t dash to the nearest cosmetic counter, don’t panic. Help is at hand – in your own home. Here are six weird beauty tips to the rescue.

1. Toothpaste Kills Pimples

Got a pimple before a big event? Dab on a little toothpaste. According to Dr. Frances Jang, a dermatologist at Skinworks in Vancouver, British Columbia, “It acts like an astringent drawing impurities out of the skin.” The paste will dry up the blemish and help kill germs in the affected area. Dr. Jang recommends that users of this quick fix “find a natural or organic toothpaste with minimal addictives. Get an actual paste, not a gel. Apply a small dab to an acne spot and leave it overnight.” Be sure to use a small amount – too much and your skin may become irritated or excessively dry. In the morning, wash away the paste and your breakout should be less inflamed and noticeable.

2. Baking Soda Removes Self-Tanner Streaks

Self-tanner is a convenient way to have a golden, summertime hue. “It’s a vegetable dye that attaches to the top, dead layer of skin cells,” says Dr. Jang. “People get self-tanner streaks because the product has been applied unevenly, or dead skin cells haven’t been exfoliated properly in advance [of application].” If you have self-tanner streaks, that box of baking soda lurking in your cupboard is your new best friend. Non-toxic and easy to use, just wet some baking soda in your hand and massage the area of your tanning mishap. “It gets pasty and gritty – it’s exfoliating. It’s simply taking off some of the skin cells and lightening the streaking,” says Dr. Jang.

3. Chew Sugar-Free Gum to Battle Tooth Decay

If you can’t brush your teeth after a meal, chewing sugar-free gum can help prevent cavities. The chewing action triggers saliva flow in the mouth. “Saliva has the ability to neutralize acids produced by bacteria in the mouth following a meal,” says Dr. Euan Swan, the Canadian Dental Associations’ Manager of Dental Programs. “If the acids aren’t neutralized quickly following a meal, they can cause a softening of tooth enamel that may lead to a cavity.” While chewing gum isn’t recommended as an alternative to a proper hygiene routine of brushing and flossing, it can be beneficial when you’re on the go.

4. Raw Potato Can De-Puff Eyes

For a safe, natural way to deflate eye puffiness, try potatoes. The vegetable has a soothing effect on swollen skin tissues. Cut two slices from a freshly washed and peeled raw potato. Lie down, placing the slices on your eyes. Ten minutes later, remove the potato pieces and rinse the eye area with lukewarm water. “[Potatoes] are astringent, so they can help decrease water retention and therefore, puffy eyes,” says Dr. Jang. In addition to easing puffiness, potatoes have another trick. “Their liquid starch content [contains] an enzyme called catalase that can help lighten dark circles a little bit,” says Dr. Jang. “Sometimes you see it in the over-the-counter skin lightening products – appearing as an enzyme called catecholase.”

5. Chamomile Tea with Lemon Can Lighten Hair

Desperate for highlights, but can’t get to your hair salon? Relax and turn the kettle on – literally. The cup of tea you’re brewing will lighten your locks. “Chamomile tea and fresh lemon juice is a permanent hair lightener,” says Popie Poulos, hairstylist and owner of The Salon in Ajax, Ontario. Wash your hair and “use chamomile tea mixed with lemon juice as a rinse instead of conditioner. Then sit in the sun to [let your hair] dry. It will give you natural highlights. It doesn’t fade and will stay until it grows out,” says Poulos. The heat from the sun, or your hairdryer causes the lemon juice to brighten your hair. The chamomile brings out natural looking blonde tones. The key is to use both ingredients together – lemon juice alone can result in brassy streaks.

6. Pepto-Bismol Makes a Refreshing Facemask

This stomach remedy is a surprising multi-tasker. Not only can it settle your tummy after a rich meal, it can also be used as a facial mask. Pepto-Bismol contains bismuth subsalicylate – a common ingredient in facial creams. “We use salicylate in over-the-counter acne products to gently exfoliate areas that are more oily, or built up with dead skin, blackheads and whiteheads,” says Dr. Jang. “Put two teaspoons of Pepto-Bismol on your face, leaving it to dry like a mask. After 15-30 minutes, rinse it away with warm water.” Your skin should feel smoother, however, Dr. Jang suggests that users “should be careful as Pepto-Bismol can irritate sensitive skin.”

Credit to Reader’s Digest for these weird tips!