How to fix your makeup when you've been crying

Image via Think Stock.

So, you just watched Up. Or you’ve had a fight with your partner. Or your computer’s not working, your boss won’t stop snarking at you and you’ve just realised you’re going to be late to an appointment you’ve already cancelled twice.

Basically, you’re going to cry. You have been crying or you are literally crying right now. You and you’re not sure what to do about it. Makeup can help.

But first, what kind of crying are we talking about? 

Related links:

The genius tool for people who can’t paint their nails

5 ways to break out of a beauty rut

3 makeup hacks to look more polished with minimal effort

Because if you're in the midst of a full-blown, screaming, weeping, smacking-your-own-face break down, there's nothing to be done right now. You're just going to have to cry it out first. No amount of waterproof mascara and anti-redness concealer can survive ten rounds with tears, snot and a box of Kleenex.

Have you sobbed it out now? Got the post-cry calm going? Good. Use some makeup remover to get rid of any traces of wept-off mascara/eyeliner/foundation. You're going to want as smooth a start as possible.

Now it's time to address the tell-tear signs.

Red eyes

If you've been crying hard for a long time, there's a good chance your eyes are bloodshot and sore. Not only that, but the skin around your eyes is puffy and inflamed, and your lids are angry red rims.

If you have a bit of time to sort yourself out, lie down with sliced cucumbers over your eyes and breathe deeply. These will cool and calm your eyes, and the skin around them. They'll also help settle some of that puffiness. Cold spoons work too.

In more of a rush? Reach for the stoner's best friend Visine ($7.69, buy it here). One to two drops in each eye will reduce that bloodshot appearance.

Next, you're going to want to hide those red rims. Do this with a cream coloured eye pencil. Because your eyes are likely to be quite irritated, soften the pencil first by blasting it with a blowdryer. Alternatively, Napoleon's Eye Bright Inner Rim liner ($28, buy it here) was basically made for this task.

Blotchy skin

If you've been seriously bawling, there's a good chance you're dealing with a lot of facial redness, and you're going to need more coverage than usual.

A CC cream, like YSL's Forever Light Creator (available at David Jones), Clinique's Moisture Surge ($45) or L'Oreal's Nude Magique ($26.95, buy here) should even out your red patches, while giving your salt-dried skin a rush of moisture.

Chapped lips

There's one upside to having a good cry, which is that your lips are probably nice and pink. But all those cry faces mean your lips are probably also a little chapped and unhappy. Soothe them with an ultra moisturising lip balm, like Go-To's Lips! ($14.95, get it here). The balm will add a little shine too.

The fear of a repeat occurrence

One of the toughest things about tears is that once they've come once, they often come back. If you're in a situation where it's likely you'll end up crying again shortly (wedding, therapist's office, watching Up) your best defence is waterproof mascara.

But, also know that it's okay to cry. We've all teared up now and then. It may not be cute, but it is human.

Love this story ?  Follow us on Facebook