Quiz: Fast Fixes to Put Your Best Face Forward

The rumors are true. In a pinch, a cream used to shrink swelling elsewhere on your body can do the same on your face. The key is to leave it on for 20 minutes. Then wipe off and clean the area to avoid a greasy sheen.

You don’t have to start from square one. So skip makeup remover or baby oil the next time you have a makeup mishap.

Even trying to rub off a makeup mistake will likely make the smudge or streak more eye-catching.

Instead, cover it up. Grab your blending brush and a little foundation for a makeup fix that won’t take off what you’ve already applied.

Celebrity makeup artists use eye drops for more than getting the red out of sleepy starlets’ eyes. They also dab a few drops on their clients' faces. The active ingredient, tetrahydrozoline, tightens up blood vessels so it can also help calm irritated, red skin.

It’s best to use toothpaste in your mouth, not on your face. Even though toothpaste does have antibacterial properties that can help treat pimples, toothpaste is very irritating to skin. It’s likely to do more harm than good.

The best fast fix: Treat your zit with acne products that have benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Then camouflage your blemish by dabbing on concealer that you set in place with powder on top. Voila!

Forget lip injections. Plump up the appearance of your pucker with the trick celebrity makeup artists have been using for years. All you need is lip liner a shade lighter than your lipstick. Draw a line just outside the border of your top lip and fill it in with liner to give the illusion of fuller lips. Then, top with your lipstick.

Pro Tip: Open your mouth and make sure your lip liner is carefully connected at the corners of your mouth. That way you won't end up with "I Love Lucy" lips.

Tweezing a higher arch into your brows is one way to wake up sleepy looking eyes. Caution, just don’t tweeze too high or you’ll look permanently surprised!  For a less permanent solution, applying even a few fake lashes can work, too.

Using white eyeliner is another quick trick for an eye-opening effect. Put it on along the "waterline" of the eye, just inside the lower lashes. New York celebrity makeup artist Lana G., whose clients include actress Sarah Jessica Parker, advises using a white kohl liner. The soft pencil glides on more easily than others.  

It’s best to steer away from rubbing alcohol. Dabbing it on to control shine can dry out and irritate your face.

Pressed powder is an easy way to control all-over face shine and still have a finished look. Sopping up some shine with blotting paper is another option. It can be helpful if you already have on powder and you don’t want your makeup to look cake-y.

To cut the need for afternoon blot-sessions, start off by using an anti-shine powder under your makeup during your AM beauty routine.

Exfoliating every day could really irritate your face. Especially, if it already feels irritated and chapped. Exfoliating once a week should be enough. Your best bet to fix flaky skin -- moisturizer.

To care for dry skin: Start your beauty routine by washing your face with warm water, not hot. Use a mild soap or a creamy wash to wash away some flakes. Then put on a moisturizer while your skin is damp to seal the moisture into your skin. Use more moisturizer throughout the day, as needed.

Common beauty advice is to use concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone to brighten your eye area.

But some beauty experts suggest going a little darker. First, apply an orange, yellow, or even green shade of a creamy color-correcting makeup. Then, layer on concealer that is half a shade darker than your natural skin tone. The darker shade will cover the tinted concealer and actually neutralize the discoloration.

Experiment and see which works better for you.

With any wrinkle on your face, caking on coverage with heavy foundation only enhances the creases. Using bold eye makeup may draw attention to what you’re trying to cover up. But a light powder will be just right and diminish the look of the lines around your eyes.

New York celebrity makeup artist Jennifer Wobito, whose clients include Lauren Conrad and Lucy Liu, says blending makeup so there aren’t severe lines is the key to creating a natural look.

If your skin looks yellow and washed out, don’t despair. Use a pink or blue-hued blush for a healthier-looking tone. But avoid applying peach or orange. Your skin will pick up the yellow undertones of these colors.

For a sun-kissed look without the health risks and skin damage of using a tanning bed, lightly brush bronzer on your face.

New York celebrity makeup artist David Maderich, whose clients include Giselle and Drew Barrymore, likes to mix a little pink blush with the bronzer to brighten up the glow.

Although a self-tanner can also give you a safe glow, it’s not a fast fix when you have to be out the door in 20 minutes.