When it comes to bodycare products, consistency truly is key.
If something is watery, lumpy, or overall not what you expected, it can really rain on your self-care parade.
Our first thought? Leave it alone, throw it out, never buy it again—in most cases, all three!
But before you throw your money down the drain along with the products, you owe it to yourself to at least try to fix it and really get the bang for your buck.
From watery lotion to clumpy deodorant, here’s how to fix 4 of the most annoying body care problems.
Watery or Thin Lotion: Time to thicken or re-enforce.
Watery, thin lotion will have you ashy and dry within the hour, but sometimes it’s really all you got!
So what do you do to solve this problem? Thicken the cream or reenforce it with the oil or body butter of your choice. Here’s how:
- Thicken it up with Xanthan Gum. Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide that is often used as a thickener, binder, and emulsifier. While it sounds super complicated and scientific, it’s actually not. It’s really just a popular food additive that you can find cheap at your local grocery store or online at Amazon.
All you have to do is mix 1 part xanthan gum with 1 part of the common natural compound glycerin and it’ll create a paste that can be mixed in with your thin or watery lotion.
2. Reenforce it with a butter or oil. The simpler of the two options, this step is the one you should try first. All you have to do is seal in your lotion with an oil or body butter of your choice. This will trap in the hydration while also keeping your skin moisturized.
Deodorant Clumps & White Marks: Less is always more.
Deodorant clumps and streaks are super annoying. Not to mention that lifting your arms and seeing little white clumps of powder or unsightly streaks on your clothes can be very embarrassing. However, there’s no need to be embarrassed because it can be fixed:
- Dry clean it with fabric. Nylon, fabric dryer sheets, and rubber foam can all remove deodorant stains from your clothing. Just dab away at the spot until it fades! However, make sure to avoid using water on the spot, as it’ll smear and intensify the stain.
- Use a little less. This sounds like common sense, but if your deodorant is clumping under your arms, you need to use less! A swipe or two should do. But if it doesn’t, this is a sign that your deodorant may not be as good as you initially thought it was.
- Don’t re-apply. If you’ve already put on deodorant and feel that you need some more midday, don’t apply an extra layer after you’ve already started sweating! This will create clumps immediately. Instead, wipe your pits clean first and then apply a fresh layer.
Thick Dried Out Nail Polish: Moisture is your friend.
Nail polish is one of the products that actually benefit from being on the thin side. Once it starts getting thick and caking up, it’s no longer good to use. This is typically a sign that some of your maintenance habits aren’t too great or the quality in general is lacking.
So, you should:
- Tighten up. Before you try to fix the messed up polish, make sure all the tops on your newer polishes are on tight and that your bottles are stored in a cool, dark place.
- Hot water method. Liquid and moisture are your friends when it comes to drying nail polish! That’s why hot water is so effective in restoring it to its former glory. Just fill up a bowl with hot water, sit the polish bottle inside, and it’s all good in about 3 minutes.
- Nail polish remover. This might sound counterproductive, but it works! Pour a little nail polish remover (aka pure acetone) in your bottle and it’ll reliquify the polish. Be careful not to pour in too much or else it’ll make your nail polish unusable.
Fragrance That Fades Fast: Rethink your habits.
Perfumes of all price ranges and qualities can have the same exact problem: the scent fades fast.
This can happen for a number of reasons, but most of the reasons have to do with you and your own improper fragrance-wearing habits.
- Moisturize first. If you like to spray perfume on pulse points like your wrist or neck but notice that it doesn’t stick as it should, perhaps it needs something to actually stick to. Try rubbing down your pulse points with an oil or body butter before applying perfume.
- You’re nose blind. When you wear too much fragrance or even too much of the same fragrance, you’re unable to smell it after a while. Try switching up which perfume you use or simply go easy on the amount you use.
- Layer it down. Layering your perfume with the right lotion or body spray will help keep a nice fragrance intact. They don’t have to be heavy scents, either! Just enough to have you smelling good from the skin and outward.
