You know the drill.
You quit, your willpower wanes, you start again.
You are your own enemy in World War Me.
Well, it’s time to negotiate a peace treaty.
Use their strategies to plan your own makeover maneuvers.
Operation Break My Bad Habit starts now!
The tweezing left her with uneven, lopsided brows.
Klein met with Sadie Celaj, an aesthetician for the Anastasia Brow Studio in New York City.
She introduced Klein to a stencil, a cutout of the ideal shape.
Soon, you’ve gone too far: superthin brows or, worse, a hook shape!
The hairs that fit through are the ones you want to leave alone.
You now know where to let brows fill in.
(It takes about a month.)
Brush over stencil with a dark powder to define your new shape, remove stencil and pluck around outline.
Waiting for sparse spots to grow in?
Dab on an eyebrow powder that matches your brows to disguise thin areas.
Use this guide to decide if you need expert intervention.
Nail bitingVisit the salon if you have trouble putting on your own polish at home.
This is a big red flag that you’re doing harm to your roots and scalp.
A colorist can advise you on how to reverse the damage and get your strands back in shape.
Shiao tried peels, scrubs and at-home antiacne recipes to treat her patches of red bumps.
Shiao had done such damage that her quickest route back to clear skin was to see a doctor.
Neil Sadick, M.D., a dermatologist in NYC, recommended this regimen for her.
Dr. Sadick performed the treatment on Shiao twice a week for a month.
Its glycolic acid exfoliates while its hydroquinone diminishes dark spots for an even tone.
It applies heat to kill the pimple-causing bacteria.
A biter since childhood, Derck says her gnawing had led to a domino effect.
“I’d mess up one nail and think, There goes my whole hand.”
Then, last June, her boyfriend proposed.
With a wedding on the way, she needed to get her hands picture-ready.
Instead, moisturize and push them back.
STRENGTHEN WITH SUPPLEMENTS
Derck took biotin, a B complex vitamin, to aid nail growth.
Within a few weeks, she noticed her nails were tough as, well, nails.
), she massaged her nails with oil instead.
The harder your nail, the more likely you are to notice that you’re biting.
Then: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Applying nail oil as often as possible stops jagged cuticles from forming.
Avoid a relapseYou’ve kicked your bad habit?
Now stick to your success with these relapse-busting tips from Amy Wechsler, M.D., a dermatologist in NYC.
Skin pickersToss the magnifying mirror.
You might even install lower-wattage bulbs to prevent yourself from noticing every pore.
Pickers go into a trancelike state when they prod, Dr. Wechsler says.
Nail bitersKeep cuticle oil at home and at the office.
When tempted to gnaw, moisturize instead.
Or suck on sugar-free candy so your mouth is occupied by something other than your fingers!
Hair bleachersIf you’re able to, quit bleach and use an at-home color-depositing glaze to enhance color.
If you must bleach, get monthly salon gloss treatments, which use less-damaging silicone.
Everything about Vernon is well conditionedexcept for her hair.
The natural brunette went blonde for a fitness competition.
She wanted to go back to a more natural, healthier shade.
“My hair feels so healthy and soft without all the heat styling,” Vernon says.
Photo Credit: Daniela Stallinger
