Jenny B. Davis

4pm, Saturday afternoon. You're still slumped on the couch, watching sucky Lifetime movies and reeking of smoke and gin. No problem, except your _________'s (insert best friend/mom/ex-fiancé/boss) wedding starts in three hours. And no, you can't be late. This situation calls for the type of aesthetic intervention that only serious product can provide. Here are a few tips from top beauty pros on how to get wedding-ready so you don't roll into the ceremony looking like ass.

Have Bags, Will Travel

There are two secrets to defying the cosmetic ravages of extra baggage: Get the right product, then daub and blend, daub and blend. Former beauty editor Kristin Moses swears by Automatic Camouflage Concealer from Sue Devitt Studio. Look for the thin blue wand in the "Bermuda Triangle" shade, which is specially formulated to fade those dim rims. ($23, www.sephora.com or www.suedevittstudio.com). "I've tried everything, and this is the best," says Moses, who's been logging both miles and late nights working for her family's Virginia winery and planning her wedding. "It's not too light, and it's not too heavy. It's the only one that covers without looking like stage makeup."

Slay the Dragon

Nothing says "felon" to elderly wedding guests quite like visible tattoos. What's hip in Ukrainian Village, my friend, doesn't always mix with tents and canapés at the Art Institute. If your sleeved-out look is too hard to hide, try Dermablend Cover Crème or Full Coverage Foundation by MAC, advises Chicago-based independent makeup artist Jason Araujo ($27.50, www.dermablend.com; $24.50, www.maccosmetics.com). Apply either product with a dry sponge and set with loose powder. Don't expect absolute perfection--covering tattoos is tough, even for the best artists, says Araujo. But this technique should soften the visuals a bit.

Crazy Sexy Clean

No time to wash your hair? Or did you forget to shower before you covered that tattoo? No worries, there's a way to help your hair get back its oh-so fresh feeling thanks to the magic of--you guessed it--product. Stylist Stephanie Ebert of Chicago's A Cut Above swears by Light Elements Reviving Mist by Aveda. ($21 - $33, www.aveda.com) "Just spray it on dry hair and style as usual," she says, to refresh your do and help you brush around that stubborn bed-head dent. "Plus it's got a light lavender fragrance, so it'll help you smell better, too."

(2005-11-15)

Also by Jenny B. Davis

Taking It All Off
My friend Lisa has spent thousands ridding herself of excess body hair with lasers...
(2005-06-09)

Anarchy in the kitchen
The obvious lack of structure might have brought down lesser events, but here it goes unnoticed. In fact, it might even be encouraged.
(2002-10-30)

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