By now, you’ve probably settled into a stay-at-home haircare routine. On the other hand, perhaps you’re still throwing beauty darts at the wall to see what actually sticks. Understandably so, hair color is a point of concern for many because we usually leave dye jobs to the professionals. However, with salon hours extremely limited and box dye readily available, touching up roots and testing new shades at home is more popular than ever. And since that inevitably leads to a spill or two, the best hair color remover wipes are having a moment as well.

A dollop of dye on your hair strands can be easily redistributed with a brush or gloved hands. But that same dollop on a bathroom sink or your skin can quickly settle in and leave behind a barely-there stain that will always bother you. Thankfully, there are plenty of hair color remover wipes and pads soaked in a gentle mix of exfoliating and soothing ingredients to erase unwanted color without causing irritation. Most of them are also affordable—check out some of the best options below.

Framar.

Framar Kolor Killer Wipes

If you want more bang for your buck, these multipurpose wipes clock in at just under $10 with 100 wipes in one container. The gentle, but effective formula includes exfoliating lactic acid, dead sea salt, and soothing aloe. Plus, the fresh and clean scent will overpower the strong hair dye smell.

Buy: Framar Kolor Killer Wipes $9.97

Color Oops.

Color Oops Wipes

On the other hand, if you foresee the hair dye spill being a one-time ordeal, this 10-pack of gentle cleansing wipes will remove permanent and semi-permanent hair color from the face, neck, and hands.

Buy: Color Oops Wipes $5.02

Colortrak.

Colortrak Hair Color Remover Wipes

Here’s another super-sized canister of gentle, aloe vera-infused wipes to keep in your makeshift at-home salon for surprise spills.

Buy: Colortrak Hair Color Remover Wipes $8.45

DyZoff.

DyZoff Pads

If you prefer something smaller for a more targeted approach, these soaked cotton pads will get those hard-to-reach spots behind the ears. Countless Amazon reviewers call it the best hair color remover they’ve ever used, so the hype is probably real.

Buy: DyZoff Pads $9.95

Redken.

Redken Color Stain Remover

When you’ve applied a smidge too much hair dye to one section of your scalp, these gentle, pre-soaked wipes are safe enough to use on the skin and scalp.

Buy: Redken Color Stain Remover $21

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s time to be brutally honest. When I first heard about face primer, I thought, “You’re kidding. One more layer of stuff to put on my face? No way!”

I simply didn’t see the need for it. But I decided to try out a few of them anyway, and the experience left me feeling that face primers were useless. They felt slick, greasy or tacky on my skin, and I was not impressed.

Still, I kept reading and hearing about all the benefits of face primers: they combat shine, they create a smooth base for foundation, they help foundation go on easier and the foundation lasts longer… and so on.

After a year or so, I thought I would give face primers another chance. At that time, I had to reluctantly admit that the one I tried felt pretty good on my skin.

Moreover, my makeup looked darn good at the end of the day even though I’d been out in the vicious heat and had logged a lot of errand-running miles. I had to admit I was impressed.

Now You Can Find a Primer for Just About Every Skin Concern

Primers have continued to improve. There are now many primers that also help us with a variety of skin types and concerns –from dullness to redness to pore issues to dry- or oily-skin issues.

So Just What Is a Primer and What Does It Do?

Face primers create a protective barrier over the skin. They are primarily used to even out the skin tone, to smooth the skin’s surface so makeup goes on more evenly and to help makeup last longer.

Think of face primer as you would paint primer for your house: the goal is to apply a smooth base coat (primer) before applying the final coat (foundation).

Here’s a quick rundown of the benefits of using a face primer:

• Helps your makeup stay flawless and in place longer – and is a real help in extreme weather conditions.
• Helps foundation glide on more easily and evenly.
• Absorbs oil to help combat shine later in the day.
• Helps reduce the look of large pores.
• Depending on the type of primer, it can help even out the skin tone.
• Helps fill in lines, wrinkles and other imperfections so you use less foundation.
• Depending on the type of primer, it can add brightness to the skin.
• Can help prevent makeup from looking ‘caked on.’
• Creates a protective barrier over the skin which seals in and protects any treatment products used during your daily skincare regimen.

Some Additional Tips

There are a few other things to point out as well.

Many makeup primers are formulated with silicon-based polymers, like dimethicone, because of their ultra-smoothing effects. But if you struggle with cystic acne or other skin conditions, do a patch test or check with a medical professional since some people report allergic reactions to dimethicone.

There are also many primers that are based on skin-loving ingredients or botanicals, are paraben free and packed with vitamins and minerals. And some primers also have SPF.

I highly recommend requesting samples of various primers from department store makeup counters or from Sephora or Ulta to see which primers feel best on your skin and work best for you.

How to Apply Primer

Many makeup artists recommend applying primer with your fingertips for several different reasons. The warmth from your fingers allows the product to ‘melt’ into your skin and provide natural-looking results.

In addition, applying with your fingers allows you to work the product into your skin, which also gets the blood flowing underneath, helping your circulation.

Another option is to blend some of the primer into your favorite liquid foundation. This will provide sheerer coverage but with some staying power.

When to Apply Primer

Now you may be wondering exactly when you should apply primer during your skincare and makeup routine.

You will always want to put primer on after you complete your skincare routine and before you put on foundation. If you’re using a separate SPF product, your SPF should go on after your moisturizer and before your primer.

So why not pick up a few primer samples and give them a try? Who knows… it may just be the ingredient you need to continue to look flawless when you still have those dancing shoes on at 10 p.m.

Have you tried a face primer under your makeup? What has been your experience with it? Has it worked for you? Would you recommend a face primer to others? Please share your opinion and thoughts below.

Getting enough
beauty sleep is important, especially if you want to age gracefully. A good
night’s sleep makes you less likely to suffer from depression, memory problems,
and serious health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
breast cancer.

Unfortunately, many
women who are 60 and over often have trouble sleeping at night. So, what do you
do if you need sleep, but can’t get any?

Holistic life coach
and founder of Growing Younger Gracefully Sheena Nancy Sarles has a few
sleeping tips for women over 60. In her interview with Margaret Manning, she shares
three simple breathing techniques to help you sleep at night.

Meditative
Breath

A warm foot massage
is the first step to a good night’s sleep. Take any essential oil that you find
soothing and calming. Then, rub it on the palms of your hands before massaging
it on your feet. Giving yourself a quick foot massage before hitting the sheets
will help you get rid of all the tension in your body.

Having a soothing
and relaxing massage before bed helps you relax and unwind. You will immediately
want to hop into bed and close your eyes. Hopefully, you will be whisked into
the land of dreams once your head hits your pillow.

However, if you end
up counting your troubles instead of sheep, you can use simple breathing
exercises to calm your mind. Inhale to bring relaxation, and exhale to release all
tension. Breathe in and hold your breath for four counts before exhaling on the
fifth.

Alternate
Nostril Breath

Another breathing
technique you can use to keep your body calm and relaxed is the alternate nasal
breath. Instead of breathing from both of your nostrils at the same time, you
inhale from one nostril and exhale through the other.

Press your finger
against your left nostril, and inhale through your right. Gently release your
finger from your left nostril, then press it against the right. Then, exhale
through the other nostril.

Left nostril breathing
activates your Ida Nerve Ending, which keeps you calm and relaxed. Right
nostril breathing activates the Pingala Nerve Ending, which makes you feel
alert and active. If you want to sleep through the night, you can do left
nostril breathing until you’re sleepy.

Mindful
Breathing

Waking up at
ungodly hours when you’re still so tired can be frustrating. You want to sleep,
but your mind won’t let you. So, what do you do?

Mindful breathing is the practice of focusing on your breath. Instead of entertaining feelings of frustration or worrying about the consequences of not getting enough sleep, focus on your breathing. Inhale and exhale, paying attention to your breath as it enters your nostrils and moves toward your lungs. Observe the way your chest expands as you inhale and worry about nothing else. With this, you can go back to sleep in no time.

How well are you sleeping these days? And what do you do to overcome age-related sleep problems? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to click “like,” and share this article with other women who might need it!