How To Get Rid of the Moustache Shadow

by POPSUGAR Beauty 10

Cheese! You smile for the camera, and you're looking rather lovely. But once you see those pictures, you wonder why your appearance is just a bit too "Tom Selleck-y" for your liking (Gratitutious pic of Magnum, P.I. to your right — wink). Well, maybe it's not that extreme, but when it comes to your upper lip, you definitely aren't hoping for a dark, stubbled 'stache.

Wait, it's not even upper lip hair that is getting you all upset. After all, you just did a little hair removal over the weekend, and there's no way it's already reared its way back to the surface. Well, then — what exactly is casting this unwanted shadow that's taken up residence upon your face?

It could be the bluish/green hues of veins, which are causing your distress.

• In this case, try using a concealing cream in a corrective color to help mask the undertones common in veins. A pinkish/yellow hue should do the trick. I like Benefit It Stick ($20).

It could be melasma, which is hyperpigmentation that can be caused by hormones (sometimes from the pill or other medications). To add insult to injury, irritation from the sun and/or removing hair from the upper lip can aggravate this area even further. Find out what treatments will help fade melasma related spotting and read more.

• Help alleviate this problem by always wearing sunscreen. I can't stress this enough.
• Visit your dermatologist for advice. He or she can discuss your options, which might include: prescription bleaching creams, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or laser resurfacing, to name a few.
• Try over the counter bleaching creams that will help fade spots away. Look for products with ingredients like kojic acid, azelaic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, and/or hydroquinone (did you see my definition earlier)?

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