Ideas to subdue a red blotch without makeup?

December 28, 2012 7:22 AM

Job interview at 1:00 p.m. eastern standard time. I have a red blotch on my face.

Woke up this morning and found one of those nasty red blotches on my face that is sort of like the start of a pimple but never actually turns into one and eventually fades away. It's about the size of a dime and just above my right cheekbone. I'm very light skinned, so it really stands out.

Just found out I have a job interview at 1:00. Makeup is not an option because I can't get to a store. Is there anything I can do in the next 2.5 hours to minimize the horrid red blotch?

posted by JanetLand to health & fitness (14 answers total)

Have you tried icing it? If you do, make sure to wrap ice in cloth and leave time after you've removed the ice from your face for any ice-induced redness to fade away.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 7:26 AM on December 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

Do you have any cortisone cream? It's pretty good at reducing inflammation. Goop it up but be sure to wash it off before your meeting.
posted by workerant at 7:27 AM on December 28, 2012

Pop a couple of Advil while you're at it. Anti-inflamitory and all.
posted by fontophilic at 7:31 AM on December 28, 2012

A cool, wet tea bag can reduce inflammation, as well. And a cup of tea in the morning to get the tea bag wet may reduce some stress!
posted by xingcat at 7:35 AM on December 28, 2012

Are you at a job already and that's why you can't get to a store? see if anyone around you has some powder you could borrow.
posted by gt2 at 7:45 AM on December 28, 2012

Cortisone cream or a hemorrhoid cream (it reduces blood flow to the area), ice, ibuprofen tablets. If you have no make up around the house the tiniest smidge, an ever so faint dusting of talc on your finger and pat it on to try and make it less shiney obvious but not a glaring white spot on your face, but don't fiddle around with the area too much you will just make it worse.
posted by wwax at 7:46 AM on December 28, 2012

Can you call a friend and have them bring some concealer over their lunch break?
posted by zippy at 8:24 AM on December 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Put some Visine (yes, the eye drops) on it. Gets the red out.
posted by jcatus at 8:34 AM on December 28, 2012

Whatever else you do, minimize your concern about it so that it doesn't interfere with your mental state during the interview. It's okay to see it as a horrid red blotch right now, but at 1:00 PM Eastern it should be no more than a trifle, even if it looks objectively worse.
posted by perspicio at 8:53 AM on December 28, 2012

These ideas are very helpful, thanks. I loaded up on Advil, and will try the ice or tea bag while I'm eating lunch. (Yes, I am at work, and the interview is here at work.) I did discreetly look around for some makeup, but we're surprisingly makeup-free around here.
posted by JanetLand at 9:01 AM on December 28, 2012

yeah, I'm sure it really stands out to you but it won't to the interviewer unless this is a modeling job or something. Take a deep breath when you head over there and do your best to focus on the interview and not your face.

good luck!
posted by dawkins_7 at 9:05 AM on December 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

If you wear glasses (or even have a pair for reading/driving that you wouldn't normally need for a conversation), you could push them up or down until the frames block that area.
posted by ecsh at 9:10 AM on December 28, 2012

I'd smash up a couple of aspirin in water and put that on the spot. Let it dry, rinse off, pat dry and ignore.
posted by Ideefixe at 9:49 AM on December 28, 2012

Good luck! I hope it went well.
posted by theora55 at 11:41 AM on December 28, 2012