10 Fast Fixes for Beauty and Fashion Emergencies

Tis' the season for holiday parties and events, which means you'll be running around with little time to primp. Here are our top tips for how to get fabulous fast — and stay green at the same time.

1. Emergency: You pack evening clothes for a quick office change, but they're filled with wrinkles.

Fast Fix: We admit, it's hard to keep clothes smooth — and natural materials hold more wrinkles than synthetic ones. So pack each item in an old plastic garment bag and fold them into your carryall, suggests designer John Patrick of John Patrick Organic. The plastic acts as a barrier between the fabric when folded, preventing creases. Save bags from your dry cleaning, or ask for a few from your local dress shop — with each new shipment of clothing, hundreds are thrown away. You'll end up saving your clothes and saving plastic bags from taking a trip to the landfill all at the same time.

2. Emergency: You have just seconds to refresh your makeup.

Fast Fix: Save time by grabbing a three-in-one cream that you can dab on your eyes, lips, and cheeks, says Joanna Schlip, Los Angeles makeup artist. "Sheers and neutrals work the best since they mimic the shades in your skin. Avoid reds, berries and oranges — those colors are too harsh to wear all over your face," says Schlip. In a jam, use your lipstick. Try Cargo Plant Love in Lindsay, a sheer pink cream shade that comes in corn-based, biodegradable packaging.

3. Emergency: Your red lipstick looks awful on your chapped lips.

Fast Fix: To combat a dry, peeling pucker, mix up your own lip scrub, says Wang. Combine a pinch of coffee grounds with a dime-sized amount of honey — both things you can usually find in your office kitchen — and "dab on your lips, then massage in a circular motion," explains Wang. The honey draws moisture in while the coffee exfoliates the dead skin cells giving you smooth, lipstick-ready lips.

4. Emergency: Static cling is giving you trouble.

Fast Fix: The static in winter air can be problematic for that flowing silk dress you love. Luckily, the solution is a no-brainer: Just give the problem areas a quick spritz of water, explains Lindsey Wieber and Gwen Whiting, the founders of The Laundress, a luxury fabric care and specialty detergent line. The water removes the static force, giving you a smooth silhouette.

5. Emergency: A nasty snowstorm messes up your hair.

Fast Fix: When bad weather throws your locks into disarray, pull your hair into party-ready ponytail, says Chaz Dean, creator of WEN, a line of eco-friendly hair products. To make it look chic, start with a deep side part and smooth hair back into a ponytail that hits right at the nape of the neck. Make your own ponytail holders by using old, run pantyhose, cutting horizontally up the leg every inch or two. They're a good way to recycle and they hold incredibly well. Another makeshift hair elastic – dental floss. If you have some in your handbag, tie it around your hair to keep it in place.