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The most valuable piece of advice from tough-as-nails publicist Kelly Cutrone's 2010 bestseller might be in the title: If You Have to Cry, Go Outside. While I take a slightly more lax approach—If you have to cry, go in the beauty closet?—I do think that crying should be reserved for tragedy.
"Crying is very human, but it's a terrible move for assistants to make in an assistant-boss relationship," says writer Cat Marnell, my former boss, who taught everything about how to act in the workplace. "I've been screamed at and berated. I accepted it as par the course, and eventually I became an editor. If you want a career in one of the 'glamour' industries, take the abuse and don't bat an eye. It's not about you."
But the workplace is a minefield of tearjerkers: printers jam, coffee makers break down, e-mail archives disappear sometimes! If you've ever cried at work, here are five beauty products to keep in your desk that work for everyday touch-ups and especially meltdowns.
1
Hellin Kay
Damage control
Even waterproof mascara isn't immune to a flood of tears. There will be smudges. These gentle, non-stingy eye cloths clean up smears without exacerbating under-eye redness.
Eyeko Makeup Remover Wipes, $9, net-a-porter.com.
2
Hellin Kay
Brighten eyes
A former boss used to bring these blue drops back from France and use them to make the whites of her eyes look brighter on television. They're now available online, and they work just as well after an ugly-cry.
Innoxa Eye Drops, $29, skinmedix.com.
3
Hellin Kay
Nix redness
Industrial-strength coverage for blotchy skin, this dense, but blendable concealer could even hide a tattoo.
Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer, $48, Sephora.com.
4Hellin Kay
Refresh lashes
Deliberate clumps are chic, but tear-induced spikes are a dead giveaway. Separate and boost lashes with this correcting topcoat.
Urban Decay Mascara Resurrection, $16,urbandecay.com.
5Hellin Kay
Create a distraction
Do you know who never cries at work? Someone with flawless red lips.
Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush, $50, tomford.com.
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