SO many things can go wrong beauty-wise when one attends a wedding overseas.

Two days before leaving for San Francisco to attend a kin’s wedding, my cobalt Dennis Lustico gown was already snug because of a worsening PMS, which meant an extra pound or two would cause my lower abdominal to puff up and my thighs to swell. Zipping the gown up by the hip area would be impossible.

Arriving 36 hours before the big event, my husband and I found our shoes and waist bands tighter than usual as a result of our bodies’ water retention from the long plane ride and the need to adjust to the temperature change.

Lucky for us both I had the quick fix products for emergency inch loss.

Note: The products below work best to check weight gain caused by water retention. They also help those who want to lose a couple of inches on certain areas. They will not work for those who are trying to squeeze themselves into a smaller dress size to start with. Be realistic!

For men

Try the Shiseido Men Body Creator Abdomen Toning Gel. It is applied only three times for two nights and one morning. After use, the men’s pants zip up with no effort and with room to spare.

It works best when massaged on the stomach and love handles after day- and nighttime showers.

Downside: It was very cold and the kind that came from within so no amount of covering up would warm up that area till after five minutes.

It did not help that it was 50º F on wedding day. After eating the buffet and drinking from the open bar, the stomach puffed right back.

Perhaps it would need about a week of twice-a-day use for the stomach to stay flatter longer.

PMS girl’s routine

Estimating my cycle to hit right smack after the day of the Nov. 8 wedding, which meant major water weight gain, I started the routine in Manila.

I started every meal with fruit and ate high-fiber cereal for breakfast.

I also began a twice-a-day routine late October applying L’Oreal’s Perfect Slim laser gel treatment on the hips, buttocks and thighs.

Afterwards starting from the ankles going upwards, I applied Avon Cellusculpt anti-cellulite Body Sculpting treatment, including on the areas covered by Perfect Slim but giving special attention to the stomach, arms and the area which needs outside help to apply on—the braline.

Note: L’Oreal’s PSL is meant to be used like a serum so it needs something on top to seal it in. You can use a firming or any anti-cellulite lotion on top.

For non-PMS women

You can put on Clarins Total Body Lift, especially for stubborn cellulite control.

Apply starting from the ankles to the waistline as if you are putting on support panty hose.

During the wedding, some of the women had the brilliant idea of starting on the feet to make sure their feet would not swell so the shoes would fit comfortably.

Note: Clarins TBL is perfect for women who have PMS as well, but to make it work faster, they may want to consider applying Clarins Anti Eau Oil after the evening shower.

If you do not want to wake up in the night to use the bathroom frequently, apply the Ant Eau Oil after the morning shower. The oil not only gets rid of excess fluids and toxins but also seals in moisture, making the skin soft.

Results from both tests: Corsets were easier to fasten and gowns slid on and zipped up with no unsightly bulges and room to spare. Shoe fit ranged from comfortable to very loose.

These treatments should be used twice a week for two weeks straight to yield best results. My tests were significantly shorter but results did not disappoint.

E-mail the author at kinnysalas@yahoo.com