Beauty Fix: Lip colour that won’t settle into the creases of your lips and more answers to your beauty questions
Every week our Beauty Fix columnist takes on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at [email protected].
What can I use to battle fine lines and wrinkles in my undereye area? They seem to be getting a little bit deeper each year.
A fair question that many people start to ponder as time goes on! It’s important to understand that fine lines can appear due to dehydration, which can be addressed by adding moisture back into the eye area with an eye cream. However, wrinkles and fine lines brought on by aging are bit of a different beast! Consider enlisting a retinoid-based product, such as Philosophy Miracle Worker Retinoid Eye Repair Cream ($65, sephora.com), to help out. Retinoid creams contain vitamin A derivatives that work to smooth fine lines/wrinkles and boost collagen while evening out discoloration and smoothness and this particular one also contains peptides to tackle undereye bags and darkness. Tip: Retinoid creams can make skin particularly sensitive to sun exposure, so don’t forget your SPF and sunglasses when out and about!
I notice a lot of lipsticks I wear settle into the fine lines in my lips. What kind of formula should I look for to avoid this from happening?
A really unique one! Indeed, when a lip colour creases in the fine lines of your lips, it isn’t the most becoming look. Some suggest blotting off excess product, but that can compromise colour payoff. Now, you don’t have to choose. Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro ($38, at Holt Renfrew) is a velvety gel lip product that applies similarly to lip gloss, but due to its rather brilliant formula, it’s very much in a league of its own as far as lip products go. The formula is built of soft spheres that roll and morph with every lip movement, which leads to the colour never settling into fine lines. Science wins our hearts over yet again!
My hair seems healthy these days, but my scalp has been particularly sensitive to my shampoo, causing my scalp to be dry and itchy. What can I do to remedy this?
Sounds like it’s time for a shampoo switch. It’s always possible that your shampoo and scalp got along swimmingly initially, but then you developed a reaction to a certain ingredient or few in the shampoo formula you once adored. It happens to the best of us! Ditch the dry and itchy look with Kérastase Bain Vital Dermo-Calm ($36, at salons), which is a shampoo designed for sensitized, stressed scalps. It contains calophyllum oil to soothe irritation, glycerol to moisturize the scalp and an anti-bacterial agent to stop itchiness.
My lashes seem to be a bit weak and sparse. How can I boost them?
Lash strength and volume seems to wax and wane like the moon. Occasionally, you’re blown away by how wonderful your lashes look and then suddenly they’re falling out four at a time and you haven’t the slightest idea why! While a dedicated lash serum is a fine idea to consider, I’d like to suggest a volumizing mascara that has a lash growth-promoting ingredients incorporated into the formula, such as Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara ($24, sephora.com). An enriched formula like this contains peptides and panthenol to strengthen lashes, but let it be known that this is also a killer volumizing and lengthening mascara for all your lash-enhancing needs.
I know milky cleansers are ideal for my dry skin, but I don’t really feel like they cleanse my skin effectively. Do I have any other options?
You’re absolutely correct: Milky cleansers are best suited to dry skin because they are meant to cleanse without stripping the skin of all moisture. However, when it comes to that squeaky-clean feel, it’s easy to mistake moisture for leftover product residue. If you have dry skin and you’re an avid makeup wearer—or if you’re just particular about your skin feeling cleaner on a daily basis—try a foaming facial cleanser. I know, I know, it’s against everything you’ve ever been taught about tending to dry skin, but Nivea Aqua Effect Gentle Foaming Cleanser ($10, well.ca) is definitely a worthy addition to your cleansing routine, as it contains almond oil to ensure your face will not be left dry or tight in any way after use!
, to help out. Retinoid creams contain vitamin A derivatives that work to smooth fine lines/wrinkles and boost collagen while evening out discoloration and smoothness and this particular one also contains peptides to tackle undereye bags and darkness. Tip: Retinoid creams can make skin particularly sensitive to sun exposure, so don’t forget your SPF and sunglasses when out and about!
I notice a lot of lipsticks I wear settle into the fine lines in my lips. What kind of formula should I look for to avoid this from happening?
A really unique one! Indeed, when a lip colour creases in the fine lines of your lips, it isn’t the most becoming look. Some suggest blotting off excess product, but that can compromise colour payoff. Now, you don’t have to choose. Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro ($38, at Holt Renfrew) is a velvety gel lip product that applies similarly to lip gloss, but due to its rather brilliant formula, it’s very much in a league of its own as far as lip products go. The formula is built of soft spheres that roll and morph with every lip movement, which leads to the colour never settling into fine lines. Science wins our hearts over yet again!
My hair seems healthy these days, but my scalp has been particularly sensitive to my shampoo, causing my scalp to be dry and itchy. What can I do to remedy this?
Sounds like it’s time for a shampoo switch. It’s always possible that your shampoo and scalp got along swimmingly initially, but then you developed a reaction to a certain ingredient or few in the shampoo formula you once adored. It happens to the best of us! Ditch the dry and itchy look with Kérastase Bain Vital Dermo-Calm ($36, at salons), which is a shampoo designed for sensitized, stressed scalps. It contains calophyllum oil to soothe irritation, glycerol to moisturize the scalp and an anti-bacterial agent to stop itchiness.
My lashes seem to be a bit weak and sparse. How can I boost them?
Lash strength and volume seems to wax and wane like the moon. Occasionally, you’re blown away by how wonderful your lashes look and then suddenly they’re falling out four at a time and you haven’t the slightest idea why! While a dedicated lash serum is a fine idea to consider, I’d like to suggest a volumizing mascara that has a lash growth-promoting ingredients incorporated into the formula, such as Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara ($24, sephora.com). An enriched formula like this contains peptides and panthenol to strengthen lashes, but let it be known that this is also a killer volumizing and lengthening mascara for all your lash-enhancing needs.
I know milky cleansers are ideal for my dry skin, but I don’t really feel like they cleanse my skin effectively. Do I have any other options?
You’re absolutely correct: Milky cleansers are best suited to dry skin because they are meant to cleanse without stripping the skin of all moisture. However, when it comes to that squeaky-clean feel, it's easy to mistake moisture for leftover product residue. If you have dry skin and you’re an avid makeup wearer—or if you’re just particular about your skin feeling cleaner on a daily basis—try a foaming facial cleanser. I know, I know, it’s against everything you’ve ever been taught about tending to dry skin, but Nivea Aqua Effect Gentle Foaming Cleanser ($10, well.ca) is definitely a worthy addition to your cleansing routine, as it contains almond oil to ensure your face will not be left dry or tight in any way after use!
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