Beauty Fix: How to wear fall makeup trends today, prevent your dye job from fading and should you switch to a biodegradable nail polish?
Love fall style but not ready to say goodbye to summer? This week Beauty Fix shares three approaches for adapting Fall 2012 beauty trends while the temperatures are still sizzling—including the best tips for wearing super saturated lip colours and smoky eyeshadows. Plus, we explain why no matter the dye job, what’s really causing your hair colour to fade.
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I love all the bold, saturated lips from Fall 2012 runways but I worry that it’s too early in the season to try. Is there a way of working this fall trend into my beauty look now?
I am always for the first glimpse of fall embodied in a dash of lipstick across one’s lips! One colour can be worn in many different ways, so consider different techniques when choosing a new lipstick. You can apply the lipstick as a light stain, which simply requires using your ring finger to dab the lipstick bullet and press your ring finger into your lips, and then using a clean fingertip to blend the colour in. This method is definitely a more modern and daytime-friendly way of applying saturated lip colours, bright or dark. An aubergine shade to try: Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick in “Cassis” ($28, sephora.com). If you’re a bit bold and want to take the stain technique a step further, get some lipstick on a lip brush and really work the colour into your lips. Blot with a tissue to remove excess product, and the stain will be more pronounced—a great option for evening. And for a velvety matte texture, grab powder and a powder brush. Take a single ply of tissue paper and hold it over your mouth, then roll the powder brush with a bit of powder on it over the tissue paper.
How can I wear a bolder brow without winding up looking like Groucho Marx?
Brows are quite possibly one of the most face-altering features we possess, so taking some time to really figure out how to make the most of them is key to an overall polished look. Fall beauty looks have ushered in a very structured brow, which can be a bit overwhelming for many—but regardless of how committed you are to seasonal trends, adding a brow-grooming product to your beauty routine is always sound. Wind-up pencils are wonderful because they don’t require sharpening, and they can be stroked on with a light hand to fill in any gaps in the natural shape of the brow without depositing too much colour. In the event that you go overboard, keep a lash spoolie or brow brush on-hand to run through your brows to work the colour through the brow hairs. One to look out for: Smashbox Brow Tech To Go ($30, sephora.com), which is a wind-up pencil on one end and a brow gel with a teensy wand on the other. A perfect pairing in one product!
I love the soft, smoky eyes I saw at Derek Lam and Burberry Prorsum’s Fall 2012 shows, but I usually associate those smoky grey tones with cooler temps. Is there a way to make this sultry look summer-appropriate?
The beauty looks from Burberry Prorsum and Derek Lam certainly do evoke cooler weather—no music festival-inspired smudges to be seen!—but they can easily be adapted for these last few warm weeks of summer. Sepia-type tones were also used on Fall runways, and they make for a lovely smoky look—just be careful to avoid anything that is too red or pink, as it doesn’t lead to a look that reads “well-rested.” Instead, opt for tones of grey-brown shadows that have a bit more warmth to them. Matte options are ideal for a natural day look that can still be buildable. Try blending Urban Decay eyeshadow in “Buck” ($22, sephora.com) over the lid, focusing on building colour in the crease. Take that look from day to night by adding a creamy, shimmery shadow, such as Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in “Rehab” ($24, sephora.com), along the lash line, blending slightly upwards.
I have colour-treated hair and still find that my shampoo and conditioner are pre-maturely fading my strands. What’s causing this and how can I prevent it from happening?
It’s always a touch disheartening to see a good dye job literally go down the drain, isn’t it? The most challenging thing about hair colour is the aftercare, which can really make or break the longevity you get out of a trip to the salon. The culprit to blame are surfactants—the ingredients in shampoos that creates suds and lather. While we’ve have grown to associate a great lather with the process of effectively cleaning our hair, dyed hair can’t handle the same rigorous cleansing as untreated hair. Fortunately, not all surfactants are out to get your colour. One of the biggest offenders is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and thankfully, there’s a growing range of products for dyed hair that do not contain it. One line to try is from a homegrown Ontario brand, Colour Lab 12. Their Colour Lock shampoo and conditioner ($24 and $25 respectively, colourlabsalon.ca) are SLS, sulfate and phosphate-free, which gently clean hair without compromising colour.
I paint my nails fairly often and try to use non-toxic nail polishes whenever possible, but still use acetone as a remover. Is this a bad idea?
While acetone-based nail polish remover does the trick, it isn’t necessarily the best option for the skin surrounding your nails. It can dry out cuticles and even cause your nails to crack—plus it comes with a not-so-enjoyable harsh chemical smell. While there are many non-acetone nail polish removers available, the best way to avoid fumes completely and feel environmentally sound is with a biodegradable nail polish remover. Start weaning yourself off acetone by using Quo biodegradable nail polish remover ($5, at Shoppers Drug Mart) whenever possible —it works best with with standard polishes, so save the acetone for days when you’re rocking a metallic or glitter manicure.
. If you’re a bit bold and want to take the stain technique a step further, get some lipstick on a lip brush and really work the colour into your lips. Blot with a tissue to remove excess product, and the stain will be more pronounced—a great option for evening. And for a velvety matte texture, grab powder and a powder brush. Take a single ply of tissue paper and hold it over your mouth, then roll the powder brush with a bit of powder on it over the tissue paper.
How can I wear a bolder brow without winding up looking like Groucho Marx?
Brows are quite possibly one of the most face-altering features we possess, so taking some time to really figure out how to make the most of them is key to an overall polished look. Fall beauty looks have ushered in a very structured brow, which can be a bit overwhelming for many—but regardless of how committed you are to seasonal trends, adding a brow-grooming product to your beauty routine is always sound. Wind-up pencils are wonderful because they don’t require sharpening, and they can be stroked on with a light hand to fill in any gaps in the natural shape of the brow without depositing too much colour. In the event that you go overboard, keep a lash spoolie or brow brush on-hand to run through your brows to work the colour through the brow hairs. One to look out for: Smashbox Brow Tech To Go ($30, sephora.com), which is a wind-up pencil on one end and a brow gel with a teensy wand on the other. A perfect pairing in one product!
I love the soft, smoky eyes I saw at Derek Lam and Burberry Prorsum’s Fall 2012 shows, but I usually associate those smoky grey tones with cooler temps. Is there a way to make this sultry look summer-appropriate?
The beauty looks from Burberry Prorsum and Derek Lam certainly do evoke cooler weather—no music festival-inspired smudges to be seen!—but they can easily be adapted for these last few warm weeks of summer. Sepia-type tones were also used on Fall runways, and they make for a lovely smoky look—just be careful to avoid anything that is too red or pink, as it doesn’t lead to a look that reads “well-rested.” Instead, opt for tones of grey-brown shadows that have a bit more warmth to them. Matte options are ideal for a natural day look that can still be buildable. Try blending Urban Decay eyeshadow in “Buck” ($22, sephora.com) over the lid, focusing on building colour in the crease. Take that look from day to night by adding a creamy, shimmery shadow, such as Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in “Rehab” ($24, sephora.com), along the lash line, blending slightly upwards.
I have colour-treated hair and still find that my shampoo and conditioner are pre-maturely fading my strands. What’s causing this and how can I prevent it from happening?
It’s always a touch disheartening to see a good dye job literally go down the drain, isn’t it? The most challenging thing about hair colour is the aftercare, which can really make or break the longevity you get out of a trip to the salon. The culprit to blame are surfactants—the ingredients in shampoos that creates suds and lather. While we've have grown to associate a great lather with the process of effectively cleaning our hair, dyed hair can't handle the same rigorous cleansing as untreated hair. Fortunately, not all surfactants are out to get your colour. One of the biggest offenders is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and thankfully, there's a growing range of products for dyed hair that do not contain it. One line to try is from a homegrown Ontario brand, Colour Lab 12. Their Colour Lock shampoo and conditioner ($24 and $25 respectively, colourlabsalon.ca) are SLS, sulfate and phosphate-free, which gently clean hair without compromising colour.
I paint my nails fairly often and try to use non-toxic nail polishes whenever possible, but still use acetone as a remover. Is this a bad idea?
While acetone-based nail polish remover does the trick, it isn’t necessarily the best option for the skin surrounding your nails. It can dry out cuticles and even cause your nails to crack—plus it comes with a not-so-enjoyable harsh chemical smell. While there are many non-acetone nail polish removers available, the best way to avoid fumes completely and feel environmentally sound is with a biodegradable nail polish remover. Start weaning yourself off acetone by using Quo biodegradable nail polish remover ($5, at Shoppers Drug Mart) whenever possible —it works best with with standard polishes, so save the acetone for days when you're rocking a metallic or glitter manicure.
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