Beauty Fix: 5 products that will keep you looking party-ready this holiday season

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 beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com or ask away in the comments below.

My hair looks really dull and no amount of shine serums or hair oils is helping me. What can I use to restore its shine?
If you’ve been styling it frequently and using an abundance of products in your hair (and who can blame you, it’s the most wonderful – and socially demanding – time of the year), buildup has probably accumulated on your strands, making hair appear dull and lacklustre. Swap out your usual shampoo for Live Clean Apple Cider Vinegar Clarifying Shampoo ($7, at drugstores), which will gently remove residue from styling products with the help of organic apple cider, which contains acidic enzymes to breakdown product buildup without stripping hair. Throw this into your routine every week whenever you’re entering a stretch of styling overdrive.

What’s the trick to make my at-home manicure last?
Whether you’re pressed for time and can’t get your nails done or you simply prefer to do your nails yourself, there are a few tricks you can employ to get the most mileage from your polish. For starters, make sure you give yourself enough time to paint your nails, because a manicure can be jeopardized by a speedy polish application if it’s uneven or thick in nature. Using a multi-step system like Sephora Collection Formula X System ($40, sephora.ca) can also extend your polish wear, since it contains a primer, which fully absorbs moisture from the nail bed, ensuring subsequent layers will adhere better to the nail. In addition to this primer, an anchoring base coat and glossy top coat are also included in the set for a shiny DIY manicure that lasts.

How can I make my skin evening-ready?
We’ve said it repeatedly: consistency is key when it comes to skincare. That being said, never underestimate the power of a face patch! Snap up Skyn Iceland Face Lift In A Bag ($22, murale.ca), which contains two sets each of Skyn Iceland’s Hydro Cool Face Gels for Forehead, Smile Lines and Eyes. These targeted face patches can markedly decrease the appearance of forehead furrows, fine lines and dark circles, respectively, with the help of skin-plumping ingredients in as little as 10 minutes, making them essential to keep in your arsenal when you’re due for another holiday soirée or night out on the town.

Red lipstick isn’t my thing, so what can become my go-to look for the season?
A bold lip isn’t for everyone, so opt for some dramatic looks with the help of a loaded eyeshadow palette this holiday season. Maybelline The Smokes Palette ($14, at drugstores) gives you the ability to create countless looks since it contains 12 eyeshadows to mix and match, depending on how much of an impact you want to make. With matte, satin and shimmer finishes in a thoughtfully curated selection of colours, you’ll have everything you need for day or night looks with this palette alone. Also: this palette’s pigmentation is substantial for the price point, which never hurts at this time of year!

How can I look awake when I’m low on sleep after back-to-back holiday festivities?
While concealer and carefully considered highlighter application are both essential to fighting off the appearance of fatigue, I must insist you never omit the lash-curling step in your makeup routine, no matter how tired you are or pressed for time you may be. Tarte Ladies Who Lash Picture Perfect Eye Lash Curler Set ($23, sephora.ca) is the perfect duo to gift to yourself this holiday season, if only to serve as a reminder that a few seconds of curling your lashes with this pearl-embellished tool can make you look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed without any pinching. Also included in this set is a mini Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara, which is a well-rounded option for those who seek out volume, curl and length.

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