Beauty Fix: A deodorant that cuts down on shaving time, the importance of a good blush brush and more

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.

How can I avoid age spots on my hands?
Discolouration and age spots develop gradually over time as a direct result of sun damage. While putting SPF on your face is an easy to remember step in your daily skincare routine, we often neglect to do the same for our hands, which are exposed to the same environmental abuses. If you’re serious about protecting your hands, devise a proactive plan of attack involving sunscreen and a brightening moisturizer. Be sure to apply (and reapply!) SPF daily to hands, especially when outdoors, and enlist a vitamin C-enriched moisturizer, such as Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Dark Spot Hand Cream ($12, well.ca), to even out skin tone and diminish any existing irregularities.

I have sensitive skin that’s drying out due to cooler temperatures. How do I calm it down and boost hydration without further aggravating it?
Increasing moisture is essential as the mercury drops, but having sensitive skin means being mindful of what’s contained within in your skincare products—with gentle, soothing ingredients being the most important. Keep an eye out for products containing aloe and kelp, as both are inherently calming upon application and when combined together, they make for a powerful addition to your beauty routine. Try Pure + Simple Hydration Serum ($45, pureandsimple.ca): it’s aloe and kelp based and will increase lipid levels in your skin thanks to the inclusion of linoleic acid (aka Omega-6 fatty acids) and glycerin. With continued use, skin sensitivity and inflammation is reduced, making it a must during colder months.

I want whiter teeth, but whitening strips have always led to tooth sensitivity. Is there a quick fix without the pain?
As effective as whitening strips can be at brightening your teeth for a fair price, they’re still a time-consuming process. Furthermore, whitening strips can lead to major tooth sensitivity that can make you painfully aware of extreme food and drink temperatures. If you still want to make your pearly whites even brighter without developing the less than desirable tooth sensitivity, try swapping out your regular toothpaste for Luster Now! Instant Whitening Toothpaste ($8, at Shoppers Drug Mart). This toothpaste’s blue colour is the secret to your whiter smile, as it temporarily clings to your teeth in order to counteract tooth yellowness. You’ll notice a brighter smile after one use, but it also works to lift stains over time. Tip: keep this toothpaste on hand for a last minute whitening emergency!

I’ve seen antiperspirants that reduce hair growth with time, but I’ve recently discovered I’m allergic to aluminum chlorohydrate. Is there anything I can use to get the same effect?
The idea of using an underarm product that slows down hair growth is quite appealing to anyone who doesn’t want to deal with frequent shaving or waxing, so antiperspirants with hair-reducing ingredients are genius creations…if you can use them! Aluminum cholorohydrate is the primary active ingredient in antiperspirant—it’s what quite literally stops perspiration from happening by plugging sweat glands. It’s an ingredient that doesn’t agree with everyone’s skin or personal preferences, which is often why people turn to deodorant. If you’re in the market for a deodorant that slows down hair growth, bank on Inhibitif Deodorant ($10, at Shoppers Drug Mart). This roll-on formula is minty, but not to a point of being overpowering or competing with any other scent you may choose to wear. More importantly, it contains active ingredients that reduces hair density and target the stimuli that boost hair growth, which ultimately leads to less frequent shaving or waxing in eight weeks or less. In my experience, it’s led to smoother and less frequent shaving after just four weeks of use!

Do I need to use a different brush for contouring than I do for blush?
The brush type you choose to use can indeed impact up how a product applies to your face. A world of makeup brush options exist because different effects are achieved based on the bristle material, the construction of the brush, the way the bristles are cut and a slew of other variables including application technique and product formula. As far as contouring versus blush brushes, an angled cheek brush is usually the best bet for chiseling out your cheekbones whereas a rounded brush is best for application of blush and highlighter. Get the best of both worlds in Make Up For Ever’s Double-Ended Sculpting Brush ($61, sephora.ca). This mega-convenient 2-in-1 brush is made of 100 per cent synthetic fibres that were created in both straight and wavy hair textures to replicate natural hair bristles. Since the fibres are synthetic, you won’t experience any kind of scratchiness from the brush hairs, but rather one of the softest sensations you’ve ever felt against your skin. Seriously!

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