Beauty Fix: A game-changing set of makeup brushes, your best bet for boosting volume in flat hair 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.

I want to overhaul my beauty bag with a new set of makeup brushes. What should I look for in terms of brushes that will help create a natural look and finish?
Cosmetics are so effective in enhancing your features and brushes are an excellent way of using and manipulating different products to further boost what you already have. Go beyond traditional brushes and try something new with M.A.C’s Masterclass Brush Collection (from $30, maccosmetics.com). These brushes—which, admittedly, look like a cross between a hairbrush and a toothbrush—may be intimidating at first, but are a game changer once you get them in your hands! The super-soft synthetic bristles are tightly packed to achieve a very smooth finish when applying cream products. They’re also fantastic for packing on powder pigment (with a heavier hand and buffing motion) or diffusing colour for the softest, most natural finish (by using a gentle, sweeping motion). And thanks to the ergonomic handles, these brushes are extremely user-friendly for anyone, from makeup novice to makeup maven.

I have baby fine hair and want more volume. What styling product should I be reaching for?
With so many products out there that target the fine-haired set, it’s easy to be tricked into trying something that results in, well, results that rapidly fall flat. So here’s a trick next time you’re shopping: turn the bottle around and take a gander at the ingredients. Look for copolymers, as they’re your best bet for volume with longevity, at the top of the ingredient list. One to try: Bumble and Bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse ($37, sephora.ca). This formula not only is copolymer-crazed, but also contains amino acids and proteins that are naturally found in your hair to condition your fine strands each time you use it. Try running a modest palmful through your damp hair before blowdrying and you’ll see that there’s no crunchiness or dullness with this product, just bounce, volume and sheen.

How can I get the same effect as the nails at Badgley Mischka’s Fall 2013 runway show? They looked like satin!
The nail look at Badgley Mischka’s Fall 2013 runway show was refined ruby red shade—a welcome break from all things neutral as far as runway beauty trends go! The wow factor, however, was the satiny sheen finish that made the manicure practically glow. Matte nails have been around the runway scene for years, but the twist here is that a matte topcoat was used on top of a shimmery polish, which resulted in a more dimensional texture. Try this gorgeous and unbelievably easy look yourself with two coats of OPI “Embarca-Dare Ya!” ($11, at salons), followed up with NYC “Matte Me Crazy!” Mattifying Top Coat ($2, well.ca).

The ends of my hair are dry, but I have oily roots. What can I use to balance my hair woes?
This sounds like a classic case of split-personality hair! Many people experience dry ends due to excess heat styling, environmental stressors (gusts of wind aren’t helping your case), and too-frequent cleansing. The concept of “rinse and repeat” isn’t just a ploy by shampoo companies to push you to use your product up. If you experience oily roots or a lack of volume, lather up twice in order to remove oil more effectively. The first lather will be weak at best, but don’t be tempted to add more shampoo for more suds. Rinse and lather up again, using less shampoo the second time and you’ll be amazed at how much lather you wind up with. As far as dry ends go, focus a conditioner enriched with softening and smoothing ingredients, such as sweet almond oil in Dove Nutritive Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner ($10, well.ca). Apply to the lengths of your hair, which is mid-shaft down, whatever your length may be, being sure to avoid your scalp altogether.

I was recently reading about oud fragrances and I love how luxurious and decadent the scent sounds. It is possible to wear it without it being too overwhelming?
That’s some lovely olfactory tastes you have. Oud is an incredibly aromatic fragrant resin that is considered to be a very valuable and precious ingredient in fragrance. Due to its quasi-heady nature, it’s more of an acquired taste in the Canadian marketplace. Those who love it love it a lot, but those who don’t are quite overwhelmed by it. Try a fragrance that wears close to the skin, such as Valentino Valentina Assoluto Oud ($148, at Holt Renfrew). It blends lighter warm notes such as orange blossom, cardamom and Bulgarian rose blossom with oud accord for a woody fragrance that’s sure to draw people in rather than drive them away.

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