Beauty Fix: A modern way to wear rose-based fragrance, a fashion-forward makeup set to try now 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 like rose scents, but they seem a little old fashioned when I wear them. Any tips?
Rose-based fragrances are very traditional and quite classic, but don’t let that deter you from this beautiful floral note. Luckily, rose-based fragrances have had quite the resurgence lately, and there are several new varieties of rose scents to choose from. If modernity is the goal, Balenciaga Rosabotanica ($100, sephora.ca) is a unique fragrance to experience. The fragrance opens with bright notes of citrusy petitgrain and fig leaf, leading into middle notes of cardamom, pink pepper and rose, grounded with vetiver, cedar and white amber. The fragrance is anything but traditional, making it a contemporary take on a rose for lovers of the timeless flower.

I normally use loose powder to set my makeup, but travelling with it is a nightmare. What can I use that’s more suitcase-friendly?
So I see I’m not alone in the unexpected and unfortunate discovery that half my loose powder container contents wound up in my makeup bag after a day of travel. While pressed powder is a decent alternative, it can still shatter in transit and often results in a bit heavier coverage, depending on the formula. Some great packaging has come about with Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Agent Zero Shine ($36, sephora.ca). It’s highly portable and has a convenient dispenser that allows loose powder (containing nylon to mattify skin and eliminate shine) to be tapped into the lid on-demand. Meanwhile, the bottom of the container twists off to reveal a handy powder brush. A light dusting through the T-zone will keep makeup in place and control oil, all without making a mess in your makeup bag. Rather ingenious!

What should I wear on my face for a night out? I’m never really certain of which products to use or what direction to go in.
A makeup set can often be a safe bet if you’re unsure of what to do with your makeup—or feeling like you’re in a beauty inspiration rut. Makeup sets are helpful in the sense that they’re well-coordinated and take your cheeks, eyes and lips into consideration, taking the guess work out of deciding what colours go best together. One set that is just too good to resist is the Estée Lauder Derek Lam Collection ($95, esteelauder.ca). This collaboration between Derek Lam and Tom Pecheux for Estée Lauder was crafted for a complete look, from lips to lashes. The set includes burnished gold liquid eyeshadow, navy kajal, mascara, liquid lip color in a flattering cool nude shade, as well as a lip gloss dosed with rose gold shimmer, all perfectly contained in a navy minaudière that is the very epitome of chic—much like Derek Lam’s fashion designs.

What’s the difference between perfume oil and an eau de toilette or eau de parfum?
Perfume oil is definitely worth exploring if traditional fragrance concentrations lack longevity on your skin. The differentiation between the above perfume classifications is the concentration of aromatic compounds. A fragrance classified as an eau de parfum has approximately 15% aromatic compounds, with the remainder of the fragrance juice often consisting of alcohol and water. Similarly, a scent that is classified as an eau de toilette is approximately 10% aromatic compounds. The higher the aromatic compound, the longer a scent will generally last on one’s skin. Perfume oil is usually alcohol-free, making it very concentrated and longwearing on the skin. It can also be added to lotion or bath water, making it a multi-use product. The beautiful composition of Egyptian musk, amber and orange blossom comes to life in Narciso Rodriguez Musc For Her Oil Parfum ($175, at the Bay) when massaged into skin, focusing on the pulse points.

My eyeliner drags and skips when I try to apply it. What gives?
As we know, our eye area has incredibly delicate and sensitive skin, so it’s important to be gentle when applying eye makeup to this area, and eyeliner is no exception. Eyeliner can skip or drag for a number of reasons. The liner could have hardened, in which case a sharpening can appease the situation. Or it could be the product itself, especially if the wax content is high in your pencil formulation. Try switching to something that’s softer, as this will enable you to get a smoother application without tugging at your delicate eye area. L’Oréal Paris Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner ($12, at drugstores) glides on with the utmost ease thanks to polymers and an oil base that create a gel-like texture in a pencil format. Don’t fret, though, as this formula sets beautifully and stays put for hours.

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