Beauty Fix: Eyeliner that won’t smudge on even the most oily lids, how to wear dark nail polish 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.

Every time I try to apply mascara on my lower lashes, I make a mess of my undereye area with accidental smudges from the wand. Should I be using a different technique?
More like a different wand, actually! While your favourite mascara may be an absolute miracle worker for top lashes, its large wand can make it an absolute nightmares for bottom lashes. Maybelline Volum’Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara ($11, well.ca) is likely to be your go-to mascara if coating your lower lashes is an absolute must, as it’s a double-ended mascara with two wands: one wand is slightly larger for optimal volume for the top lashes and the other is a mega-skinny wand for precise mascara application for the lower lashes. This allows you to get right to the lash roots without hitting the skin, meaning you can maximize each and every little lash for ultimate impact.

Before curling my hair, I feel like I need to apply multiple products to protect my hair, keep frizz away and ensure my style holds. However, this always ends up weighing my hair down! Is it possible to cut out some products?
Absolutely! It’s excellent that you are trying to incorporate a heat protectant spray into your hair routine, because it really does shield your hair from the extremely high temperatures of heat styling tools, but amidst this weird fall weather we’ve been having, a smoothing product and anything that fights frizz and humidity is highly advisable as well. If you have fine hair, the last thing you need is multiple products weighing your hair down, so try an all-in-one solution with light misting of L’Oréal Elnett Satin Styling Spray Curls ($11, well.ca). This spray will protect your hair from heat up to 230°C, as well as keep your style smooth by locking out humidity and frizz for up to three days.

I know I should apply cuticle oil often, but it’s messy and runs all over the place when I apply it. Is there an alternative that won’t end up all over me?
Cuticle oil is really excellent for whipping nails into shape. It nourishes the nail beds, reduces the occurrence of hangnails and generally keeps nails healthy-looking, even if you don’t commit to regular manicures. That being said, cuticle oil is runny and can dribble off your hands and onto just about anything around you since it doesn’t fully absorb into the skin upon contact. An alternative I have taken a liking to for multiple reasons is Dior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Serum ($27, thebay.com). This gel serum is housed in a squeezable tube with a brush applicator, making application mega tidy since a gentle squeeze dispenses product to the brush tip for direct application onto your cuticles. Since it’s a gel, it doesn’t run down fingers or hands after the fact. High functionality aside, the ingredients packed into this serum (including argan oil, vitamin E, apricot oil, olive fruit oil and camellia oil) are all the more reason to give this cuticle serum a whirl.

I know darker nail colours are always in trend for fall, but they’re a little intense for my taste. Is there a not-so-vampy nail polish colour I can try?
There’s nothing quite like the power of a trend to inspire you to step outside your comfort zone and try something new. While you’re right in saying darker colours will always be in style for fall, you don’t have to go for a pure black polish to get the look! I actually never wear black polish myself because I feel it looks too aggressive. A steely grey with a bit of shimmer, such as Pixi Nail Colour in “Charcoal Celebration” ($8, at Target) is just as on-trend as something darker, but it still feels chic.

I have oily eyelids and my eyeliner doesn’t seem to ever stay put. Could it be the formula I’m using?
When it comes to finding makeup that stays in place all day, oily eyelids can really demand a great deal of trial and error in order to find the right formula. Even if your eyelids aren’t perpetual oil wells, eyeliner often transfers to the upper eyelid by the middle of the day, which can make long-wearing or waterproof formulas appealing to many different people. M.A.C Pro Longwear Liner ($23, maccosmetics.ca), is an excellent solution for anyone with oily eyelids because it is a creamy, pigmented waterproof formula that glides on effortlessly without dragging or skipping (a common gripe of waterproof pencil eyeliners). Even better, since it sets in place, it wears for 12 hours, making this eyeliner a game-changer for anyone with oily or smudge-prone eyelids.

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