Beauty fix: How to combat dry hair, oily skin and everything else humidity has to offer

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.

I have acne-prone, oily skin and I’ve never been able to find a mattifying foundation that matches me. Any suggestions?
If matte skin is the goal (and with this humidity, who can blame you?) and you aren’t finding a suitable skin tone match in a foundation formula that works well with your skin, try cocktailing your own. Take a mattifying primer, like Cover Fx Mattifying Primer With Anti-Acne Treatment ($38, sephora.ca), dispense a bit onto the back of your hand and mix in a bit of foundation that does match you. When the two formulas are incorporated, apply the concoction with a stippling brush to your face for coverage without overloading your face with products. Finish with a feather-light dusting of powder if you desire. Not only will you have mattifying coverage, but the primer will also help fight acne thanks to 1% salicylic acid.

If I have oily skin, should I stay away from cream or stick blushes?
It’s really a matter of examining the ingredients and formulation to check if the products you’re eyeing are oil-free. A gel is usually suited to all skin types for its blendability, buildability and lasting power, so try an oil-free gel blush like Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in “Roly Poly Rosy” ($24, sephora.ca) for a pretty and foolproof flush. Either dab the stick onto your cheeks a few times and blend out with fingers or, if you’re apprehensive about oil from your face compromising the blush, use a clean synthetic face brush to pick the colour up from the stick and then apply it to your cheeks.

Do I have to spend a lot to get an effective hair mask? It’s a hard purchase to justify!
So many feel this way about shampoo, conditioner and hair masks, because they’re effectively going down the drain 5-10 minutes after they’re used, so it can definitely be a conscious decision to opt for less expensive alternatives to your favoured high-end hair care range. You can get serious bang for your buck, and Hask’s Argan Oil Intense Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment ($3, well.ca) is a prime example of that. There’s 2-4 uses of deep conditioner in a single pouch of this hair treatment and it is loaded with hair-restoring argan oil, which will banish dryness and frizz. Bonus: it doesn’t contain silicones, parabens or sulfates of any kind, which can be tough to find in affordable hair care.

The early fall weather is drying my lips out. What can I do to prepare them for colder weather?
It’s remarkable how reactive our skin is to even short-term weather shifts! We can go from dewy and vibrant to dry and flaky virtually overnight. Give your lips a steady hit of moisture with a hydration-packed lip balm and there’s no need to break the bank doing so. Liberally swipe on Eos Visibly Soft Lip Balm Sphere ($4, at drugstores) and rest assured that your lips will be taken care of because this balm has everything your lips need to prepare for fall: hyaluronic acid (meaning moisture from the environment will be drawn into your lips for constant hydration), vitamin C and E, shea butter and jojoba seed oil to give you smooth, soft lips regardless of the season.

Bold brows seem to be the trend this fall, but I’m facing sparse areas in mine. What can I do to boost them?
Whether you’ve always had leaner brows, over plucked brows of yesteryear (seems like a lot of us succumbed to this bad habit in our teens) or they’ve just diminished due to environmental aggressors or general hair breakage, there are ways to stimulate hair regrowth in targeted areas like your brows or lashes. Commit to using a brow and lash booster, like Elizabeth Arden Prevage Lash and Brow Enhancing Serum ($115, thebay.com) every night for at least two weeks to help fortify lash and brow hairs. This formula is a blend of peptides, pro-vitamins A and B5, as well as vitamins C and E, which all work to strengthen your existing brow hairs, prevent their loss and encourage the growth of new hairs, and the kicker is it really works! Maintain your newfound brows and lashes by using the product a few times each week after the initial two-week commitment.

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