Beauty Fix: How to ensure the no makeup look doesn’t wash you out + 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 or ask away in the comments below.

I’m into the no makeup look, but my lips are too pigmented for a beige nude lip. What can I use to stick to a natural look without looking drained?
It’s perfectly understandable to appreciate a natural look, but committing to a look the whole way through right down to the beige nude lipstick can be unflattering in real life. Muting one’s lip colour can be practical when trying to balance a heavier eye look, but if you’re going for translucent neutral shades all over, then your lips should have a little bit of colour, even if it’s a restrained application of a rosy nude shade like Burberry Kisses Lipstick in “89 Rose Blush” ($36, thebay.com). This soft, neutral rose shade can be pressed onto lips for a hint of colour that will enhance pigmented lips, not compete with them. The gel formula contains tea, lavender and rosehip to hydrate lips for comfortable wear.

What’s a good way to inject hydration into my skincare routine beyond moisturizer?
An unexpected place to try nourishing the skin a bit more is in your cleansing step of your skincare regime. You’re probably familiar with cleansers taking everything – even the natural oils that are healthy for skin – away from your face, so try using a cleansing milk like Bioderma Sensibio Cleansing Milk ($19, at drugstores). This refreshing milky texture melts away makeup and soothes skin, acting as a makeup remover, cleanser and toner in a single step. It also increases skin’s tolerance threshold, making it more resistant to aggressors. It’s safe to use on eyes (no stinging!) and can be swept across skin on a cotton round for simplified cleansing that leaves skin soft and hydrated, ready for the rest of your routine.

How can I achieve a really dramatic lash look with only mascara?
Heavier lash looks have been seen in a handful of runway shows the past few seasons and there’s something to be said for imperfect lashes; they come off as effortless and carefree to an extent. Achieve this look by picking a buildable formula that can be piled on without too much clumping. Guerlain Maxi Lash So Volume ($34, thebay.com) is ideal for creating statement lashes, depositing a substantial amount of product on the lashes that’s then combed through with the polymer brush head. The formula is enriched with adhesive oils (sounds like an oxymoron, but we swear it’s not!) to prevent mascara smudges or smears.

I keep breaking out from trying different foundations to find the right match. How can I avoid this?
Try combining CoverFX Custom Cover Drops ($44, sephora.ca) with your favourite serum or moisturizer or face oil to create a customized foundation. The pigments in these unique drops are designed to be mixed with your preferred medium to give you your ideal level of coverage without causing breakouts since you’re mixing the drops with products your skin already loves. You can even add them to other foundations, tinted moisturizers or BB creams to boost coverage and lighten/darken a shade. The more drops you add, the fuller the coverage becomes. This is a must-have for makeup artists and general beauty enthusiasts alike for the versatility alone!

What’s an inexpensive way to refresh my eyes after staring at a screen all day at work?
Screen fatigue is so real when you blink and can’t help but feel the burn of your eyes set in. There are refreshing eye sticks and rollerball-type products all over the place, but if your budget is tight and you have an affinity for ridiculously cute packaging, you’ll probably squeal at the sight of Tony Moly Panda’s Dream So Cool Eye Stick ($12, sephora.ca). Marvel at the packaging, but also take solace in the fact that this stick contains legit ingredients: niacinamide (to brighten skin and increase collagen production), bamboo extract and sea water (to hydrate and cool skin), as well as adenosine (to smooth the appearance of fine lines). This panda stick isn’t just cute, it actually serves a purpose! Swipe on to skin whenever your tired eyes need to wake up.

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