Beauty Fix: How to heal below-the-surface skin damage from the sun and more answers to your beauty questions

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.

How can I achieve that stained lip look I used to get after eating a popsicle as a kid?
I see I’m not the only person who has been thinking back to yesteryear for a little beauty inspiration! You’re in luck, actually, because there are different ways of achieving a glossy stain, but one of the best formulas that comes in shades that you’d almost exclusively associate with frozen treats are Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics’ new Lip Tar Stained Gloss ($21, sephora.ca, shown in “New Wave”). This jelly-like formula applies as a translucent lip colour and leaves behind a generously pigmented stain on your lips as the glossiness wears off throughout the day—making the effect akin to your childhood post-popsicle pout.

As someone with a deeper skin tone, sunscreen often leaves a white cast on my skin. Is there anything I can use to protect myself that won’t look so obvious?
Most physical sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide have a tendency to have a milkier consistency that can appear chalky on medium to dark skin tones, which used to be regarded as the aesthetic cost of sun protection. These days, formulations are getting better and better, with lighter consistencies and higher protection—with less chance of being looking chalky on the skin. A formula that is user-friendly to all skin tones across the colour range is SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 ($42, skinceuticals.com), which contains transparent titanium dioxide and zinc oxide for broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It’s also water-resistant and contains a slight tint that will adapt to your skin tone.

I recently had my picture taken with a UV camera and saw how much underlying skin damage I have from years in the sun. How can I start fighting that damage?
Now that you’ve seen the damage that will be surfacing in the coming years, you can fully grasp how important protecting your skin is moving forward! Our skin’s DNA monitors collagen production, and collagen is what keeps skin looking youthful. UV damage is one of the factors that leads to collagen breakdown. Free radicals and pollution also attach to DNA, so when it reproduces the collagen, it isn’t doing so effectively; it’s actually reproducing damaged cells. In order to address the damage you saw via UV camera image, enlist in an anti-aging serum that addresses both existing damage and damage that is not yet visible. Philosophy Time in a Bottle ($74, sephora.ca), is a great choice and definitely a bit different than any serum you’ve encountered before. This lightweight formula contains four enzymes that work to repair DNA skin damage. It also has a vitamin C8 activator, which you actually pour into the serum base prior to your first use. This particular type of vitamin C is able to fight free radical damage and assist in DNA repair and is more stable and less likely to lose efficacy over a short period of time.

I have sensitive skin, but want to battle fine lines. Is a retinol completely out of the question for me?
That’s a very important question with a slew of variables at play! It may just be a matter of avoiding prescription-grade formulas in the beginning and instead finding a type of retinol that works for you with a concentration percentage that won’t overwhelm your skin. This is especially applicable if you gradually introduce it into your skincare regimen over a period of time, which can be anywhere from one to three nights per week initially, depending on your level of sensitivity. A formula that I personally cannot fathom being without is La Roche-Posay Redermic R ($55, Shoppers Drug Mart). This silver tube contains 0.1% pure retinol (to boost collagen production and reverse fine lines), retinyl linoleate combined with adenosine (to reduce skin irritation and improve retinol efficacy) and 0.3% lipo-hydroxy acid (to increase cell turnover and exfoliation). The texture and tone of your skin will thank you for introducing this retinol treatment into your rotation.

How can I achieve the shiny look of a gel manicure without the high cost and time commitment?
It can be a bit of a neverending cycle once you get into gel manicures, can’t it? And while they do last for ages, the time and cost is fairly high if you’re low on either! If you’re a DIY manicure type of gal and like to make use of polishes you already own or want to indulge in the occasional on-trend shade from a drugstore brand of polish, but you don’t want to deny yourself the glossy shine of a gel manicure, consider grabbing a gel top coat, such a Guerlain Gel Top Coat ($25, sephora.ca). The thicker consistency of this formula provides a gel-like finish that reflects light like crazy, giving you the look you love at a fraction of the cost and time!

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