Beauty Fix: How to keep your heels hydrated throughout sandal season 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.

I usually wear tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it, which tends to hold up well on my skin, but that’s not the case in the midst of a heat wave! Any alternatives you can suggest for similar coverage with SPF?
Staying power of makeup is definitely put to the test in times of high humidity and heat! You may be experiencing issues with the longevity of your makeup for two reasons: your tinted moisturizer probably isn’t matte in its finish and your skin is inevitably producing more oil and/or sweat. Luminous and radiant finishes in products are incredibly appealing and flattering, but these product finishes can impact wearability during times of extreme heat. If you’re looking for light coverage with a sun protection component and a great mattifying effect on the skin, try L’Oréal Magic Liquid Powder Bare Skin Perfecting Makeup ($19, at drugstores). This lightweight fluid, best applied with fingers, glides on and blends out effortlessly and sets to a velvety matte finish on the skin without ever appearing heavy on the skin. For a mattifying foundation, that is some serious magic!

I have acne-prone skin and I think the summer heat is leading to an increase in clogged pores. Is there anything I can use to battle these breakouts?
As if the stifling heat isn’t bad enough, suddenly your skin is acting up too, which is fantastically frustrating. Since you have two separate concerns occurring simultaneously, it would only make sense to address them a dual-pronged approach. You need to treat ongoing blemishes while addressing any clogged pores. Target both at once by grabbing a tube of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo ($26, well.ca) and breathe a sigh of relief. This tube contains micronized benzoyl peroxide, which is a gentler form of the standard benzoyl peroxide, in order to penetrate pores to clean up blemishes without irritating skin. It also contains beta-lipohydroxy acid, a type of salicylic acid, to exfoliate and unclog pores. Bonus: it wears well under makeup if you’re interested in concealing any blemishes as they clear up!

What is the best way to address clumpy lashes?
While some people really appreciate a clumpy lash look, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re interested in cleanly separated lashes, but feel that your mascara brush just isn’t cutting it, consider getting the lash comb that puts all others to shame: Tweezerman’s Folding Ilashcomb ($12, tweezerman.ca). The gold-plated teeth on this comb are perfect for running through the lengths of your lashes to remove excess mascara. It’s fantastic to use between coats of mascara for beautifully defined lashes. Tip: for optimal performance, be sure to clean your comb regularly with rubbing alcohol so that it continues to glide through lashes with ease and remains bacteria-free.

My heels are cracking and we’re only halfway through sandal season. What can I do to address this?
Cracked heels occur when skin loses its moisture content and small fissures develop in the skin. I’m sure you’ve attempted to add moisture back to the skin, which is the right idea, but you actually need to exfoliate the heel and then moisturize it in order to heal the cracked area. Try applying True Blue Spa Heel of Approval Cracked Heel Treatment ($15, bathandbodyworks.com) at night, after exfoliating and then slip into some socks. This treatment contains glycolic acid to slough away at the dead skin and shea butter to moisturize the feet. An important reminder: when using a foot file on cracked heels, always file in the direction of the cracks (up and down, typically), as filing side to side will expand and deepen the cracks.

I’m quite fair and self-tanners look bizarre when they suddenly make my skin 3-4 shades darker in a single application. Is there anything more natural-looking I can try?
That’s the thing about self-tanning, isn’t it? It can be very challenging to achieve a colour that is believable. It’s a serious plight for fair-skinned ladies who long for a bronze goddess visage and wind up with stained palms and regret. If you want to gradually inch your way towards a natural tint, slather on Jergens Natural Glow Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 20 for Fair/Medium Skin Tones ($13, well.ca) daily, which is sure to become a favourite product in your skincare routine. Sunless tanning generally involves nighttime application that can often lead to fair-skinned friends waking up to a shockingly new skin tone. This gradual tanner and SPF combined into one product means you can build up to a desirable glow without applying at night and protect your skin from the sun. That’s what it’s all about, right?

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