Beauty Fix: How to soothe a sunburn, the best blush for orange lipstick 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.

How do I make sure I’ve properly removed sunscreen after a day at the beach?
It’s normal to be concerned about removing sunscreen, because any leftover residue can cause breakouts or clog pores. Whether it’s a manual face cleansing brush or an electronic gadget that you reach for, facial cleansing brushes are excellent for really giving your face a good scrub. If you haven’t yet drank the Clarisonic kool-aid, this summer may be an excellent time to go for it. The Mia2 Skin Cleansing System ($175, sephora.ca) may seem a bit fussy because it takes an extra minute to use (literally), but the results are well worth it. The sonic frequency of the oscillating brush head in conjunction with your favourite mild liquid facial cleanser is highly effective in deep-cleaning your pores and leaving your face exfoliated—and free of any sunscreen residue. This encourages cell turnover and allows whatever skincare serums you apply afterward to sink in that much deeper. It’s also able to remove six times more makeup than manual cleansing, which means it’s a makeup lover’s best friend at the end of the day.

My hair feels brittle and I have so many flyaways. How can I tackle this?
Fun fact about brittle hair: it wasn’t always that way! Dry hair tends to become brittle because it has absorbed moisture (from products or the environment) and then released it too quickly, resulting in severely dehydrated hair that manifests in the form of rough texture and flyaways. Not exactly silky and smooth! Next time you wash your hair, try spraying Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Hydra-Seal Softening Mist ($18, at salons) onto your damp hair once you’re out of the shower. This leave-in treatment contains coconut and olive oil to soften hair and smooth down flyaways, as well as control unwanted volume. Take a break from heat styling and opt for air drying, and your hair will be on the mend in no time!

I want to add a bit of glow to my skin all over, but I don’t want to have to replace my current foundation. Can I mix anything in to achieve this look?
Adding a hint of sheen to the skin is appealing, especially in the summer, when skin is front and centre to most seasonal beauty looks. The easiest way to do this is to add a liquid luminizer to your foundation or tinted moisturizer. Try mixing in a couple drops of Revlon Photoready Skinlights in “Peach Light” ($17, at drugstores) to your foundation before smoothing onto your face as usual. Alternatively, for a more controlled glisten, you can pat the illuminator onto specific areas you want to highlight, such as cheekbones, browbones and your cupid’s bow.

What sort of blush goes best with orange lips?
Orange makeup, and in particular, lip colour, has been popping up everywhere lately and as it should—it’s punchy, bright and electric! When lip colour is strong, you don’t have to completely mute the rest of the face, but rather choose accent shades that won’t be in direct competition with your statement mouth. While this is a question of personal preference, I think pink-toned peach shades are best for cheeks when wearing orange lips. That effectively makes M.A.C Powder Blush in “Immortal Flower” ($25, maccosmetics.ca) a solid bet when it comes to rounding out an orange lip look.

My face got a bit too much sun and I’m burned now. How do I find relief?
It stings just reading about a sunburn, let alone actually feeling the heat radiate from your poor face! At the risk of sounding like a broken record, let this be a lesson that applying (and reapplying!) sunscreen is always in your best interest, especially when in direct exposure to sunlight. If aloe isn’t doing the trick, try something a bit more soothing. Korres Greek Yoghurt Moisturizing Face Cream ($42, Shoppers Drug Mart) is the ultimate comfort for burned skin, adding moisture to your dehydrated face since it contains vitamin E oil and macadamia nut oil. This cream works to neutralize the pH level of your skin so that your skin will heal faster. Tip: As with most post-burn remedies, this cream will feel infinitely better when chilled in the fridge prior to application.

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