Beauty Fix: How to wear dark lip colours in the summer 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 seem to have some clogged pores that won’t budge. Is there a good way to clear up my skin without getting a facial?
Clogged pores are pesky! They’re not quite a full-on breakout, but they definitely detract from the overall health of your skin. Dead skin cells, dirt, debris or excess oil can clog pores. So let me quickly reiterate how important it is to remove makeup and cleanse skin nightly! Doing so will drastically reduce the likelihood of clogged pores, but no one is entirely immune from them. Attack with a mask, such as SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque ($50, skinceuticals.com). While this is a clay-based concoction, which is always optimal for purifying skin and controlling sebum production, the formula is actually boosted by 5 per cent mixed hydroxy acids. The blend of hydroxy acids includes glycolic acid, which will alleviate the accumulation of dead skin cells, as well as citric, tartaric, and malic acids, which are all antioxidants that, when applied twice a week, will help get your skin to the state you want it to be in.

I want my nails to look presentable but hate the upkeep that manicures require. Any tips?
If you’re like me and have dabbled in long-lasting UV- or LED-cured manicures before, you know the damage that they inflict on the nails and nail beds after repeated applications and removals is nothing to scoff at. And though they last for weeks at a time, once a gel manicure chips, the urge to pick away at the rest of it is hard to resist. Standard formula nail polish manicures are always an option, but again, chipping is a concern after a few days of wear. If you don’t want to commit to a specific lacquer colour, aim for something more natural looking, yet still polished. Try Dior Nail Glow ($24, sephora.com), which is a transparent, glossy pink lacquer that can be applied to nails to enhance the natural pink tones of the nail bed while making whites of the nails appear brighter. Throw on a topcoat for extended wear and you’re ready to go!

I tend to use black shadow when I do a smoky eye. How can I switch up my look?
Smoky eyes are traditionally done with black eyeshadow to mimic the gradient look of smoke from the lash line towards the brow, so having stuck with black shadow means you’ve had lots of practice to master the technique! If you want to mix it up, do so with any colour you’re drawn to, but I highly recommend a green smoky eye. Perhaps it’s because emerald is the Pantone colour of the year, or perhaps it’s because it’s just so downright pretty, but try the following: apply Bobbi Brown Long-wear Cream Shadow in “Forest” ($33, bobbibrown.ca) to the mobile part of your eyelid (essentially no higher than your crease), and blend out the edges with your fingers or a synthetic brush. Press a healthy dose of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Loose Colour Concentrate in “Poison” ($17, sephora.com), a shimmery ivy-green shade, onto the creamy shadow base, softening the edges of the shadow and blending into the crease. Smudge a bit of the loose shadow underneath the lower lash line, add mascara and consider yourself a convert from the basic black smoky eye look.

Bright lip colours aren’t really my favourite look for summer. Can I still wear a darker lip colour without looking like I’m stuck in winter mode?
Well, you know the deal—you can do whatever you like! However, if you want to appear more seasonal than serious, try to keep the heaviness of the formula in mind when choosing a darker lip colour in the summertime. I’d recommend a highly-pigmented formula that still shows the texture of your lips, so that it seems to err on the side of semi-transparent with a bit of shine rather than a creamier or velvety texture, which can feel wintery, much like your favourite sweater you’ve hopefully stored away for the season by now. One that will undoubtedly end up in high rotation: Nars Satin Lip Pencil in “Palais Royal” ($30, narscosmetics.ca), a rich sangria shade that will fit in perfectly on a sunny patio.

How can I make my lashes look thicker without false lashes?
If you’re certain that false lashes and lash extensions are not the right answer for you, the next best bet is very strategically applied eyeliner! While you can apply any type of eyeliner—gel, liquid, pencil, shadow—to your lashline and have a very apparent line on top of your lashline, try to do something a bit different than your traditional lining method. Use Bourjois Intuitive Liner ($20, at Shoppers Drug Mart) to line your eyes between your lashes, specifically by making use of its triple-pronged tip, which allows you to the dot on the liquid liner in between the lashes to create the illusion of fuller lashes. You can even do winged liner with this pen in a pinch, making it pretty indispensable in your makeup bag!

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