Beauty Fix: Self-tanning tips for the fair-skinned set, vegan lipstick picks 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.

Self-tanner seems like a serious challenge for someone as fair as myself. What can I do to build up some believable colour on my body?
There are so many iterations of self-tanner out there—Sprays! Mousses! Creams!—yet it can definitely be a bit of a challenge to find a self-tanner that will work for fairer skintones. If you’re apprehensive about committing to a faux tan since you’re more translucent than not (blame winter—we all do), try a gradual sunless tanner, such as St. Tropez Tanning Essentials Everyday Gradual Tan for Body in “Light/Medium” ($38, sephora.com). Not only will this lotion moisturize your skin with aloe vera, but it will provide a slight golden tint to your skin that will develop over time with 70 per cent less of the tell-tale self-tanning smell than standard self-tanners—meaning you won’t mind slathering this on daily to build up a glow without any of the sun’s harm!

I recently went vegan and am looking for lip products that are in line with my lifestyle change! What can I use?
You’re actually in luck, dear vegan friend! There are actually really fantastic options that would appeal to everyone, even if you’re not restricting yourself to vegan-friendly lip products. The first lip colour I’d like to draw your attention to is Lippy Girl Vegocentric Organic Vegan Lipstick (shown in “Son of a Brick”, $23, nailpolishcanada.com), which is 100 per cent vegan, gluten-free, contains shea butter and jojoba seed oil and comes in wearable shades, ranging from neutral to brights. If you’re interested in some colours that are a bit more atypical, look no further than Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar (shown in “Beta”, $22, sephora.com). This range of lip colours is 100 per cent vegan, silicone-free, and cruelty-free and has a colour range that will fulfill any desire you have for something a bit more avant-garde—yellow, blue or green lip colours are available from this range!

Air conditioning has already started drying out my skin, but I’m afraid to use a heavy moisturizer all over my combination skin. How should I handle this?
A two-pronged approach can help your skin cope with the harsh blast of air conditioning as we transition into warmer weather. In order to hydrate your skin without drowning it in overly emollient creams, start with a light syrupy moisturizer such as Lancôme Énergie de Vie lotion ($60, lancome.ca), which is enriched with three traditional Chinese root extracts that contain antioxidants to leave skin supple. Follow up with Fresh Rose Hydrating Gel Cream ($48, sephora.com), which contains hyaluronic acid (which we know is hyper-hydrating since it draws moisture into your skin from the environment) and nourishing algae, which helps deliver optimum moisture to skin.

I like the smell of patchouli, but I’m not sure how to make it less overwhelming for people around me. Are there any fragrances like this?
Patchouli is a bit of an acquired taste of as far as fragrances go. It’s traditionally associated with hippies and in its concentrated format, it can verge on being pungent and overpowering to the senses. If you’re fond of patchouli, try a fragrance that features it as a middle or base note instead of a top note, such as Atelier Cologne Mistral Patchouli Cologne Absolue ($130, sephora.com). This particular fragrance contains citrusy pomelo, black pepper, and star anise as the top notes with patchouli and vetiver as the base notes, which leads to a very balanced fragrance overall.

My underarms have a visibly darker colour to them than the rest of my arms. What can I do to lighten them?
I’m sure you’re not alone in this quandary! The main culprit of discoloured armpits tends to be the method of hair removal used. Shaving is typically the biggest offender when it comes to skin discolouration, so consider switching to waxing if you can handle growing your hair to the necessary length for waxing (about 5-6 mm). Other offenders can be products applied to the area that contain harsh ingredients that irritate the sensitive skin. Start using Dove ClearTone Skin Renew Antiperspirant ($6, well.ca), which is enriched with calendula and sunflower seed extract to soothe skin and reduce underarm discolouration while protecting against wetness.

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