Beauty Fix: What to consider before trying a retinol treatment 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.

What’s an easy summer eye makeup trend to incorporate into my routine?
Seasonal trends can introduce you to colours, textures and finishes you never even knew you’d love, which is a ridiculously fun aspect of makeup! Take on the pastel makeup trend and buff Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in “53” ($28, sephora.com) onto your lids using a fluffy synthetic brush to really ensure the edges of the colour are thin and blended thoroughly. This formula is water-resistant and won’t crease, even in the most unbearably high temperatures. If you want to make a bit more of an impact, you can carry on to Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in “Blue Lagoon” ($60, at Dior counters), which contains five iridescent eyeshadows that can be blended over the pastel base you’ve already applied—adding a whole new new dimension to your look. 

What’s an ideal exfoliator for skin that is oilier than usual from the humidity?
It’s an excellent idea to exfoliate skin in any weather, simply to encourage cell turnover and keep skin looking as fresh as possible. It’s even better to use an exfoliator that can neutralize skin acidity, absorb excess oil and refine your pores! Try Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Face Exfoliant ($37, sephora.com), which uses bamboo and olive exfoliants to buff skin and contains lemon extract (for cell regeneration). But it’s the Umbrian Clay, which is known for its oil-controlling and pore-refining capabilities, that will help keep you shine-free during the most humid months of summer.

I prefer natural and neutral ways of defining my eyes. What would you recommend I try for a quick eye look?
There’s something to be said for nude and tonal makeup that is in line with the shadows and architecture of the face. It’s just absurdly flattering to see shades on the skin that enhace what naturally appears within your facial structure. For something that’s really speedy and stunning, I’d recommend trying a liquid eyeshadow, such as Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes in “E107” ($43, sephora.com), which is a neutral taupe shade that you can use in many ways. This formula can be controlled quite easily with the brush applicator, so you can use it to line the eyes, or blend it out over the lids, or emphasize the crease or lashline by building up the product there.   
 
I have some really bright eyeshadows I love, but I’m not sure how to wear them without feeling a little over the top. Any suggestions?
An easy trick for toning down a favourite bright eyeshadow is to play around with layering the pigment on top of different base colours. You’ll still get the hit of bright colour that you crave, but without looking too OTT. One of my favourite base colours is M.A.C Paint Pot in “Blackground” ($22, maccosmetics.com), which is a creamy black with multi-colour shimmer dispersed throughout. You can also play with the intensity of the base colour by blending it out to be a thinner layer that reads more like a grey. Even better, by applying bright shadows over a darker base it doubles up the functionality of every shadow in your makeup bag!

Should I be using a retinol treatment?
That heavily depends on the state of your skin! If you’re noticing fine lines developing, or if you’re interested in addressing skin discoloration and minimizing pores, then you can definitely benefit from looking into adding a retinol treatment to your skincare regime, as retinols are excellent at doing all of the above. Generally speaking, if you’re seeking an anti-aging treatment, it’s worth trying a retinol product. Philosophy Help Me ($59, sephora.com) is a good introduction to the benefits of retinol: it contains a time-released retinol coupled with chamomile-derived bisabolol, which allows for a gradual release of retinol to the skin that is then soothed by the bisabolol. This is a welcomed pairing, as retinol treatments can be quite irritating to skin, so this is definitely one to consider for first-time users!

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