FASHION Magazine

While there are many things to look forward to in the fall (new collections, trends, Fashion Week!), we’re making the most of summer while it lasts. That being said, our hair won’t miss all the heat and humidity once the season is over. Humidity makes perfect curls turn to frizz, causes straight hair to curl and makes sleek hair virtually impossible. And don’t even talk to us about the torture that is using a blow dryer in a bathroom without A/C!

But before you decide to chop it all off (although celebrities like Beyoncé are tempting us!), we suggest checking in with the Beauty Panel. This week our beauty blogging experts are sharing the tips and tricks to their go-to summer hairstyles. From taming a voluminous head of hair into a no-mess, no fuss style to keeping your hair healthy all season long, the Beauty Panel is here to help.

Challenge 24: What’s your go-to summer hairstyle? See the answers now! »

It would be an understatement to say that nail art hasn’t completely saturated the beauty world. From Anne Hathaway’s neon manicure at the Met gala to Hailee Steinfeld’s pop art nails at Comic Con, nail art is still going strong throughout summer.

While A-list stars turn to nail gurus like Kimmie Kyees (Rihanna’s go-to) and Tom Bachik (he does Beyoncé, Zooey Dechannel and Jennifer Lopez) DIY nail art can look just as red carpet-worthy. Although scrolling through thousands of nail art images on Pinterest may be one way to get inspired, the Beauty Panel is here to lend us a hand. This week they’re sharing top tips and tricks on the best nail art looks for summer. From pastel shades to chevron nail art to glitter top coats, we’re pretty sure you’ll be reaching for a bottle of nail polish before you finish reading this post.

Challenge 22: What’s your favourite nail polish colour to wear this summer? See the answers now! »

While summer definitely calls for brightly coloured lipsticks, sometimes it’s nice to tone down the drama and allow your natural beauty to shine. Looking to the 1990s for inspiration, many Spring 2013 runway shows featured minimalist beauty looks that truly made us envy simplistic style. From Alexander Wang to Balmain, fashion houses made the neutral look appear effortlessly chic.

To achieve the minimalist look, a neutral lipstick is essential—but how do you wear such a pale shade without washing out your entire face? It’s all in how you apply it. With the right colour and technique, a neutral lip colour can make a statement.

Not convinced? Let our Beauty Panel guide you. This week they’re sharing tips and tricks on how to choose and wear a perfect neutral lip colour—while ensuring that the rest of your look also stands out.

Challenge 21: What are your tips for choosing and wearing a neutral lip colour? See the answers now! »

One of the things we love most about summer is travel. From weekend cottage getaways to month-long journeys, ’tis the season to enjoy a vacation. However, no matter where you’re headed, the question of what to pack is always a concern—especially if you’re a beauty junkie. It can be hard to resist the urge to just pack your entire bathroom and be done with it.

But! Before you throw your every item you own and love into your beauty bag, allow our Beauty Panel members to share some advice with you. This week we challenged our beauty blogging experts to pick just three essential items they require while on vacation.

Challenge 19: When packing light for a summer vacation, what 3 must-have beauty products do you bring and why? See the answers now! »

You’ve printed off your resume, know your strengths and weaknesses and have the perfect job interview outfit planned. But have you considered how to do your hair and makeup? Just like a low cut top is a job interview no-no, glittery makeup or a messy ponytail is best saved for more social situations. While some of us may seek work in offices that are more creative or casual than others, when it comes to making a first impression, showing up at that job interview looking perfectly polished is key.

When you want to put your best face—and hair!—forward, a neutral look that highlights your natural beauty is best. Don’t distract from your talents with hair and makeup that’s better suited for a night out with friends. To make sure the HR department focuses on your credentials rather than a makeup blunder, we asked the Beauty Panel to share some job interview-worthy beauty looks. Read on, take their advice and all you’ll have to worry about is showing up at the right place at the right time.

Challenge 18: How do you do your hair and makeup for a job interview? See the answers now! »

When it comes to the type of makeup formulas you favour, are you a cream makeup kind of girl or more into powders? While this decision is often based on a number of variables—from skin type to climate to favourite makeup brands—it’s good to be well versed in the benefits of both. While some of us like to opt for a creamy texture to achieve that nice evenness on the skin, others prefer powder products for its lighter finished look.

We took the battle of the two textures to our Beauty Panel to see which formula they prefer and to get their best tips for application—as well as favourite product recommendations. After all, if you’ve never indulged with a cream eyeshadow or have been wanting to invest in a new powder blush, it’s good to know how to use them.

Challenge 16: Cream versus powder makeup: Which do you prefer? See the answers now! »

Let’s be real. Some nights you just need to look like a total babe. While we love to keep our makeup looking fresh and natural during the day, when it comes to a big night out in the summer, we want to have some fun. Whether you’re going to the Power Ball, a night out with the girls or a date with someone special, it never hurts to play up the drama. To help inspire your next date makeup look, we asked the Beauty Panel to share tips and tricks on bombshell beauty.

Challenge 14: Some nights you just need to look like a total babe! How do you do your makeup for a big night out during the summer months? See the answers now! »

Let’s blame The Little Mermaid for making us think that with a quick flip of our hair, it’s possible to look like a perfect princess when emerging from the water. Sadly, it takes a little bit more of an effort to make sure your hair and makeup can stand up to the elements—and during the summer months, the sweaty, sticky heat can do just as much damage as a dip in the pool.

While we love that summer beauty is all about keeping things to a minimal, it can be tricky to figure out which products work best under the scorching sun. As such, we’ve turned to the Beauty Panel for tips and tricks about waterproof makeup, sweat-proof application techniques and summer-ready hairstyles. Whether you’re going to the first summer pool party of the year or just walking between your office and the subway, we want to make sure that no matter how sweaty things get, you’ll look your best.

Challenge 13: What are your tips for waterproof, sweat-proof or sun-proof beauty? See the answers now! »

Summer wedding season is here, and whether you’re walking down the aisle, standing up for your best friend or just showing up and dancing the night away, it’s important to consider how you’ll look. In terms of outfits, we certainly have you covered. But what about your hair and makeup on the big day?

More and more brides are taking the DIY approach to their wedding makeup (even Kate Middleton was rumoured to have done it herself!) and it goes without saying that most wedding guests aren’t spending a day at the salon before a friend’s nuptials. But with photographers everywhere and some weddings starting at the crack of dawn and going into the wee hours of the night, it’s advisable to put some extra effort into your hair and makeup.

To get the best advice on wedding day makeup and hair, we turned to the Beauty Panel. With a number of professional makeup artists on the panel, these experts have many weddings under their beauty belts—and plenty of tips for you, regardless of your bride, bridesmaid or guest status.

Challenge 12: How would you do your hair and makeup for a wedding? See the answers now! »

This season it’s all about the statement lip. Moving away from the darker hues of fall, designer after designer sent models down the spring runways wearing vibrant shades of lip colour. From Prada to Rochas to Dries Van Noten, the statement lip was certainly the beauty statement of the season.

When done right, the statement lip can look stunning, but it can be tricky to find the right colour for your skin tone. And when you’ve found that perfect colour, how do you make sure it stays on all day (or night) long? Luckily, with a little help from the Beauty Panel, we have all the tips and tricks you’ll need to find the best lipstick out there—and to keep it on your lips.

Challenge 11: The statement lip is a big trend this season. How do you make your lipstick colour stand out and last?

Bring on the bronzer! Whether you wear it all year round or just like to add some glow to your complexion during warmer months, there’s no time like the start of spring to learn how to use bronzer properly. After all, this is when drugstore aisles and department store beauty counters will be inundated with new bronze-focused products, making even the most pale-skinned set want to add a little glow to their complexions. However, because there are so many types of bronzers out there—and so many questions about how to use bronzer—we thought it best to have the Beauty Panel, our carefully selected group of hair and makeup experts, take you through their best bronzing tricks.

Challenge 10: What are your tips on how to use bronzer properly? See the answers now! »

Raise your hand if your last haircut or makeup look was inspired by a celebrity. (We all have our hands raised, right?) While runways set the trends, when your favourite star is spotted wearing the newest fashion, makeup look or hairstyle, that’s likely the point when you want in on it as well. But who are the actresses, musicians and A-listers who inspire your beauty style? Are you devoted to duplicating all their looks—as we know, celebs are quite fond of changing their hair cut and colour at a moment’s notice!—or do you follow the general theme of their go-to beauty routine?

Who better to offer some insight than the Beauty Panel! Our team of expert beauty bloggers were eager to share their celebrity beauty inspiration and offer up easy-to-follow tips on how to duplicate popular red carpet looks. From Kristen Stewart’s signature smoky eye (and sassy smile!) to Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar-winning red carpet look, there’s plenty of A-list hair and makeup influence.

Challenge 9: Is there a celebrity that inspires how you do your hair and makeup? See the answers now! »