FASHION Magazine

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 atbeautyfix@fashionmagazine.com or ask away in the comments below.

What’s the simplest alternative to professional gel manicures? They’re too time-consuming to commit to!
If you’re not able to commit your time (or money!) to gel manicures done by a pro, rest assured that you have a long-lasting alternative that you can pick up at the drugstore. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel (shown in “Mad Women”, $11, at drugstores) is the latest and greatest from the nail authority, and this formula is heavy-duty without the fuss of a UV or LED light-curing process, boasting up to 14 days of chip-free wear. Simply apply two coats of gel colour (no base coat required) and finish with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. Both the gel colour and top coat formulas contain similar ingredients, but the top coat contains a photoinitiator that cures with natural UV light, so the gel colour becomes more durable as time passes. Bonus: 47 shades in a slew of different finishes means this system is one you’ll definitely be able to embrace wholeheartedly!

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.

Can you suggest a travel-friendly foundation? I’ve had a few spills in the past that have turned me off liquid makeup altogether.
There’s nothing quite like a makeup bag covered in a coveted product to kick-start a vacation! If you’re often taking your foundation on the go, explore cream formulas that come in a compact format, like Armani Maestro Fusion Compact ($68, at Holt Renfrew). This lightweight foundation is comprised of a blend of dry oils and waxes that meld with your skin for natural, luminous finish. It can also be layered for higher coverage or concealing needs and comes with a handy brush applicator included in the compact for this very purpose. Bonus: The packaging isn’t glass, so you’re in the clear if you decide to toss it in your bag on the go, making it incredibly travel friendly.

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.

My sensitive skin seems a bit irritated after cleansing. What can I do to calm it down?
This is a common gripe amongst sensitive-skinned individuals. The level of the skin’s visual irritation may be a fraction of the irritation happening below the surface, so spring into action. Ensure you’re using the correct type of cleanser for your skin. If you have skin that’s not only sensitive but also dry, using a milky or non-foaming cleanser is your best bet since they tend to be gentler at removing dirt and debris without draining the skin of natural moisture. If that’s all sorted, consider using a toner immediately after cleansing. While toner doesn’t necessarily have a place in everyone’s skincare regimen, a calming fluid like Simple Soothing Facial Toner ($11, well.ca), can really make a marked difference in how sensitive skin behaves. The fragrance-free formula contains witch hazel, panthenol, allantoin and chamomile, which tightens pores, restores skin, promotes cell turnover and soothes skin, respectively.

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 find it a bit tricky to get to my corner lashes when applying mascara. How can I reach every single lash?
I’ve certainly jabbed the inner corners of my eyes a handful of times when trying to get mascara on my corner lashes, leaving a mess of mascara smudges behind. (It’s even worse when it ruins a carefully applied eye makeup look.) Mascara junkies rejoice, because Avon Mega Effects Mascara ($12, avon.ca) has a very different brush that is the solution to your corner-lash woes. The adjustable ergonomic wand allows you to line up the brush with your lashes from the front, instead of from the side, so you can apply mascara to each and every lash. If you still feel you can’t get to the corner lashes, turn the brush so that it’s perpendicular to your lash line to brush on the mascara with the end of the wand.

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 usually wear tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it, which tends to hold up well on my skin, but that’s not the case in the midst of a heat wave! Any alternatives you can suggest for similar coverage with SPF?
Staying power of makeup is definitely put to the test in times of high humidity and heat! You may be experiencing issues with the longevity of your makeup for two reasons: your tinted moisturizer probably isn’t matte in its finish and your skin is inevitably producing more oil and/or sweat. Luminous and radiant finishes in products are incredibly appealing and flattering, but these product finishes can impact wearability during times of extreme heat. If you’re looking for light coverage with a sun protection component and a great mattifying effect on the skin, try L’Oréal Magic Liquid Powder Bare Skin Perfecting Makeup ($19, at drugstores). This lightweight fluid, best applied with fingers, glides on and blends out effortlessly and sets to a velvety matte finish on the skin without ever appearing heavy on the skin. For a mattifying foundation, that is some serious magic!

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 can I achieve that stained lip look I used to get after eating a popsicle as a kid?
I see I’m not the only person who has been thinking back to yesteryear for a little beauty inspiration! You’re in luck, actually, because there are different ways of achieving a glossy stain, but one of the best formulas that comes in shades that you’d almost exclusively associate with frozen treats are Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics’ new Lip Tar Stained Gloss ($21, sephora.ca, shown in “New Wave”). This jelly-like formula applies as a translucent lip colour and leaves behind a generously pigmented stain on your lips as the glossiness wears off throughout the day—making the effect akin to your childhood post-popsicle pout.

See our top product picks to protect your skin this winter »

If there’s ever a time you’ll want to retain water, it’s winter. “As the temperature falls, the air’s ability to hold moisture tends to reduce, which creates dryness in the environment,” says Dr. Jaggi Rao, a dermatologist and associate clinical professor at the University of Alberta. In other words, your dewy summertime complexion is going to thirstily tense up and beg for a drink. Dr. Rao suggests applying a hydrating cream or serum on damp skin, as “it will seal whatever is there and retain that moisture.” Skin around the eyes, the thinnest on the body, also requires immediate attention, and not just because of its fragility. We make so many facial expressions in that area that “if the skin is already dry, you will enhance the microscopic breaks in it.” Remedy the situation by dipping deeply into some eye cream.

Attention Joe Fresh fanatics. Today, we bring you the woman behind your favourite spring (and summer, and winter…) visions. As the brand’s style director, Adrienne Shoom heads up all styling and imaging for all of its marketing campaigns, print ads, commercials and in‐store visual campaigns. She’s also the champ behind the brand’s much-anticipated fashion week shows. So, how does she do it all? Here’s at least a partial answer.

View the style snaps »

I am ridiculously lucky–I get to try a lot of lipstick, perfume and bath scrub, gratuite. So it’s safe to say that my favourite things are on constant rotation. Click the images below to see what I’m loving right now, then tell me your favourite beauty products. Vote for them online at fashionmagazine.com/beautyawards2009/ and you’ll […]

The post Adriana’s picks: What our beauty director is loving right now appeared first on FASHION Magazine.