FASHION Magazine

I’m ready to go back into public after having the worst cold ever. What can I do to brighten my appearance?
Chapped lips, raw skin, tired eyes… blech, we know it all too well. Have you ever heard the adage, “starve a cold, feed a flu”? The same rule applies to the beauty fix for a common cold. When you’ve got blocked sinuses and have been breathing through your mouth for what seems like weeks on end, your lips fall prey to loathsome dryness and cracking.

Despite using oil-free products exclusively, my face always looks and feels grimy by early afternoon. What else can I do to control the oil on my face?
The last time I used blotting papers was around the same time I assumed oily skin was caused by eating too many french fries from my school’s cafeteria. Now I know that it can be attributed to hormones, a lack of hydration in your body, or a change in climate—and I’m revisiting the notion that blotting papers are an easy, portable fix for nasty oil slicks. Speaking of nasty, I recall hearing a rumour that blotting papers clog pores and can actually have a negative effect on your complexion… but that’s simply not true! In fact, Japanese geishas have been using paper to blot and keep their makeup fresh since the 1800s—but it’s what’s in the paper that counts.

I thought congested pores were the cause of a red patchy bit of skin between my eyes and nose—but it turns out they’re actually broken capillaries. What can I do to help them heal?
Broken capillaries pop up a little more frequently in the winter because they’re caused by exposing skin to extreme temperatures—hot and cold—as well as nose-blowing and other aggressors, like exfoliation. But, hey, it’s not your fault you like a steaming hot shower, have a perpetual cold, or wear glasses that rest on the skin between your eyes. Laser therapy is by far your most expensive fix for little red spider veins, but there are less costly alternatives that also happen to be natural.

I am plagued by the onset of wrinkles around my eyes. I always wear sunscreen, sleep well, and drink lots of water. What gives?
Not only are your eyes a window to your soul, they’re also the best indicator of the effects that external and environmental factors have on your skin. Because the area surrounding your eyes is so fine and delicate, it’s more vulnerable to the wrath of toxins, free radicals, and sun damage—which, if left undefended, result in crow’s feet and loose skin.

My lips got extremely chapped during a ski trip two weeks ago and they still haven’t healed. Help!
Don’t blame it on the shussing, ski bunny—winter weather makes it hard to keep your lips healthy! Whether you’re on the mountain or spending winter curled up in the city, the degree of moisture in the air has plummeted with the temperature, taking with it the water that’s otherwise retained in your skin. Because your lips don’t have oil glands to produce and maintain moisture on their own, you’ll need to add it back for them.