Beauty Fix: A dry shampoo that will keep even the greasiest hair looking clean for days and more answers to your questions
Every week we take on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more and provide all the answers. This week we tell you how to break the daily shampoo habit and share the one of the best dry shampoos out there. Ever had a tube of hand cream explode in your purse? We have a fix for that, too! And if you’ve ever had trouble applying dark lipstick, you’ll want to read on. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at [email protected].
I want to wash my hair less but it often gets greasy overnight. Is there a dry shampoo that can help me out?
It seems like more and more people out there want to break the cycle of washing their hair frequently. Hair, like skin, overproduces oil when it is cleansed too frequently and most hair stylists will advise against daily shampooing. After all, when your scalp is “squeaky clean” it can actually result in excess of sebum on the scalp, which translates into greasy roots. The general rule of thumb for breaking the vicious cycle of daily hair washing is to gradually increase the number of days between and a dry shampoo, such as Batiste ($9, at drugstores), will help you with the transition. Not only does it instantly make tired, greasy hair look newly washed, its refreshing properties are very volumizing and will keep your hair from laying flat on your head. And if you want to go more than a day between shampoos, Batiste is still effective when applied multiple days in a row without making your scalp look dusty. Even more incentive: fans of Batiste have said that their hair actually looks better on day two or three, post-shampoo! Once you break the cycle of daily shampooing, you’ll never go back. After all, who doesn’t like to save extra time in the morning?
I’ve had hand cream leak in my handbag before, which makes me reluctant to tote a tube around with me. What’s another option for moisture on the go?
A messy situation that no one wants to find when they reach into their purse is a tube of hand cream that has ended up all over everything else in the bag! While you could throw your hand cream tube in a Ziploc, consider this solid (!) alternative: Coola Hand Lotion Bar in “Grapefruit Peppermint” ($13, ebeauty.ca). It’s a solid bar of moisturizer that is stored in a convenient (read: purse-friendly) tin that you simply warm up with your fingertips and then work into your skin. The bar contains 100% natural ingredients such as shea butter, avocado oil, vitamin E, and jojoba oil to moisturize skin and beeswax, which prevents skin from losing moisture. Bonus: This particular citrus scent will perk you up each time you smell it.
How can I apply dark lip colours precisely? Traditional lip brushes aren’t doing the trick for me.
The beauty about makeup brushes is that they vastly improve the manner in which we apply makeup to our faces. Another wonderful aspect of makeup brushes is that we don’t necessarily have to adhere to traditional uses of brushes. A fluffy eyeshadow brush can be wonderful to apply concealer with, for example. Sometimes, a traditional lip brush can be difficult to wield—a problem when your primary objective is precise application of lip colour. The bristles tend to be varying lengths, so if there’s too much pressure applied to the brush, they can splay. I prefer a square-headed flat brush like Jemma Kidd Pro Flat Liner Brush ($20, ebeauty.ca) to apply bolder shades, such as Cover Girl Lip Perfection in “Embrace” ($10, well.ca). The uniform bristle length of the brush provides greater control and the corners of the brush make lining the shape of your mouth, especially the cupid’s bow, extremely easy.
What’s one beauty splurge I should make this season to update my look?
Pastels and brights are obviously having a pretty major moment, especially given that spring is almost upon us. Fresh skin with a bit of shimmer can be exactly what we all need after a dull winter! Brighten up your skin with Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick in “Lilac Rose” ($49, bobbibrown.ca). It’s a powder compact that contains different shades of pinks and purples, as well as a strip of soft gold. While this compact is obviously quite shimmery, application with a smaller, not-so-fluffy brush will provide control and more colour payoff, preventing the look from being too over the top (less disco, more darling). Tip: Each shade can be worn individually on eyes as well—and are actually quite flattering for all eye colours.
Razor burn seems to be a frequent occurrence for me, even when I use a shaving cream. Help me!
Oh dear. Razor burn can be truly hellish. There are many variables at play to determine what’s causing it, so let’s do a quick review of what to do to prevent it. Try to use a fresh blade, because blades that have been used repeatedly for more than a few shaves become dull and tend to wreak havoc on skin (and your hair follicles–hello ingrowns!). Also give yourself a chance to warm up in the shower before you shave—goosebumps and razors don’t mix. When you do shave, use a super moisturizing cream, such as Lush Coconut Almond Smoothie ($22, lush.ca), which contains extra virgin coconut oil and almond oil to help protect and soothe skin as you go. Finally, slow down when you’re in the act of shaving, because rapid strokes aren’t in your skin’s best interest and you’ll probably miss a spot or nick yourself! And for added protection, finish off the whole process with a moisturizer containing shea butter, such as Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion ($44, sephora.com).
, will help you with the transition. Not only does it instantly make tired, greasy hair look newly washed, its refreshing properties are very volumizing and will keep your hair from laying flat on your head. And if you want to go more than a day between shampoos, Batiste is still effective when applied multiple days in a row without making your scalp look dusty. Even more incentive: fans of Batiste have said that their hair actually looks better on day two or three, post-shampoo! Once you break the cycle of daily shampooing, you'll never go back. After all, who doesn't like to save extra time in the morning?
I’ve had hand cream leak in my handbag before, which makes me reluctant to tote a tube around with me. What’s another option for moisture on the go?
A messy situation that no one wants to find when they reach into their purse is a tube of hand cream that has ended up all over everything else in the bag! While you could throw your hand cream tube in a Ziploc, consider this solid (!) alternative: Coola Hand Lotion Bar in “Grapefruit Peppermint” ($13, ebeauty.ca). It's a solid bar of moisturizer that is stored in a convenient (read: purse-friendly) tin that you simply warm up with your fingertips and then work into your skin. The bar contains 100% natural ingredients such as shea butter, avocado oil, vitamin E, and jojoba oil to moisturize skin and beeswax, which prevents skin from losing moisture. Bonus: This particular citrus scent will perk you up each time you smell it.
How can I apply dark lip colours precisely? Traditional lip brushes aren’t doing the trick for me.
The beauty about makeup brushes is that they vastly improve the manner in which we apply makeup to our faces. Another wonderful aspect of makeup brushes is that we don’t necessarily have to adhere to traditional uses of brushes. A fluffy eyeshadow brush can be wonderful to apply concealer with, for example. Sometimes, a traditional lip brush can be difficult to wield—a problem when your primary objective is precise application of lip colour. The bristles tend to be varying lengths, so if there’s too much pressure applied to the brush, they can splay. I prefer a square-headed flat brush like Jemma Kidd Pro Flat Liner Brush ($20, ebeauty.ca) to apply bolder shades, such as Cover Girl Lip Perfection in “Embrace” ($10, well.ca). The uniform bristle length of the brush provides greater control and the corners of the brush make lining the shape of your mouth, especially the cupid’s bow, extremely easy.
What’s one beauty splurge I should make this season to update my look?
Pastels and brights are obviously having a pretty major moment, especially given that spring is almost upon us. Fresh skin with a bit of shimmer can be exactly what we all need after a dull winter! Brighten up your skin with Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick in “Lilac Rose” ($49, bobbibrown.ca). It's a powder compact that contains different shades of pinks and purples, as well as a strip of soft gold. While this compact is obviously quite shimmery, application with a smaller, not-so-fluffy brush will provide control and more colour payoff, preventing the look from being too over the top (less disco, more darling). Tip: Each shade can be worn individually on eyes as well—and are actually quite flattering for all eye colours.
Razor burn seems to be a frequent occurrence for me, even when I use a shaving cream. Help me!
Oh dear. Razor burn can be truly hellish. There are many variables at play to determine what’s causing it, so let’s do a quick review of what to do to prevent it. Try to use a fresh blade, because blades that have been used repeatedly for more than a few shaves become dull and tend to wreak havoc on skin (and your hair follicles–hello ingrowns!). Also give yourself a chance to warm up in the shower before you shave—goosebumps and razors don't mix. When you do shave, use a super moisturizing cream, such as Lush Coconut Almond Smoothie ($22, lush.ca), which contains extra virgin coconut oil and almond oil to help protect and soothe skin as you go. Finally, slow down when you’re in the act of shaving, because rapid strokes aren’t in your skin’s best interest and you’ll probably miss a spot or nick yourself! And for added protection, finish off the whole process with a moisturizer containing shea butter, such as Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion ($44, sephora.com).
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