Beauty Fix: How to fight dry lips, wine-stained teeth and everything else cold weather brings
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 [email protected] or ask away in the comments below.
How can I keep my skin glowing as temperatures dip?
This time of year means lower temperatures, less sunlight, less moisture in the air, and more central heat, which can really throw a wrench in your skin’s natural renewal process. Keep skin radiant by adding an enzyme scrub, like Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator ($35, well.ca), to your routine. Papaya enzymes work to brighten up dull skin by breaking down dead cells while micro-crystals polish away at the surface to reveal new cells – like microdermabrasion, just infinitely more gentle. Aloe vera and panthenol in the formula soothe skin with each use for smooth skin minus the irritation.
How can I conceal redness from breakouts? My usual concealer isn’t doing the trick.
Let’s take this back to colour theory principles! Red is opposite from green on the colour wheel, so the best way to cancel out redness in skin is to use a green-tinted corrector. Take it one step further with Bioderma’s new Sébium AI Corrective 2-in-1 Tinted Anti-Blemish Care ($25, murale.ca), which is akin to 3 products in one package: the cap contains a green corrector to minimize red areas while the tube houses a medicated skin tint that contains skin-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid, ginkgo biloba extract and zinc gluconate to help eradicate blemish-causing bacteria while concealing redness.
How can I prevent my teeth from becoming stained by beverages?
‘Tis the season for mulled wine and coffee to get through the holiday hoopla and your teeth will undoubtedly bear the brunt of shade-shifting by the time the new year rolls around. Scheduling a dentist cleaning during the holiday season is next to impossible, so your best bet is a very thorough cleaning at home. Picking up Philips’ latest Sonicare system, the DiamondClean Pink Edition ($300, londondrugs.com) will give you the best defense to ward off stains. With multiple settings to accommodate sensitive teeth, gum care, whitening and polishing desires, you’re able to take care of your teeth more effectively than with a manual toothbrush. Bonus: feeling like you’ve just left the dentist without actually having to go to the dentist.
Is it possible to have a radiant foundation without visible shimmer?
Some might suggest that in order to have radiance without shimmer in foundation, it would be best to start with a matte foundation and add shimmer where you want it, but the end result of this combination is very different from an all-over luminosity that doesn’t come from shimmer particles. Try Shiseido’s latest foundation, Future Solution LX Total Radiance Foundation ($98, thebay.com), which contains brightening ingredients to improve skin over time, but the nature of the light-reflective pigments in this formula are what sets this foundation apart. There’s zero visible shimmer yet the finish of the foundation is utterly luminous and flattering, making it essential to any foundation wardrobe.
Is there such a thing as a hydrating lip liner? Everything I’ve tried seems so drying.
Lip liners can be rather dehydrating, which is frustrating because they’re usually used to keep lip products in place when what you would rather do is remove everything you’re wearing and slather on a lip balm because the lip liner is so uncomfortable. Try taking a look at the ingredients list before purchasing next time and keep an eye out for ingredients such as fruit waxes and glycerides, both of which are in Laura Mercier Lip Liner ($28, sephora.ca). The formula glides on without tugging, wears comfortably due to the hydrating glycerides and fruit waxes, and helps extend longevity of other lip colours worn on top.
, to your routine. Papaya enzymes work to brighten up dull skin by breaking down dead cells while micro-crystals polish away at the surface to reveal new cells – like microdermabrasion, just infinitely more gentle. Aloe vera and panthenol in the formula soothe skin with each use for smooth skin minus the irritation.
How can I conceal redness from breakouts? My usual concealer isn’t doing the trick.
Let’s take this back to colour theory principles! Red is opposite from green on the colour wheel, so the best way to cancel out redness in skin is to use a green-tinted corrector. Take it one step further with Bioderma’s new Sébium AI Corrective 2-in-1 Tinted Anti-Blemish Care ($25, murale.ca), which is akin to 3 products in one package: the cap contains a green corrector to minimize red areas while the tube houses a medicated skin tint that contains skin-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid, ginkgo biloba extract and zinc gluconate to help eradicate blemish-causing bacteria while concealing redness.
How can I prevent my teeth from becoming stained by beverages?
‘Tis the season for mulled wine and coffee to get through the holiday hoopla and your teeth will undoubtedly bear the brunt of shade-shifting by the time the new year rolls around. Scheduling a dentist cleaning during the holiday season is next to impossible, so your best bet is a very thorough cleaning at home. Picking up Philips’ latest Sonicare system, the DiamondClean Pink Edition ($300, londondrugs.com) will give you the best defense to ward off stains. With multiple settings to accommodate sensitive teeth, gum care, whitening and polishing desires, you’re able to take care of your teeth more effectively than with a manual toothbrush. Bonus: feeling like you've just left the dentist without actually having to go to the dentist.
Is it possible to have a radiant foundation without visible shimmer?
Some might suggest that in order to have radiance without shimmer in foundation, it would be best to start with a matte foundation and add shimmer where you want it, but the end result of this combination is very different from an all-over luminosity that doesn’t come from shimmer particles. Try Shiseido’s latest foundation, Future Solution LX Total Radiance Foundation ($98, thebay.com), which contains brightening ingredients to improve skin over time, but the nature of the light-reflective pigments in this formula are what sets this foundation apart. There’s zero visible shimmer yet the finish of the foundation is utterly luminous and flattering, making it essential to any foundation wardrobe.
Is there such a thing as a hydrating lip liner? Everything I’ve tried seems so drying.
Lip liners can be rather dehydrating, which is frustrating because they’re usually used to keep lip products in place when what you would rather do is remove everything you’re wearing and slather on a lip balm because the lip liner is so uncomfortable. Try taking a look at the ingredients list before purchasing next time and keep an eye out for ingredients such as fruit waxes and glycerides, both of which are in Laura Mercier Lip Liner ($28, sephora.ca). The formula glides on without tugging, wears comfortably due to the hydrating glycerides and fruit waxes, and helps extend longevity of other lip colours worn on top.){kind=link}