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Page 1 of 2 Lips bereft and feet less-than-glam? We put some of the most common beauty problems to fashion and beauty writer Jane Garner.
Bring back perfect browsQ: My eyebrows are getting paler and thinner and have lost all shape and definition. Can they be rescued? And what mascara is best on pale eyelashes?
With eyebrows you have to make the most of what you've got and where you're lacking, fake it, but subtly. When it comes to mascara, you could switch to grey, but experts say olive-skinned women can continue using black, while those with a paler complexion should try brown.
- Older eyebrows will appreciate gentle but effective treatment provided by the YSL Eyebrow Enhancer Duo in blond, chestnut or dark brown (£17.00). Softer than a pencil and easy to use, this won top marks from our tester.
- Redrawing fading eyebrows is an art and there's a great deal to be gained from practising, always in natural light. Try Collection 2000's eyebrow pencil (£1.49).
- Unfortunately when it comes to mascara there's seldom any way of guessing how each one will work for you without actually trying it. If you want to put a new colour, formula or brush shape to the test, try one from a budget range first.
- Long-established brands like Rimmel offer ever-changing mascara and brush variations. The current dozen includes Volume Flash (£4.99), Extra Super Lash (£3.99) and 100 per cent Waterproof (£4.49) mascaras.
- If all else fails, try Eyelure Naturalites False eyelashes (£4.95 - call 020 8573 9907).
Variations on a lippy themeQ: My favourite lipstick has been discontinued - how will I find a replacement? I like the look of lip gloss but not the sticky texture: is there a formula that would suit me? I've heard that some lipsticks actually fill out your lips. Do they really work?
Yves Saint Laurent's No 19 Fuchsia Pink (£15.50) has been on the market for an astonishing 27 years and is still a best-seller. Few colours enjoy such longevity and lipstick lovers despair when their favourite disappears without warning. But there are so many different lipstick shades and finishes on the market, there's always an alternative - just make sure you keep enough of the old one for comparison.
Fortunately lips are big news in the beauty business. There are dozens of products out there offering to condition, soften, plump and polish. Many that promise to make lips fuller create the look rather than a physical effect.
- Superdrug's Optimum Solutions Sheer Lip Fix (£4.49) promises a "radiant, full pout" and the cool tingle lets you know it's working. Our tester's favourite.
- Many lip-plumpers take dedication and regular application to keep working, like Marks and Spencer's Autograph Illusions Plumping Lip Base pen (£11.00), which must be applied three times a day for full effect.
- If you want glossy lips without any stickiness, look for a lip stain such as Colorsport (£3.99) in a range of nine colours and slick some lip balm on top.
- Or try a sheer lipstick like Yves Saint Laurent's mango-fragranced Rouge Pure Shine (£15.50) in 12 colours.
- The term "lipstick" hardly does justice to the huge range of applicators and effects available today. Accurate application and long-lasting effects are easy to achieve. Try NYC's twist-up pen Liquid Lipstick (£2.99) in nine colours, or Rimmel's double-ended Infinite Colour (£5.99), which is two lippies in one - a choice of 15 transfer-resistant colours that promise to stay put for up to ten hours, plus a transparent, high-shine gloss to finish.
How can I stop hair thinning?Q: I'm so worried because my hair is thinning and I don't know what to do.
More than 1.6 million women in the UK experience hair loss which can be hereditary or caused by pregnancy, hormonal changes, stress, poor diet, medical conditions or as a side effect of taking some drugs. There's plenty of good advice on the website set up by Regaine For Women (www.thinninghairadvice.co.uk). Regaine (£24.95 for a month's supply) is a post-shampoo treatment designed to stimulate hair growth and stabilise further loss in long-term use. Their expert advice includes asking your hairdresser to monitor the rate of growth and progress, and not to panic, because worrying might make things worse.
If your hair just feels thin and lifeless, there are dozens of special shampoos, conditioners and lotions out there to help. Experimentation is the only way to find the one that works for you, so why not enrol a fine-haired friend to share the testing and the cost as you swap products?
Lee Stafford's R U Taking Protection range includes Anti-Ageing Hair Treatment (£6.99 www.leestafford.com) and VO5 offer Volume Boost Thickening Mist (£2.99), a new leave-in blow dry lotion launched in August. Massage your scalpThe Healthy Hair range from Andrew Jose (shampoo £4.99) targets three problems: fine, fragile and stressed hair, naturally dry and chemically challenged hair, and dandruff. Andrew recommends getting into the habit of massaging your scalp while you apply shampoo and conditioner, to stimulate hair growth. Moisturising mature skinQ: What should I use to moisturise skin that's 50 years old? Something different from what I used at 30 and 40?
As skin ages, moisturising is less about prevention and more about tackling the inevitable. Unless you're lucky enough to be born with a genetic advantage, it's best, to some extent, to be pragmatic about wrinkles. They're not going to disappear but you can target the worst offenders. Before you dismiss more expensive ranges, ask yourself, "How much is it worth to me to smooth these wrinkles?" and would it be worth investing a little more to target a specific area, such as your eyes or neck? And what about the rest of your body? Less than 25 per cent of British women use a body lotion every day.
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