Everyone has their beauty pet peeve; you know, that hurdle in your beauty regimen, the thing that you can never get quite right or even at all. Be it frizzy hair or a pesky lip line or something else entirely, each day you go to battle and come out on the losing end. Until now.

We queried two of our favourite experts — celebrity hairstylist David Babaii and
What Not To Wear’s makeup specialist, Carmindy — for their take on the most common
beauty complaints and their secrets on how to fix ’em. Here’s how they tackle your beauty FAQs:

Help! I have a volume handicap:

Babaii says that the right combination of products here can fix you right up: “Start by shampooing your hair thoroughly to remove product residue, oil and the unwanted elements found in pollution. Also, switch shampoos and conditioners to give hair the best of both worlds. Rinse, rinse, rinse is my motto. A clean canvas is important to any great hair day. To finish, apply a cool blast of water to seal the cuticle and have hair stand at attention!

 

If your hair is fine, apply Amplifying Whipped Mousse throughout your locks to give hair that extra oomph. At the root area, spray my Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier to add enhanced lift and volume. If hair still needs an extra boost, apply not only to the root area but down the hair shaft as well. When drying, do it with your head down so you can achieve the most volume. When dry, flip hair over and spray with a root lift or light styling spray to maintain the most lift.”

Say goodbye to limp locks with these products.

Help! I’m a frizz magnet:

Babaii says that frizz often stems from dry, over-processed or chemically treated hair. “This type of hair requires special TLC. To begin, minimize and space out chemical treatments to give your strands time to recover. Also, avoid the overlapping of chemicals on hair that has already been treated, and allow hair to air dry whenever possible to maintain moisture. Be good to your locks by using my David Babaii for WildAid Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner – this cleansing duo will instantly revitalize and rejuvenate.  Hydration is especially important for hair that endures any type of chemical service or tends to be dry. Pay special attention to your ends when conditioning, since they always need some extra attention.

 

Frizz that occurs naturally either from humidity or texture needs products that will instantly smooth out stubborn strands. Use a leave-in conditioning treatment like my Hair Polish.  This will seal the cuticle, while nourishing and hydrating. If your ends still appear dry once styled, add another dime sized amount of Hair Polish. Warm the product in the palms of your hands and gently smooth over the problem areas.  Voila! Hair is transformed, radiating a healthy shine
free of frizz.”


Get the perfect curl on the next page …

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Help! I often need to get from office appropriate to evening sophisticate in a jiffy, but my hair always stumps me:

Babaii encourages all his clients to carry a few things in their bags at all times: an elastic or rubber band, a few bobby pins and his Bohemian Beach Spray. “One option is to simply finger comb your hair into a ponytail and twist or loop the ends, then tie the elastic band over them to secure the ends creating a messy ponytail. Allow loose hair to fall naturally. Or, finger comb hair into a ponytail and secure. Next take some strands and pin with bobby pins in various directions. Always finish by spraying some Bohemian Beach Spray. It will give hair not only shine but a fresh fragrance.”

Help! I can never achieve the perfect curl:

For Kate Hudson’s trademark curls, Babaii says it’s all about four signature stages: drying, sectioning, curling and styling.  “To begin, I spray her entire head with David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray, scrunching the product into her unstyled strands.  This action will achieve just right amount of texture and movement. Always use your hands to achieve the perfect rough dry, moving hair in various directions. Once dry, I section the hair into 3 different parts. This is vital to attain constant control over the hair at all times. Use 3 to 4 different sized ceramic curling irons to recreate this classic Bohemian wave. To finish styling, fashion small “V” shaped strands. Spray these sections with my Bohemian Beach Spray and wrap them around the outside of a closed barrel curling iron, leaving the ends free. On Kate, I run my fingers up the partially curled strand to get a dramatic wild finish. To complete the look, I spray additional Bohemian Beach Spray. Flip your head down and over for a boho-chic style full of incredible volume and waves.

 

If your hair is
naturally curly you are the envy of most women. These fabulous tendrils require special care. For extra body, use my Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner followed by a thorough rinsing. To define your curls try my Volcanic Ash Sculpting Clay. Place a small amount into your palms and gently massage into your curls using a scrunching motion. Either air dry or use the David Babaii for WildAid Dryer to gently dry your curls with ceramic and tourmaline technology. If you want extra volume, try spraying the Volcanic Ash Root Amplifier to your root area and proceed with your desired dying method. Also, don’t forget to carry a bottle of Bohemian Beach Spray in your purse for a quick curl refresher.”


Take control of your hair problems with these tips!



Say goodbye to dark under eye circles and uneven foundation on the next page …
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Help! My makeup always seems to highlight my dark circles rather than hide them:

Carmindy says that most women use heavy
concealers that match their skin to cover up the darkness and only wind up making themselves look worse. “The trick is not to camouflage the area in thick concealer but instead just bounce a little light under the eyes for a quick, easy fix that will never look cakey or heavy. Use a light pinkish-toned sheer concealer for light to medium skin and a beigey peach-toned concealer for medium to dark skin.  By using lighter shades swept under the eyes it will pop a light under the eyes, giving the illusion of a well-rested look without adding a greasy layer of heavy coverage.”

Help! I can never match my foundation correctly:

Carmindy says that while it used to be you swiped foundation on the back of your wrist to check for the right shade, now you should always swipe it along the jaw line and make sure the color disappears into the skin. “Always check it in the daylight as well. In a store the overhead florescent lighting can make shades look like they match, but as soon as you get outside they look all wrong.

If you have normal to dry skin, I suggest using a liquid
foundation to enhance your complexion. If you have normal to oily skin, go for the new formula air brush makeups. They go on light and sheer and never get greasy. Foundations to avoid are most mineral foundations, which can be too chalky and change color on the skin throughout the day, cream to powder foundations, which are too heavy and matte down natural radiance, and pan sticks, which are too greasy and thick.”

Get Carmindy’s step-by-step foundation tips here!

Help! My makeup never stays put:

Carmindy says it’s all in the layering. “First start off with a good face primer all over your skin. Next apply foundation including on the eyelids and under the eyes and then you apply concealer on the areas that need it. At this point apply face powder to the entire face including lids. Having the foundation and powder as a base to the skin and lids will give the rest of your makeup something to adhere to. If you put shadow or blush on unprepped skin it will never stay put when it mixes with your natural oils.”

Get ready in 5 minutes with Carmindy’s quick tips


Make your lipstick last and get ready fast on the next page …

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Help! My lip liner always look like I have ring around the mouth:

Carmindy recommends you stop using coloured lip liners. “They are a trend from the past and look dated. Try the new, modern way of enhancing lips by applying a little highlight pencil along the outer rim of the lips to bring light to the Cupid’s bow. This reflective light will make your precious pout poufier. If you need to keep lipstick from bleeding, use the new clear or nude lip liners that will look natural. Then even if your lipstick comes off, you will never get that unsightly dark ring around your lips.”

Help! I don’t have time to do my makeup in the morning:

Carmindy says you can get ready in five minutes if you learn how to enhance your natural beauty fast. “Check out my book The 5 Minute Face to learn about the right shades as well as the correct application.

The first step is to use foundation to even out the skin, then apply concealer to brighten up the eyes. Next use powder to set your makeup and apply a powder highlighter shadow under the brows, on the inner corners of the eyes and on top of the cheekbones to bring light to the face. For definition smudge a little eyeliner pencil into the upper lashes only and finish with mascara on upper lashes only as well to save time. Last, add a soft swirl of blush and a quick slick of lip colour. That’s it — five minutes and you’re done!”

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