Q. Dear Catherine,
I read your piece a few weeks ago on how to make your face look thinner by using bronzer. Any suggestions on how I can disguise my double chin?
--Debbie, Regina

Hi Debbie,
Don’t you love make-up? It works wonders. There is one tip I know to camouflage the double chin, and that is to get a foundation that is slightly darker than the foundation you use on your face, lightly apply it over the double chin and blend it evenly. This will make your face look brighter and more prominent than your neck. If you don’t like the idea of using two foundations, you can also use a bronzer that is just slightly darker than your skin-tone (with no sparkle) and, in one stroke, apply it upwards along your throat stopping short of your chin. The most important thing to remember is to blend; the trick will not work if your make-up looks heavy.

Q. Dear Catherine,
My boyfriend has a very hairy back. He has agreed to let me help him get rid of it. Is a home waxing kit safe to use for that purpose?
--Leslie, Burlington

Hi Leslie,
Yep, it is safe. Just a few pointers though, if the hair is long you may want to trim a bit first. For home-waxing the hair shouldn’t be longer than an inch. The next step is to use baby powder to dry the surface. Lastly, heat the wax as per the kit’s instructions, then apply in the direction of the hair growth. Smooth the strip down on the wax and quickly rip it off. He is probably not used to the discomfort of waxing, so no more than two or three square inches at a time. Also, it may he helpful the apply pressure to the area once the strip has been pulled off to minimize initial nerve exposure. Good luck!

Q. Hi Catherine
I’ve always been told when I blow dry my hair never to put the hairdryer nozzle up to my roots because it will cause damage, but when I go to my stylist they do it? What’s the deal?
--Justine, Owen Sound

Hi Justine,
I know that it’s a bit of a double standard, however when your stylist blow dries your hair they are normally standing above your head, so they are able to keep constantly moving from root to tip without sizzling your locks. When you are doing it yourself, it is nearly impossible to do this because of the angle –especially when you are drying the back of your head. When you dry your own hair, keep the nozzle about an inch away from your hair to prevent heat damage.


Send Catherine Main your beauty questions to counter_intelligence@hotmail.com