Q. Hi Catherine,
My mom is always nagging me because I pick the nail polish off my nails.  Is there really any harm in this?
--Beverly, Regina

Hi Beverly,
I hate to tell you this, but your Mom is right.  If you pick at your nails to take off the polish, you could end up damaging your nail bed and causing future splits and cracks.  Try to stop this bad habit now and use a nail polish remover as often as possible to take off your shade.  In addition, thoroughly wash your hands after the remover to ensure there are no chemicals left that could dry out your nails.

Q. Hi Catherine,
I have a dark pigmentation between my thighs. I scrub the area daily while taking a bath and have also tried many creams and ointments. Do you have any suggestions?
--Maria, Barrie

Hi Maria,
The dark pigmentation on the inner thighs is a very common problem for women.  It’s most likely the result of consistent friction and stimulation on the skin.  If you have tried all of the lightening products on the market, you may want to consult a dermatologist to inquire about in-office skin lightening procedures.  Keep in mind, though, before you spend a significant amount of money on a medical procedure, there are many lightening products on the market today that are effective.  In areas where I want to lighten the pigment of my skin, I often use a facial product such as Kiehl’s Brightening Botanical Spot Treatment or Moisturizer.  Personally, I have seen some great results with these.

Q. Hi Catherine,
What can I do to make my smaller eyes really stand out?
--Wendy, Hamilton

Hi Wendy,
My favourite trick to make your eyes stand out is to curl your lashes with an eye lash curler.  When you bend your lashes up, your eyes instantly widen.  In addition, trace along the lower inner lids with a pale beige eyeliner and use a shimmery champagne shadow along your upper lash line.  Lastly, one of my favourite make up tools is the Cargo EyeLighter to add some white shimmer directly under your eyebrow arch and the inner crease of your eye.  If you take all these steps, you will definitely see a huge improvement.  All of these products are available at Sephora.

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