Your Top 5 Beauty Questions—Answered by the Pros

Welcome back to the Beauty Lab Podcast! We’re your hosts, Velia and Monina, and today we’re diving into the five most-asked beauty questions straight from YOU—our amazing listeners. If you’ve ever wondered how to fix brassy highlights, clean your brushes the right way, or figure out what hair color actually suits you, this episode is for you.

 

 

How to Keep Your Highlights Vibrant

We get asked this all the time: Do I really need purple shampoo? And what even is blue or green shampoo?

Let’s clear it up.

• Purple shampoo cancels out yellow. Great for platinum blondes.
  
• Blue shampoo cancels out orange. Perfect for golden blondes or light caramels.
  
• Green shampoo cancels out red. Ideal for brunettes battling unwanted red tones.
  

Here’s the kicker: color-depositing shampoos aren’t for cleaning—they’re toners. So always shampoo your hair first with your usual product, then follow with your color shampoo and leave it on for a few minutes.

Pro tip: If you have both orange and blonde in your hair, only treat the lightest part or you risk turning those blonde pieces green. Always check with your stylist for personalized advice.

How Often Should You Clean Your Brushes?

Let’s break it down.

Makeup brushes:

• Clean synthetic brushes (used for cream/liquid products) at least once a week—more if you’re acne-prone.
  
• Clean natural hair brushes (used for powder) twice a week.
  
• Use baby shampoo or a specific brush cleaner.  Our favorite is Cinema.

Hair brushes:

• Remove hair after every use.
  
• Wash them with hot water and dish soap. If you use a lot of product, wash them every two weeks. Otherwise, once a month is fine.
  

Dirty brushes = breakouts, patchy makeup, and gunky hair. Don’t skip it!

Pro Tip: Velia's favorite brushes: Streetwise Hair Fryer Brush and Bouncecurl.

What Hair Color Suits Me Best?

This one’s tricky because it’s personal. The short answer? Talk to a color-trained stylist (hey, Velia does virtual consults!). But here are a few tips:

• Gold jewelry lovers often look best in warm tones.
  
• Silver jewelry wearers tend to lean toward cool tones.
  
• You might be warm for blondes but cool for brunettes—yes, that’s a thing.
  

Hair color analysis looks at your natural hair, skin undertone, and eye color. A stylist who specializes in color can help you avoid those dreaded mismatches.

You can schedule a consultation with Velia via Zoom by emailing here or if you're in the Bay Area, you can schedule a visit here.

How to Fix Uneven Skin Tone

If dark spots or redness are driving you crazy, here’s a 3-step fix:

• Exfoliate 2–3x per week with a gentle chemical or physical scrub.
  
• Targeted serums:
  
• • Niacinamide reduces redness + evens tone.
    
  • Vitamin C fades dark spots + boosts glow.
    
  • Azelaic acid soothes acne spots + brightens.
    
• SPF every single day. Yes—even when it’s cloudy. Look for broad spectrum SPF 30+ to protect against both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays.
  

Consistency is key—results show in 4–8 weeks. Don’t give up!

There are two products Monina loves!  Email Monina and get 5% off! (just email Monina here!)

Is There a Difference Between Topical and Internal Vitamin C?

Yes, and both are important!

Topical vitamin C:

• Brightens dull skin
• Fades dark spots
  
• Boosts collagen
  
• Protects against pollution + sun damage (as an antioxidant)
  

Internal vitamin C (supplements):

• Helps your body create collagen
  
• Fights internal oxidative stress (aka slows aging)
  

Sensitive skin? Use Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) instead of L-ascorbic acid—it's gentler and still effective.  Monina will give you 5% off when you email her to find out about her favorite products.