Cringe-worthy query: I hate to admit this, but I was so sick of my facial hair that I shaved my face! Now I'm paranoid that it'll grow back like a beard. Is this true? (Beauty Confessions).(Brief Article)

Despite popular misconception, shaving doesn't cause hair to grow back thicker, though it may appear that way. "With shaving, you cut the edge of the hair bluntly, giving it a coarser finish and making regrowth more obvious," says Arielle Kauvar, M.D., associate director of The Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York. "Wax or depilatories are the best hair-removal options for the face. They remove hair at its root, so regrowth is softer and less noticeable." To slow regrowth, use a hair-inhibiting cream every day. We like the prescription treatment Vaniqa or an OTC brand like Biore Beyond Smooth Daily Facial Moisturizer, $6.99.

no-duh dilemma

Help! I'm clueless about picking a pink lipstick that will look good on me.

To get the scoop on pink-pout protocol, we consulted Julie Hewett, owner of Julie Hewett Noir Lipsticks and makeup artist for celebs like Nicole Kidman. "The darker your skin tone, the more pigment you can wear," she says. If you're going the drugstore route: Light-skinned women should opt for a sheer hue without any blue cast to it, like mauve or pale rose. We like Cover Girl Triple Lipstick in Tutu, $5.25, and Maybelline Wet Shine Lip Color in Mauvelous, $6.50. Olive-skinned and African-American lovelies look great in darker pinks with a touch of purple. Try L'Oreal Shine Delice in Black Cherry, $7.49. Still at a loss? Go to your favorite makeup counter for a free consultation. For a look that's gorgeous on any kind of cutie, use a beigy pink gloss. Try Julie Hewett Nude Noir, $18, and Clarins Lip Colour Glaze, $16.50.

icky, inquiry

I clipped off too much of a hangnail, and now it's a ...