In the hot weather we've had lately, my makeup seems to be melting off my face. Can you suggest a way to look fresh all day long? (from Clare, Exeter)

Dear Clare: As you have found, summer heat can cause your makeup to smear, melt, crease or fade. The best way to help keep your makeup fresh is to prepare your skin properly before application. Start by using an appropriate foundation. If you have dry skin, apply a cream formula to help hydrate your skin; on the other hand, if your skin is oily or a combination of oily and dry, you'll do better with a powder foundation pressed into the skin with a soft sponge. This keeps your skin looking natural and will help the foundation last longer. In either case, set the foundation using a small blush brush to swirl pressed powder into the skin. This technique helps prevent a caked on look.

Layering your makeup is another way to keep your look fresh. Use foundation on your eyelids before applying eye shadow or liner. If your liner tends to fade, first apply a liner pencil, then go over it with eye shadow in the same color.

For cheek color, follow the same rule as for your base: cream for dry skin, powder for oily skin. You might consider cheek stain, which is absorbed by the skin creating a natural-looking flush.

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Do you know of a denture cleanser that we can make at home to soak the dentures overnight? Thank you. I always read your column. (from G.G., Manchester)

Dear G.G.: There are at least three simple overnight denture cleansers you can make using products you probably have at home. The least expensive of these is a peroxide soak. Peroxide costs less than $1 at most discount stores and it works well to clean, brighten and whiten dentures. Pour straight peroxide into your denture cup and let your dentures soak overnight. Use a soft brush and warm water to rinse them in the morning.

A second, easy soak is made using one part bleach to two parts water. This mixture will remove stains, kill germs and whiten and brighten your teeth, as well as deodorizing and sanitizing your dentures. Again, rinse with a soft brush and warm water after soaking.

Finally, if you prefer a fizzy soak, put a teaspoon of baking soda in the bottom of your denture cup. Add the dentures, then slowly pour in enough vinegar to cover them and watch it bubble away. You'll save lots of money and have bright, clean teeth with any of these homemade choices.

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Would you please explain the title to use for children of first cousins; that is, their relationship to the first cousins and to the children of the first cousins, and so on — there are four generations involved. Also, an article I read recently mentioned a grand-niece. I thought a niece's daughter would be a grand-niece and a great-grand-niece would refer to the third generation. Is this correct? (from Jay, by email)

Dear Jay: This can get very confusing. Here's a quick rundown of the cousin relationship. First cousins are those people who share two grandparents with you; in other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.

Second cousins are those people who have the same great-grandparents as you, but not the same grandparents. Third cousins share great-great-grandparents with you, but not grandparents or great-grandparents.

Children of first cousins are first cousins once removed; grandchildren of first cousins are first cousins twice removed; and so on. Thus, your child would be the first cousin of your sibling's child but the first cousin once removed (one generation difference) of your first cousin. In this situation, your grandchild would be your cousin's first cousin twice removed (two generation difference), and your great-grandchild would be your cousin's first cousin thrice removed.

The best way to make sense of this is to draw a rough chart of your family and their relationships. When you see everyone in family-tree format, it will become clearer.

Great-niece and grand-niece, according to several well-respected dictionaries, are used interchangeably and mean the daughter of your niece or nephew.

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Send questions of general interest to Ask Us, attention Cat Pragoff, New Hampshire Union Leader, P.O. Box 9555, Manchester 03108-9555, or by email at askuscolumn@gmail.com. Due to the volume of mail received, Ask Us is not able send personal replies.