Makeup, Beauty, and Health Products Thread

[cm81]

Hmm. Thick skin doesn't sound like an attribute for some reason. Unless it's a man's callused hands.

A man's hands... and arms *sigh*

 

[cm81]

Green concealer stick. Supposed to neutralize redness. Never used it before. Heard good things, though. Hoping to minimize some redness from my recent surgery, just for the night.

Does it go on before or after foundation?
Any other tips on this stuff?

Leaving at 5:30pm/Eastern.
Thx.
[MENTION=21890]Codex[/MENTION] or anyone else who knows anything about makeup application. Brain fails me atm for names.

The makeup artists I know swear by it; works, and yes you are supposed to use it under foundation(if you use it at all) lest you are going for that jolly green look.

 

[Vasilisa]

A man's hands... and arms *sigh*

manhandling past

 

[cm81]

Beautiful avatar....

EDIT: the man hands have been removed :tantrum:

 

[Codex]

Green concealer stick. Supposed to neutralize redness. Never used it before. Heard good things, though. Hoping to minimize some redness from my recent surgery, just for the night.

Does it go on before or after foundation?
Any other tips on this stuff?

Leaving at 5:30pm/Eastern.
Thx.
[MENTION=21890]Codex[/MENTION] or anyone else who knows anything about makeup application. Brain fails me atm for names.

Definitely neutralizes redness, pretty much completely. It is supposed to go under foundation, I think.

My experience is minimal regarding this. I don't like how ashy and unnatural it looks, however, i would probably say that for red scars, it would be useful.
I really don't like having to put on more foundation on top, to cover up my concealer.
I suggest going to sephora and trying it out in person, just to see how it works Don't commit to a makeup item, esp one so risky, before trying it on in person

Best of luck to you, Lexicon.

 

[cm81]

I don't like how ashy and unnatural it looks

Why I rarely use foundations at all.

 

[ceecee]

Green concealer stick. Supposed to neutralize redness. Never used it before. Heard good things, though. Hoping to minimize some redness from my recent surgery, just for the night.

Does it go on before or after foundation?
Any other tips on this stuff?

Leaving at 5:30pm/Eastern.
Thx.
[MENTION=21890]Codex[/MENTION] or anyone else who knows anything about makeup application. Brain fails me atm for names.

Under foundation. It works well - green for redness and the more yellow for dark spots or circles. I had a Physicians Formula concealer that had both. It was really handy, I should see if they still sell it.

 

[violet_crown]

Wind-up Rex here for Arcona beauty products.

I literally cannot say enough good things about Arcona's stuff. I have acne prone, combination skin and had done everything up to including accutane to manage my skin issues. I heard about Arcona, got setup with a consultation, and have been using their basic five regiment for about two months now. Within one week my skin was the clearest its ever been. After two weeks most of the dark spots, lines and imperfections were gone. By the end of the month the products were clearing up issues I didn't even know I had haha. I'm absolutely obsessed. It's admittedly a little pricey (intro regiment costs about $250 altogether), but my god is it worth it. Two months in and Im living on that Beyonce,"I woke up like this" tip.

Check out their basic five, but also look into the tableau rasa spot corrector, hydrating serum, and youth serum for extra glowy smooth skin goodness.

 

[rebeccasofia]

I havethe Obagi Retin A product, but find it much too harsh for my skin to use daily. Has anyone used this successfully? How did you do it?

 

[kyuuei]

So buzzfeed's super reliable stuff put out a video and I kind of want to try it. It might free up my routine for more flavorful toothpastes vs super serious frowny-faced ones. Combined with this article from rawfoodsos on vitamin K:

For Vegans | Raw Food SOS

The idea is, to whiten your teeth, do the following for 2 weeks and it'll help out just as much as expensive white strips and it's far cheaper. I've done half of these things (baking soda in my toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide gargles) already and can vouch for them so I thought I'd post them here for anyone curious to try:

The regimen:
- Hydrogen Peroxide - A decent amount, gargle/swish for 2 minutes in the evening.
- Baking soda - Add some of this on top of your toothpaste each time you brush. (most of your teeth being clean is the actual mechanical scrubbing you do.. you can forego toothpaste altogether if you use baking soda and a pro toothbrush/elbow grease just about.)
- Strawberries - Mash and brush for 2 minutes everyday, possibly after lunch.

They claimed it did just as good as the teeth whitening strips + mouthwash + toothpaste. I think I'll experiment for myself. I experimented with activated charcoal a while back, and I can attest to that, it is valid. It is also impossibly messy, getting everywhere in the sink and making your toothbrush look like Hades scratched his ass with it and so you need a secret second toothbrush... I'm too lazy to use it on the daily, which is what you need to make it work. But it DOES work, and it's cheap.

Except, I'm also going to add 2 things: Vitamin K-2 (with MK4 or 7 in the label) supplement for hopefully helping with my teeth as I fear they are weakening.. and cheap coconut oil as a mouth swish instead of my current pre-brush rinse. But.. later. XD

Also, ACV update: still going strong on that. Tea Tree Tingle shampoo left on the scalp for a while, more frequent washing and good massage (2x a week vs 1x a week, and water rinses 2x a week instead of none times a week), and ACV undiluted directly on the scalp completely prevents itch. When I stop/slack, it comes back, when I do it regularly it stays away.

Wind-up Rex here for Arcona beauty products.

I literally cannot say enough good things about Arcona's stuff. I have acne prone, combination skin and had done everything up to including accutane to manage my skin issues. I heard about Arcona, got setup with a consultation, and have been using their basic five regiment for about two months now. Within one week my skin was the clearest its ever been. After two weeks most of the dark spots, lines and imperfections were gone. By the end of the month the products were clearing up issues I didn't even know I had haha. I'm absolutely obsessed. It's admittedly a little pricey (intro regiment costs about $250 altogether), but my god is it worth it. Two months in and Im living on that Beyonce,"I woke up like this" tip.

Check out their basic five, but also look into the tableau rasa spot corrector, hydrating serum, and youth serum for extra glowy smooth skin goodness.

Oh man talk about a price tag... I'm always looking for systems that might help manage my acne better. It seems like as the month goes on, nothing helps, and by the time it heals it's time for round 2.. or 10.. or whatever month it is.

Thanks for sharing.. if I get some jangle in my pocket I might look into this. I have a cleanser my face likes--but gets immune to after a couple months, and I have to switch to something else.. and even then, it doesn't do it for me.. and all moisturizers and lotions have made my skin an oily mess to the point trying them freaks me out despite all the 'omg you haaave to moisturize' stuff. The only things my skin has truly liked is ACV and witch hazel, and rubbing actual green tea bags on it, and zinc sulphur masks.

The tea toner bar particularly caught my eye.. Green tea has been showing in studies (though mixed results of course) to be ranking in a decent up-there marker with Retin-A products.. though you do have to drink like 5 cups a day. XD

I havethe Obagi Retin A product, but find it much too harsh for my skin to use daily. Has anyone used this successfully? How did you do it?

Some tips the doc told me on Retin A:
- Use it BEFORE you cleanse. Like, tone your face to get stuff off of it.. Put the Retin-A on, leave for 20 minutes to a couple hours, and then wash your face and moisturize as usual. Some benefits but not as harsh.
- The other method frequently recommended is on-top moisturizer. Put moisturizer on top, let it sink in good, and then apply the Retin-A product, or mix it with more moisturizer and then apply it.
- Skip the Retin-A completely and use it every other day vs every day.

Everyone's different. For me it worked--but I also want a solution more permanent than constantly using doctor scripts. I have some samples I get from the office occasionally, I still play with them when my face gets completely out of whack from trying something new and it failing. (Like my recent rosehip oil adventure.)

 

[Lexicon]

long girly post.

So, I've found a relatively cheap makeup setup for more formal events that doesn't seem to aggravate my skin.

I have acne-prone, oily skin, but I'm also using Retin-A, so I peel intermittently, as well. Usually tough to balance out.

Went to a friend's company party last weekend, had to dress up, so I wanted slightly heavier makeup than my usual tinted moisturizer.

First tried to balance out my skin & give it a good deep clean before using heavy makeup. Cleansed with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish cleanser. The AHA/BHA in it aren't enough to fight wrinkles or blemishes, but it's a gentle, effective cleanser, regardless.

Used a charcoal & black sugar polishing mask after that - gently removed any flaky skin caused by the Retin-A. Skin feels super smooth after, not tight or dry at all.

Applied a clay mask after rinsing the charcoal stuff off. I used to really like Queen Helene masks, but they take awhile to dry, and tend to dry out my skin. This one seems to clean well without irritation or drying me out. The clay itself dries in under ten min, & rinses easily.

Toner - used Thayer's Alcohol-Free Unscented Witch Hazel w/Aloe Vera

To keep oil at bay, I applied Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Treatment. 2% BHA & rice proteins. Super gentle. It's been discontinued, sadly. Best acne-fighting mattifying cream I've ever used.

Topped off with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream (night). Didn't bother w/a sunscreen since this was an evening event.

On to the actual makeup - all drugstore stuff.. I've used Revlon Colorstay foundation in the past. It's got full coverage & really does STAY. Feels like a mask, though, & I felt like I could never fully clean the stuff off. It was useful as a makeup for theatre, didn't melt under the hot stage lights, etc.

Anyway, Revlon came out with another kind of Colorstay foundation - Colorstay Whipped. It's like a light, airy mousse. Has a lot of lightweight silicones in it, so you don't even need a primer. Full coverage without looking fake. Stayed on all night, & seemed to help balance my oily & flaky areas perfectly.

in Ivory

BEFORE I applied that^ stuff, I applied a green concealer, Maybelline brand, to my red scars. Very lightly/gently. Thanks to [MENTION=23265]cm81[/MENTION], [MENTION=21890]Codex[/MENTION], & [MENTION=4050]ceecee[/MENTION] for the tips on this.

Applied my foundation, & touched up my scars a little bit more with an ivory Dermablend concealer stick

Added a little blush, Physician's Formula brand. I really like the shape of the brush for a quick, very light application. This stuff is very sheer, which gives a more natural contoured effect.

(I cut that little metal high heel shoe off the compact & made an earring out of it)

I set all of that with Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder (Translucent)

For the eyes, I used this sample of liquid shadow (Blush brand, "slate" shade) I got from a Dermstore.com order. The shimmer is minimal, & I was able to blend it into an extremely light, smoky effect.

(it goes on much lighter than it looks in the tube)

Tried out an eyeliner that comes with a brush- that was new for me (usually use pencils). Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (black). I really liked how easily I could create a neat, thin line, with added little flicks at the corners in one go.

Before putting on a heavier-than-usual (& waterproof, which I usually avoid) mascara, I used a lash serum.

The mascara I used was another free sample I got when I ordered stuff from Dermstore.com. Guerlain Maxi Lash. Pretty dramatic result; it almost looked like I'd put on a set of false lashes.

My lashes are already kinda thick compared to this example photo, so the mascara looked really quite intense. I like it a lot, but it's too heavy for everyday wear, & I try to avoid waterproof stuff. Nice for events, though)

For the eyebrows (I have some sparse spots due to scarring from trauma from a bad waxing, serious infection, & subsequent scar revision surgeries in/around that area)
I just used a 99-cent Wet n' Wild brand light brown pencil. It goes on super light, compared to more expensive pencils. I find it doesn't create that 'drawn on' look most others do.

For lips, mine are kinda big, and dark - and since I like heavier eye makeup, I keep my lips neutral to avoid looking clowny. I just applied this lightly tinted lip balm (yet another free sample from Dermstore.com). It goes on very sheer, & actually lightens my lip color, slightly. Kinda balances out everything. Made with petrolatum, beeswax, olive oil, soybean oil & sweet almond oil. Not sticky or excessively shiny looking.

I think this setup will be my go-to routine for formal events. Much too heavy/expensive/time consuming for daily stuff, but really great for formal stuff, or auditions. Haven't broken out at all since that one-time use, either, so that's a good sign. Returned the Revlon products (drugstore allows it) since I won't use those often enough for it to be worth the money. Kinda rented it, basically.

Anyway, yeah.. if you have fair, combination, acne-prone skin.. this stuff is wonderful.



/end

 

[Lexicon]

I havethe Obagi Retin A product, but find it much too harsh for my skin to use daily. Has anyone used this successfully? How did you do it?

Retinoids are really harsh, you have to build up to nightly use.

Wait at least 15-20min after cleansing to apply it. Residual water on your skin/in your pores can increase irritation.

Apply over moisturizer every other night, then apply under moisturizer every other night after a couple months.
As irritation subsides, slowly work your way up to every night applications. Still wait 15-20 min after washing, though.

Retin-A is definitely worth the irritation phase, though. Don't give up on it.

Aloe is pretty nice to soothe the irritation, btw. A lot of the common drugstore aloe gels have alcohols in them, which would only increase the irritation.

I use this brand [below] of organic aloe gel (it's more like a slightly thick liquid, since it has no additives). There are no preservatives in it, so you have to refrigerate it once you open it. I apply it w/ a cotton round after washing my face if the Retin-A is causing flaking/redness/burning. The chilliness adds to the soothing sensation, imo.

I usually get it here w/promo codes: 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel by Aubrey Organics - Buy 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel 4 Gel at vitamin shoppe


Always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher when you use Retin-A.

 

[BadOctopus]

Can anyone recommend a good under-eye concealer for very fair, cool skin tones? I have perpetual dark circles under my eyes, and every concealer I've tried ends up looking unnaturally yellow on my skin.

 

[ceecee]

Can anyone recommend a good under-eye concealer for very fair, cool skin tones? I have perpetual dark circles under my eyes, and every concealer I've tried ends up looking unnaturally yellow on my skin.

I, too was a little skeptical of using yellow on circles but Ben Nye Banana Powder works amazingly and it works with any skin tone.

Ben Nye Bella Luxury Powder | CRC Makeup

 

[cm81]

So, I've found a relatively cheap makeup setup for more formal events that doesn't seem to aggravate my skin.

I have acne-prone, oily skin, but I'm also using Retin-A, so I peel intermittently, as well. Usually tough to balance out.

Went to a friend's company party last weekend, had to dress up, so I wanted slightly heavier makeup than my usual tinted moisturizer.

First tried to balance out my skin & give it a good deep clean before using heavy makeup. Cleansed with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish cleanser. The AHA/BHA in it aren't enough to fight wrinkles or blemishes, but it's a gentle, effective cleanser, regardless.

Used a charcoal & black sugar polishing mask after that - gently removed any flaky skin caused by the Retin-A. Skin feels super smooth after, not tight or dry at all.

Applied a clay mask after rinsing the charcoal stuff off. I used to really like Queen Helene masks, but they take awhile to dry, and tend to dry out my skin. This one seems to clean well without irritation or drying me out. The clay itself dries in under ten min, & rinses easily.

Toner - used Thayer's Alcohol-Free Unscented Witch Hazel w/Aloe Vera

To keep oil at bay, I applied Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Treatment. 2% BHA & rice proteins. Super gentle. It's been discontinued, sadly. Best acne-fighting mattifying cream I've ever used.

Topped off with Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream (night). Didn't bother w/a sunscreen since this was an evening event.

On to the actual makeup - all drugstore stuff.. I've used Revlon Colorstay foundation in the past. It's got full coverage & really does STAY. Feels like a mask, though, & I felt like I could never fully clean the stuff off. It was useful as a makeup for theatre, didn't melt under the hot stage lights, etc.

Anyway, Revlon came out with another kind of Colorstay foundation - Colorstay Whipped. It's like a light, airy mousse. Has a lot of lightweight silicones in it, so you don't even need a primer. Full coverage without looking fake. Stayed on all night, & seemed to help balance my oily & flaky areas perfectly.

in Ivory

BEFORE I applied that^ stuff, I applied a green concealer, Maybelline brand, to my red scars. Very lightly/gently. Thanks to [MENTION=23265]cm81[/MENTION], [MENTION=21890]Codex[/MENTION], & [MENTION=4050]ceecee[/MENTION] for the tips on this.

Applied my foundation, & touched up my scars a little bit more with an ivory Dermablend concealer stick

Added a little blush, Physician's Formula brand. I really like the shape of the brush for a quick, very light application. This stuff is very sheer, which gives a more natural contoured effect.

(I cut that little metal high heel shoe off the compact & made an earring out of it)

I set all of that with Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder (Translucent)

For the eyes, I used this sample of liquid shadow (Blush brand, "slate" shade) I got from a Dermstore.com order. The shimmer is minimal, & I was able to blend it into an extremely light, smoky effect.

(it goes on much lighter than it looks in the tube)

Tried out an eyeliner that comes with a brush- that was new for me (usually use pencils). Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (black). I really liked how easily I could create a neat, thin line, with added little flicks at the corners in one go.

Before putting on a heavier-than-usual (& waterproof, which I usually avoid) mascara, I used a lash serum.

The mascara I used was another free sample I got when I ordered stuff from Dermstore.com. Guerlain Maxi Lash. Pretty dramatic result; it almost looked like I'd put on a set of false lashes.

My lashes are already kinda thick compared to this example photo, so the mascara looked really quite intense. I like it a lot, but it's too heavy for everyday wear, & I try to avoid waterproof stuff. Nice for events, though)

For the eyebrows (I have some sparse spots due to scarring from trauma from a bad waxing, serious infection, & subsequent scar revision surgeries in/around that area)
I just used a 99-cent Wet n' Wild brand light brown pencil. It goes on super light, compared to more expensive pencils. I find it doesn't create that 'drawn on' look most others do.

For lips, mine are kinda big, and dark - and since I like heavier eye makeup, I keep my lips neutral to avoid looking clowny. I just applied this lightly tinted lip balm (yet another free sample from Dermstore.com). It goes on very sheer, & actually lightens my lip color, slightly. Kinda balances out everything. Made with petrolatum, beeswax, olive oil, soybean oil & sweet almond oil. Not sticky or excessively shiny looking.

I think this setup will be my go-to routine for formal events. Much too heavy/expensive/time consuming for daily stuff, but really great for formal stuff, or auditions. Haven't broken out at all since that one-time use, either, so that's a good sign. Returned the Revlon products (drugstore allows it) since I won't use those often enough for it to be worth the money. Kinda rented it, basically.

Anyway, yeah.. if you have fair, combination, acne-prone skin.. this stuff is wonderful.



/end

Holy, Moses, woman, by the time you're done washing your face, I'm dressed and out the door!

(I forgot what it was like to be a girl!)

*sniff sniff*

 

[Lexicon]

Holy, Moses, woman, by the time you're done washing your face, I'm dressed and out the door!

(I forgot what it was like to be a girl!)

*sniff sniff*

Usually I don't do all that.. I just wanted to make sure my skin was extra clean before using a heavy makeup.. pretty paranoid about breakouts.
Gonna be 30 and it still happens from time to time.

 

[kyuuei]

Usually I don't do all that.. I just wanted to make sure my skin was extra clean before using a heavy makeup.. pretty paranoid about breakouts.
Gonna be 30 and it still happens from time to time.

:/ Im with you there.. except it happens on the daily for me still. I'm still interested in checking out that lotion you keep linking for your pm routine, the neutrogena one. Rex has me all bananas about expensive face washes now but I still use witch hazel and like it as a toner.. I keep thinking maybe I'll start using retin-a masks on my face again since my break outs are so consistent. (Toner on my face first to cleanse it a bit, putting on a thin layer for 10-20 minutes and then washing my face clean.) But nothing I've done has gotten rid of black heads. Nothing.

I did order these on a whim through amazon, and they're a little pricey for, essentially saline disposable wipes, but I have used these for everything so far to include washing my face:

Amazon.com: WaterWipes Travel Pack Value Box, 10 Count, (Pack of 24): Health & Personal Care

My biggest problem with my face is it's so finicky and whiny that I frequently give up for a while and just let it be a monster and then I try again slowly and surely. If I have wipes near my bed, I at least make an effort to clean my face and neck no matter what.

 

[violet_crown]

Thanks for sharing.. if I get some jangle in my pocket I might look into this. I have a cleanser my face likes--but gets immune to after a couple months, and I have to switch to something else.. and even then, it doesn't do it for me.. and all moisturizers and lotions have made my skin an oily mess to the point trying them freaks me out despite all the 'omg you haaave to moisturize' stuff. The only things my skin has truly liked is ACV and witch hazel, and rubbing actual green tea bags on it, and zinc sulphur masks.

So their apparently doing a basic five for problem skin starter kit for $87 now. Honestly, if you're really interested, I'd just call them and see if you could get a sample pack that you could try for free for a week or two. I was using cheap stuff for the longest time and would bounce from product to product trying to find something that worked. I'm glad this does, cause like, yeah, major bummer if it hadn't hahahaha. -_-

Also, bonus product I enjoy is one I actually heard about from Miss [MENTION=5159]Lexicon[/MENTION]. She told me to get Aquafor after an eyebrow waxing appt gone bad, and mentioned as an aside that it makes for pretty awesome lip balm as well. About two years later I have easily five tubes of the stuff tucked away in various places around my house and purse. I don't know how I got so many. They're like tribbles or something and just breed if you leave them alone for long enough, spawning wonderfully hydrating, moisture behbehs. It's pretty awesome.

 

[kyuuei]

So their apparently doing a basic five for problem skin starter kit for $87 now. Honestly, if you're really interested, I'd just call them and see if you could get a sample pack that you could try for free for a week or two. I was using cheap stuff for the longest time and would bounce from product to product trying to find something that worked. I'm glad this does, cause like, yeah, major bummer if it hadn't hahahaha. -_-

Also, bonus product I enjoy is one I actually heard about from Miss Lexicon. She told me to get Aquafor after an eyebrow waxing appt gone bad, and mentioned as an aside that it makes for pretty awesome lip balm as well. About two years later I have easily five tubes of the stuff tucked away in various places around my house and purse. I don't know how I got so many. They're like tribbles or something and just breed if you leave them alone for long enough, spawning wonderfully hydrating, moisture behbehs. It's pretty awesome.

Yeah I saw that on their website.. I was thinking maybe sometime in January I'd stop by a nordstrom and see if there's any samples or stuff I could use at a counter or something to see how my face reacts before I start loading up on purchases.

In the meanwhile, I decided I'd try a Lexicon suggestion too. (Aquaphor btw. It rocks, and it keeps well in a car in a little twist tin without leaking everywhere in the summer like a certain chap stick I used to know.) I bought a neutrogena healthy skin anti-wrinkle cream.. >.> Actually that's a lie, I bought the walmart version.. I'm going to try it out and see. Right now I'm using none moisturizers on my face.. and I know I should.

 

[1487610420]

Rejuvenique RJV10KIT Facial Toning Mask Kit