Makeup, Beauty, and Health Products Thread

[Lexicon]

Anyone have any suggestions to tame unruly gray hairs without it feeling like you have greasy or crunchy nasty product in your hair?

I have thick, coarse, dark brown hair. It’s not curly, but frizzes easily under certain conditions. I don’t mind all my random stray gray hairs, but they are definitely wiry and lay differently than the rest of my hair. They stand out quite a bit against the dark hair, so their unruliness kind of makes my hair look a lot messier than it would otherwise. I mean, I am a catlady, but I’m not quite ready to completely look the part, haha. The grays in my bangs are probably the craziest looking.



Short of using a flat iron daily, & even that doesn’t work sometimes (plus it’s bad for hair to do daily), what products can I use? My hair gets oily easily, so mousses and stuff I’ve tried before just end up looking really gross within a few hours.


This isn’t urgent, just something I’ve been meaning to ask about.

 

[ceecee]

Anyone have any suggestions to tame unruly gray hairs without it feeling like you have greasy or crunchy nasty product in your hair?

I have thick, coarse, dark brown hair. It’s not curly, but frizzes easily under certain conditions. I don’t mind all my random stray gray hairs, but they are definitely wiry and lay differently than the rest of my hair. They stand out quite a bit against the dark hair, so their unruliness kind of makes my hair look a lot messier than it would otherwise. I mean, I am a catlady, but I’m not quite ready to completely look the part, haha. The grays in my bangs are probably the craziest looking.



Short of using a flat iron daily, & even that doesn’t work sometimes (plus it’s bad for hair to do daily), what products can I use? My hair gets oily easily, so mousses and stuff I’ve tried before just end up looking really gross within a few hours.


This isn’t urgent, just something I’ve been meaning to ask about.

My mom has coarse thick hair and she likes Aveda Retexturizing Gel. She also said it isn't crunchy or oily on her hair. I've never used this product but I've used many other Aveda styling products and color and they're great.

 

[GoggleGirl17]

I've experienced positive results for myself with these products:

- Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser (it's the only cleanser I've tried that doesn't make my skin dry, shiny, and tight) (morning and night)
- TruSkin Vitamin C & E Serum (morning)
- DRMTLGY Broad Spectrum SPF 45 (morning)
- CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion (good consistency for both body and face) (morning and night)
- Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Retinol Cream (fragrance-free) (night)
- Differin Adapalene Gel (more aggressive retinol I use for body hyperpigmentation) (night)
- Pureology shampoo/conditioner
- OGX Coconut Coffee Body Scrub
- Organic honey for lips

 

[Lexicon]

I did some paid product testing a couple of months ago, shampoo & conditioner. And holy crap, I loved it. They didn’t list the brand during the trial, but after googling the ingredients on the nameless bottle, I found it:

I have thick, coarse, frizzy hair with a lot of unruly grays. This stuff not only smoothed that out, my hair feels soft and has a nice shine to it, now. Doesn’t make me greasy, either. I don’t even need my flat iron.
I’m not big on coconut-scented things. I don’t need to smell like a tropical island 24/7. The shampoo & conditioner smell strongly of coconut when you first dispense it, but the scent doesn’t linger at all really, once you rinse.

After spending a whole day swimming in a chlorinated pool this weekend, I felt like this really helped rehydrate my hair & get all the sticky chlorine knots out, too.


Highly recommend.

 

[GoggleGirl17]

I've experienced positive results for myself with these products:

- Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Cream Cleanser (it's the only cleanser I've tried that doesn't make my skin dry, shiny, and tight) (morning and night)
- TruSkin Vitamin C & E Serum (morning)
- DRMTLGY Broad Spectrum SPF 45 (morning)
- CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion (good consistency for both body and face) (morning and night)
- Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Retinol Cream (fragrance-free) (night)
- Differin Adapalene Gel (more aggressive retinol I use for body hyperpigmentation) (night)
- Pureology shampoo/conditioner
- OGX Coconut Coffee Body Scrub
- Organic honey for lips

The bold are the products I still use and recommend.

Changes:

- I've replaced my Vital Proteins collagen with a brand called Sparkle Wellness which has 5g of the more concentrated verisol form of collagen. The serving is one scoop instead of two, so it saves me money, it contains enough vitamin C to meet my daily requirements (the classic Vital Proteins one does not contain Vitamin C), and I can conveniently drink it with water instead of having to make tea to tolerate the taste (I use the acai lemonade flavor, though I have to hold my nose because it smells like amoxicillin).

- I've omitted vitamin C serum because my complexion began to show an orange tint and my undereyes appeared crepey with more perceptible veins as if I was dehydrated. All of these things returned to normal upon stopping use. Other substances I avoid are caffeine, detox teas, and creatine due to a similar dehydrated look around the eyes and additionally facial bloating. I'm not sure how effective topical vitamin C is anyway.

- I'm now taking cod liver oil capsules for vitamin A.

- Latisse works amazingly for eyelash growth, but expensive.

- I've started using a clarifying shampoo as needed since increasing my hair product usage, so it no longer continues to feel gross and weighed down after washing.

- I am prone to body acne, so I've replaced my body wash with Neutrogena's pink grapefruit salicylic acid one and also no longer use Adapalene on my upper back, and my breakouts have stopped completely. My oil glands might have been overactive because I was attempting to dry them out too much. I still don't dare use any moisturizing products on my back.

 

[Lexicon]

Any suggestions for a liquid makeup foundation that doesn’t transfer easily (like, doesn’t wipe off under a mask)? Does that even exist??

In particular, one I might find in a drugstore (affordable). And one for stupidly fair skin that won’t look orange/yellow/overly pink. I’m usually the lightest color in most makeup. Blue undertones.

I’m going to a small outdoor wedding soon. I’m still going to wear a mask when I’m really close to anyone (like if the seats are closely set during the vows), & going indoors at the venue to use the bathroom.

I usually just wear a tinted sunscreen & skip a foundation altogether. It blurs minor issues & feels more natural looking for everyday. But a more formal event in a nice cocktail dress, I like to look a bit more... polished (plus I like bold eye makeup for formal things). So, foundation would be a better option.


I used to wear the lightest Revlon Colorstay Mousse foundation for those rare events pre-pandemic, but it’s been discontinued & always broke me out afterward, anyway.



Lower priority product suggestion request: a decent black waterproof eyeliner (especially one that works well on the waterline).

No, I don’t cry at weddings... but sometimes the wind blowing around outside/ragweed make my eyes water.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Any face product recommendations for skin that's dry as a bone? It's especially dry on the sides. I've also had giant pores my whole life and I hate them. I don't really struggle with acne as much, here and there, but the pores are still big and loud. I feel like I have weird shadows, my face feels so lifeless. I'm using a Ponds moisturizer right now, gotta see how that works, and I tried some sort of acid in the past but it didn't really do anything.

 

[Luminous]

Any face product recommendations for skin that's dry as a bone? It's especially dry on the sides. I've also had giant pores my whole life and I hate them. I don't really struggle with acne as much, here and there, but the pores are still big and loud. I feel like I have weird shadows, my face feels so lifeless. I'm using a Ponds moisturizer right now, gotta see how that works, and I tried some sort of acid in the past but it didn't really do anything.

I really like Neutrogena products. For the fact that you feel your skin is dull, you could try a product with retinol, just be careful at first and follow the suggestion of trying the product every other day to make sure it won't irritate your skin before using it daily, along with using it at night. Use sunscreen, perhaps Neutrogena or Olay everyday facial moisturizer that has SPF (or the Ponds that you already have). I have large pores, too, and they are so annoying. I haven't found anything that works aside from exfoliating, but I do know that messing with them doesn't help. I'd tell my past self to leave them alone if I could.

 

[Luminous]

Any face product recommendations for skin that's dry as a bone? It's especially dry on the sides. I've also had giant pores my whole life and I hate them. I don't really struggle with acne as much, here and there, but the pores are still big and loud. I feel like I have weird shadows, my face feels so lifeless. I'm using a Ponds moisturizer right now, gotta see how that works, and I tried some sort of acid in the past but it didn't really do anything.

Another thing is to make sure you're getting enough healthy fats in your diet - Omega 3s.

 

[ceecee]

Any face product recommendations for skin that's dry as a bone? It's especially dry on the sides. I've also had giant pores my whole life and I hate them. I don't really struggle with acne as much, here and there, but the pores are still big and loud. I feel like I have weird shadows, my face feels so lifeless. I'm using a Ponds moisturizer right now, gotta see how that works, and I tried some sort of acid in the past but it didn't really do anything.

As a person with dry skin, rosacea and large pores, it's a struggle to find something to address the issues and/or not make the other issues worse. I use the Clinique Moisture Surge line as it seems to work best at the moment. In the winter when the dry skin gets worse, I like to add Neutrogena Hydro Burst gel moisturize or Vanicream at night. You can also try a mist like Caudalie Grape Water or La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Face Mist - both are very affordable - and can be used throughout the day. Some kind of exfoliating will probably help the weird shadows and your skin feeling lifeless.

 

[Lexicon]

My mom has coarse thick hair and she likes Aveda Retexturizing Gel. She also said it isn't crunchy or oily on her hair. I've never used this product but I've used many other Aveda styling products and color and they're great.

I finally ended up ordering some of this recently... it kept my hair from frizzing up outside at my friend’s wedding perfectly!! Some of my gray hairs curl up almost standing on top of my head, if it’s humid out— it looks so dumb. This completely prevented that, & didn’t feel like I had anything in my hair, really. So thank you again for the recommendation. It was well worth the money, & a little goes a long way, so I think it’ll last me awhile.

 

[The Cat]

I finally ended up ordering some of this recently... it kept my hair from frizzing up outside at my friend’s wedding perfectly!! Some of my gray hairs curl up almost standing on top of my head, if it’s humid out— it looks so dumb. This completely prevented that, & didn’t feel like I had anything in my hair, really. So thank you again for the recommendation. It was well worth the money, & a little goes a long way, so I think it’ll last me awhile.

Miss Jessie's Pillow soft curls works well for frizz too.

 

[Saturnal Snowqueen]

Any face product recommendations for skin that's dry as a bone? It's especially dry on the sides. I've also had giant pores my whole life and I hate them. I don't really struggle with acne as much, here and there, but the pores are still big and loud. I feel like I have weird shadows, my face feels so lifeless. I'm using a Ponds moisturizer right now, gotta see how that works, and I tried some sort of acid in the past but it didn't really do anything.

So I got this weird skin diagnostic thing at a liquidation store for 50 cents and despite my skin feeling dry it actually said I have oily skin on my cheeks, combination skin on my forehead and a normal skin barrier and that my PH level is 5.5. Exfoliation is what I need, I have a sea kelp scrub that's really nice that was like 10 bucks.

 

[Lark]

I still wonder about the existence of "fat camps" or body transformation type services for adults, like I see celebrities who disappear, often not for a long period of time either, and they reappear and they are totally peak physical condition and when people ask them how they achieved it, unless they are promoting some sort of bullshit blender or smoothie or some such, they'll be like, er, detoxed, or, er, I was on holiday or at the spa.

I would consider paying top bill for a similar service myself, I think it would be popular with the general public, who have the means, for it too.

Following all the stuff within the creeping privatization of the UK national health service, about moving from a sick service to a preventative service and I'm kind of wondering if they are doing it right, at the moment its smart watches or gym payments to populations of people who probably dont appreciate or will properly engage with the same due to chronic self-neglect (I think neglect is a bigger issue in a bunch of spheres but for the expense involved to the NHS is massive what a single individual can do without in term having contributed to funding the service via taxation).

Like those transformation services, time limited, price tagged, with outcomes which can be clearly quantified, I would definitely be interested in services like that. Like a goal set and satisfied service which would operate similar to a surgical prep and procedure. The problem I can foresee is that, like with everything from ICT to film, TV, books even, they are trying to move from a single payment to a subscriber model of services.

Not that I think they will include in the build of a service (the private sector I'm expecting here) that it will not "take" or "hold" and people will be back in as bad condition, or that it will involve "engineered additional needs", like a car service which discovers you need new tires. Just that business models dont like the risk or insecurity of revenue involved in non-subscription, even if demand is likely to be high and stable because social trends.

That woman in the UK who won the I'm a Celebrity TV show who had transformed from her earlier obese self into peak within weeks during a disappearence to a "health spa" in Europe, has regained all the weight, I think she could be bigger now, and I read it was largely to do with psychological issues as the change was so rapid that they did not recognise themselves in the mirror and it was a bit of an existential issue. That shows it can be achieved fast.

 

[Luminous]

Anyone have a favorite antiperspirant brand? And/or deodorant brand? Preferably one that works, doesn't feel wet for very long after applying, and actually washes off easily in the shower.

 

[The Cat]

Anyone have a favorite antiperspirant brand? And/or deodorant brand? Preferably one that works, doesn't feel wet for very long after applying, and actually washes off easily in the shower.

i dont like antipersperants because they dont really work(I sweat like I was written by HP Lovecraft) just mess up my sleeves over time.

I typically just use an old spice deodorant, but i had good results with Dr Squatch, and Mando wasnt too bad but too pricey imo for regular use.

 

[ceecee]

Anyone have a favorite antiperspirant brand? And/or deodorant brand? Preferably one that works, doesn't feel wet for very long after applying, and actually washes off easily in the shower.

I use Native. My doctor recommended I do after a weird mammogram. It goes on dry, even the spray, and works well without aluminum.