The Beauty Thread

[laylalex 7,293]

So I got another sample of the Ilia balmy gloss -- deluxe size -- and I thought: maybe someone on here wants it? It's sealed in its tube and in its little box. It comes in the shade Only You, which is a neutral nude (check out the link above). If you want it, PM me. I'll send it to you for free.  

[TBoneTX 45,598]

15 minutes ago, laylalex said:

a neutral nude

Reactions to nudity will almost never be neutral.

[GetOutside 164]

Looking to start wearing a tinted moisturizer. Preferably drug store brand. Any suggestions ? 

[Boiler 45,733]

https://www.costco.com/hydroxatone-anti-aging-bb-cream%2C-2-pack.product.100400525.html

[laylalex 7,293]

58 minutes ago, GetOutside said:

Looking to start wearing a tinted moisturizer. Preferably drug store brand. Any suggestions ? 

That Hydroxatone looks fine and is a good suggestion with decent reviews. Some other drugstore and less expensive beauty options are:

 

Any from the Neutrogena brand -- my derm told me she approves of Neutrogena in general as skincare. 

Garnier BB -- I have tried this and it's pretty decent! I think it's around $8-10.

If you can swing it, I really recommend the tarte tinted moisturizer-- bigger shade selection, great light coverage. https://www.sephora.com/product/tarte-maracuja-tinted-hydrator-P456371?skuId=2343465&icid2=products grid:p456371

Another idea is the Sephora tinted moisturizer which doesn't break the bank at $16: https://www.sephora.com/product/matte-perfection-tinted-moisturizer-P448496?skuId=2149565&icid2=products grid:p448496 I have NOT tried this but in general the Sephora own brand line is quite solid. (Except their overnight hair mask which was a BAD idea for me!)

[GetOutside 164]

On 9/11/2020 at 5:56 PM, laylalex said:

That Hydroxatone looks fine and is a good suggestion with decent reviews. Some other drugstore and less expensive beauty options are:

 

Any from the Neutrogena brand -- my derm told me she approves of Neutrogena in general as skincare. 

Garnier BB -- I have tried this and it's pretty decent! I think it's around $8-10.

If you can swing it, I really recommend the tarte tinted moisturizer-- bigger shade selection, great light coverage. https://www.sephora.com/product/tarte-maracuja-tinted-hydrator-P456371?skuId=2343465&icid2=products grid:p456371

Another idea is the Sephora tinted moisturizer which doesn't break the bank at $16: https://www.sephora.com/product/matte-perfection-tinted-moisturizer-P448496?skuId=2149565&icid2=products grid:p448496 I have NOT tried this but in general the Sephora own brand line is quite solid. (Except their overnight hair mask which was a BAD idea for me!)

Thanks! I was thinking of trying neutrogena, Sephora, ulta brand, and elf. Usually I don’t mind spending money on beauty products but for some reason I’m wanting to try drug store prices on this one. Maybe because I don’t know if I’ll use it often ? I’ve never worn a tinted moisturizer but am wanting to try a less coverage look.

[laylalex 7,293]

For those interested in some of the items I've touted on here, Sephora has a set of minis for $48 include some of my absolute go-tos: https://www.sephora.com/product/sephora-favorites-makeup-must-haves-P461526

 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir (mascara) -- not my current favorite, but it is solid.
HUDA BEAUTY Power Matte Lipstick - First Kiss -- never used but have read good things about her lipsticks
Too Faced Peach Perfect Mattifying Setting Powder -- I keep going back to this again and again, just perfect and it even tastes sweet if you get some in your mouth -- bonus!
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray -- second favorite setting spray, it was my #1 until the new Charlotte Tilbury came along about 2 months ago and blew it out of the water
NARS Orgasm Blush -- this is the very first blush I ever used, and I will always have one in my makeup kit.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Mini -- doesn't work for me (I'm too oily in summer) but it is consistently highly rated.
KVD Vegan Beauty Tattoo Liner -- just the best felt-tip liquid liner. It does not budge and is blackest black.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz - Medium Brown -- I like the Brow Wiz but I prefer a very natural look most of the time and only use a gel. However this stuff is great for a more defined brow.

 

Speaking of that Charlotte Tilbury setting spray -- it's like the Botox of setting sprays. Once you put it on, nothing is moving.   But it doesn't make your skin feel tight and it smells gorgeous.

[Boiler 45,733]

Quick second for those recommendations.

[laylalex 7,293]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

Quick second for those recommendations.

I'm guessing you liked the Power Matte lipstick the most. Just a guess.

[Boiler 45,733]

5 hours ago, laylalex said:

I'm guessing you liked the Power Matte lipstick the most. Just a guess.

How did you know?

[laylalex 7,293]

Resuscitating this thread!

 

If you're a Sephora Insider, there's a sale on now -- 10% off for Insiders, 15% for VIB and 20% for Rouge. I'm loading up my cart at the moment to stock up on the boring stuff I use again and again (primers, boobmask, concealer) as well as shampoo/conditioner for Al (he likes the Ghost stuff now), an interesting sounding conditioner from Drybar that's supposed to make your hair super sleek, and a fragrance I discovered I love -- Kayali Vanilla. Smells amazing, more complex than the usual vanilla.

 

Last week on a whim I bought a bottle of a shampoo I gave up on years ago, when my ex left me and I went broke for a while, and I switched to dollar store brands for a bit. But I was feeling a bit flush and in need of self care, so I bought it again. Ummm, yeah, I remember why I loved this! Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore. I am a little embarrassed at how much it cost, but I had some Nordstrom Club cash to spend so it was essentially free.  My hair looks amazing for someone who hasn't had a haircut in 9 months. 

 

Also, @NikLR, I bought a bottle of the new Too Faced Born This Way Matte Foundation -- medium to full coverage, no need to build. Lasts forever too -- I wore this at my wedding and it didn't slip at all. I used the Charlotte Tilbury setting spray and it looked natural and there was no budge, while still covering the evidence of the maskne I had earlier this year. Thankfully that's over.

Edited November 6, 2020 by laylalex

[fip & jim 452]

Hey laylalex, I haven't read this whole thread yet. I have some recommendations. I had to change my skincare routine since emigrating - partly due to availability of products and also the climate I live in now (much hotter summers and much colder winters than England). 

I do the double cleanse routine. I use DHC cleansing oil, which is olive oil based, followed by Cosmedix Purity Clean Exfoliating Cleanser - this is by far the best face wash I've ever used. It is gentle but does clean the skin thoroughly.  I've been doing this routine for over a year now and I can recommend it. Unfortunately both products come in plastic bottles. 

I use hyaluronic acid serum followed by vitamin c serum in the morning and retinol serum in the evening. There is a nice set of all three by ArtNaturals that is available from Amazon sometimes. I also tried the Caudalie Premier Cru The Serum. It was a nice texture but the ArtNaturals serums are just as good in my opinion, and they are a tenth of the price. I'm currently using Hado Labo Tokyo Hydrator serum because I couldn't get hold of the other set of serums for a while. It's a nice lightweight formula for summer but I'm going back to the others for winter as I need more hydration in the cold weather/hot air heating. 

Last year I tried the Victoria Beckham Priming Moisturizer. I like her clean beauty philosophy but it was difficult to justify the price. For years I used the No7 Lift and Luminate range and the results were as good. 

I'm on my second month of Lumity supplements (Lumity Immunity Boosting Morning and Night Supplements). I've been suffering with really dry, flaky skin on my legs since being post menopausal, which is new for me as I used to be on the oilier side - plus disturbed sleep patterns. I'm already noticing a difference in my skin and my sleep, and energy, has improved. The evening supplements help with falling and staying asleep. It's helped break the 3am wake cycle I'd gotten in to. Now I just need to find a cure for my husband snoring. 🙄

I've been trying to go plastic free and I found some great cruelty-free hair care by Plaine Products. They offer a refillable packaging service. I tried  shampoo bars for a while but they didn't work for me. I have a lot of hair and my scalp didn't feel clean enough, but my husband has stuck with the bars. He is currently using Pacific Spirit (Argan oil and Kiwi). He likes to try different bars from Marshalls. His favorite was an African Black Soap that he hasn't been able to find since. For skincare he is currently using Weleda Moisture Cream. For shaving he switched to shaving soap and is using Norwegian Spear by Alluvian. We both changed to safety razors last year and it's much cheaper than disposable razors. 

I also have the Microderm GLO mini microdermabrasion machine and steamer. My teenage son (acne prone skin) loves how clean his skin feels from using this. For his skincare routine we have stuck with Neutrogena.

So that's the recommendations from a couple of more mature people that are trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle. 

 

[NikLR 13,228]

I am currently using the too faced eye primer.  I like it MUCH better than the urban decay.    

[laylalex 7,293]

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

I am currently using the too faced eye primer.  I like it MUCH better than the urban decay.    

What do you like better about it? I just bought a new tube of the UD one and it's arriving today. I go through it so quickly now that I am more focused on eye makeup than lips because... masks.

[NikLR 13,228]

17 hours ago, laylalex said:

What do you like better about it? I just bought a new tube of the UD one and it's arriving today. I go through it so quickly now that I am more focused on eye makeup than lips because... masks.

It’s smoother so it’s easier to blend the make up. I haven’t had a crease yet. Everything still stays put all day. I find the UD to be really tacky and it makes blending really hard.