Beauty Tips!

[MargeGunderson]

I swear by First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Lip Therapy for daily use and Fresh's Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment at night. I also use Bite's agave lip mask a few times a week for deep hydration. All of them really helped when I had the cold from hell a couple of years ago and was breathing through my mouth for a week. 

[Athena]

11 hours ago, aradia22 said:

So being a (part-time) beauty blogger, I test a lot of lip products. I'm also sensitive to something because periodically I will get an allergic reaction. It usually goes away in about a week. It's super cold here and I think the combination of that with the currently allergic reaction is stopping my lips from healing. They've been dry and flaky for a while now, even though I've been sticking to lip products that I know that I'm not allergic to. Any advice? Should I drop everything but lip balm completely? Is there something I can use for quick healing? If it were just dryness and flaking, I'd just exfoliate and use lip balm. But the allergic reaction is what won't go away and there's this tight, dry feeling to my lips. The top layer of skin also gets rough before it starts flaking.

Honestly if you are suffering from an allergic reaction, take a break from testing until your lips heal. Use the most healing and calming lip balm you have. What's a few days? If it lasts more than week, then you should probably ask professional advice. Extended allergic reactions are not good.

My HG lip product is pure lanolin specifically Lansinoh which is marketed to breastfeeding mothers. It is pharmaceutical grade. I use it at my night lip balm all year around but it is essential once it gets cold. By far the best thing for preventing chapped lips and it helps me exfoliate my lips the next day. If you are allergic to lanolin, I'd try petrolatum jelly/vaseline.

12 hours ago, Minneapple said:

turmeric

One of my Indian friends said her grandmother would make her a yogurt and turmeric mask to use every day growing up.

I follow a few skincare discussions online and one product with turmeric that a lot of people love is the Vicco Turmeric Vanishing Cream from India. Does anyone here have experienced with it?

[aradia22]

Quote

Honestly if you are suffering from an allergic reaction, take a break from testing until your lips heal. Use the most healing and calming lip balm you have. What's a few days? If it lasts more than week, then you should probably ask professional advice. Extended allergic reactions are not good.

My HG lip product is pure lanolin specifically Lansinoh which is marketed to breastfeeding mothers. It is pharmaceutical grade. I use it at my night lip balm all year around but it is essential once it gets cold. By far the best thing for preventing chapped lips and it helps me exfoliate my lips the next day. If you are allergic to lanolin, I'd try petrolatum jelly/vaseline.

I'm not testing anything new. I do wear lipstick once in a while (ones that I've tried before and know don't irritate my lips) just to cover up the dryness and also because not having anything on in the cold is just drying them out more. My go to when I'm healing is Dior Creme de Rose but it's not working for me. I have Fresh and Vaseline and other lip balms but I don't find them actually soothing, particularly when I've had an allergic reaction. I've tried Aquaphor, Nivea, etc. in the past and haven't been impressed. I need to go back through my notes and see when the reaction started. I don't really have plans to go out for the holidays so I'll try sticking to Creme de Rose and basic lip balms. I've also been use a Tarte lip exfoliant but I think I'll stop that too since I haven't ruled that out as a culprit. 

[Petunia13]

When it comes to protection from the sun I am going to step it up this year. My actinic prurigo bothered me this summer on my hands and arms & gave me blisters on my eye whenever I was exposed. This winter it's not so bad because I work everyday. I go at 3am and go home when it's usually nite. 

[PRgal]

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

[Mountainair]

My hands get the same way around January/February. Burts Bees makes a hand salve that works great. It's not like a lotion it's like an oil that you rub on the dry spots, which for me is always the top of my hands. I look like a lobster and they are painful to wash. 

[MargeGunderson]

Earth Therapeutics Handy Remedy (I get it at Ulta but I think it's at Target too) and Gold Bond Diabetic Skin Relief Lotion, which I bought on accident but really like. For higher end, First Aid Beauty has awesome lotions. Also, I love the hand (and foot) masks from Sephora which are reasonably priced.

[Frozendiva]

4 hours ago, PRgal said:

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

I put some cortison cream on my scaly hands. For me, it is the cold, the dry air, workplace soap and paper towels. Otherwise, hand cream/moisturizer.

[auntlada]

4 hours ago, PRgal said:

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

We use CeraVe cream (not lotion) after the dermatologist recommended it for my son when he had really bad eczema outbreaks.

[luckyroll3]

5 hours ago, PRgal said:

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

Bag Balm.  I also use it on my lips and feet.

[Minneapple]

I just constantly use hand lotion and moisturizer. Aveeno, Bath and Body Works, Vaseline Intensive Care. I keep a travel-size bottle in my purse, a bottle in my desk drawer at work. 

7 hours ago, Athena said:

I follow a few skincare discussions online and one product with turmeric that a lot of people love is the Vicco Turmeric Vanishing Cream from India. Does anyone here have experienced with it?

It's supposed to be good for getting rid of pimples and good for eczema but I've never tried it (actually now that I think of it, I should try it for my daughter's eczema since I'm sick of steroid creams). If you want to try it as a sunscreen it might be better than a homemade turmeric paste. 

[Trini]

20 hours ago, aradia22 said:

So being a (part-time) beauty blogger, I test a lot of lip products. I'm also sensitive to something because periodically I will get an allergic reaction. It usually goes away in about a week. It's super cold here and I think the combination of that with the currently allergic reaction is stopping my lips from healing. They've been dry and flaky for a while now, even though I've been sticking to lip products that I know that I'm not allergic to. Any advice? Should I drop everything but lip balm completely? Is there something I can use for quick healing? If it were just dryness and flaking, I'd just exfoliate and use lip balm. But the allergic reaction is what won't go away and there's this tight, dry feeling to my lips. The top layer of skin also gets rough before it starts flaking.

Have you tried Carmex? It's what I use to keep my lips from constantly peeling all winter in the Northeast.

https://www.mycarmex.com/classic-lip-balm/original-stick/

Edited December 22, 2016 by Trini

[caitmcg]

9 hours ago, PRgal said:

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

My regular extra-moisturizing hand cream is the shea butter hand cream from L'Occitane en Provence (or, to be honest the relabeled stuff at Trader Joe's for $4.99 rather than $20+ for the same size). 

7 hours ago, Mountainair said:

Burt's Bees makes a hand salve that works great. It's not like a lotion it's like an oil that you rub on the dry spots, which for me is always the top of my hands. 

I've gotten cracked skin on the back of my hands a couple of times, and the Burt's hand salve healed them. It's a bit greasy going on and has a strongish scent, but absorbs in a couple of minutes and the scent dissipates.

[aradia22]

For hand cream, I don't recommend the scented L'Occitane (it's too thin and just sits on the skin and makes your hands smell nice) or the Burt's Bees that smells like almond (it's gross) or the EOS (also useless). My hands don't get dry that often but the one that's worked best for me is Neutrogena Norwegan formula. They have two types. One is fast absorbing. It's not really (like I still wouldn't touch silk or paper immediately after using it) but I like it a little better. 

[Petunia13]

I know a place that has that neutragena hand cream half price right now so I'll grab a couple tubes, thanks

[MargeGunderson]

Anyone have a recommendation for a good contour palette for light skin? I prefer powder. I'd like a natural look, just a little definition to my otherwise non-defined face.

Somewhat related question - do you touch up your makeup during the day beyond lipstick/powder? What about blush? I'm noticing that my blush (no matter what brand) seems to fade during the day and by the end of my workday (about 9 hours later) it's completely gone. I use a primer and setting spray. Am I expecting too much of my blush to last 8 hours + ? 

[ramble]

For chapped lips & hands I use lanolin and/or coconut oil. I buy a New Zealand pharmaceutical grade lanolin in a small tub from Amazon & organic, unrefined virgin coconut oil as well. I use the coconut oil for a multitude of other things as well. If my lips, hands, or any other body part is feeling especially dry or irritated I use coconut oil, let it absorb & then top it with lanolin. 

[aradia22]

Quote

Anyone have a recommendation for a good contour palette for light skin? I prefer powder. I'd like a natural look, just a little definition to my otherwise non-defined face

I started out with the ELF palette. It's more of a bronzer but it'll do the job if you have a light complexion and only want to do a little contouring. It's a blush/bronzer palette so you won't get a highlighter though. Otherwise, I like the Inglot contour shades. They don't have a lot of choice but the one I have works well for me and I know they have a few shades that are lighter and darker. Again, you can use a very light touch and you don't have to worry about blending out a heavy cream contour which is tougher on lighter skin.

Quote

Somewhat related question - do you touch up your makeup during the day beyond lipstick/powder? What about blush? I'm noticing that my blush (no matter what brand) seems to fade during the day and by the end of my workday (about 9 hours later) it's completely gone. I use a primer and setting spray. Am I expecting too much of my blush to last 8 hours + ? 

I don't touch up my makeup unless something gets messed up. I keep eyeliner and concealer in my purse as well as lip products but I generally don't reach for them. Maybe if my eyes water I'll touch up with concealer. The Tarte Amazonian clay blush has worked well for me. If you're OK with cream and you want to touch up, the UD blushes (don't know if they still make them) are light and blend out easily with your fingers. If you're able to carry a little sponge in a sanitary way, the Stila cream blushes are also good but they're really pigmented so you need a light hand.

[luckyroll3]

10 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Somewhat related question - do you touch up your makeup during the day beyond lipstick/powder? What about blush? I'm noticing that my blush (no matter what brand) seems to fade during the day and by the end of my workday (about 9 hours later) it's completely gone. I use a primer and setting spray. Am I expecting too much of my blush to last 8 hours + ? 

I use Nars blushes and they typically last all day, like 12 hours.  How are you applying your blush?  I use a stippling brush to apply the color and then a buffing brush to blend it out (as I learned from RuPaul's Drag Race!).

[MargeGunderson]

9 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

I use Nars blushes and they typically last all day, like 12 hours.  How are you applying your blush?  I use a stippling brush to apply the color and then a buffing brush to blend it out (as I learned from RuPaul's Drag Race!).

I love NARS blushes which are new to me in the last few months. I use a small blush brush to apply and then blend out. I think I might be putting it on with a too-light hand. I have terrible light in the bathroom I use that makes me look overly made up, but when I check my makeup in the bathroom at work it's more subtle. I'm going to try a little more blush and see if I can find more makeup advice from RuPaul's drag race.

[luckyroll3]

29 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

I love NARS blushes which are new to me in the last few months. I use a small blush brush to apply and then blend out. I think I might be putting it on with a too-light hand. I have terrible light in the bathroom I use that makes me look overly made up, but when I check my makeup in the bathroom at work it's more subtle. I'm going to try a little more blush and see if I can find more makeup advice from RuPaul's drag race.

I've learned so much about applying makeup from that show, particularly when they have to do the challenges with family members or non-drag people because then they tend to explain everything and they don't do the extreme drag looks on them.  

One of the reasons I like the stippling/buffer brush combo is because it always seems like you put too much at first, but the buffer helps to blend it down and make it look natural.

[MargeGunderson]

@aradia22, thanks for the Elf recommendation! I'll look for it the next time I'm in Target. 

@luckyroll3, I only recently started buffing out my blush. It does look so much more natural!

[Minneapple]

Here's an ELF tip: they have lots of holiday sets at Target. On Monday they'll be 50 percent off. Not sure if the particular one you want will be on sale but it's worth a look. And always worth grabbing a couple cheap sets for gifting!

Edited December 23, 2016 by Minneapple

[halopub]

On 12/21/2016 at 1:59 PM, aradia22 said:

I'm not testing anything new. I do wear lipstick once in a while (ones that I've tried before and know don't irritate my lips) just to cover up the dryness and also because not having anything on in the cold is just drying them out more. My go to when I'm healing is Dior Creme de Rose but it's not working for me. I have Fresh and Vaseline and other lip balms but I don't find them actually soothing, particularly when I've had an allergic reaction. I've tried Aquaphor, Nivea, etc. in the past and haven't been impressed. I need to go back through my notes and see when the reaction started. I don't really have plans to go out for the holidays so I'll try sticking to Creme de Rose and basic lip balms. I've also been use a Tarte lip exfoliant but I think I'll stop that too since I haven't ruled that out as a culprit. 

I hope you figure out if it's a particular ingredient or one in combination with others that's irritating your skin. Is it possible you've tried a new food that might account for the allergic reaction?

O'Keefe's now has a basic Lip Repair balm that I like but not everyone tolerates petrolatum. I've had decent luck with Rosebud Minted Rose lip balm. Boots Botanics makes a line of tinted lip balms with relatively discernible ingredients.

On 12/21/2016 at 3:32 PM, PRgal said:

My hands are super dry/chapped thanks to the weather and frequent washing.  Any suggestions of moisturizers?  I've tried practically everything!

I'm a big fan of Working Hands, sometimes in combination with other moisturizers. I used to really like Origins' High Elevation cream but it has since been discontinued.

[aradia22]

I was returning stuff at Sephora so I decided to look around to see what they had in terms of lip balms. They're selling the L'Occitane Shea butter in the big size for $40+ which is ridiculous. They also have a $12 lip balm version that comes out like a gel... it's thinner so obviously watered down with something. It's like the consistency of their hand creams. I wasn't feeling it. Of course there was the First Aid Beauty one which I was OK with for a while but I don't think it does anything. I considered one of the Fresh balms but I hate the non-tinted one. They're selling these cute macaron lip balm containers now which was very tempting but I resisted. I ended up getting a Sephora lip balm on a saleswoman's recommendation. It's basically chapstick but the product inside is shaped like a lipstick... like the Elizabeth Arden one. It feels thin and slick and I'm not sure if it'll do any good but I need something to keep in my purse and if it's really awful, I'll return it. I might just stop in a drugstore and get a Nivea lip balm. They're not healing but I think right now I just need a barrier to the cold that won't dry out my lips even more. 

[Petunia13]

I think fresh is overrated. Their skincare (face wash masks) gave me an insane & painful allergic reaction and the lip balm did nada for my lips. I bought all the FAB gift sets for mommy for stocking stuffer. 

I am getting the EOS holiday set since I won a YouTube giveaway from sarireanna (those things are legit AND She's a super helpful & fun YTer) and I am going to try rosebud perfume comp and tokyomilk lip balms. My lips and face are dry af but my dog is sick so yea 

[aradia22]

I did look at L'Occitane's own website and they have their own Shea butter chapstick ($8) and a smaller version of the shea butter ($12) in a pot. They're both expensive for what you're getting but I'm keeping them in mind. 

I like the Fresh Rose Face Mask. It's a rose scent that I like (not too perfume-y) and it's a nice way of pampering yourself. I'm not sure if it does much for me because I don't use it regularly. 

Edited December 28, 2016 by aradia22

[MargeGunderson]

I used to use and really like the Body Shop's vitamin E lip balm. Simple but effective. I have the same Sephora lip balm shaped like a lipstick; it's fine, nothing special.

[emma675]

I really like Glossier's balm dotcom in the winter time. It's super thick and stays on my lips all night long.

[Athena]

I have been a lip product junkie since I was a kid and I really dislike the Fresh lip balms. They are overpriced and you are basically are paying for the metal which gets very hot in warm weather and more than one of my lip balms became deformed due to the heat. In terms of the balm itself, it's fine, but again, not sure why I paid so much for a drugstore quality lip balm.

I actually like the L'Occitane products, but do agree that in North America, the prices are very inflated. It's more reasonable in their native France and sold widely in their drugstores. Their shea butter is very expensive, but good quality. It's not always easy to source good quality shea butter.

[Minneapple]

The Fresh lip balms are..okay, but they always feel really heavy and greasy to me. I like Clinique's tinted lip balms and just regular old Chapsticks and EOS balms. I once bought a Kiehl's lip balm at the airport in Paris and it was amazing. Not too expensive either. Maybe I should order a couple of those.

[Frozendiva]

The cheap balm is Blistex for me. I also like Bite Beauty's Agave lip balm and the Jack Black ones. Plus the Body Shop lip butters.

[caitmcg]

My favorite cheap lip balm is Burt's Bees pomegranate moisturizing. I haven't liked the texture of other Burt's Bees balms I've tried, but the pomegranate is pretty hydrating, and neither greasy not waxy feeling.

[Petunia13]

19 hours ago, Frozendiva said:

The cheap balm is Blistex for me. I also like Bite Beauty's Agave lip balm and the Jack Black ones. Plus the Body Shop lip butters.

I thought the bite beauty agave lip balm just came out like 2 days ago 

[peachmangosteen]

On 12/29/2016 at 0:09 AM, caitmcg said:

My favorite cheap lip balm is Burt's Bees pomegranate moisturizing. I haven't liked the texture of other Burt's Bees balms I've tried, but the pomegranate is pretty hydrating, and neither greasy not waxy feeling.

I've been meaning to try Burt's Bee's lip balms again. I haven't used them in awhile and I need a new, no frills, cheap lip balm. I'm not really a fan of pomegranate, but I might try this one.

[caitmcg]

2 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I've been meaning to try Burt's Bee's lip balms again. I haven't used them in awhile and I need a new, no frills, cheap lip balm. I'm not really a fan of pomegranate, but I might try this one.

It's not pomegranate flavored, or at least, I don't detect any flavor at all, but it has pomegranate seed oil as a botanical ingredient.

[Misslindsey]

I really like Rosebud Salve as a lip balm. It has other uses as well, but I mainly use it as a lip balm.

[aradia22]

So, because I have no willpower, I got a bunch of lip balms from jet.com and they arrived in the mail yesterday. 

I started with L'Occitane (the lip balm stick only has 10% shea butter) and put it on last night and while it wore away, my lips already feel better. Yay! If this ends up being the best one, I'm not sure I'll be thrilled about it but if it's reliable, I guess I can deal with the price. I'm sure I'll get some kind of allergic reaction soon enough and we'll see how it stands up to that. 

I also have Nivea, Aquaphor, Vaseline and Cerave and Eucerin (gotta get that free shipping) to test this winter. 

[Petunia13]

[Ashley Sawyer]

I always use ice on my face because it makes my face looks so fresh especially when a pimple came out. Also rice water makes my face and skin looks so great. :)

[aradia22]

So... I'm super dry. The L'Occitane is the thickest stick-based lip balm I've ever used but I think maybe I need the full shea butter. The stick lipbalm only has a small percentage. It sort of coats my lips and then they just get flaky underneath the lip balm. The Nivea moisture balm wears away quickly but it keeps my lips soft while it's on. They still feel a little pursed and pruned like raisin but they're soft.

I don't know what's going on with my skin. I tried exfoliating with the GlamGlow Tinglexfoliate. NO. So bad. Way too abrasive. I don't know if I'm still healing but I'm using the Fresh Sugar Face Polish and it's not much better. My skin is still very flaky. And I'm still using the Cerave which sort of works but makes me more prone to breakouts. I know I can't not do anything... but my skin was less red and blotchy before I started all of this. It was still flaky but if the choices are flaky and clear and flaky and blotchy, I don't see how the products are a winner. 

[Lisin]

1 hour ago, aradia22 said:

I don't know what's going on with my skin. I tried exfoliating with the GlamGlow Tinglexfoliate. NO. So bad. Way too abrasive. I don't know if I'm still healing but I'm using the Fresh Sugar Face Polish and it's not much better. My skin is still very flaky.

I have SUPER sensitive skin but I've found this O.R.G Mineral Peel Face is great at getting rid of my flaky skin without making my face angry. I got it in the Fab Fit Fun box and I'm in love. The one product I will definitely repurchase. 

[Petunia13]

The Sephora VIB and VIB Rouge Sale is starting April 18th. 

Has anyone thought of what they're getting? 

[Princess Sparkle]

I'm going to get a full size Drunk Elephant Frambroos serum. I got the sample in their Nightbright kit, and I liked it waaaay better than the Sunday Reilly Good Genes (which I thought smelled like cat pee).

I might pick up a couple of the new Kat Von D liquid lipstick colors (Miss Argentina is calling my name!), but other than that, I need to do some more serious planning. Would love to hear what others are getting.

[Minneapple]

11 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

The Sephora VIB and VIB Rouge Sale is starting April 18th. 

Has anyone thought of what they're getting? 

I'm going to get one of Bite Beauty's sparkly crème lip glosses and the Stella McCartney POP! perfume, which I discovered thanks to Sephora Play.

I also need a new eye cream but don't really know what to get. Anyone got any recommendations?

[luckyroll3]

On 4/5/2017 at 5:31 AM, Petunia13 said:

The Sephora VIB and VIB Rouge Sale is starting April 18th. 

Has anyone thought of what they're getting? 

Nice!  I have a bunch of things sitting in my basket cause I've been too broke (I recently moved) to purchase anything.  But never too broke to buy makeup on a discount!  :-D

[luckyroll3]

I plan on getting a couple of the Bite Lip Pencils and some hair care stuff.  There's also an eye palette I wanted to get, but for the life of me, I can't remember which one it was.

[ramble]

Eek! I just ordered more than I should've at the Tarte 30% off sale, but I know I'll look at Sephora & think about what I might want. Oh, who am I kidding. I'm loading the page on my iPad as I type this on my phone. It's still almost two weeks away. Maybe I'll talk myself out of getting anything. Hahaha. Makeup & shoes are my downfall. 

[MargeGunderson]

On 4/5/2017 at 8:31 AM, Petunia13 said:

The Sephora VIB and VIB Rouge Sale is starting April 18th. 

Has anyone thought of what they're getting? 

I have a cart full just waiting for the 18th! Mostly skin care - Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Peel, Kate Somerville Exfolikate, Sunday Riley Sunday School Skincare set (to try the new CEO cleansing oil and moisturizer), the Belief  First Aid 360 Eye Care Mask,  It Cosmetics ByeBye Under Eye Illuminating Concealer and maybe the NARS NARSissist Loaded Eye Palette. I should probably stop there.

[Petunia13]

That Sunday Riley Sunday School set is actually a good deal and then when you factor in the 15% off hell I might add that to my list.