I’ve been thinking about this OP for a couple of days. My goal here is to either persuade or dissuade us clueless cosmetics users from snake oil products.
These days, a trip into a Sephora can end up with a several hundred dollar Visa bill for me. Their high-end products for skincare are VERY expensive. So says this clueless (well, not really) cosmetics user (and desperate wrinkly-skin banisher) who’s constantly trying to find the Fountain Of Youth.
I went into the den about a month ago to purchase some LiftFusion, the absolute newest, dandiest (and expensive) wrinkle remover ever made. So they said. I used it for two weeks as per instructions. I tried blind tests, smoothness tests, sight tests, husband-opinion tests, etc. This product did nothing for me. As I wandered back to the den with my dejected self to exchange the product for what would be a huge bag of stuff, I was sure, I talked to the salesclerk, telling her how I really had wanted the product to work.
I told her “I’m 40 and I hate these wrinkles. This didn’t work and honestly (!) do you think there’s anything that’s gonna work”. I realize this was a loaded question, but she handled it with aplomb. She ever so gently viewed my crows feet and forehead and led me to another product, naturally costing even more money. She told me about a friend’s experience with what she recommended, “Dr. Brandt’s Crease Release”. It does, in fact, create a warming and tightening feeling and an ever-so-slight reduction in the appearance of the deep crevasses around my eyes. So, I guess I’ll keep this $150 tub of goo. At least until I’ve used up all the free sample tub.
Please post here your costly cosmetics experiments so others can glean knowledge from your experiences.
I’m a make-up junkie who’s fighting damm hard for “35 and holding.” But, while I spend more than I should, I don’t spend a fortune thanks to this lady. Her website and books can tell you exactly what less expensive drugstore brands are equal to, or better than the high priced stuff.
Seconding the Paula Begoun recommendation - go to the website posted by Tess. You’ll thank yourself later. You really probably don’t need to be spending all that cash - you can probably find similar products for less. And then you can get more products for the same splurge!
Think about it - the same company that owns Lancome owns L’Oreal.
Can’t help you with creams- I use Garnier Pure as my moisturiser, St Ives Apricot scrub, Lush Coal face soap as a face wash and “A breath of Fresh Air” from Lush as my toner. It’s just what happens to be there at the moment, I’ll pick up whatever looks good in the chemist (or Lush)when I run out- no major disappointments so far.
Lush is the brand I turn to for face masks and when my skin is particularly awful. It’s not cheap, it’s very crunchy granola hippy dippy, but it does work and smells gorgeous. That’s where I get all my soaps, shampoos and shower gels from too, not to mention massage bars and bath bombs. I love that store. My only warning is not to use any of their coloured products in an enamel bath or you’ll get a permanent coloured ring.
For makeup, I’m MAC for eyes and Benefit for almost everything else.
I have dark circles under my eyes, and did try various creams- none of them work, not one. IMHO concealer and some sort of light reflecting cream is the only tried and true solution.
I’ve never been one for the really high-end stuff, but I’ve just gotta know. How big is the tub that cost $150? :eek: If I spent $150 on a tub of face goo, it had better be a 50-gallon drum.
I don’t have a real wrinkle problem yet, but I guess that’s coming.
I use Clinique. Their Dramatically Different Moisturizing lotion is really good for dry spots. I usually only buy it when they have a “gift with purchase” deal going on, too. I’m just frugal (or cheap ).
I also like the St. Ives apricot scrub, and I’ve recently discovered Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing pads. They have a smooth side and a scrubby side. I like the Aveeno lotions, too.
Have you considered a facial peel or Botox? I know that stuff sounds scary, but depending on your wrinkles, lotions are only going to give superficial results.
I actually tried Botox on my forehead a while back. I had been dying to know what it felt like, so I went in for the injections. It didn’t hurt, but I did get paranoid that my eye was going to droop or something. After about six days my forehead went completely smooth. It looked great, but since I don’t have any real wrinkles it wasn’t that big of a difference. It would probably work beautifully for someone who really had significant lines. It lasted about three months.
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