My favorite beauty product is Beautypedia. For $12, I have access all year (I got a 50% off code from retailmenot). It’s like Consumer Reports for skin care and makeup. I think it would be worth the full price just to get the reviews and recommendations for sunscreen, since so many of them don’t offer good broad spectrum protection, and/or are loaded with irritants.
Current favorite products I learned about there: Neutrogena pressed mineral foundation, Kiss My Face face & neck sunscreen, Cover Girl Outlast long wearing lipstick.
They are having a sale at Macys right now on the starter kit. I saw the filler. It came with a CD so I can learn how to use it. I am going to try it. I love trying new things and this may be better for my oily and break out prone skin. Thanks!
Hopefully I 'll do better with this then my new mouse…
My question for all you makeup women- I have a really hard time with lipstick drying out my lips. Even the so-called moisturizing ones wind up making my lips dry and crackly and then settling into the cracks, which looks HORRIBLE. My mother would tell me to put a coat of chapstick on my lips before applying lipstick, but then the lipstick just rubs off immediately. Not sure if there’s an easy solution?
I have similar problems, Chickie, so I usually just do the tinted Chapstick. However, for a special occasion or if I just need some color, dagnabit, I tap my lips all over with some lipliner, then gloss or Chapstick.
Re: Bare Escentuals, or whatever it’s called. I read on epinions (was it epinions?) that it has the nasty habit is settling into the lines on your face, which actually makes you look worse. Freud, I know you’re young (20something I think), so you probably don’t run into this, but badrubber said her fiftysomething mother thinks it’s great, too. Maybe her mother has no lines on her face? I generally don’t, but am starting to get things that scarily resemble lines and creases at the outer corners of my eyes. I don’t worry about them, but I certainly don’t want anything drawing attention to them.
When you’re brushing your teeth before bed, be sure to brush your lips too- seriously scrub scrub scrub scrub. Then, get some good, thick lip treatment (everybody has their favorites, but even makeup snob me just uses Carmex) and coat your lips heavily. Sleep. Wake up to pretty lips.
Companies like Mac also sell lip conditioners that you can put on throughout the day, but I’ve never done it. Some of my friends like it, though.
I like the new L’Oreal Studio Secrets version much better than the Smashbox one. I think SB changed their formula or something. Instead of filling in pores, it accentuates them.
Another find - Target’s Sonia Kashuk line’s loose powder. It’s light and blendable, so it doesn’t settle into lines.
I’m still on the younger end of the wrinkle spectrum, but my understanding is that makeup primers, especially those from Makeup Forever, do wonders for this. You just put a little coat (some are tinted so as to combat different problem undertones or unevenness), then you can throw powder on top and it will sit like it is supposed to without settling into creases. I’ve heard really amazing things about the MUF primer line, though I’ve never personally shelled out for them. Linky poo
While I’m on this little . . . tangent, of sorts. . . let me mention a little something about a lot of the loose, finishing powders folks are referring to. Most, including the MUFE powder is literally just 100% silica. People pay $30-$100 for something that they can buy at the drugstore, finely milled and made for cosmetic usage, for literally a few dollars a pound. It works beautifully, but don’t be tricked into buying some fancy mineral powder.
Yes, I am younger, so you’re right, haven’t run into that problem. My mother who’s in her fifties has used it (she stopped, mostly I think because she’s not as into makeup). I have heard about the wrinkle issue from reading other people’s reviews of it.
I’m calling you out here. This ain’t the first time I’ve heard you say this, but sadly, maybe it’s a dirty hippie socialist California thing, because I have gone out specifically to get this and never found it. Scoured the makeup aisle, baby aisle, any other aisle.
I see people on makeup boards constantly talk about picking this stuff up at their drugstores, so I don’t know. I don’t use it, but I’ve found it the few times I’ve looked (usually by where they keep all the no name bronzer pots and stuff).
If not, feel free to purchase it from Coastal Scents- as I said before, they’re a legit company. You can get an ounce for $5, whereas if you use MUFE HD silica powder, it’s .35 of an ounce for $30.
She has some lines (not bad for a woman in her mid-50’s, but they’re there!).
From what I’ve read of other people’s experiences, it seems to be more of a problem if you have dry skin - then it settles into the little flakes that form around any lines, and makes them more visible. My mom has more oily skin, so maybe that’s why.
Okay, don’t laugh at me, but what am I supposed to get? Why does it come in green? Not that I’d be using that anyway, because the description says its purpose is to minimize redness which isn’t an issue for me, but still. My skin is dark. See, dark. I guess neutral?
I’m actually curious, too, MOL. I got a free sample of the neutral one at Sephora last time I was there, and I had no idea it came on more than one color.
No worries. Are you near a Sephora? The folks in there are generally pretty good about finding the product you’d need.
Even though the stuff is tinted, it isn’t like it’ll be omgGREEN on your skin- it’ll be like lotion that sort of blends into your skin. The green tint just counters redness (opposite side of the color wheel and all that). Luckily for you, that’s usually a fair skinned, white person problem, so you don’t need to worry about that (me either, I’m too dark for all that mess!).
The caramel one might be nice if you ever have problems with your complexion looking a little ashy (so, if you’ve ever looked at yourself and thought: “Whoa, I’m looking a little gray and sickly”-- I know this happens to me every so often). Basically, it would just make you look extra warm and glowy. But honestly, you’d be 100% safe just picking up the neutral one- it’s just clear.
I know what you mean! I have a great cheap secret but you can tell your friends.
I apply my lipstick and blot with a tissue. Then I apply Blistex Silk and Shine. This is another product I will die if they stop making it. It isn’t waxy or overly wet like lip gloss but keeps my lipstick on and relieves that dry feeling. It has emollients in it. So I keep it next to my lipstick and use it whenever my lips feel dry.
You can get this at any drugstore in the lip balm section.
Keep the tips coming ladies! I need all the help I can get. My skin was a lot easier in my early 40’s but now pushing the big 50 I am seeing some lines on my neck and in the corners of my eyes and below my eyes.
Okay, so anyone else have rosacea? I’ve had mild to moderate breakouts and redness for the last few years, but my normal makeup was usually sufficient to cover it, when I even bothered. Since I got pregnant, though, my cheeks, chin, temples and forehead have been totally covered in big ol’ acne-like bumps and red patches. I’m now wearing (Neutrogena) coverup all over my face every day. Sometimes I also use the liquid foundation on top, but it tends to soak into my dry, dry skin, and leaves powdery residue in the creases of my face, like some folks complain about the mineral makeups. I also wash everything off each night and then moisturize, both with Cetaphil for sensitive skin.
Fortunately, this daily routine doesn’t seem to be making my skin worse, but it’s not doing a stellar job of covering it, either. I know there’s nothing I can do about the texture of the bumps, but I’d like to be able to at least cover the redness. And of course, I’m naturally ghostly white, so it’s like trying to cover red grafitti with white paint; there’s always some bleed-through.
Any thoughts?
ETA: I also have a pale green cover stick (it sounds bizarre, MeanOldLady, but it works), but if I use that, I have to go over it with either skin-toned coverup or foundation, and it all gets a little too cakey. Should I be using the green primer-goo and mineral makeup, perhaps?
Other than the mineral makeup (which while I haven’t tried, is supposed to be awesome for skin with more lines), I really love the Makeup Forever HD foundation line. This is the only foundation that doesn’t set into the little wrinkles I do have around my eyes and it just creates the nicest finish- matte, but healthy looking. Here’s a link.
Anyway, this is the stuff they use on the news casters and tv personalities that are on HD channels, because it just photographs beautifully. I certainly don’t wear full foundation every day, but this stuff just looks great when going out.
Also, what makes it so good for wrinkles is two fold: it doesn’t settle into creases and being matte, it doesn’t create contouring within the crease itself (with shadows and highlights and such that are usually in regular foundations).
