Every drug store I’ve been to in recent memory has their own house brand of these things. I’m not a big fan of them- looks gross and all when you take it off, but I don’t notice any long term benefit.
Yep, the Nars Orgasm blush is really wonderful.
I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but my two everyday essentials are blush and curled eyelashes. Curled lashes are like a caffeine fix in the morning, because they instantly make my face go from tired to awake. In fact I might have to invest in Shu Uemura’s holy grail of eyelash curlers.
I’ve noticed a benefit if I use them weekly; once I fall out of it, they come back en masse.
That said, Ponds was better than Biore, though I’ve never tried the Deep Cleaning Biore ones, nor the generic brands.
I’ve never actually noticed a big improvement with the pore strips. I thought they were kind of a hoax, but online reviews rave about them. I did just get a new sampler kit from Garden of Wisdom, including some mandelic acid, which is supposed to be good.
I think the pore strip thing is that you’re treating the symptom, not the “disease”. Sure, you can keep plucking at your skin (it’s basically what happens in a facial, too), but unless you’re treating why your skin gets so cloggy, squeezing stuff out wont make it all that much better.
Is there some secret to pore strips? I’ve never gotten them to do anything, and I’ve tried them multiple times, adjusting how wet they get and how long I keep them on, making sure my nose is clean beforehand. I never see anything on the strip when I’m done.
Maybe my nose is just busted… or spiteful.
The nose ones don’t do anything for me, but the chin ones have gunk when I use them. The trick for me- like with any extraction technique- is to take a hot shower first so your pores are open.
Is there any way to treat clogged pores? I thought they were like oily skin–something you couldn’t really control.
I know that Sephora is one place that carries it, both in-store and online.
Ferret Herder, thanks. I went in there for my free birthday gift, but it’s pretty intimidating. Are they liberal with samples?
Diosa’s right, long hot shower or steam your pores with boiling water first. But also, I noticed my friends and my SO (yes, boys use them!) would try and peel them off when they’re semi dry, but not super-crackling-paper dry. Don’t go by a time, go by how they feel - if they feel like they couldn’t possibly be any more dry, that’s when you peel 'em off.
It’s also pretty stinging the first time, but I’m a biiiiiiiiig wimp when it comes to pain.
You know, I’m not sure - I never ask for samples anywhere! :smack: I know other people have mentioned getting some samples there, though.
They are INSANELY liberal with samples. Like I said, I got a huge sample of that expensive HD foundation before using it.
Little known fact: Mac will also happily give samples (both dedicated stores and counters), particularly of their skin care products. I got a heaping sample of one of their expensive eye creams once to try!
Same here. I find they’re best for use when I have a big night/day and want my skin to look good. They’re good for a “quick fix”.
Ack, those of you interested in the $$ eyelash curler from Shu Uemura had better get on it! L’Oreal closing all US Shu Uemura operations.
Diosa, I’ll have to go in again this week. Perhaps feeling more confident this time 
Dude, that sucks. I used to be a Shu Uemura girl. Their green tea oil is awesome.
You can probably make your own for much less using the oil cleanse link posted earlier. The expensive cleanser is mostly mineral and corn oils anyway.
I thought about snapping up an eyelash curler but the whole “replace the pads every 3 months, replace the curler itself every 6 months” dissuaded me. Think I’ll grab a Sonia Kashuk version; her brushes are pretty highly rated. (I managed to avoid dropping $20 on a new bamboo-handled set that just showed up at Target that I really do not absolutely need or anything.)
As far as eyelash curler pads go, I just flip them over and use the other side as well. And I don’t think I replace the whole curler until it loses its spring-resistance, so maybe ever 2-3 years or so. I use the drugstore ones.
I also use the drugstore kind- whatever the super generic, $2ish one is at your drugstore of choice. I try to remember to replace the pads (usually it comes with a replacement set), but in true American fashion, if I can’t find the spare pads, I just toss it and get a new one. (Which is about once every year and a half or two years)
So, help a girl out. I’m a user of the Bare Escentuals foundation, and generally like it. However, I’m also 33 and starting to get annoyed by the little wrinkles around my eyes and such. They’re not bad, some might say that they’re not even noticeable, but I’m getting vain about them. I may be imagining things, but I’m starting to notice that my mineral foundation seems to settle in these lines and I’m fearing it’s making me look older than I want to.
We’ve mentioned fillers and primers, so give - which ones have you used? What should I look for? Is there a specific brand you love? Are they hard to manage? I’m not opposed to going into Sephora or to a MAC store and getting some help there, but I can be cheap too, so I’d rather not spend a ton if I don’t have to.
I’m a pretty minimalist girl - I don’t wear much makeup (though after watching some of Diosa’s linked videos, I think I could probably look better than I do and now want to play with more stuff) and I don’t wash my face. (Yeah, it’s probably bad, but it works for me. Closest I get to washing it is to rinse with water during my shower. Anything else, and I’ve tried, dries me the hell out and causes more blemishes/problems. So I just don’t.) I do moisturize in the morning with the Neutrogena Healthy Defense SPF 45 linked up above. And I am using L’Oreal’s Skin Genesis Eye Cream every morning on my eyes because of the aforementioned eye-wrinkle-vainness.
Help me out, please! Give me options!
Oh, and I’m checking out the MUFE filler link, **Diosa **- I checked it quick earlier, but now I’m going to peruse it better. Are there any others you can recommend?
I’m very very very fair - you know, corpseyNortherner. With too much red in my skin, so I’m interested in trying the green corrector.