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Beauty Finds, Tips, and Tricks

Discussion in 'Tilted Life and Sexuality' started by snowy, Nov 23, 2013.

  1. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I used to be able to say I didn't wear makeup often. Not so much anymore! I joined Birchbox a few months ago, and the constant supply of neat samples to play with has inspired me to start regularly wearing makeup again. I enjoy playing with it, and I always have--I used to spend hours in high school and early college perfecting looks and practicing different eyes on myself. Lately, my favorite look is lightly winged eyeliner. In my pursuit of winged eyeliner, I came across an eyeliner I've grown to love: L'Oreal's Infallible Gel Eyeliner. My only complaint is that it is SO infallible that my makeup remover sometimes doesn't get it all off. I'd like to upgrade to MAC (probably my favorite makeup brand ever), but I live nowhere near a MAC counter, and I don't want to pay for shipping, so it'll have to wait.

    My eyes are sensitive, so I have to be careful about what I put around them and near them. I know that if my eyes feel unnaturally crusty/tired by the end of the day, something's up. While many makeup addicts swear by NYX's Milk pencil, it irritates the shit out of my eyes. Recently, Birchbox sent me a fantastic alternative--Chella Highlighter Pencil | November's Box | Birchbox I love, love, love it.

    I'll post some of my favorite looks later. What products have you fallen in love with lately? Do you have any tips or tricks to share?

    Also, I should note that this thread is meant to be expressly about makeup and the wearing of makeup. If you don't wear makeup, cool. Start another thread to discuss the not-wearing of makeup, please. If you don't like it when women wear makeup, cool. Start another thread. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2013
  2. PonyPotato

    PonyPotato Very Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I discovered Merle Norman cosmetics last year and may never use another brand for foundation again. Their long-lasting foundation actually IS long lasting, even on my oily skin days, and it matches my skin tone better than any others I've used. Ever.

    I do always splurge for DiorShow mascara, because I have wimpy eyelashes and that stuff just makes my eyes look BIG and sparkly. I love it.

    Does anyone have any recommendations for good fake eyelash glue or how to put the damn things on??? I've had to use them a few times for performances and I love the look, but it takes me AGES to get them on and in the right spot. Is it going to be trial and error forever? :(
     
  3. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member


    I've heard awesome things about DiorShow. I can apparently get a sample if I spend $25 at Sephora. I'll have to look at doing that sometime in the future.
     
  4. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    I love this thread!

    My eyes are sensitive too. I probably have 20+ mascaras hanging around. I don't even want to guess about eyeliners.

    Here are some of my tried and trues:

    Mascara

    High End: Chanel
    Middle: makeup forever smoky eye (NOT the waterproof!)
    Low: Flower mascara. At Walmart. I think there's just the one kind.

    Eyeliner:

    Ardency Inn has a felt tip liner called Punker. I like the control I have using this. I'm not fond of liquid liners due to lack of control.

    Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes is a fave. I can use it on my water line or tight line with it and not have my eyes watering all day. Plus it comes in a nice range of colors.

    Palladio also makes a felt tip liner that I have in a taupe kind of color. It's OK, but not as long wearing as I'd like. You can find this at Sally Beauty Supply.

    Brows: can't forget brows! Anastasia Beverly Hills has a wonderful brow pencil in Brow Whiz. It's thin, doesn't need to be warmed up, isn't too soft and provides excellent coverage. If be sad without it.
     
  5. PonyPotato

    PonyPotato Very Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    @RedSneaker, if your eyes are sensitive, you want to make sure you are throwing away your mascaras once they are 6 mos old, if not sooner. Using that same applicator in and out of the bottle can increase risk of infection over time, and they definitely aren't made to be antibacterial! I toss my open bottles every 6 months or so - I collect sample mascaras, haha, so I only have one open at a time and the closed ones stay sealed and clean until I need them. :)

    For eyeliner, I have used CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus for many many years, but I now use an eyeliner brush and my eyeshadows (UrbanDecay or NARS) for lining a lot of the time. It produces a softer line, which I tend to like better. I'm terrible with liquid eyeliner and may never attempt it again, lol.
     
  6. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    I am allergic to most ingredients that make things shiny or sparkly, so I'm really limited.

    What I'm not allergic to:
    Almay eyeshadows and the caffeinated combo for eyebrows and eyeliner in light pink and cocoa. It burns, but I like it.
    Neutrogena mascara, black-brown, not waterproof
    The Body Shop hemp lip balm

    To moisturize, I use Vanicream lite lotion.
    In my eyes, I use Rohto Z peppermint eye drops.
    They burn like hell, but afterwards, my eyes feel fantastic and look so white,
    without being astringent like a Visine.
    The peppermint oil extract does its thing and the green tea in the eye liner brightens me up a bit.
    The lip balm is amazing. My lips tend to crack since I did Accutane a few years ago.
    It's the only thing that will heal it quickly and stay moist for a long time.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Indigo Kid

    Indigo Kid Getting Tilted

    Love these tips. Fun thread and thanks Ladies!!!
     
  8. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    Just opened my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette that arrived Friday. It's really pretty. I like the mix of shimmer and matte shades. Pretty stoked to try it out!

    [​IMG]

    @ponypotato I know; you're right. I need to do a giant purge as I have so so much that I don't like or don't use or is just old. The mascaras I actually use aren't old - just a lot of extras hanging around, taking up space.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  9. Poetry

    Poetry Totally Sharky, Complete

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    99% of the make-up I own is MAC. It's a bit of an addiction.

    I do have to say, though, after working at Knott's Scary Farm, those Up&Up Target brand make-up removing wipes are possibly the best thing ever.

    And I use the shit out of Cetaphil products when I remember.

    Also, I found this amazing moisturizing sunscreen in Japan made by Nivea that is crazy, crazy good. I'm going to be ordering that constantly. I should probably check to see what it's called.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  10. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I got a lot of serious compliments on my look yesterday. I'm blessed to have great skin, but one product I got from Birchbox that helps "smooth out" my skin, so to speak, is DDF Pore Minimizer. DDF® Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum | Birchbox I only have a sample size, and obviously, due to the price, I don't use it every day--just when I feel I need something approaching primer. One pump is too much. I would definitely consider buying this in the future when I'm out, as I did some math and the amount I use works out to it actually being pretty reasonable per use.
     
  11. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    @snowy skinstore.com has 20% off today (cheer20 is the code) and offers free shipping on $49+ That would help a lot with the cost factor.
     
  12. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member


    Yeah, there's no way I'm shelling out that much right now seeing as we're in between jobs, but thanks :)
     
  13. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Latest loves: Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow. I've got one of the Metals in Barely Branded and one of the regulars in Pomegranate Punk. Combined, they make a great eye look (see pic in MP). I also picked up their Eye Studio Lasting Drama gel liner because it was recommended in some article I read as the best of the drugstores (I REALLY need to get to a MAC counter, like, yesterday). So far, I like it better than the L'Oreal, as it seems to go on more smoothly and stay put, whereas the L'Oreal will kind of migrate downwards after a bit if worn without some kind of underlayer.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Can't wait to try this:
     
  15. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I've heard a lot about this palette. Now that you've had some time to play around with it, is it worth the $$$?

    Update on the wing stencils: I think they worked pretty well. You can see evidence in MP, if you're interested.
     
  16. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    I think it's pretty - but most if the shades are shimmery - so do note that - I like more matte choices, sometimes shimmer is too much for me. I'm not in love with it, so the $51 or $52 price tag seems hefty to me.

    The colors are quite pigmented, some don't blend out as well as others.

    I'd give it a B.

    Tarte and Lorac have some nice palettes for holiday that I feel are better values. IMO.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  17. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    This post doesn't have anything to do with make-up, but since clothes are part of being of looking your best, and it makes sense to take good care of your clothes.

    My wife was spending a fortune on Woolite, even at Sam's, for her delicate & hand-wash garments. I did some research and found many positive comments for Baby Ecos, it's cheaper than Woolite and apparantly (supposedly??) is eco-friendly.

    I'll go away now.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  18. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Completely agree--and duly noted! I don't use Woolite a lot, so I don't find it prohibitively expensive for my gentles, and in my experience, most people use WAY TOO MUCH washing liquid. A little dab will do ya, as my mother would say. Less is definitely more when it comes to surfactants. If you see suds, you're using too much. I also do the Mr. Rogers thing a lot--sweaters get hung up immediately after work, and pants get folded up and set aside. I don't wash my delicate sweaters unless I have to (approx. every 5 wears).
     
    • Like Like x 1
  19. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted


    I don't know about that - but have you looked into Ivory Snow of Dreft? Dreft smells nice, too.
     
  20. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Ivory Snow is also recommended for cleaning outdoor gear.
     
    • Like Like x 1