Beauty Randoms Thread

[SnuffleUffleGrass]

My before and after:

Attachment 53845 Attachment 53844

The stack of books in the background makes this so sexy.

[Genoveve]

^^^LOL I’ve been meaning to get a bookcase for like a year. It reminds me of the guy’s apartment in the beginning of (the Disney version of)101 Dalmatians.

D2B3C402-63E0-4831-AE72-4809BC1250D0.jpeg

[SnuffleUffleGrass]

^ Making bookshelves with cinderblocks and boards is still a cheap way to have a book case that breaks down easily and can be moved around or stored.

Beauty Random- found retinol oil at the Dollar Store today, w00t w00t

[whirlerz]

I like the snap together bookcases @Menards & home depot!

Also, someone at my storage threw away a folding bookcase, love those!

[indiegirl]

I wanna get into sugaring. Does anyone have experience with that versus waxing at home? The amazon reviews are mostly 4 stars and pricey. I checked the waxing kits and they have these waxing buckets with wax beans. Never seen this in my life but saw a review where some lady had it burn her skin.

[whirlerz]

I thought you meant the other type of sugaring..

I don't like/trust Amazon, not one bit.

Maybe newbeauty.com, an online & print magazine would have some info.

[SnuffleUffleGrass]

I wanna get into sugaring. Does anyone have experience with that versus waxing at home? The amazon reviews are mostly 4 stars and pricey. I checked the waxing kits and they have these waxing buckets with wax beans. Never seen this in my life but saw a review where some lady had it burn her skin.

Naw don't waste your money. It sounds great but an Epilator or Nair is more cost effective and efficient way to remove hair. Or just paying someone to wax your delicate bits.

Sugar waxing is basically using a ball of superheated material to pull hair right out of your skin. Too much potential for burns, bleeding and mess.

[indiegirl]

Naw don't waste your money. It sounds great but an Epilator or Nair is more cost effective and efficient way to remove hair. Or just paying someone to wax your delicate bits.

Sugar waxing is basically using a ball of superheated material to pull hair right out of your skin. Too much potential for burns, bleeding and mess.

I was mostly considering my legs only because don't you have to grow the hair out to a certain length to be waxed or something?

[indiegirl]

I thought you meant the other type of sugaring..

I don't like/trust Amazon, not one bit.

Maybe newbeauty.com, an online & print magazine would have some info.

Hahaha I was hoping it wouldn't come off like that. Heard it was natural or something but don't wanna waste the monet. Sometimes amazon has a good product and sometimes it doesn't.

[neverendingkneebruises]

Humidifier running at night before bed..... game changer. My skin feels way nicer and I don't wake up with horrible dry eyes & throat anymore. (Winter is brutal on my skin)
Also before bed, vaseline on my inner cheeks & nose where I get dry.

[LoveyDovey]

Beauty rave:

So because of covid-19 my esthetician's office has been closed and I haven't been able to get my microdermabrasion facials. So I went to Walmart and bought the Neutrogena microdermabrasion kit for like 17 $18. I love this thing! It makes your skin looks super clean, buffed and shiny like the floor at Nordstrom's. I love it! I had to share! This plus lotion makes my skin look all glowy.

The stress from 2020 took a lot out of me, but now I feel like I'm getting my youthful glow and energy back, and this thing probably helps.

[charlie61]

Just bought some goodies from lovelyskin and dermstore, including the skinmedica tns advanced+ serum. A bit of a splurge! But I'm intrigued by growth factors. I think I'll use it as my morning serum, as i want my tretinoin to be able to do its thing at night.

[whirlerz]

Nexus Emergencee - Yes, that's how it's spelled.
GOLD for damaged hair..hard to find, kinda pricey.
Worth it tho, brought my hair back to life.
Only takes a minute or so, then a fast moisture conditioner after

[charlie61]

I'll confess my most recent skincare splurge. This is really just an investment in prevention (yeah, a bit overkill), and augments my staples (tretinoin, SPF). The physical scrub is a bit of a skincare no-no, but i do have a chemical exfoliant that is my primary - sometimes it's nice to do a gentle physical scrub, especially with tretinoin (for days when my skin isn't irritated, but could use some immediate physical sloughing due to peeling skin). Plus i added a couple of unnecessary fun lip items. I got 15-30% off of my orders from dermstore and lovelyskin:


SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum
Revision Skincare Nectifirm ADVANCED
PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub
Neocutis Lumiere RICHE Extra Moisturizing Illuminating Eye Cream
Replenix Pure Hydration Plumping Lip Treatment SPF 30

I'm such a skincare junkie... it's bad... lol...

[JessaJade]

Nexus Emergencee - Yes, that's how it's spelled.
GOLD for damaged hair..hard to find, kinda pricey.
Worth it tho, brought my hair back to life.
Only takes a minute or so, then a fast moisture conditioner after

OMG I used to use this, haven't been able to find it for years and years. Amazing for damaged hair!
Yeah I remember leaving it on for a while with a shower cap to let the protein seep into the hair, which leaves it feeling like straw when you wash it out..but then you need to use a moisturising conditioner and you end up with the best hair ever. I need to search for it again.

[Genoveve]

SkinMedica TNS® Advanced+ Serum
Revision Skincare Nectifirm ADVANCED
PCA SKIN Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster
SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub
Neocutis Lumiere RICHE Extra Moisturizing Illuminating Eye Cream
Replenix Pure Hydration Plumping Lip Treatment SPF 30

I'm such a skincare junkie... it's bad... lol...

I just need to know.......do you have amazing skin as a result of all this?? The reason why I ask is because there is a chick I follow on instagram who is always posting about her exhaustive and incredibly expensive skincare regimen and the other day she was showing this humongous chin breakout she was experiencing and showing how she was going to tackle it with products and I was like 'ummmmm if I spent that much time and money on my skincare I better never see a breakout.' Perhaps I am being unrealistic. And then today she was showing all the laser procedures she was getting done on her skin at a clinic and again I was like 'Isn't the point of the insane skincare regimen to not need lasers(and other procedures)???'

Unfortunately the only thing that I can use on my face that won't break me out is retinol. Even washing with basic cleansers makes me start breaking out, I have to be very creative with how I wash my makeup off.

[charlie61]

I just need to know.......do you have amazing skin as a result of all this?? The reason why I ask is because there is a chick I follow on instagram who is always posting about her exhaustive and incredibly expensive skincare regimen and the other day she was showing this humongous chin breakout she was experiencing and showing how she was going to tackle it with products and I was like 'ummmmm if I spent that much time and money on my skincare I better never see a breakout.' Perhaps I am being unrealistic. And then today she was showing all the laser procedures she was getting done on her skin at a clinic and again I was like 'Isn't the point of the insane skincare regimen to not need lasers(and other procedures)???'

Unfortunately the only thing that I can use on my face that won't break me out is retinol. Even washing with basic cleansers makes me start breaking out, I have to be very creative with how I wash my makeup off.

Lol! I hear that, 100%. I would say that when it comes to breakouts, tretinoin is my rockstar ingredient. Currently transitioning very slowly from .025% to .05% retin-a. And yeah, it's had a major effect on preventing breakouts (along with diet and exercise). I've never had clear skin like this... not only the lack of acne, but also the clarity of my skin.

I would say that at this point, considering I'm making a major transition (very slowly) to double-strength tretinoin, my skin is feeling more stressed than it will once it's used to the .05% every day of the week (I'm just now moving to using it twice a week, with .025% all other days). In other words, I'm not in a maintenance phase where i would expect my skin to be stable and perfect, as I'm ramping up on a major active (retin-a). That said, I only get breakouts if I've done something to aggravate my skin (i currently have a tiny whitehead on my forehead since i wore a hat while hiking yesterday, for example). I wouldn't attack my pimple with anything - thanks to my high turnover rate on tretinoin, this baby pimple will be gone by tomorrow.

I do also notice that the clarity of my skin is better, and I'm glowier, when I'm in the estrogen-dominant phase of my cycle. I'll mention that I don't get facials or laser or anything, and my tretinoin is covered by insurance, so really the only expense is buying a new serum or moisturizer when it runs out every 2-4 months. Also note that my typical skincare purchase is more along the lines of Paula's Choice... the recent purchases i made from Skinmedica and company are experimental, fun, and may not pay off. We'll have to wait and see. I also use Nuface a few times a week, occasional gua sha, etc. It's meditative and fun for me to refine my skincare routine.

I would guess that the girl you mentioned is pretty aggressive with her skincare (frequent changes, tons of active ingredients, attacks breakouts instead of moving through them) and also may not be using diet as an effective tool against hormonal breakouts (not saying you can ever be perfect, but there are definitely things you can do with your diet to calm down your endocrine system).

So yeah, at the risk of rambling, my skincare pays off bigtime when it comes to acne and aging prevention (though the latter is hard to prove). I'm not someone who naturally has great skin - one of those porcelain faces who can stuff donuts daily and wash their face with shampoo and be just fine. So for my standards and my body, yes, i have great skin, and the effort i put into it pays off. It's a long-term experiment to see how much better i can get it to be. Some people work on motorcycles, or on gardens, or on weightlifting...i work on my skin. And i think because i used to have bad skin, it satisfies me on a core level to find new things that work for me.

[charlie61]

^i know that was more rambling than you were looking for, lol! You asked a great, legit question... something I've wondered about, too, especially when i see celebs with acne who have access to the absolute best skincare in the world, all of the best specialists, all of the innovative new skincare discoveries...hell, even the best chefs and endless money for healthy, delicious takeout and clean ingredients...

I will say that what is most startling to me is the lack of retinol in most celebrities' regimens. My skin couldn't tolerate OTC retinols like Skinceuticals...i got the craziest cystic acne. But don't these people have dermatologists who can prescribe a low-dose retin-a?? I pay like $20/year for that with insurance. Emily DiDonato is the only celebrity I've ever heard talk about using a prescription retinol. I've never even heard a YouTube influencer say they use one.

[Genoveve]

^^^Dita von Teese is someone who I have heard recommend a prescription retinol, that's all I can remember though. And I appreciate the lengthy response! I am someone who has had many skin issues in adulthood so it's something that highly interests me, especially when it's information coming from someone who has had issues as well.....I am not interested in skin care advice from someone who naturally has great skin.

something I've wondered about, too, especially when i see celebs with acne who have access to the absolute best skincare in the world, all of the best specialists, all of the innovative new skincare discoveries...hell, even the best chefs and endless money for healthy, delicious takeout and clean ingredients...

SAME. I used to watch the youtuber Trisha Paytas and she is notorious for her awful skin(no judgement because like I said I have had major skin struggles, but hers is seriously bad to where it's medically concerning). She also lives off of junk food and has been very open with her weight struggles, and she's also notorious for being very wannabe-bougie and spending tons of money on clothes and designer purses that she never uses and her in her comments people are always asking why she doesn't put some money towards a dermatologist, a nutritionist, a chef....etc.

Speaking of youtubers and acne, there's this fitness chick I used to watch sometimes who had a tendency to breakout, there was a while where a bunch of youtubers including her started doing videos for some skincare sponsor, I think it was called Tula. So she'd be doing these advertisements for their skincare line and showing her regimen with the products and all that---and simultaneously be vlogging herself with huge breakouts(which were particularly bad during this time) and I was like 'She is going to ruin their company.'

[naomi_doll]

I think Trisha either knows she profits off of the chaos and wouldn’t want to wrangle that in by hiring people that would improve her life, she’s manic and just buys whatever she likes with no regard to self improvement or maybe both.

[charlie61]

^^^Dita von Teese is someone who I have heard recommend a prescription retinol, that's all I can remember though. And I appreciate the lengthy response! I am someone who has had many skin issues in adulthood so it's something that highly interests me, especially when it's information coming from someone who has had issues as well.....I am not interested in skin care advice from someone who naturally has great skin.



SAME. I used to watch the youtuber Trisha Paytas and she is notorious for her awful skin(no judgement because like I said I have had major skin struggles, but hers is seriously bad to where it's medically concerning). She also lives off of junk food and has been very open with her weight struggles, and she's also notorious for being very wannabe-bougie and spending tons of money on clothes and designer purses that she never uses and her in her comments people are always asking why she doesn't put some money towards a dermatologist, a nutritionist, a chef....etc.

Speaking of youtubers and acne, there's this fitness chick I used to watch sometimes who had a tendency to breakout, there was a while where a bunch of youtubers including her started doing videos for some skincare sponsor, I think it was called Tula. So she'd be doing these advertisements for their skincare line and showing her regimen with the products and all that---and simultaneously be vlogging herself with huge breakouts(which were particularly bad during this time) and I was like 'She is going to ruin their company.'

Yes, exactly, you get it!

My ultimate goal is to finish transitioning to my .05% tretinoin seven nights a week, and round out my regimen with a morning active that is highly researched and effective, not trendy or overwhelming for the skin (ideally a serum with vitamin c, maybe niacinamide, potentially growth factors), and top everything off with a good moisturizer (with peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid...skin-barrier strengtheners and hydrators rather than additional actives), plus an spf for whenever I'll be exposed to UV. I like basic, mild cleansers, and I'm invested in a good eye cream, neck cream, and lip care. I do also use a chemical exfoliant when i feel like my skin needs to breathe (tretinoin increases cellular turnover, so sometimes the dead skin doesn't slough off quickly enough, leading to clogged pores).

I know it sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. The core is a fairly basic regimen. Cleanser (cheap, Paula's Choice), hydrating toner (cheap, Paula's Choice), serum (I'll invest in a good one) or tretinoin, and moisturizer / spf, followed by eye, neck, and lip care. Just want to nail down some products that show results without overwhelming and irritating the skin with a bunch of actives. Major goals are: age prevention and acne prevention + redness control and skin clarity / glow.

A lot of skincare enthusiasts regularly make a bunch of fast changes to their regimens and use so many high-concentration actives that their skin is constantly on the defense...irritated, red, and producing acne due to the irritation. They're attacking the skin instead of working with it (I've been there), and are usually not addressing underlying sources of inflammation (diet, stress/cortisol, lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle). That's a generalization and not a judgment.

For me, my skin is like a canary in a coalmine. If my skin is glowing, even-toned, clear, and calm, then it's a pretty good indicator of my internal health as well. It's a daily discipline for me to keep it that way!

[indiegirl]

Lost my hair beading tool for extensions. I get so much shit for wearing a hat but I’ve been putting in the effort. Ugh!!! I have to wear a hat in case my fake hair falls out today. I’m so mad. I know guys hate it.

Hair extensions pull my hair out and it gets loose constantly. I’m so mad right now. I dunno where the bead applier went.

[charlie61]

I'm so sorry, lol, I'm talking so much. I really love this stuff. I grew up with acne and a face- picking disorder (i would spend an hour or more every day popping pimples, squeezing pores, sometimes even using stuff like safety pins to get gunk out of my pimples). It was BAD. It was an addiction, no exaggeration. I'm naturally prone to some redness and have sensitive, combo skin, so the picking and popping created what would have been a "not great, but fine" skin situation into a terrible skin situation. I would cancel work shifts (dancing), dates, and would stick to the shadows at school on my "bad skin days." On top of that i didn't have a great diet or general sense of self care. My bad skin used to rule my life, which was pretty traumatic.

That said, I'm seriously grateful that i don't naturally have good skin, because it has motivated me to take my internal and external health really seriously. My obsession with good skin is a bit vain, sure, but all of the habits I've acquired are holistically great for me. If i had perfect skin naturally, i might still treat my body like a garbage disposal, lol. Anyway, i should cut myself off here! Thanks for listening, you guys! <3

[indiegirl]

I'm so sorry, lol, I'm talking so much. I really love this stuff. I grew up with acne and a face- picking disorder (i would spend an hour or more every day popping pimples, squeezing pores, sometimes even using stuff like safety pins to get gunk out of my pimples). It was BAD. It was an addiction, no exaggeration. I'm naturally prone to some redness and have sensitive, combo skin, so the picking and popping created what would have been a "not great, but fine" skin situation into a terrible skin situation. I would cancel work shifts (dancing), dates, and would stick to the shadows at school on my "bad skin days." On top of that i didn't have a great diet or general sense of self care. My bad skin used to rule my life, which was pretty traumatic.

That said, I'm seriously grateful that i don't naturally have good skin, because it has motivated me to take my internal and external health really seriously. My obsession with good skin is a bit vain, sure, but all of the habits I've acquired are holistically great for me. If i had perfect skin naturally, i might still treat my body like a garbage disposal, lol. Anyway, i should cut myself off here! Thanks for listening, you guys! <3

I have a massive issue with hair. At one point I would not leave the house without wearing a hoodie. PCOS is a bitch and there is hair loss. Felt like less of a person. Then these guys comment about me wearing a hat. Homeboy I wouldn’t if I didn’t need to.

[charlie61]

^Yeah, stuff like that can REALLY fuck up your confidence... and i think it's especially hard when the issues start as a teen / young adult (before you have any sort of solid identity), and / or when you work in a beauty industry. I'm taking full advantage of pandemic work-from-home orders, which is a huge privilege. No one has to see my peeling retin-a skin or greasy, deep-conditioning-treatment hair, haha!