Ladies of Pricescope, I need your help! (makeup thread)

[texaskj]

manderz, you've gotten some great suggestions here. I can only add this: find a mascara at a price point you won't be uncomfortable throwing away every three months. Almost nothing gets contaminated easier or faster. Ulta has great sales. My favorites are Cover Girl and L'Oreal.

 

[monarch64]

Another vote for MAC brushes here, although I bought mine in 2007-ish (?). Madelise says they've fallen out of popularity with the youtube makeup mavens, so maybe the quality has gone down since I bought mine. Anyway, mine have held up well and I haven't had to replace anything in 7 years, so I'm happy.

I wear Great Lash waterproof mascara (Maybelline) and I go through a tube about every 2-3 months because I like it extra fresh. For shadow and liner I use NARS eyeshadow duo in India Song. It's really the best eyeshadow I've ever found. It lasts forever and never crumbles or falls apart in its compact plus I use the darker color as a liner. For "hookery" eyes aka fun nights out I just grab something fun from the drugstore and experiment. The cheapie shadows really bother my eyes but I wear contacts so you probably won't have that problem. Congrats on your successful lasik and enjoy your new eyes!

 

[Phoenix]

You've gotten some great advice. I just wanted to add that you'll really need to try different things on your skin to see how YOU like them. I find that a lot of things people like I don't like so much and I've found not-so-big brandnames that I like personally.

So what I like and you might want to try out, amongst the other stuff others have suggested:

- moisturizers by Estee Lauder (though I've been meaning to try Obagi again). You'll have to try different types to see which suits you best. Your make-up stay on a lot longer and looks more polished and professional if you start out with smooth, moisturized skin. Make-up will not look so nice or glide on if your skin is too dry, flaky or too oily or uneven in texture. Fwiw, I've tried La Mer but it caused my skin to clog and break-out (even though I have very very dry cheeks and forehead). I also like to use a primer, as it makes my make-up stay on longer and makes my skin a bit more "dewy". You can also use a light scrub to get rid of dead cells, once a week or once every two weeks, but remember to scrub VERY lightly and do not rub or stretch your skin. Use a mask for your skin type at least once a week, preferably twice a week; I've found hydrating masks (thanks to DiaDiva ) a life-saver!

- I LOVE Kiehl's sunscreen. It's the only one that's translucent (whilst having a high SPF of 50); all the others leave horrible white streak marks on my face or make me look like a clown!

- cleanse your skin every night, take up all your make-up but gently - you don't want to stretch your skin, esp. that around your. I find as I get older, I get really obsessed with my skin-care routine lol! I NEVER use a toner, I find it unnecessary (it's more like something skin-care companies want you to buy but don't really add anything); perhaps someone can chime in and tell me otherwise. I tend to just rinse off all final traces of make-up remover with plain old tap water. Also, I only wash my face properly in the evening; in the morning I prefer to just splash my face with water when I was my hair and have a shower.

- brushes: I've yet to decide which I really like the best and I may need to look for more. But I've found that MAC, as expensive as they are, are not that smooth/ rather a bit rough on my skin. I ADORE this blush brush from Hourglass but for the life of me cannot remember where I bought it from.

- I love Chanel eye shadows. Don't love Mac so much (too cakey and don't apply as nice and smooth as the Chanel ones). Estee Lauder on the other hand are too powdery and too much gets stuck on your brush and eyelids.

- love Chanel gel liner too.

- still need to find out which mascara(s) I like the best, but Maybelline is a great contender.

- recently found out about long wear lipsticks and lip-stains and much prefer them to regular lipsticks (which break off almost as soon as I open them, in this hot and humid weather UGH!) and gloss (which is beautiful but has absolutely no staying power). Would love to hear more if someone has experience with these.

- I do not like BB creams - at all!! I find them too dry for my skin and make me look too cakey. Instead, I just skip BB or foundation, preferring to wear only a sunscreen and concealer (HD Make up Forever is GREAT) during the day and switching to foundation if I have an event to go to in the evening.

- also love a light, not so obvious or too glittery, highlighter - for cheeks and/ or eyes - for evenings out too.

- don't like too much powder on my face as as it i) makes my already dry skin even more dry and ii) it makes my lines even more obvious! . If you have oily or combo skin, a light dusting of powder may help to lessen the oily appearance.

- as for the technique or method of make-up application, I prefer brushes and fingers to sponges (sponges can be a bit troublesome as you have to really wash them every day to get rid of bacteria; brushes I can wash perhaps once a week but I always use brushes on freshly washed skin anyway, and then I dry them on tissues or towels and leave them out to air-dry afterwards to prevent moulding and bacterial infection). Fingers are great but you really have to apply just very light pressure, any harder you risk stretching your skin. Also, brushes are great for blending. BLEDING IS KEY, it makes your make-up look polished and there are no hard lines. I love Lisa Eldridge (thanks to the recent thread on make-up), check out her videos. She has some really great tips and application techniques, I don't necessarily take on all her advice and remember your skin types and personal preferences come into play, but they are sooo fun to watch and you do learn a lot. I especially like her advice on putting the products on the back of your hand first before putting it, a little at a time, onto your eyes, cheeks etc..(putting it directly onto your face means you might put on too much and it's sooo difficult to take it off once it's on).


WOW, I've just written an essay; I really really like make-up, huh?!

 

[Phoenix]

Eeek, excuse the typos in the post above!

I also want to add: eyebrows are a must - they add definition to your face and "finish" the look. I personally don't like the "embroidered" eyebrows that seem so popular in Asia these days, preferring instead to draw them everyday. I use a combination of brow pencil and powder, as I find pencil alone bit harsh, and powder softens the look. I personally think thicker fuller eyebrows make you look younger and thinner won't cut it, at least not for someone ..ahem... a bit older!

 

[soocool]

Eeek, excuse the typos in the post above!

I also want to add: eyebrows are a must - they add definition to your face and "finish" the look. I personally don't like the "embroidered" eyebrows that seem so popular in Asia these days, preferring instead to draw them everyday. I use a combination of brow pencil and powder, as I find pencil alone bit harsh, and powder softens the look. I personally think thicker fuller eyebrows make you look younger and thinner won't cut it, at least not for someone ..ahem... a bit older!

Phoenix, I agree with you about the eyebrows, especially since mine have thinned a bit, not to mention the decades of overplucking. I use a pencil usually when at home, but discovered Anastasia's dip brow about a month ago. I use a very light touch to fill in and what I love about it is that it is waterproof and does not budge until I wash it off at the end of the day. She has I believe 4 shades out now, but more expected in the fall.

To add further, I really started becoming obsessed about my skin and makeup when I decided not to buy anymore of my old cosmetic brand, Prescriptives, since it is only available online now and you cannot try out any shades. I did a ton of research and definitely agree with you about clean and moisturized skin. You can have the best foundation in the world and it won't work properly unless your skin is clean and hydrated. I started to treat myself to monthly facial over a year ago and it has made a tremendous difference to how my skin looks and how easily my makeup goes on and I actually used a lot less than I used to.

I had a tough time finding a moisturizer that I liked that did not break the bank. (Sephora will also give you samples) Many had fragrances that nauseated me and it wasn't until someone recommended Cerave pm moisturizer, that I fell in love. OTC and less than $15 and I turned my esthetician and her mom on to this. Regarding toner, most if not all have alcohol which you really do not want to use on your skin, but a friend also turned me on to Thayer's alcohol free witch hazel which I do use as a toner and my DH now uses it as well after he shaves. He loves it!

I think makeup is a lot of hit or miss. You have to keep trying to find what works for you, your skin type, and your lifestyle.

 

[Gypsy]

I think makeup is a lot of hit or miss. You have to keep trying to find what works for you, your skin type, and your lifestyle.

I totally agree with this. And that's why, for me, drug store brands don't work out as often, because I can't try them at a counter, and who wants to spend all their time buying and returning stuff.

My favorite place to makeup shop is Nordstroms when it is quiet. The ladies there are much better than most department stores about crossing brand lines, and many of them (except at the MAC counter) are older and I find that makes a difference in the level of service I get. I actually don't like to shop at Sephora, I find they are often out of stuff that that I want, which means I just have to hunt it down later, and they are mostly young and impatient.

When I shop for makeup I usually have a firm idea of what I want. And what I don't want.

For example: Lipstick. I have ZERO patience for multiple product processes. I don't want to buy a lip liner and some thing for OVER the lipstick on top of buying a lipstick. If it's ONE product that has a couple steps (like a lip stain and a sealer) that's okay. Cause I'm paying once. But if I'm paying for lipstick it needs to do it's job, not require me to buy a bunch of additional products to make it work like it needs to by itself. Which is why I buying lipstick for me takes a lot of time. Most long wearing lipsticks are too dry. Most creme lipsticks have no endurance. So finding something in a shade that I like and a formulation I like takes a while for me.

I do like Bobbi Brown's Lipsticks. Many of the colors are just fantastic. I do wish the creme formulations had more staying power though. So I often go to the Bobbi brown counter to find the color I want. Then I carry that around with me to the MAC or Channel or other counters to find a match to the shade, but in a formula that has some staying power. Most of the time I'm able to find something very close that stays on. That's how I ended up with the Retro color I bought from MAC. It's close to Raisin by Bobbi Brown but stays on better.

 

[dk168]

Agree about tattooed eyebrows, too solid and artificial for my liking.

DK

 

[manderz]

[quote="Phoenix|
I also want to add: eyebrows are a must - they add definition to your face and "finish" the look. I personally don't like the "embroidered" eyebrows that seem so popular in Asia these days, preferring instead to draw them everyday. I use a combination of brow pencil and powder, as I find pencil alone bit harsh, and powder softens the look. I personally think thicker fuller eyebrows make you look younger and thinner won't cut it, at least not for someone ..ahem... a bit older! [/quote]

I agree- this is already the most important part of my routine My eyebrows are naturally thin and sparse (they disappear in pictures without a little extra oomph!).

Thanks again for all the input. I placed an order with E.L.F. for some brushes and stuff, just to get me through. I've re-stocked on makeup, and I'm feeling like a kid in a candy store with all my new toys. I was officially able to begin to wear eye makeup this weekend, after my follow up.

I sadly wasn't able to make it to Target to check out the Sonia Kashuk brushes I'll be up in a few more weeks, and will make it a point to stop. I ended up going shopping for sunglasses instead, and in my excitement, totally forgot about Target.

 

[misskittycat]

I am intrigued about the Sonia Kashuk brushes now. They sound great. Three more weeks until I am in the US and I can check them out!

I use a bit of a mishmash of brushes - some Sephora brand, A few Shu brushes, a couple of MAC brushes, a Stila eyeshadow brush... They all seem to do the trick well.

I stick to tried and tested brands usually: Laura Mercier TM, NARS loose powder, MAC or NARS blush,NARS and MAC lipsticks, Stila eyeshadows, Cle de Peau concealer, either Korres or Diorshow mascara... I spend a lot on my make up but I am rarely disappointed by the products.

Skincare is also really important but I tend to chop and change a little more. I have started using an awesome new Australian brand called Go-To which has a basic but very effective range of products. I really love the properly clean and exfoliating swipeys. Both products are super gentle but leave your skin feeling thoroughly clean. The face cream is great but very rich so I use it as a night cream.

http://www.gotoskincare.com/

I still use my Trish McEvoy beauty boost cream in the mornings and a sunscreen. I also use some Kiehls products (their night eye cream is pretty good and I like the Vitamin C serum). I am also a fan of my clarisonic! I use that once a week and the exfoliating swipeys once a week too. For me, that's enough of a deep clean.

 

[lovebug1031]

Also, I don't spend money on super high end cosmetics, but the one item I really advocate you spend money on AND check out all the reviews of before you buy is eyeshadow. There is a huge difference between good and bad eyeshadow. PIGMENT is where it is at.

I bought all new makeup a few months ago and my BEST purchase was this palette : http://www.sephora.com/in-the-light-palette-P291218?SKUID=1346667&srccode=cii_23393768&cpncode=31-157742154-2&om_mmc=amazon-amazonpads HIGHLY recommend. 10 shadows plus a nice eyeliner for under 40 bucks. I don't get fall out at all, even if I don't use a primer. Great stuff.

Just in case you are wondering I also bought two lipsticks-- one from MAC which is a neutral every day (color: Retro) and one from Chanel which is a high pigment red (Rouge Allure Velvet #39 Le Somptueuse). I also already owned another lipstick, Chanel Rouge Double Intensite (color discontinued: Sandstone) and this one is actually the best lipstick I've ever owned.

for my skin (which can be moody) bought a BB cream (Blemish Balm) which is great stuff because it combines clear complexion formula, with a light foundation and sunscreen. Also works as a light concealer.

My mascara is Clinique High Impact in Black. Standby and best value.

I only wear makeup on special occasions now and occasionally at work. I used to wear it much more often, but... meh.

And that list is pretty much ALL the makeup I own. And ALL OF IT together cost about 130 bucks (including brushes and eyeshadow primer from Laura Mercier). Which I consider a very good balance between quality and budget.

THIS times a million! Even if you only invest in one neutral shadow palette - do it! Urban Decay makes some great shadows, as does MAC (Veluxe Pearl is my favorite finish - woodwinked and expensive pink are great colors)

I have a makeup "problem" much like most of you on this forum have a diamond "problem"

Some ELF brushes are nice, but if you're on a budget and don't mind the longer handles (and want to feel said brushes) head to your local craft store and check out the paint brushes! Also, make sure you clean them one every couple of weeks, you can use baby soap.

 

[manderz]

Some ELF brushes are nice, but if you're on a budget and don't mind the longer handles (and want to feel said brushes) head to your local craft store and check out the paint brushes! Also, make sure you clean them one every couple of weeks, you can use baby soap.

So funny you mention that, I use a craft brush for foundation, but was embarrassed to say so! I haven't been able to find anything I like better for it. I use foundation instead of concealer, for lighter coverage.

 

[misskittycat]

I bought all new makeup a few months ago and my BEST purchase was this palette : http://www.sephora.com/in-the-light-palette-P291218?SKUID=1346667&srccode=cii_23393768&cpncode=31-157742154-2&om_mmc=amazon-amazonpads HIGHLY recommend. 10 shadows plus a nice eyeliner for under 40 bucks. I don't get fall out at all, even if I don't use a primer. Great stuff.

I have this palette too! It's awesome! All my eyeshadows are Stila now. I tried the UD Naked 2 Palette but was so underwhelmed...