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The Beauty Thread

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Glossier, so I think it’s an excellent idea! I know the feeling of drugstore foundations being too heavy; with me, they also look too orange. A foundation can claim to be for cool-toned individuals and it’ll still make me look like a certain pseudo-fascist president. So I splurged and got a Tarte foundation, and it’s been an absolute Godsend!
To be fair, drugstore brands have gotten a lot better regarding pale shades over the last ten years, but I still find duds every so often - usually foundations that either pull too yellow for my pink undertoned skin, oxidise orange on me, or just look too dark despite claiming to be a 'Porcelain' shade. Also, many drugstore brands don't do a truly light coverage foundation in a really light shade, which is why I'm eyeing up Glossier right now.

I sometimes think about splurging on other products like eyeshadow, but my Scrooge/Mr. Krabs ass winces at the prices for mid and high end brands all the time. (But I am of the opinion that it's almost pointless to spend a lot of money on mascara and eyeliner, since you're supposed to throw them away every few months. I keep looking at Glossier's Lash Slick, but I'm not paying £15 for a mascara I'm supposed to throw away after 3 to 6 months! If they did travel sized versions of their products and it was under £10, I'd probably buy it then.)
 

Krin

UTAU is my religion!!!
Feb 28, 2019
182
To be fair, drugstore brands have gotten a lot better regarding pale shades over the last ten years, but I still find duds every so often - usually foundations that either pull too yellow for my pink undertoned skin, oxidise orange on me, or just look too dark despite claiming to be a 'Porcelain' shade. Also, many drugstore brands don't do a truly light coverage foundation in a really light shade, which is why I'm eyeing up Glossier right now.

I sometimes think about splurging on other products like eyeshadow, but my Scrooge/Mr. Krabs ass winces at the prices for mid and high end brands all the time. (But I am of the opinion that it's almost pointless to spend a lot of money on mascara and eyeliner, since you're supposed to throw them away every few months. I keep looking at Glossier's Lash Slick, but I'm not paying £15 for a mascara I'm supposed to throw away after 3 to 6 months! If they did travel sized versions of their products and it was under £10, I'd probably buy it then.)
I've thought about giving Glossier foundations a try mostly because if the same reason; they carry just the right colour for my very pale pink skin. As for drugstore foundations I really !!! REALLY do not recommend going cheapskate when it comes to foundation. I've tried many foundations at my drugstore and really haven't had any good results. Plus my skin is very acne-prone so many new foundation's I'd try from the drugstore would put me in acne hell. As of the beginning of this year I'm using one of Clinique's liquid foundation (can't think of the exact name) and it's been giving me LIFE. This is also my first liquid foundation...! Prior to trying this I was always afraid of liquid foundations because I thought they'd make my oily mess of a face even more oily BUT that's definitely not the case with this!! Thankfully they carried my colour, and to show off how hideously pale I am I had to use the second most lightest option :) Anyways yeah, probably gonna be sticking to this Clinique foundation for awhile.

Another quick point I wanted to make about cheap foundations VS *actually good* ones is I think choosing the right foundation is a big part of skincare. What I mean is that I learned a lot of the cheap foundations I'd buy at the local supermarket/drugstore looked, okay-ish... I believe they were the main source of my acne issues. Now that I've been sticking to more quality big brand name foundations, not only have they matched me better (especially this Clinique one) I also believe they haven't been clogging up my pores as much. Which leads to better skin <3 honestly can't imagine ever going back to those shitty drugstore foundations.
 

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
I've thought about giving Glossier foundations a try mostly because if the same reason; they carry just the right colour for my very pale pink skin. As for drugstore foundations I really !!! REALLY do not recommend going cheapskate when it comes to foundation. I've tried many foundations at my drugstore and really haven't had any good results. Plus my skin is very acne-prone so many new foundation's I'd try from the drugstore would put me in acne hell. As of the beginning of this year I'm using one of Clinique's liquid foundation (can't think of the exact name) and it's been giving me LIFE. This is also my first liquid foundation...! Prior to trying this I was always afraid of liquid foundations because I thought they'd make my oily mess of a face even more oily BUT that's definitely not the case with this!! Thankfully they carried my colour, and to show off how hideously pale I am I had to use the second most lightest option :) Anyways yeah, probably gonna be sticking to this Clinique foundation for awhile.

Another quick point I wanted to make about cheap foundations VS *actually good* ones is I think choosing the right foundation is a big part of skincare. What I mean is that I learned a lot of the cheap foundations I'd buy at the local supermarket/drugstore looked, okay-ish... I believe they were the main source of my acne issues. Now that I've been sticking to more quality big brand name foundations, not only have they matched me better (especially this Clinique one) I also believe they haven't been clogging up my pores as much. Which leads to better skin <3 honestly can't imagine ever going back to those shitty drugstore foundations.
My acne used to be a lot worse when I was a teen, but I don't know now if it was crappy foundation causing it, or just hormones (because teen woes).

I definitely agree with the whole foundation being important for skincare bit, and forking out a bit more for foundation. A bad foundation will also make the rest of your makeup look a lot worse than it should be. (Inversely, I'll probably never pay a lot of money for mascara and eyeliner, since you're supposed to throw them away after a few months for hygiene reasons.)
 

Aia

DDR-tist
Jul 14, 2019
374
20
The Internet™
I never had a problem with drugstore brands when it comes to foundation. To be fair though, I have slightly darker skin and a warmer tone so that might be the case... The only struggle I had is finding one that's light enough to wear on my face cuz I don't really like heavy foundations. The foundation I like using is Joah. It's really light, yet it covers pretty well so you don't have to use a lot. Though it doesn't really have a lot for paler skin tones unfortunately, but I like it a lot!

I basically get my makeup from either the drugstore or outlet stores. In outlets, you can sometimes find a high end brand for a REALLY good price. Once I found an Anastasia bronzer for just four bucks!
 
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Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
I basically get my makeup from either the drugstore or outlet stores. In outlets, you can sometimes find a high end brand for a REALLY good price. Once I found an Anastasia bronzer for just four bucks!
We don't really have outlets in the American sense in the UK, apart from TK Maxx I guess. And even then, I hate browsing TK Maxx bcause it's perpetually like a jumble sale in there and it's hard for me to navigate, so I just avoid it entirely.

I did end up checking TK Maxx's makeup section just now... Not many entries right now (I guess they might be struggling with stock due to Covid?) but I did get tempted by some Nars liquid lipsticks that were only something like £12, never mind that liquid lipsticks never look right on my dry-ass lips, even with lip balm lol.
 

cafenurse

Still misses Anri Rune
Apr 8, 2018
1,803
22
USA
I like to see what cool products Tj Maxx has for cheap from time to time....often times the ones near me don't really have anything that exciting, but I once got that unicorn tears lipstick for 5 bucks because I remember when it first came out everyone was talking about it. I never would have bought it for full price since I like exclusively wear red lips and just wanted to try it, so I'm glad I found it heavily discounted. But other than that my tj maxx usually just has like....damaged eyeshadow palettes lol
 
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peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
I see my skincare groups talking about TJ Maxx finds all the time and I'm just over here like "Must be nice having a TJ Maxx within 100 miles..." It seems a little shady, but it'd still be cool to explore and see what all's there!
 
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Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
Briefly reviving my own thread...

I finally took a plunge last week and made my first Glossier order, and the parcel came this Wednesday. I ordered the Perfecting Skin Tint and the Stretch Concealer, and so far, I'm liking both of them - as expected from reviews, they both feel light and don't feel cakey at all on my skin. My boyfriend even said to me that my skin looked more glowy than usual. ^.^ But the Stretch Concealer isn't good at covering red spots, which is probably because of the entire point of it being light coverage. For that, I just use a heavier concealer.

I also got a free sample of the Cloud Paint in my order, but I'm not liking it as much as the foundation and concealer. I get that Glossier's aesthetic is the "barely there" look, but I've been using the Puff sample for the last couple of days, and I literally can't see anything on my cheeks lol. I know samples can sometimes be misleading, but I'm not gonna splurge £15 on a cream blush that still won't show up on my face after using the full version. :/ (I do have a Storm sample remaining, so I might try that one out on a free day despite it being purple).

In other brands, I've started using the Essence Lash Princess mascara in the purple tube (because I wanted a cheaper dupe for the Maybelline Lash Sensation mascara and I love the brush on that one), and holy moly!! It makes my eyelashes look even better than the Maybelline one, but at over £2! I actually look like I'm wearing falsies. (I have blonde eyelashes, which is why I'm super happy at the length and volume). It also didn't smudge yesterday when I went out shopping either, despite it not being a waterproof formula and raining outside that day.
 

cafenurse

Still misses Anri Rune
Apr 8, 2018
1,803
22
USA
A few month ago I bought the BH Cosmetics "Trendy in Tokyo" eye palette because I wanted to make a rainbow look and own very few colors. I've bought a few things from BH before, they're very hit or miss because they're super affordable but of course sometimes you get what you pay for. Although I like some of their products I've always been weary to try their eyeshadows...they just look cheap to me...but I'm actually very impressed with the Trendy in Tokyo palette. The colors are so vivid. The swatches on the website actually look patchy and pathetic imo...but the palette itself is for the most part actually really good. I'm most impressed by the shade "Wasabi", which looked absolutely atrocious in the swatches on their site but is lovely in person.
 
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lIlI

Staff member
Moderator
Apr 6, 2018
843
The Lightning Strike
Briefly reviving my own thread...

I also got a free sample of the Cloud Paint in my order, but I'm not liking it as much as the foundation and concealer. I get that Glossier's aesthetic is the "barely there" look, but I've been using the Puff sample for the last couple of days, and I literally can't see anything on my cheeks lol. I know samples can sometimes be misleading, but I'm not gonna splurge £15 on a cream blush that still won't show up on my face after using the full version. :/ (I do have a Storm sample remaining, so I might try that one out on a free day despite it being purple).
I have Cloud Paint in haze! I thought it was going to look too bold because it's a dark berry, but it blends out to look very natural. Based on your experience, it sounds like their high contrast colours work best.

However you can get a really similar effect with a glossy lipstick (liquid or stick, both work), so that's a fun way to try out the creme look without dropping Glossier money. I've been doing that instead of buying more. :D
 
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Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
I have Cloud Paint in haze! I thought it was going to look too bold because it's a dark berry, but it blends out to look very natural. Based on your experience, it sounds like their high contrast colours work best.
I might be brave and try out the Storm sample then. I've had surprise luck with blushes that say they're mauve (or lean purple) on the packaging, but turn out pink on me. I think Puff might be too bright to really show up on my skin. My skin is a cool-toned pale, but I've never thought about using high contrast makeup colours until now because I've never been confident enough to try out brights. (I sometimes look up bright eyeshadow palettes, but then I tell myself I have almost no reason to wear brights every day, so then I don't bother buying them).
 
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peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
Beauty lovers, I need opinions: what's your favorite moisturizers? I have one that I absolutely adore, but it's too heavy for our hot and humid summers, so I have to save it for autumn. In the meantime, I'm using this. It's okay, but it doesn't feel quite... enough, so my skin feels a little tight after applying it and then retaliates by drenching me with oil. Plus it smells pretty bad, ngl. I've tried Tatcha's Water Cream before, but I'm not super crazy about it... LOVE the smell and the texture, but it's the same as the one I'm using right now. Just not enough.

EDIT: While browsing Ulta, I found this bad boy... I'm tempted to get it just for, well, obvious reasons.
 
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lIlI

Staff member
Moderator
Apr 6, 2018
843
The Lightning Strike
I splash water on my face.
noob

Beauty lovers, I need opinions: what's your favorite moisturizers? I have one that I absolutely adore, but it's too heavy for our hot and humid summers, so I have to save it for autumn. In the meantime, I'm using this. It's okay, but it doesn't feel quite... enough, so my skin feels a little tight after applying it and then retaliates by drenching me with oil. Plus it smells pretty bad, ngl. I've tried Tatcha's Water Cream before, but I'm not super crazy about it... LOVE the smell and the texture, but it's the same as the one I'm using right now. Just not enough.

EDIT: While browsing Ulta, I found this bad boy... I'm tempted to get it just for, well, obvious reasons.
Oh man, I wish I could assist, but I'm a basic Nivea loyalist. There might be some good recommendations in this thread!
 

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
Beauty lovers, I need opinions: what's your favorite moisturizers? I have one that I absolutely adore, but it's too heavy for our hot and humid summers, so I have to save it for autumn. In the meantime, I'm using this. It's okay, but it doesn't feel quite... enough, so my skin feels a little tight after applying it and then retaliates by drenching me with oil. Plus it smells pretty bad, ngl. I've tried Tatcha's Water Cream before, but I'm not super crazy about it... LOVE the smell and the texture, but it's the same as the one I'm using right now. Just not enough.
I'm the worst person to ask about moisturiser, because I just use the same Olay ones all year round. (Sensitive skin + temperate climate + living in a country with a reputation for constant rainfall = no point in changing up products).

I splash water on my face.
I'm currently living through a heatwave in my country, so I've been doing that to keep cool. Britons aren't used to temps above 25 degrees Celsius, and I'm dealing with 30 degrees right now. =.=
 

Krin

UTAU is my religion!!!
Feb 28, 2019
182
Beauty lovers, I need opinions: what's your favorite moisturizers? I have one that I absolutely adore, but it's too heavy for our hot and humid summers, so I have to save it for autumn. In the meantime, I'm using this. It's okay, but it doesn't feel quite... enough, so my skin feels a little tight after applying it and then retaliates by drenching me with oil. Plus it smells pretty bad, ngl. I've tried Tatcha's Water Cream before, but I'm not super crazy about it... LOVE the smell and the texture, but it's the same as the one I'm using right now. Just not enough.

EDIT: While browsing Ulta, I found this bad boy... I'm tempted to get it just for, well, obvious reasons.
I'm with you on not using heavy skincare especially in this heat (even in winnter I tend to go lightly because I hate the way most make my skin feel uh... too moist/oily lol)

If you want something light, I recently started using this moisturiser by Clinique back in winter and am SO GLAD I DID because I love love love the feel of it!!!! My skin is combination and gets dry in some parts but my T zone always stays oily but luckily this one seems to helps keep my skin balanced w/o that gross overly-moist feeling. It just makes my skin feel really smooth, not too dry/moist. Also, for me atleast, I dont usually need to use much at a time and the 30ml pack lasts like 4 months so it really makes up for the price. Honestly I think I'll stick to using this all year-round because it worked so well in winter and now summer.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
Thank you guys!! I found The Ordinary’s Squalane at Ulta the other day, and I think I’m gonna experiment with mixing a drop of that into my current moisturizer until I can find something better... until then, I appreciate the help!
 

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
To anyone who wears makeup, how are you coping with the pandemic and mask requirements? I've only been able to wear a tiny bit of foundation on my forehead, concealer around my eyes, my eyebrow pencil and my usual eye makeup. It's annoying the crap outta me that I can't wear a good chunk of my face makeup and none of my lip makeup at all. :sad:

On the other hand, I have been experimenting with colourful eyeshadow, since I can't add colour to my lips in indoor spaces for a while.
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
To anyone who wears makeup, how are you coping with the pandemic and mask requirements? I've only been able to wear a tiny bit of foundation on my forehead, concealer around my eyes, my eyebrow pencil and my usual eye makeup. It's annoying the crap outta me that I can't wear a good chunk of my face makeup and none of my lip makeup at all. :sad:

On the other hand, I have been experimenting with colourful eyeshadow, since I can't add colour to my lips in indoor spaces for a while.
I’ve been taking the opportunity to try and learn how to properly apply eyeshadow! It’s... not going well, heh. So I’ve mostly been sticking to my eyeliner. I’ve been meaning to get new colors to experiment with, since I use liquid liner, and I wanna be colorful and bold! But I end up sweating it off while at work, so I don’t have many opportunities to do so. orz

I’ve been making up for the makeup restraint by putting accessories in my hair, honestly. I’ve got these glittery pins that I use to keep my bangs back and they’ve gotten a lot of compliments.
 

Blue Of Mind

The world that I do not know...
Apr 8, 2018
699
I’ve been taking the opportunity to try and learn how to properly apply eyeshadow! It’s... not going well, heh. So I’ve mostly been sticking to my eyeliner. I’ve been meaning to get new colors to experiment with, since I use liquid liner, and I wanna be colorful and bold! But I end up sweating it off while at work, so I don’t have many opportunities to do so. orz
I gave up on eyeliner completely around the time lockdown came into force in my country, because trying to apply it correctly always pissed me off. (My eyeliner never looked even. I know it's difficult for everyone to try and apply eyeliner with your weak hand, but eyeliner constantly varied for me day to day. Some days, it looked perf, but other days, I looked like a raccoon. So I just gave up and let my mascara give the illusion of a slightly thicker lash base.)
 

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