Makeup

[Guest Raidne]

I need an eyebrow wax right now. And a facial. It's funny - I couldn't tell you what exactly is wrong about my eyebrows just looking at them, but getting them professionally shaped does more for my face than anything else. Second to that - facial. Third, lightening eye cream. Fourth, mascara - always Clinique lash doubling.

I've read the cheap mascara advice over the years in women's beauty/fashion mags, but just haven't found it to be true - Clinique lash-doubling makes Maybelline great lash look like Tammy Faye Baker's mascara of choice.

I only do lip stain plus gloss, so don't really know about lip stick.

Hate face make-up, but use bare minerals for formal events.

For eyeshadow, I have this enormous Stilla palette with something like 50 shades I like to play with, a white eyeshadow for highlighting (under brow + inner corner = awake), and a taupe pair if I need something for work.

Been using Estee Lauder's precision pencil liners for something like 10 years now.

But lately I've barely worn make-up at all. And I need an eyebrow wax. And a root touch-up. And a facial. And some free time. I need a spa day, stat. I didn't even READ the make-up thread for a whole month!

Oh, and that guy who seems to think we wear make-up for men can fuck off.

[Rubies & Jade]

Chats, do you use Retin-A every night? Does your face stop peeling at some point?

I've got the stuff, but I stop using it every week because my face starts flaking. :(

not Chats, but I've used Retin-A for a number of years. I use it every day for 2/3 of the year (I take a break during the warm months when I'm in the sun a lot more). Your face generally will stop peeling after a period of time, but its better to work up to using it daily. Start by using it every 3rd day for a few weeks then every other day, like that. People tend to get used to it faster that way. Some people also mix it with lotion to put it on, but that just dilutes it so I don't much like that idea. Use sunscreen daily if you're using it.

[Starkess]

I need an eyebrow wax right now. And a facial. It's funny - I couldn't tell you what exactly is wrong about my eyebrows just looking at them, but getting them professionally shaped does more for my face than anything else. Second to that - facial. Third, lightening eye cream. Fourth, mascara - always Clinique lash doubling.

I haaate my eyebrows so much. Constant source of frustration for me. When left untamed, they are way too big and crowd my face and look terrible. I started plucking them when I was 19, and it was one of the biggest, most beneficial changes I have ever made to my appearance. I just plucked them into a narrower, more groomed version with very little arch. I was too nervous to try to shape them myself. So finally last year I let them grow in and got them waxed so that I could get them professionally shaped. They ended up way too arched and looked freaking ridiculous. So I grew them in again and got them waxed with a different aesthetician (is that the right word? Chrome says no). They looked better this time, but when I went back to the same lady, they ended up looking different this time! And now my boyfriend thinks they look terrible. I just can't figure out the exact right balance between arch/no arch and thickness and just...fuck eyebrows.

[kairparavel]

I haaate my eyebrows so much. Constant source of frustration for me. When left untamed, they are way too big and crowd my face and look terrible. I started plucking them when I was 19, and it was one of the biggest, most beneficial changes I have ever made to my appearance. I just plucked them into a narrower, more groomed version with very little arch. I was too nervous to try to shape them myself. So finally last year I let them grow in and got them waxed so that I could get them professionally shaped. They ended up way too arched and looked freaking ridiculous. So I grew them in again and got them waxed with a different aesthetician (is that the right word? Chrome says no). They looked better this time, but when I went back to the same lady, they ended up looking different this time! And now my boyfriend thinks they look terrible. I just can't figure out the exact right balance between arch/no arch and thickness and just...fuck eyebrows.

As mentioned earlier, threading. It hurts, but it shapes gradually and you can check in to see what's going on unlike waxing.

[Elder Sister]

My cousin called me in tears last year. She had opted to get her brows done at the nail salon. DO NOT EVER DO THIS.

She looked perpetually surprised for about three months.

[deleted01]

I feel the eyebrow hate. Mine end up looking like caterpillars if I'm not careful. I just get them thinned out and arched very slightly. I can't shape them myself so I trust the beautician and she does the job perfectly. I just have to pluck the stray hairs I get in-between visits to the salon, which feels like every day. Fuck body hair in general, such a nightmare :lol:

[Starkess]

I feel the eyebrow hate. Mine end up looking like caterpillars if I'm not careful. I just get them thinned out and arched very slightly. I can't shape them myself so I trust the beautician and she does the job perfectly. I just have to pluck the stray hairs I get in-between visits to the salon, which feels like every day. Fuck body hair in general, such a nightmare :lol:

I feel you. I have dark, plentiful hair and it makes me so angry!

I started doing laser removal on my underarms (birthday prezzie from my bf!), and holy shit. It's amazing. I've done ONE treatment and 75% of my hair is gone. It used to be that even directly after shaving you could still see my hair. No longer! I foresee myself getting pretty much my whole body done. The people did say that underarms is the area that responds best, so I might not have as good of luck with bikini/legs/lip/arms, but dammit I'll try!

[deleted01]

Wow really? I'm going to look into that! I shaved my legs yesterday at around 2 and by that night they were stubbly. Drives me mad! How costly is laser hair removal? And how long does it last?

[Lady Olenna]

Wow really? I'm going to look into that! I shaved my legs yesterday at around 2 and by that night they were stubbly. Drives me mad! How costly is laser hair removal? And how long does it last?

My legs were like this as well. I did laser hair removal on both full legs and although the hair isn't completely gone its maybe 75% gone and the re growth of what's left takes a few days to even notice because the hair is thin and soft vs. thick and prickly. I also did my underarms but couldn't manage bikini as it hurt like hell. Right now I'm having my face layered because I have perpetual blonde fuzz and although its been 4 sessions its probably going to take at least another 4. But I bought a flash sale deal and it was about $200 for 2 years of lasering. Pretty cheap and the place is nice. The legs cost $600 for 6 treatments but was worth every penny.

For those that don't like wearing face makeup like foundation I recommend Missha bb cream. It's so awesome. It has sunscreen, covers a lot without being heavy, won't break you out and is affordable. I like bare minerals as well but sometimes it makes my skin itch.

I also like Burt's bees tinted Chapstick that comes in the big tube. Nice colors without being a real lipstick. I have honeysuckle I think.

[karaddin]

As someone that has only just started to need to worry about make up I can only understand half the stuff in this thread, no idea what primers are for example.

I'm pretty lucky in the skin department, the only bits I've ever had trouble with ate my forehead and sides of the nose. I started moisturizing early this year and found it was making things worse so stopped. Since then I've been doing a lot of exercise which led to drinking a ton of water and even these shots have come good. The only washing of my face under normal circumstances is being splashed with water. That goes out the window when make up comes into play though, I still need to learn what to do around that, I'm terrible at getting mascara and eye liner off, so the next day back in boy mode is a bit conspicuous.

I feel the eyebrow hate. Mine end up looking like caterpillars if I'm not careful. I just get them thinned out and arched very slightly. I can't shape them myself so I trust the beautician and she does the job perfectly. I just have to pluck the stray hairs I get in-between visits to the salon, which feels like every day. Fuck body hair in general, such a nightmare :lol:

Amen to the suckage of body (and facial for me) hair. I've been getting laser on my face since March, and had one round on my lower legs... the first session yields the most results as it gets all the low hanging fruit. The power seeing finally got put up significantly on my last session, it hurt a lot more but I finally lost about 50-60% of my moustache hair which had been stubbornly resilient up till then.

It's almost getting to the point where between the laser and the estrogen making my skin softer I'll start to delude myself into thinking I can get away without foundation etc.

One last thing on the skin and dryness, that is in the nice humid city of Sydney. 3 weeks of dry, subzero weather in Sweden and my skin is drying out badly. My lips are perma pealing even with blistex. On the flip side, I straighten my hair after washing it, and even with the beanie it stays good for 4 days. In Sydney it's frizzy and curling again after 1, so there are ups and downs to both.

When I understand enough to follow an answer I might ask for advice :P I'm almost tempted to post a photo for critique lol

[Sci-2]

Seems like things are progressing well karaddin. Glad to hear it. :-)

[karaddin]

I'll post a photo if you do sci :P

I've been out in Stockholm the last 2 weekends so got to practice then hide in winter clothes

[deleted01]

Thankfully I don't have any issues with facial hair, except the thrice-damned eyebrows, and the hair on my arms is nothing to worry about. But my legs, underarms and bikini area are ridiculous. I'm too embarrassed to go to a salon for the latter, and I've heard that waxing doesn't last a lot longer than shaving anyway. I think I'm going to look into laser removal for definite now - if it can just make my hair less noticeable I'd be happy. Thanks for the information guys!

My housemate uses an epilator, and says that while it hurts a bit and takes some time, it essentially has the same effect as laser removal, albeit not as fast I imagine. Does anyone here use this? I'm a bit skeptical, and worried its not completely safe to use on all areas.

[Sci-2]

I'll post a photo if you do sci :P

I've been out in Stockholm the last 2 weekends so got to practice then hide in winter clothes

Heh, I don't have the looks I used to. My features are way more masculine now, though I do take pride in once being told I was the prettiest Indian girl someone had ever seen. :-)

[karaddin]

Drac - if you are going to look into laser then steer clear of epilating, laser can't work for something like a month or two on an area that has been epilated.

You also need to avoid sun exposure to the areas in question for 2 weeks before and one week after. Doubt that's going to be a problem in an English winter though :P

[Elder Sister]

Karaddin, you may be able to avoid foundation. I was able to skip it for a lot of years, but no more. My skin has gotten ruddy, and I'm using the green Smashbox primer that was recommended in this thread, and I really like it.

If my skin were even toned the way it was when I was younger, I would skip the base.

[karaddin]

Yeah but you aren't covering up a beard shadow from being born male :P I'm hoping that will go away with more time though. I guess the need for blush also fades as hormones work and my cheeks fill out on their own etc, but for now extensive make up is definitely needed to change how my face looks.

[Starkess]

The laser treatment I got was a gift, but my bf got it on Groupon and I've seen similar deals to guess that it was about $100 for 6 treatments. Be warned--it is really painful!! At least it was for me. They try to make it sound like a mild pain, but holy shit. On the bright side, it lasted maybe 20 seconds per armpit, so it isn't impossible. Just be warned, cause I wish I had been a little more prepared for it!

I currently wax my bikini area and it lasts way longer than shaving. Also I have fewer bad ingrowns and it's much smoother. Still, though, it's probably next on my list for lasering.

And one more thing, for lasering you can't do any sort of hair removal on the area except shaving for 4 weeks in advance. Just something to plan around.

[Lady Olenna]

Thankfully I don't have any issues with facial hair, except the thrice-damned eyebrows, and the hair on my arms is nothing to worry about. But my legs, underarms and bikini area are ridiculous. I'm too embarrassed to go to a salon for the latter, and I've heard that waxing doesn't last a lot longer than shaving anyway. I think I'm going to look into laser removal for definite now - if it can just make my hair less noticeable I'd be happy. Thanks for the information guys!

My housemate uses an epilator, and says that while it hurts a bit and takes some time, it essentially has the same effect as laser removal, albeit not as fast I imagine. Does anyone here use this? I'm a bit skeptical, and worried its not completely safe to use on all areas.

I used an epilady thing for a while. It really hurt and resulted in ingrown hairs on my legs.

[Fragile Bird]

My housemate uses an epilator, and says that while it hurts a bit and takes some time, it essentially has the same effect as laser removal, albeit not as fast I imagine. Does anyone here use this? I'm a bit skeptical, and worried its not completely safe to use on all areas.

I have heard from various friends that they stopped using the epilator because of the problem with in-grown hairs. I used one of the first versions that came out ( :lol: before you were born) and gave it up because of the ingrown hairs.