cosmetics

[houseelf]

Although I buy most cosmetics at the drug store, the other day I went to a department store to pick up some skin lightener for my pregnancy induced skin discoloration. The girl at the Shisheido counter tried to sell me a tiny pot of skin lightener for $92 plus taxes. 8O 8O 8O

WHAT? Do people really spend this much money on skin care and makeup? Seriously, if she were to give me a makeover...what would that cost? This is just marketing preying on women's insecurities.

I did a google search on makeup comparisons on the web and found a fantastic site that cuts through the marketing hype and tells it like it is for each individual website.

Paula Begoun- cosmetic site:

http://www.cosmeticscop.com

Anyone else familiar with her?

Kelly

[Auspicious]

I've heard of her book Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me and it's the reason I, too, buy my cosmetics at the drugstore. I didn't realize she had her own line of products now.

[PrincessFiona]

Isn't that nuts? I usually buy Avon....or from the cosmetics counter. I've found avon to be reasonably priced though....Wow..$92?

kris

[Sheherezade]

Shocked and horrified here too. I get those mini sample creams from my mother in law. She is always telling me to go buy this product or that. One day I decide to buy a basic Shisheido cream and the sales clerk tells me its 50 bucks. YIKES. I did not indulge. I have gottem hooked on the Oil of Olay Total Effects stuff though. At $18 a bottle, I still feel guilty when I buy it.

Angie

[mommax3]

I know. I feel guitly buying Mary Kay (which is what I use) and I only buy the basic stuff.....I can't bring myself to spring for their "fancy" creams and potions! I am going to have to check out that website.....I use Mary Kay because it is easy and I don't have to think about what products to get for cleansing, moisturizing, etc...... but I would be interested to do some comparing.

Sally

[DCJenn]

I use Avon products for skin care and cleansing but I do use Prescriptives from the department stores for most other make-up- except mascara- I use Maybelline's Great Lash like the other 99% of American Women. I have very difficult to match skin since I'm a redhead with freckles- I either end up too orange to too pale- so I stick with the one brand that doesn't make me look funny. (but I also very rarely wear the whole make-up thing- never while on the road- I have a powder base I wear on the road- I think I carried all of those bottles twice- and then said no thank you to the heavy bags and now have a very streamlined travel kit- none of those people know me anyway! who cares how i look!)

Jenn

[SueC]

I only use Mary Kay, and that is pretty minimal (lotion with an SPF daily and a little eye shadow and lip stick if I'm going out on a date with dh or something like that). My sisters both spend a ton of money at department stores for makeup which I think is riduculous!
One of my sisters did see on TV recently that they said the professional hair care products really aren't any better than store brand so she actually switched. You could spend a ton of money on that type of stuff as well.

[BonBon]

Kelly, it's funny that you mention her as I just got her book out at the library. I hate wasting money on make-up only to find out it sucks. I ended up buying a bunch of her recommendations off of eBay, saving $$ and getting quality make-up in the process. I don't wear much, but what I do wear better be good. Very worthwhile reference, IMO.

8O $92. I would think any 2% hydroquinone cream would do, perhaps an AHA/BHA cream used in conjunction. I have those lovely spots too.

Sue, I'm surprised about the haircare. I used to always use drugstore stuff until I tried Joico at my mom's. Wow, what a difference. My hair is very shiny and tangle-free now. It's typically quite the mess.

My favorite moisturizer? Vaseline. Works awesome. And it's cheap

[DCJenn]

Chris-

It's funny that you mention Vaseline. My grandmother who at 87 has incredible skin (also due to no sun exposure) only uses Vaseline and Dove soap. Occasionally she'll use Oil of Olay, but only if she has a coupon.

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

My step mother read this book and her conclusion was that we would all be better off just slathering ourselves with Vaseline. I use it to take off my eyemakeup everynight.....does that count? Wouldn't you end up with clogged pores or breakouts if you put it all over your face regularly? Forgive me for being woefully uninformed ('') but I know a lot of people who won't use petroleum products on their skin or lips. Is this a political, environmental, toxicity or cultural issue? I've never asked them!!

Angie

Vaseline was the ONLY thing that got rid of my seriously chapped lips this winter. I had used everything else, including this expensive stuff from Kiehl's.

I'm a Clinique girl--everything from cleansing to color--mostly because it's fragrance-free and I have incredibly sensitive skin. The woman who did my facials said that petroleum products are bad for oily skins (Oil of Olay has petroleum in it), but I guess they're okay for the other types.

$92? 8O That's a lot, but still in the mid-range, believe it or not. Chanel, La Prairie and others are a LOT more.

I like Clinique too, especially for lipstick. For other items, I switch around among drugstore brands. I'm trying to start buying only products that aren't tested on animals.

What about fragrances? I hardly wear them because I'm very sensitive to smells, but I have 2 that I wear occasionally: Shiseido Relaxing and Floris Seringa.

[Flynn]

ok -- so 92$ is excessive to be sure but I have to admit that I have tried a TON of products both in the drugstore and at department stores and I do have my preferences and I don't think all products are alike!

Skincare is important to me -- I just feel better and SPF IS important so I use Aveda almost exclusively. I also have curly hair so hair products are NOT all equal and I stick to Aveda with that too. I modelled a bit in college for extra money so I received a bunch of expensive products for free -- a good way to try stuff out and see if it works for you!

I have tried using less expensive stuff at drugstores but then they go and discontinue what I like!!!

Oh -- one beauty secret I have learned is "Certain Dry" anti-perspirant. You can get it at most drug stores/Targets etc. IT WORKS!!!! You will no longer be afraid of what you wear in hot or humid climates. You do have to read the directions however. It's applied at night before you go to bed and is a roll on. The next day I just put my regular "Secret" on and I barely perspire at all!!!

Just a stupid tip!!

[PrincessFiona]

I was just out at the outlet mall and bought myself a clinque skincare set for $24.00 I'm going to give it a try!

kris

Fragrances: I like Clinique's "Simply" and "Aromatics Elixir", L'Air du Temps, and Feuille d' Herbe by L'Occitane en Provence (which they are no longer making!). I was looking at the names of fragrances on http://www.fragrancenet.com and some of them just crack me up.