Makeup and Beauty |OT| Sustaining Supernormal Stimulus

[sabrina]

Hello my pretties

This is a place for anyone and everyone to talk about makeup, cosmetology and the art of beautifying. Have questions or something you want to share? You're in the right place!

A supernormal stimulus or superstimulus is an exaggerated version of a stimulus to which there is an existing response tendency, or any stimulus that elicits a response more strongly than the stimulus for which it evolved.

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source

How to pick the right hairbrush
Overtone - colored hair dyes and conditioners
Everything you need to know about dry shampoo
Foods for healthy hair

How to figure out if you have cool or warm undertones
Unicorn Snot - cosmetic glitter
How to cover up beard shadow
Let's Talk About Skin Care - Leona Lewis

What glasses fit my face
How to blend eye shadow
About colored contacts
Mascara tips

Does biotin help nails grow?
Nail art inspiration
How to maintain your manicure longer
Easy nail art for beginners


special thanks to m o n s t e r for the help setting up this thread

 

[m o n s t e r]

You rock!! I'm excited about this thread! Thanks again for this <3

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

Thanks for putting this together!

My only makeup competency is being able to apply l'oreal lineur intense without seeing what I'm doing (I've been using it since my teens and I'm severely short sighted so I eventually learned).

I still have no idea how to do natural looking eyeshadow though, so this is going to be very useful.

 

[Gemeanie]

Thanks and subbed!

It's embarrassing to admit but I have never once put up a makeup nor facial care during 20s. Now I can no longer use youth as excuses for my laziness I feel the urge to learn something so I can stop looking like a zombie at work.

Drawing eyelines is already a nightmare with severe shortsightness, but having uneven eyes (monolid & doublelid) makes it far worse. No matter how thick I tried to draw on my right eye will eat everything away. Is there any newbie tips or hack for this?

 

[GraphicViolets]

Immediately watched. I've been needing to buy more makeup (and new sunglasses) so all these links have me busy rn

Most of me buying stuff has always been guesswork

 

[kansai_mish]

Subscribed, subscribed, subscribed.

I'd like to know what makeup items anyone here thinks are worth splurging on and what items best to go cheap on?

So far, I spend more on foundation, eyeshadow, and sometimes lipstick...
I tend to skimp on eyebrow pencils, blushes, and mascara.

 

[Pet]

This is beautiful!!!!

I love bb creams for face. SPF, light coverage. It's wonderful.

 

[MaskedNdi]

Thank you so much for putting this together! I can only offer hair advice, but I am super excited to learn from the lovely makeup experts here.

I also struggle with eyeliner and it bums me out. I can only really apply it if I make a mess and use makeup removers to clean it up a bit. I am interested in any and all application tricks!

 

[RpgN]

Thank you for making an awesome thread. I too have issues with using an eyeliner correctly :p

 

[PixelParty]

I'd like to know what makeup items anyone here thinks are worth splurging on and what items best to go cheap on?

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Anything sitting directly on your face and getting absorbed is worth splurging on, like foundation, primer if you choose to use it, concealer, etc.

Anything that sits on top of the foundation and not getting absorbed directly into your skin I think it's okay to go cheaper on.

And then mascara, I'm not paying $30 for a single tube when you have to throw it away every few months and L'Oreal Lash Paradise works just as well for $8. The secret to amazing lashes is using an eyelash curler.

I also went cheap on makeup brushes, I got a set from Amazon for $12 and they work fine.

My current most-favorite product is Laura Geller Baked Blush-N-Brighten, it is amazing. It is expensive, but it's highly pigmented so you only need a tiny amount.

 

[dee_activate]

Watched! Lovely OP great work sabrina

 

[meow]

Great thread! I'll definitely be following this one.

I tend to spend more on skincare. Tools like makeup brushes or eyelash curler, I go cheap on, but only with good reviews. The e.l.f. line and some of the sets sephora has on sale are perfectly serviceable, IMO. Certain makeup I find more worth it to at least go a base quality (like eyeshadows) because I was tired of trying cheaper, drugstore level ones that were chalky/unpigmented/had no lasting power.

 

[shadowkat]

Great OP.

Here for nails mainly. I've never really had the patience to learn how to do makeup properly, though I do love makeup in general.

 

[Deleted member 511]

Great OT Sabrina. I think one thing that has surprisingly really helped me with finding new products is going on Pinterest and I've found smaller (usually blacked owned) brands on twitter.

 

[Pet]

PixelParty - for amazing lashes I just get eyelash extensions. Nothing nicer than waking up with perfect lashes haha.

The worst is when they shed though, since I don't want to refill them so much. It's kinda pricey :(

 

[sabrina]

Are lashes something people struggle with? That's usually the quickest part of putting my face on. Good to know.

I'm a fan of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. One of my friends gave me hers after doing me up for a wedding last year, and I've been sticking to that brand ever since.

 

[m o n s t e r]

I've never used false eyelashes. They always seem like too much work and I would probably end up with one on my cheek, rather than my eye lmao.
I really just use the same brand of mascara I have used since middle school: Maybelline Great Lash. It's never done me wrong and I get compliments on my lashes, so it must be working? Lmao. Maybe I should switch things up and try new things?

yunbuns Pinterest is so great!!

meow I love ELF. Fell in love with their eyebrow pencil! Used to use their cream eyeliner too, which was pretty decent with a good brush! Drugstore stuff can honestly feel like such a rip off at times. Skincare is most important imo.

 

[sabrina]

I really just use the same brand of mascara I have used since middle school

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Yeah, why fix what's not broken?

There are so many different things you can try that most advice people give isn't really what's best, just what they've used that they don't hate :P

 

[Deleted member 511]

I honestly need to stop being lazy and go get foundation matched. I like my current foundation (Revlon Colorstay) but I really want to try Fenty Beauty.

 

[RpgN]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

 

[sabrina]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

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It's all relative. You don't have to wear any makeup. Having healthier skin is one of the things that makeup is trying to emulate, so on some level yes.

My skin freckles a lot in the summer, so I'll use foundation there to even out my skin tone. I know some people think freckles are cute but I'm not into it.

 

[Deleted member 511]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

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Whenever I see people who have what looks like 'perfect' skin they usually have foundation on on top of having a really good routine that they stick with it. The foundation seems to help with finishing the 'flawless skin' look. For me personally, the better my skin is, the better the foundation tends to look on me and the less products I have to use as well. So I don't think foundation is needed at all if you have healthy skin but just enhances your look if you decide to use it.

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

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I guess everyone's skin is different. I've never used foundations as back when I was trying them out they made my skin unhappy and finding matches was hard. Things have progressed though, and bb creams are genius.

For me the skincare is higher priority, along with sunscreen. Though I'm deep in my thirties, I get the occasional hormonal zit if I let it slide. If I'm short on sleep, it really shows also.

 

[Fiction]

Great OP.

Here for nails mainly. I've never really had the patience to learn how to do makeup properly, though I do love makeup in general.

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This is me. I was always the tomboy and I didn't really know my mother until I was 14. And by then she had no time to teach me makeup skills lol.

I try sometimes on the rare dates night though so, subbed

 

[SweetNicole]

Subscribed! I'm a makeup novice, and I suspect this thread will be helpful. I only started doing makeup seriously this summer, and I still can't do eyeliner as anything close to my eyes causes me to blink like crazy.

I could also use some haircut pointers in the near future, my hair needs some styling or something.

 

[m o n s t e r]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

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I think this is a personal thing. People tend to use foundation to cover up and give off the appearance of having "flawless" skin. I know people still use it even if there's no bumps/pimples/scars/freckles/ etc on their skin. It's just something they do, because it makes them feel better.
Personally, I never use foundation and my skin is far from flawless, but I've found my skin routine personally makes my skin look better than using foundation. Typically because my skin flakes a lot, especially on my nose, so adding makeup in those areas makes those things more noticeable to me. It's one of those things where you have to find what makes you feel more comfortable and accentuates your already present beauty. No one is the same and no way is the right way so experiment and have fun with it! :)

SweetNicole glad to have you around! I'm sure someone around here is more skilled with hair than I am. I am admittedly falling short in that area haha :)

 

[Pet]

I might sound like a complete noob here but I was wondering what you might think about skin care vs. the use of foundation. Do you believe that you don't have to use foundation if you take perfect care of your skin with cleansers, moisterizors etc?

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Foundation and skincare are two separate concepts. It's not an either/or situation.

Most people utilize both.

Start with skincare to get a good base. I don't have perfect skin, so I usually just wash my face and slap on some lotion or spf bb cream. I'll do a masque every month or so, just some cheap Korean facial one, user toner once in awhile, and that's about it. When I have the time I like to get more elaborate but I'm lazy haha.

I'll post a picture of my skin later if you're curious. I have age spots, I have large pores, and I have freckles. A lot of times I don't use some products because you can SEE the pores they're so large.



*edit:

Here's my dinner hostess makeup (partial). In this picture I have on primer, luminizing lotion, and a very very very small amount of bb cream (tbh it doesn't do much, you can kind of tell with my nose pores) which is more of a spf thing that anything. So, honestly, this is what my bare skin looks like. You can see my pores, my age spots, my freckles, and acne scars.

(I'm also wearing false eyelashes, but just the kind you put on at home, not the kind from the salon.)

 

[kansai_mish]

Great OT Sabrina. I think one thing that has surprisingly really helped me with finding new products is going on Pinterest and I've found smaller (usually blacked owned) brands on twitter.

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Awesome! Twitter has helped me find some too.
I'm trying to put together a list of black owned makeup/skin care brands and will share once I get it all ready.

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

Hi all, do you have any tips for lip care? Mine tend to get dry and peel even at the best of times. I like the Sugar tinted lip treatments, and sometimes I use aquafor, but as far as lasting improvement goes there isn't much. Maybe I just don't reapply as frequently as I should?

Any suggestions are welcome now that we're coming into winter!

 

[sabrina]

Hi all, do you have any tips for lip care? Mine tend to get dry and peel even at the best of times. I like the Sugar tinted lip treatments, and sometimes I use aquafor, but as far as lasting improvement goes there isn't much. Maybe I just don't reapply as frequently as I should?

Any suggestions are welcome now that we're coming into winter!

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In my experience, speaking only from anecdotal review, our bodies do a pretty good job taking care of themselves. It knows how much oil your hair needs, it knows how fast the neurons in brain need to fire, and it knows how much moisture your lips need. When you introduce something that changes the natural balance then it tries to reach a homeostasis. Shampoo strips your hair of its oil? Produce more oil. Alcohol slowing down the firing rate of neurons in your brain? Make the base speed higher when alcohol is anticipated. That kind of thing. So it really wouldn't surprise me to find out that people who use chapstick or lip balm frequently would essentially be training their lips to under-produce saliva in that region.

I never use lip balm nor chap stick, and I also don't even use lip gloss very often. But I also livid by the ocean and drink a whole lot of water, so I'm sure that helps.

 

[meow]

Hi all, do you have any tips for lip care? Mine tend to get dry and peel even at the best of times. I like the Sugar tinted lip treatments, and sometimes I use aquafor, but as far as lasting improvement goes there isn't much. Maybe I just don't reapply as frequently as I should?

Any suggestions are welcome now that we're coming into winter!

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I got a sample of the bite beauty agave lip mask and it convinced/converted me. I'm not sure where you live but stores like Sephora will give you a sample if you ask. It's not cheap though, and I'm pretty sure the main magic ingredient in it is lanolin, which you can pick up for much cheaper as (stay with me here) nipple cream.

Also the usual disclaimers like staying hydrated and making sure you aren't sensitive or allergic to the ingredient.

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

I never use lip balm nor chap stick, and I also don't even use lip gloss very often. But I also livid by the ocean and drink a whole lot of water, so I'm sure that helps.

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Yeah I see what you're saying. I don't habitually apply lip balms, but maybe I should be reducing the amount of the time I use lipstick, also.

I got a sample of the bite beauty agave lip mask and it convinced/converted me. I'm not sure where you live but stores like Sephora will give you a sample if you ask. It's not cheap though, and I'm pretty sure the main magic ingredient in it is lanolin, which you can pick up for much cheaper as (stay with me here) nipple cream.

Also the usual disclaimers like staying hydrated and making sure you aren't sensitive or allergic to the ingredient.

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That sounds like it might be worth a try, I'll see if I can get a sample next time I go by sephora. Thanks!

 

[RpgN]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to answer my question. Also thank you Pet for the picture and detailed reply (you look so cute :3).

What I gathered is that both can be used at the same. It depends on the individual. Foundation is usually used as a finishing touch to make the skin look perfect or hide the state of your skin (i.e. tired, spots etc). Did I get that right?

I've asked myself this question because I've done neither and am trying to learn and become more active. It's a good advice to focus on skin care first, see how that goes for a while and then decide whether using a foundation is needed and how much.

 

[marimo]

Hi all, do you have any tips for lip care? Mine tend to get dry and peel even at the best of times. I like the Sugar tinted lip treatments, and sometimes I use aquafor, but as far as lasting improvement goes there isn't much. Maybe I just don't reapply as frequently as I should?

Any suggestions are welcome now that we're coming into winter!

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I like Jack Black lip balms. They're kinda expensive for the amount you get, $7 for a small tube, but it works really well. I've tried all kinds of lip balms including all of the ones that've been mentioned in this thread, and that worked best for me. I do have the Bite Beauty Agave stuff and it works too but it's very sticky, and expensive.

Drinking lots of water and applying a thin layer of balm under your lipstick also helps.

 

[Cheri]

Glad I stumbled upon this thread, I've recently become much more passionate about makeup and skincare this past year than I used to be. So hello everyone :)

 

[PixelParty]

Hi all, do you have any tips for lip care? Mine tend to get dry and peel even at the best of times. I like the Sugar tinted lip treatments, and sometimes I use aquafor, but as far as lasting improvement goes there isn't much. Maybe I just don't reapply as frequently as I should?

Any suggestions are welcome now that we're coming into winter!

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I use vaseline. Obviously that doesn't pair well with lipsticks and whatnot, but great for natural days. I find it so much better than chapstick or aquafor, and vaseline is dirt cheap. They make tiny little tubs (I found it in the baby section of Walmart) that you can put in your purse.

If you want to get real fancy you can get Smith's Rosebud Salve.

 

[PixelParty]

Sorry for the 2x post but OPI's holiday colors are here!

Definitely getting Top the Package with a Beau, Feel the Chemis-tree, Wanna Wrap?, and Coalmates, and I will have to see some beautytube swatches of the other colors before I decide.

 

[Her Hero Is Gone]

I use vaseline. Obviously that doesn't pair well with lipsticks and whatnot, but great for natural days. I find it so much better than chapstick or aquafor, and vaseline is dirt cheap. They make tiny little tubs (I found it in the baby section of Walmart) that you can put in your purse.

If you want to get real fancy you can get Smith's Rosebud Salve.

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Thanks, I am sure I have some Vaseline somewhere! I'll try to take some days off from lipstick too and see if it makes a difference.

 

[shadowkat]

Sorry for the 2x post but OPI's holiday colors are here!

Definitely getting Top the Package with a Beau, Feel the Chemis-tree, Wanna Wrap?, and Coalmates, and I will have to see some beautytube swatches of the other colors before I decide.

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I'm probably going to pick up Feel the Chemis-Tree. It looks similar to Turn on the Northern Lights from the fall collection which I really liked. Zoya has a couple of nice Holiday ones too.

Still waiting some of the indie holiday collections.

 

[RpgN]

I use vaseline. Obviously that doesn't pair well with lipsticks and whatnot, but great for natural days. I find it so much better than chapstick or aquafor, and vaseline is dirt cheap. They make tiny little tubs (I found it in the baby section of Walmart) that you can put in your purse.

If you want to get real fancy you can get Smith's Rosebud Salve.

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Vaseline can work quiet well with certain liptstiscks. I use it with mat type that have strong colours to make them softer and more shiny :D

 

[Baz]

I'd like to buy my friend some nice shampoo for Christmas. Preferably one that has matching conditioner so it looks like a better gift.

Her hair is quite thin, almost wispy, so I think volumising is what I'm after really. Can anyone suggest something?

I'm in the UK if it makes a difference. As it's a gift I don't mind if it's a bit pricey - maybe £50 budget for the two?

 

[shadowkat]

I'd like to buy my friend some nice shampoo for Christmas. Preferably one that has matching conditioner so it looks like a better gift.

Her hair is quite thin, almost wispy, so I think volumising is what I'm after really. Can anyone suggest something?

I'm in the UK if it makes a difference. As it's a gift I don't mind if it's a bit pricey - maybe £50 budget for the two?

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I wouln't mind suggestions on this too. I have very fine hair but volumizing shampoo never seems to do anything for me.

 

[Deleted member 1570]

I have lots of makeup and nail polish and stuff, but I'm sort of clueless about how to use them effectively. Lately I haven't really been trying at all; just mascara whenever I go out. So I think this'll be a helpful thread to follow. :)

Also, I'm getting a 502 Bad Gateway from the foods for healthy hair link.

 

[sabrina]

I have lots of makeup and nail polish and stuff, but I'm sort of clueless about how to use them effectively. Lately I haven't really been trying at all; just mascara whenever I go out. So I think this'll be a helpful thread to follow. :)

Also, I'm getting a 502 Bad Gateway from the foods for healthy hair link.

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Thanks for the heads up. That whole site seems to be down at the moment. I'll replace the link.


As far as makeup goes, where would you like to start? Do you want to learn what blush works well with your skin tone? How to blend eye shadow? How to do contouring? It's okay to learn things one at a time.

 

[kansai_mish]

Hmm, Baz maybe a salon or pro level shampoo and conditioner would do as I'm sure your friend would love it. Maybe https://www.bumbleandbumble.com/shampoos or Kevin Murphy Angel wash and rinse.

Those have great reviews, but I wonder if extra volume can actually be achieved by shampoo and conditioner. I don't have that problem, so never looked into it. I'd imagine the only way to add volume to thin hair would be to coat each strand somehow...?

 

[Deleted member 1570]

As far as makeup goes, where would you like to start? Do you want to learn what blush works well with your skin tone? How to blend eye shadow? How to do contouring? It's okay to learn things one at a time.

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Actually, I've been wondering about what to look for in lipstick. That's the one cosmetic I own the least of and am least familiar with. I'm curious, but right now I'm stuck at the part where I figure out what I should pick. Color/shade/brand/etc.

 

[sabrina]

Actually, I've been wondering about what to look for in lipstick. That's the one cosmetic I own the least of and am least familiar with. I'm curious, but right now I'm stuck at the part where I figure out what I should pick. Color/shade/brand/etc.

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Ah. I'm not the best to ask about that. I vastly prefer lip gloss even though it doesn't last as long.

Cheaper lipsticks don't apply as well nor last as long, but you can still get a good feel for how that color looks on you. If you're going for natural, generally you want to just exaggerate what your lips already are. If your lips are more pink, wear a lipstick slightly pinker than your natural color. If your lips are more red or more brown, wear that. With unnatural colors, a lot of it is preference. Like I think bright red looks best on blonde people, and darker brown/purple colors look better on people with darker hair, but that's just my opinion.

 

[PixelParty]

I'd like to buy my friend some nice shampoo for Christmas. Preferably one that has matching conditioner so it looks like a better gift.

Her hair is quite thin, almost wispy, so I think volumising is what I'm after really. Can anyone suggest something?

I'm in the UK if it makes a difference. As it's a gift I don't mind if it's a bit pricey - maybe £50 budget for the two?

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Ok, I don't know if you can get this in the UK but the L'Anza line is very high end. It is what my super expensive salon in Cali uses. And if you want volume, the Thickening Spray does work.

Kevin Murphy Shimmer Shine is also very luxurious. They have a silver-y version for blondes.

 

[Not Asleep]

Her hair is quite thin, almost wispy, so I think volumising is what I'm after really. Can anyone suggest something?

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How about checking out LUSH shampoos? I love Big. I have thick hair and I use it for when my hair needs a good deep clean, but it's more often cited as a great voluminizing shampoo. LUSH is also a very gift-ready brand, so it's easy to put together a cool present out of different LUSH products. The salespeople are almost always nice and informative about what their products do (at least in the States... though aggressively nice and informative seems to be part of their corporate identity).

 

[Not Asleep]

Actually, I've been wondering about what to look for in lipstick. That's the one cosmetic I own the least of and am least familiar with. I'm curious, but right now I'm stuck at the part where I figure out what I should pick. Color/shade/brand/etc.

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I'm one of those terrible people who has zero qualms about buying and returning makeup. Stores like Sephora and CVS have liberal return policies and they don't blink if you say you've used them. So I figured out -- am still figuring out, actually -- lipstick by buying sampler sets (or random individual lip colors) from Sephora and systematically trying every color. Even the ones I think are ugly. I fell in love with fuschia lip colors this year because I decided that I didn't have enough fuschia in my makeup drawer. I still dislike it as a color but I love it on my lips.

I know there are "rules" for makeup but the rules are more flexible than many people give them credit for.