(Part 2) Best products from r/muacjdiscussion

Ooh I can do this because I just did a declutter today, so I actually remember.

• BH cosmetics - Modern Mattes: I like this, it's good for the price and has a variety of colours. I got it during one of BH's many sales and for the price point, I would recommend it. Some shades are better than others, but for the most part they're pigmented and blendable. I did experience some kick-up/fall-out, but not enough to piss me off.
  
• BH cosmetics - Nouveau Neutrals: Similar to the Modern Mattes palette, I really do like this, and it's great value for the price point if you want to play with some very warm neutrals. Also has some blushes which I haven't played with too much.
  
• ELF - Mad for Matte, Nude Mood: Love this little palette, I've fully panned all the shades I use regularly in my first, and now I'm on my second of this palette with a few good pans already. It's not the most pigmented or buttery formula, but it blends well, and is truly M-A-T-T-E, which I was all about for a while. If you're looking for a compact everyday "nude" matte palette and have fair/light/light-medium skin tone, you can't beat this in terms of quality for price.
  
• Pat McGrath - Mothership II Sublime: I NEED to use this more. I got it as a gift from my mother, and I've been hesitant to use it that much because of that, and because it's so expensive. Now that I've made an inventory I'm determined to use it more but I'll probably never get rid of it tbh
  
• Too Faced - Just Peachy Velvet Mattes: Love this palette, have used it quite a bit. I find it a good balance of pigmentation vs blendability. I used to be SUPER into all matte eye looks and am just really getting into shimmers now (just in time to be told I'm too old for them) so it was right up my alley.
  
• Tarte - Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay: I actually quite like this palette even though I've heard mixed reviews, it's my go-to for cool tones even though there's some warmer shades in it, and I find that the ratio of mattes to shimmers is perfect for me. People say Tarte is boring, and I generally agree, but something about this palette stands out to me.
  
• Natasha Denona - Aeris Mini: I need to play with this more. It was part of the 2017 holiday releases and I remember really enjoying it the ONE time I used it. Wasn't ready to let it go this time because it's my only ND palette. This thing is on notice.
  
• Viseart - Neutral Mattes: This was MY JAM for months and months, and I hit pan in a few shades. It's like THE basic palette, I'm a neutral binch when I work my day shifts, and the quality is great. I find that some of the shades are quite similar to each other (top row) but the orange is a standout shade for me, especially when I want something neutral that catches the eye a bit.
  
• Colourpop - Yes Please: I do enjoy this and need to use it more. I find that colourpop shadows are dependable but I haven't reached for it much. It's on notice.
  
• Colourpop - Orange You Glad: So I just got this, I've used it once, and I really liked it. Orange is my fave colour. I'm mad about the pressed glitter in the middle (not eye safe yada yada) but I'm just not going to dip into it, and hope for the best.
  
• Morphe - 25L Live in Colour (rainbow Pride palette): I've used this a couple of times since I got it at the end of June, and so far it's been really nice. I hadn't heard great things about Morphe's eyeshadow quality, but I was pleasantly surprised. There's some fallout but I do my eyes before my base so I don't mind. I need to use it a bit more before giving more in depth thoughts.
  
• ABH - Modern Renaissance: Well-used, I've hit significant pan in Tempera and I'm getting real close to pan in Primavera and Cyprus Umber. I put it within easy reach after my declutter because I've gotten out of the habit of using it so much, and I want to remedy that.
  
• ABH x Jackie Aina palette: I LOVE this thing. I just have to be super light-handed because the shades are so pigmented, which I learned the hard way. Wiggalese is *chef's kiss* and there are a few beautiful and unique shades in this IMO. I've only used it twice (three times if you count my first misadventure), but I am super loving it, the (successful) looks I've done with it have been beautiful.
  
• Melt - Gemini: Love love love this palette, love the grungy feel, but I'm disappointed that I can't really travel with it because I've heard that it's fragile. I often do my makeup at work during night shifts, and I can't bring it in my bag. But it's really unique to my collection and the eyeshadow quality is great.
  
• Urban Decay - Skull shadowbox palette: I will never get rid of this even though I don't use it, because it's one of the first "real" makeup purchases I made, other than a neon pink Ben Nye single shadow I got in grade 9 and whatever crappy drugstore makeup I could get my hands on prior to that (at the time, drugstore makeup WAS crappy). I got this one and the floral shadowbox at the same time in the very early 2000s, but I'm not sure where the floral one got to. Seriously, this palette came out in 2001 and you will pry it from my cold dead hands.
  
  What I decluttered:
  
  
• BH cosmetics - Party Girl: this is a 2015 BH cosmetics release I got in an in-person trade. The quality is just not there. Some of the shadows are crumbly, and those that aren't also aren't very finely milled, making for an unpleasant bumpy texture that honestly just bothers me. Who knows, maybe it's because the shadows are old.
  
• Urban Decay - Naked Smoky: I actually used this a lot a few years ago before I figured out that it wasn't my cup of tea, not really into random glitter in a neutral palette, and also it isn't great quality-wise. I have serious pan in some of the shades but I haven't touched it in years
  
• ELF - Mad for Matte Holy Smokes: Bought this because I used the shit out of my original Mad for Matte and now I have pan in a few of the shades in my replacement, so I thought I'd use this palette as much as I do the original. Wrong. The shades run a bit dark for my skin tone, and I found that the dark green (which is the shade that was really drawing me in) really looked dark grey/blackish on the lid.
  
• Revolution - Fierce as Fire: Never even opened this tbh, received as GWP from the aforementioned Ulta trip and already have similar enough shades in my collection, even if they're not in the same palette.
  
• Kat Von D - Shade and Light Eye: I loved the heck out of this, hit pan on 3 of the lighter shades, and then stopped using it long before the vaccine debacle due to her Nazi sympathizing. It just made me feel icky to use it so it hasn't been loved since then, I'm going to pass it on to somebody who can make use of the two "darker" shade groupings, probably my sister.
  
• Makeup Forever - Artist Palette: This is fine, the shimmers are really pretty when they're truly shimmers, but I didn't realize that two of the pans are actually blushes because all the pans are the same size! So likely not eye-safe, and those are the two most interesting shades. Also I just bought it because it was on sale, and as a result I honestly don't cherish it. Learned a valuable lesson there.

I think the core problem is that most beauty channels kind of have to prioritize regularly pushing out content over really well-researched, well-organized videos. Even when they do put out really in-depth stuff, the rate of new releases means that those videos may likely become outdated within the year and they'll just be flooded with requests to update them. This is not to say that the gurus don't work very hard, but I think the demand for new content makes it very difficult for them to really go into a high level of detail about products or offer a lot of comparisons or even address the subtleties of technique in tutorials. A ten minute video can already take well over an hour to film + editing time, so it's an extra burden to add a big project on top of that. Also, titles do sort of necessarily have to be kind of clickbait-y, which can understandably start wearing you down as a viewer.

That said, the beauty segment of YouTube is kind of the outlier to most of my entertainment consumption, so have some unsolicited recommendations for non-beauty channels I think have some well-produced and interesting content. These are totally just based on my own random assortment of interests, so sorry if they don't hit on exactly what you love.

• Extra Credits: Not sure if you're into video games as a whole, but they also have a history series called Extra History on the same channel that I find exceptionally well-researched. The video game content is largely focused on design, as well, so I think it's more generally accessible.
  
• Lindsay Ellis: I can never tell how internet-famous she actually is, but well-articulated video essays about movies and pop culture. She's great.
  
• Kyle Kallgren: Reviews/critiques of arthouse films. I'm just super into this niche of stuff.
  
• Every Frame a Painting: More movie analysis, but focused on visuals.
  
• Lessons from the Screenplay: Same as above, but for screenplays.
  
• Folding Ideals: Yes, another guy talking at a camera about movies and some video games.
  
• PBS Ideas Channel: Just a deep dive into a lot of topics. Like, imagine if TED talks actually said anything. I don't know how to sell this one, because it's so broad, but it's just great.
  
• Tom Scott: This one is even harder to explain, because it's got like a thousand series under it, but it's basically a lot of trivia, in video form.
  
  Yeah, I know it's a lot of film analysis stuff. I just think that segment of YouTube is the most well-produced while still being something you can put in the background. Also, it's got a good balance of interesting and accessible.
  
  Also non-YouTube things you should get on if you aren't already:
  
  
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Yes, the name is real cringey, but it is seriously the most perfect merging of comedy and musical theatre. Rachel Bloom (and co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna) is a real treasure. The first two seasons are on Netflix, but when it starts up again, if you're into it, please watch it on the CW website or, God forbid, an actual TV if you actually have cable. It has horrendouly low ratings and it's cancellation would be a true loss.
  
• America's Test Kitchen: I find it the format of these shows (equipment reviews, highlighting common mistakes to avoid, short discussions about the science behind cooking) really hits the same type of things I like about beauty videos. I also have a serious nostalgia for watching these on PBS on Sunday mornings, because I was a child without cable.
  
• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: I'm pretty sure this is already popular, but it's just a constant string of great jokes. Yes, the second season starts making me super uncomfortable at times, so maybe avoid that.
  
• Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: I think Amazon has picked it up for two more seasons, but who knows when those will actually come out. I'm just hyping this, because I worry that it's going to get overlooked. It's written by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who did Gilmore Girls, but it's not really in the same vein.
  
• Jordon, Jesse, Go: I don't know if you're into podcasts, but I'm just really into this one. I'm also not sure if JJGo is actually popular or not, but I have literally been listening to then for 10 years and have consistently found it enjoyable.
  
• The Adventure Zone: It's people playing DnD (specifically the delightful McElroy brothers and their dad), but it gets really emotionally moving. There are some joke-y RPG moments, but also lots of campaigns as an excuse to tell great stories.
  
• RISK!: Not always light listening, but seriously my favorite story-telling podcast. It's just really authentic and has seriously upped my empathy game since I started listening to it years ago. The name is basically a trigger warning, though, so take care of yourself. If you end up getting into it and have the means, maybe kick a few bucks to their Patreon? I desperately fear them not being able to continue as well.

1. Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Glow Priming Moisturizer ($13.99) So while a moisturizer would be considered skin care, I only use this when I’m applying makeup. I have very oily skin, and despite the coconut oil ingredient, this leaves my skin matte with a little glow to it, so I use it as my sole primer before applying more makeup.
   
2. Dr Jart + Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Cream ($52) Okay TIL the true retail price of this cream, since I’ve been using a sample for a few months and— yikes. I’ll have to pray for a Black Friday sale. This stuff is amazing. I blend it into my skin like a concealer, after my priming moisturizer and before my skin tint. Only on spots where I get redness issues like around my nose and my smile lines. Goes on like creamy green mud but blends beautiful and really fades out redness. It’s also been great for my skin in general, I’ve noticed less sensitivity/irritation in the red areas and my skin looks less discolored as a whole. I started using this about a month after Tretonin, so that could be the mastermind behind this, but even if that’s the case, I’d still use the tiger grass cream just for the concealing benefits.
   
3. Glossier Skin tint in G10 light-medium ($26) I’ve jumped on the Glossier bandwagon y’all. Kinda. I am always on the hunt for the perfect skin tint since my favorite (Neutrogena Protect + Tint) disappeared from my frequented drugstore. I go through these so quickly, so I hate to spend too much money on these. But currently, ugh, I’m in love. I’ve never tried Mac Face + Body but from review videos I’ve seen, they seem very similar. Sheer coverage, lightweight, perfect amount of dewy, and has great staying power, unlike others I’ve tried such as Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Gel Cream which would melt away by midday.
   
4. NYX Epic Ink Liner ($6.30) or NYX Matte Liquid Liner ($5.25) I do love how the epic liner applies; however it can be too shiny for me. The matte liner is perfect in that aspect, but god damn the brush applicator is not as quick and simple as the epic brush tip.
   
5. Maybeline Snapscara Washable Mascara ($5.69(nice)). Apparently named so because it’s supposed to be a “snap” to take off. And it is. Never have to deal with raccoon eyes and rewashing under my eyes until the stained black disappears. This doesn’t have much lengthening/volumizing power IMO, but I just use it so there isn’t such a stark contrast between my black liner and naturally light eyelashes. Doesn’t clump or flake.
   
6. Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam (soft peach) ($18.00) I’m usually really frugal when it comes to makeup, but I had bought a cloud paint in Puff (light, cool pink) almost two years ago and it lasted forever. So this is one investment I’m willing to make. I love blush, and liquid blushes blend so much pretty and creamier than your typical powder brush. For me, since I have oily skin, the cloud paint does require some touch ups throughout the day unless I load on a setting powder.
   
7. Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer in Light ($7.69(nice)) Probably the one product I’ve repurchased more than any. I go for light in fall/winter when I’m paler, and it’s an AMAZING setter powder for me. Makeup lasts all day, and it’s buttery smooth so it blends beautifully. In the summer when I have somewhat of a tan, I’ll buy the shade darker (I think it’s just called Bronzer) to soften my skin and give me a little extra glow.
   
8. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Moonstone ($38) Again, I’ll only splurge on quality makeup that lasts for-ev-ur -Squints Paladores. This is highly pigmented, so I like to get a little Vaseline on my lips during makeup application, then use that to blend with the highlighter for a dewy, more natural look.
   
9. Vaseline Lip Therapy Lip Balm Mini in Rosy Lips ($1.49) Yup. Vaseline. All over my lips. At the start of my makeup application, sometimes during, and before bed. During the day I’ll wear whatever lip color / formula I’m into at the moment, but sometimes Vaseline (especially the rosy tint!) makes my lips look so good on their own. I’ve ...dabbled...with Glossier balms (rose, mango and berry) and while I LOVE the smell of the mango and the pigment in the berry, they’re really all essentially, Vaseline.
   
10. Setting spray. Any setting spray. Haven’t found one I love yet if anyone’s got suggestions. Currently using Ofra Cosmetics Makeup Fixer ($16.00) which is okay? I guess. I don’t know, it smells like baby powder. Have used Urban Decay All Nighter, Too Faced Hangover, NYX Matte & NYX Dewy. I was buying NYX Dewy for a while because I felt it did something for me, but they only sell tiny baby bottles and I was going through 1 every 2 weeks at least in the summer to set my makeup and refresh it during the day.

At night, I use the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask to hydrate my lips while I sleep, then I wake up with super plump and soft lips in the morning. Before I put on any lipstick, I put the Blistex Lip Balm Medex just to keep the moisture in my lips. Now this is where a lot of people maybe differ from me and is a generally unpopular technique, but I do put a tiny amount of foundation on my lips. My natural lip color is fairly pigmented, and because of that it can alter how nude/sheer lipsticks look, so I use whatever foundation I have leftover on my sponge and put it on my lips to combat that. You definitely don't have to if you don't want to; it can be drying on your lips if they're not prepped correctly, but I've been doing it for years and had no issues with it.

I always use a lip liner no matter what type of lipstick I'm using; it just keeps things in place and makes application a lot easier. There are a lot of liquid lipsticks that have a very thin formula and bleed everywhere (i.e. the Fenty Beauty liquid lipsticks), but with a lip liner they shouldn't. I'm currently loving the Dose of Colors lip liners at the moment, but the Sephora Collection Rouge Gel lip liners are a second favorite, and the Wet n Wild Perfect Pout Gel lip liners are a nice option at the drugstore.

The type of lipstick you use also plays a key factor. Obviously, glosses are gonna be harder to maintain and keep from being messy even with a lip liner. I generally gravitate towards bullet lipsticks as I find them to be the most comfortable, but there are some liquid lipsticks on the market that I really love. Here's a list of favorites that I would recommend:

• ColourPop Lux Lipsticks - Very comfy and pigmented lipsticks that last a good amount of time on the lips (for a bullet lipstick that is lol). There is a great shade range in this line, but Appy is my favorite nude lipstick of all time.
  
• Tarte Color Splash Lipstick - I think these are the most hydrating lipsticks I've ever used; every time I wear one my lips feel soft and plump when I take them off. They're not the most longwearing, but boy are they very comfortable.
  
• L'Oreal Rouge Signature, Long Lasting Matte Liquid Lipstick - Great lipstick that is more of a lip stain than a lipstick; very thin formula (so use a lip liner), but the applicator's shape makes it very easy to manipulate, and these are very comfortable on the lips and last great through a meal!
  
• Dominique Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks: BRO these just released, and idk what compelled me to get them, but I have no ragrets. Probably the most comfortable matte liquid lipstick formula I've ever tried, full pigmentation, minimal transfer, and does not sink into the fine lines on my lips. Very impressed with this formula, and I can't wait for more shades to come out.
  
  And that's all I have to say about that. :)

I feel for you. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata (basically, when I am under a lot of stress, my hair dries out and falls out in clumps) at 13. I don't know if you're open to suggestions, but in the fourteen years since my diagnosis, I've tried almost everything and the routine below is best for keeping my hair healthy, even when it's thinning out at times. My hair is fine and wavy so these products are tailored to my own hair type but recommendations might be useful for you.

Firstly, I swear by the Bjorn Axen Repair line. This line does include sulfates so if you're not into that, this isn't for you. I don't tend to mind these types of things as I am usually more concerned with efficacy though. I use the shampoo and conditioner every other day (how frequently I wash my hair). Once a week, I sub in the Deep Repair Conditioner from the same line instead of the normal conditioner. These products are, admittedly, pricey but every time I try to stray away from this line I notice a distinct difference in my hair quality about two months later. My hair suddenly lacks shine, luster, bounce, and my hair fall increases. This line also doesn't burn my scalp the way a lot of Nioxin (and similar) products do. An added bonus, these products don't list "volumizing" as a trait but by Jove, do they also all help to volumize my hair without weighing it down.

Now onto styling products. Regardless of if I've showered, I use the next two products daily, as my hair gets obscenely dry even in the best of times. My ride or die leave in conditioner is the Nashi Argan Instant Hydrating Styling mask. This stuff is absolute gold. No other leave in conditioner is as good as this and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. It hydrates, it protects, and it doesn't weigh hair down. Then, as I also use a bit of mousse for density and volume. I quite like Kerastase products for this purpose and my go-to's tend to be the Kerastase Volumifique or Densimorphose Treatment, depending on the state of my hair. (Volumifique if it's happy and Densimorphose if my hair is stressed.) Both of these do a really nice job of plumping my hair without weighing it down or making it feel sticky. It also helps enhance my natural wave pattern.

Other tips that you'll hear everywhere when you're struggling with hair loss but that really do make a huge difference include:

• Switch to a Boar Bristle Brush for dry hair and styling. Bristle brushes don't snap and crack your fragile hair quite as badly as metal or plastic bristles. I have used this brush from Kent for years and it really does make a difference with split ends and breakage. Use a comb when your hair is wet rather than a brush as well, as it's gentler on your locks.
  
• DO NOT dye your hair in any circumstance while you're trying to regrow hair. If you're like me and hate your natural hair color, it's a great exercise in self love. But hair dye is an enemy to hair loss.
  
• Use heat tools sparingly. I do still blow dry my hair every day, but I let it air dry as much as possible and then blow dry on the coolest setting available. Curling irons and straighteners are for very special events only.
  
• Do not wear your hair in a pony tail/bind it up. As a teenager, this was the hardest one for me to accept. I loved pony tails and I always thought it helped hide the thinning. However, when you pull your hair up into a bun or pony tail, you hinder your hair's ability to fall throughout the day, meaning that when you take your hair out, you'll have an alarming amount of hair fall. Up-dos also pull on the scalp and on the hair, making more hair fall out than normal.
  
• Switch to a silk pillowcase. I did this about two years ago, when my stylist recommended it. It's small, but this helps control dryness and frizz. Plus, there are supposed to be pros for your skin as well.
  
• Don't expect to see quick results. Mending hair takes a few months and unfortunately that means waiting.
  
  Other ways to help your hair include supplements and diet etc. It's important to nourish your hair both inside and out when you're facing hair loss. I don't tend to mess with supplements but there are a ton out there and I would talk to your doctor if you're interested in trying it. Otherwise, I was told a general multi-vitamin should be sufficient in helping with hair fall way back in the day.
  
  Now, lastly (this has been a beast of a comment) I also have the Mirena and I will say, it unfortunately could be hormones. I'm in my fifth year with it and during years 2-3, my hair was the best it had ever been since puberty. (And puberty is when my hair fell and thinned out.) Towards the end of year 4 though, I started noticing some thinning and drying out of my hair. (Although, I had just started a new insane job and moved and since my alopecia rears its head when stressed so there's that, I think that has something to do with it.) I would absolutely recommend discussing this with your gynecologist.
  
  Anyways, this was really long, unsolicited advice. Sorry for that. I hope you find an answer to your hair loss and I wish you luck in nursing it back to health!
  
  Edit: Formatting
  

It sounds like your moisturizer is not sinking into your skin because the whole point of a moisturizer is to lock in moisture.

When you told me your skin feels tight after a shower i automatically think dehydrated skin. SkincareAddiction has a good post on dehydration

What moisturizer do you use?

If I were you id use products with hyaluronic acid, like a serum or toner and then a gel based moisturizer and then at night a layer of moisturizer over that.

I also would take a break from harsh scrubs, cleansers and masks and only use the gentlest products.


Here is what I would recommend (Asian Beauty Skincare Exchange often has decants (aka small samples of products) so you can see and test out what works for you.

To get your skin back and hydrated :

AM:
Rinse skin with water -I don't know your skin type so if you're oily, use a very gentle cleanser (which i can recommend to you if needed)

Toner/Serum Hada Labo Hyaluronic Lotion Moist - many people on the skincare reddits I am active in rave about this product, because its super cheap for the amount you get and its soooo moisturizing. I personally think it is too light for me (I am veryyy dry and dehydrated, stupid midwestern weather lol) and I use the premium version of it. Some people complain about it breaking them out, but everyone's skin is so different. But I think doing a layer of this morning and night will really help.

Moisturizing Gel - this will add moisture and hydration to your skin. My favorites are Hada Labo Plumping Gel Cream and Mizon Snail Cream
You only need a little of these, but I find they are super hydrating and comforting. The Mizon Snail is an all in one miracle.

Sunscreen- pretty important step (in my opinion), some sunscreens have occlusives in it. Occlusives mean it is holding all the moisture in. Sunscreen choice really depends on your skin type (which I am happy to recommend you as well)

PM:

Double Cleanse but gently. First an oil cleanser (to remove makeup) and then a gentle water based one.

Same as morning

Then seal it all in with your moisturizer. I am so dry that I even put vaseline on my face at night and I wake up comfortable and hydrated.

As far as trying out products, if you're in the US, /u/Gothickornchic sells decants on Asian Skincare Exchange. She ships super fast and is so nice, and helpful. you can find her post here

If you don't want to do that, Amazon and most places have great exchange and return policies. Skin is very weird and its all trial and error :[ but i hope my recs help and if you need more recs let me know!

Tarte Amazonian is great for oily skin and lasts a long ass time. Medium coverage but you can definitely build it up. Similarly the Loreal Pro Matte. It is not as matte alone as the Tarte but it does stay matte and last a long time. Also good coverage that easily builds. Lastly the Too Faced Peach Perfect. If you can find your shade. They all run a bit yellow and are darker than they say on the website. This is a match in person foundation only. My match is Snow and I am definitely not fair skinned but light. That said it is matte and easy to build and lasted all day during my Hawaii humid as fuck wedding last year.

Powders. Thee best is going to be Innisfree no sebum mineral powder. You want this exact one. Not the blur powder, not the pact and not the pressed. I have tried literally dozens of dozens of powders and if you want to stay matte this is the one. It's better than the Laura Mercier, better than the CoverFx, it's just better. The good thing is you can not go overboard with it either. Light hand to packing it on to baking and it will never look like too much on the skin. For my wedding I did one light layer all over then another light layer in my t-zone to really set it. Also flash photography tested and no issues for me.

Lastly setting spray. Boscia White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray is your best bet for this. I tried the Skindinavia, both the bridal and the oil control ones, all the Urban Decay ones, a WnW one, the Hard Candy one, and a few others as well. The Boscia one won hands down every time. But yes shake the bottle like the other commenter said to.

You may also want something like a finishing spray just to lock everything in. I do recommend the Ben Nye Final Seal for that. It's a setting spray but won't keep you matte alone, so I used it as the finishing spray just to set everything into place. Nothing budged for me all day or night. And just as reference for skincare I used the Skinfood Peach Sake line to start off with. I used the toner, emulsion, and serum that day. I still use those whenever I'm feeling really oily. Dang do they really help me stay matte too. If you can only get one the serum is your best bet. The serum isn't your typical serum like thin and watery but a really velvet feeling oil zapping kind of product.

Hmmm, so I don't have an actual vanity and I am a HUGE scavenger/recycler. I basically use things that I already have and make them work for me. Here are some pics so you can better see the use of boxes and lids for organization.

I also use prescription bottles to hold all brushes, mascaras, etc. because I have A TON laying around. For the extremely brief period of time that I used a beauty sponge, I kept it in a prescription bottle cap or a metal cap from a fancy juice bottle.

The 2 boxes I've repurposed to store different make up items. One was a large mascara sampler box that is sturdy and has a nice magnetic closure so I decorated it using packaging to make a collage.

If you're not looking to buy anything new for storage/organization I highly recommend thinking creatively! Perhaps lids from jars (I use the cookie tin as a trash can and the lid as a mixing palette), shoeboxes could work, or with the upcoming holidays any boxes you may receive. Do you have baskets laying around or glasses/bakeware that are unused?

Not everyone wishes to go my route when it comes to organization so there are specific organizers like this one from Amazon and many you can find at TJ Maxx/Marshall's/Home Goods that are inexpensive. Always remember at those stores, things can be turned into storage or organizers! Particularly kitchen items like spice displays/racks or fridge organizers.

And depending on how you'd like to store your nail polish, wall displays are also nice and somewhat space saving. Here is an example from Amazon, but I believe Ikea and other stores have single shelves that you can purchase for much less and just install multiples of.

I love make up storage and organization (despite my set up being pretty wonky) so I apologize for the huge essay!!

I really like my mirror. It's right at the edge of your budget (and mine tbh, I wanted to spend about $35 but after spending like an hour browsing I realized that I really really really wanted this one) but I have to say I'm super happy with it and have no regrets. My bedroom lighting is a bit dim and I feel like the mirror upped my blending skills more than any brush.

edit: although it has magnification I never use it because it's so creepy. But just recently my sister lost her contact lens in her eye and I was like "I have the perfect tool to help you". She found it within ten seconds with the mirror. So it does have a use.

I like the real techniques fine liner brush

It has synthetic bristles like a normal brush but is super tiny so I get the best line with gels, I honestly swear by it.

Ok, when I was a late teen I was gifted a book Colour Me Beautiful now it's older, but I found it really helpful when figuring out my 'colours', those that suit me the best. It categorizes you into one of four 'seasons', Autumn and Spring are your warm seasons and Summer/Winter are your cool undertone seasons. It was the answer to why pure white and most links looked terrible on me as a colour, I was choosing the wrong tone of pinks and a slightly off-whites and more salmon colours look so much better.

It takes some time and experimenting with clothes/colours to find your season (note, there is a colour me beautiful website but it only asks 2 questions which isn't enough to figure it out). Though they do sell swatch wheels and recommendations for products once you know what season you are.

With this info, you can wear just about any colour, you just need to find the right tone :)

Only one thing has ever gotten my beauty blenders and various other sponges 100% clean and stain-free: Daiso Puff Sponge Detergent. If you have a Daiso near you, you can pick it up for I think a little cheaper than Amazon, but it’s like $12 for 3 bottles anyway, and they last forever.

I use the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. It comes with a little silicone applicator, but eventually I got annoyed cleaning it every night and now just keep it on my night stand and use my fingers. It's amazing. Works better than anything else I've tried (lip balm at night, vaseline, lanolin).

Cleansing oil recommendation: The Face Shop's Rice Water Bright. It smells lovely and feels like silk on your skin!

eta: link

Found this amazing spreadsheet from the Asian Beauty subreddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/8wl742/guide_alcoholfree_sunscreens/

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I've found this article which goes into more detail about the layering process. It's just a concern since I use a Retin-A so I have photosensitivity. I'm thinking a 12H international sunscreen might be best, but which one?! I've also included an article on all sunscreen ingredients, from best to worst

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https://boisdejasmin.com/2017/05/a-guide-to-skincare-layering.html

http://thebeautybrains.com/bbforum/discussion/1123/what-are-the-best-sunscreen-ingredients

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I'm thinking maybe the L'Oreal Paris 12HR SPF 30 PA+++++

https://www.amazon.com/LOreal-Perfect-Advanced-Protector-30ml/dp/B008QFKQ8C/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538840961&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=L%E2%80%99Or%C3%A9al+UV+Perfect+12

I highly recommend using a lanolin-based nipple cream ( I use Lansinoh) at night - it is unparalleled in terms of adding moisture to your lips, moisture retention throughout the night and healing sores and cracked bits, etc. I also use the Jack Black lip balms with SPF during the day mostly because I don't want to carry around a tube of nipple cream to reapply after eating, lol. Any lanolin-based lipbalm would do, tho!

haha bad timing :)

good thing it's super cheap though!

I've been using this serum from Amazon since September and I could see a difference after just a week. I have seen an increase in length and a decrease in lash fallout. I would say it's worth the money and I've been using my bottle for over 4 months and I'm not even halfway through.

I am using this Ikea MICKE desk until I find a nice mid-century desk that fits my bedroom.

The drawers are full of palettes, powders, liners, and everything except lipstick. I keep my lipstick collection (400+ lipsticks) displayed on two of these nail polish racks, which I keep hung on the wall behind my door.

I recently got a new tiered display for my little perfume collection, so they're on my vanity like this.

Monthly: Shampoo using this Daiso cleaner OR OxiClean + Eco Friendly Costco Laundry detergent (the formula doesn't make my face itch)

Between individual uses: Spritz any kind of spray-on antibacterial brush sanitizer a few times onto a half sheet of paper towel, then swirl the brush in the moist part of the towel

Thank you! Just a simple eyeliner brush. Specifically, I got this brush in one of their sets https://www.amazon.com/Real-Techniques-Fine-Liner-Brush/dp/B007O7AZ3O

I use this makeip mirror: Geek-House Lighted Vanity Mirror Hollywood Style Makeup Tabletops, Large Cosmetic Mirror with 12 x 3W Super Bright Dimmable Touch Control LED Bulbs, B https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X9MWG1B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_ckDBP6anjKDIY

It has three different lighting modes but most importantly has a daylight lighting mode. It's very accurate as to how your makeup will look in real life. Prior to using this mirror I would always have a line of demarcation due to using foundation too dark for my neck becsuse my mirror was adding a yellow light (Conair bronze mirror is notorious for this).

The Face Shop Cleansing Oil

Ulta stopped carrying the Burt's Bees cleansing oil, so I was looking for a replacement. I like the Face Shop one. It's cheaper and doesn't leave a residue or film after activating it with water. It also leaves your face feeling silky.