What's the one beauty trick / item you never thought you'd try but now can't live without?

[ladybee28]

For me it's sheet masks all the way.

Always looked at them and thought they were a gimmicky waste of time. I judgementally cackled every time I saw one on instagram.

Now I'm running around the house in my charcoal sheet mask looking like Batman every second day – it's made the hugest difference to my skincare of anything I've done in years...

What did you never think you'd try but now swear by?

Another one saying eyebrow pencil, lovely assistant in Kiko found me a perfect match, suggested I try it first, looks totally natural like the eyebrows I used to have. I would also say retinol, my skin is good but I could see the difference pretty much immediately.

I use Hourglass dim as bronzer too. It is expensive so there is a ringer. ELF do a 4 shade illuminating palette- the top right hand corner one is the ringer. Not as good as HG but passable if on budget.

'I would also say retinol, my skin is good but I could see the difference pretty much immediately'

Ooh, this is interesting! I'm due to start retinol soon. What kind of changes did you notice? And any horrors - peeling, redness etc?

Nip fab acid pads.....amazing!!

Lip fillers (subtle I might add lol) and eyebrow wax/powder combo from benefit

And yes yes to Retinol. Skin is beautiful whilst using it (preg at the mo so can’t boo hoo)

Eye brow tattoo. I look well groomed without any makeup as my eyebrows are always perfect.

Going to get that hourglass dim - just bought their blusher and it is amazing

Facial shaving! I use little eyebrow razors and it removes all the fine, downy hair. Make up looks much better and it also exfoliates the skin. Much better than the epistick and saves a fortune in threading. And no, the hair doesn't grow back any thicker or darker.

Thansks OP for the face masks recommendations. God I'm such a sheep I'm going to trot off and buy some. Baaaaaa.

lottapianos I started using retinol in January, it's La Roche-Posay, quite a low %, I think. I started using a little every other night to get my skin used to it, and then every night, no peeling at all, it just felt a little dry. I usually put a few drops of oil on after, I started with almond oil and now I'm using rosehip oil. I now put some on the back of my hands too, it's supposed to keep them looking young, not sure about that yet. I have always used sunblock on my face, so remembering to protect from sunlight wasn't hard. Some hormone pigmentation on my cheekbones completely went and a few frown lines are much fainter, I'm 47, so expect some signs of ageing, but the retinol really turned the clock back.

Ooh I've always thought sheet masks were gimmicky too but am sold - please could you link to the specific ones on Amazon Ladybee - the Korean writing is confusing me.

For me, it's having eyebrows threaded. I have very dark brows and I always plucked my own before and felt they looked fine. My mum persuaded me to have them threaded once... an amazing difference - so much neater!

Wow, sounds great. Thanks quirky

Buying a cream blusher that can double up as a lip colour. I buy a dark burgundy and use very sparingly. Its slightly darker than my natural lip colour I'm not pale but neither would I describe myself as dark.....except im.....oh I don't know pale olive. So I seem to suit darker richer colours than I realised. Having one colour also looks more natural, and stops my skinny face from looking cluttered.

microblading eyebrows - nobody guesses they aren't natural - £200 well spent
Wunder2 longstay eyeliner pencil - only one that stays on my greasy lids

Paula's Choice 1% retinol

Microblading
Lip fillers/botox

All very subtle but they’ve made such a massive difference.

Highlighter. I'm a beautiful magical pixie and I want to GLOW!
Slightly more randomly, orange lipstick. Never thought it would suit me but GOSH brought out Flirty Orange so I tried it and it looked fantastic. It really lit up my face. Now it's one of my favourite lipstick colours.

Botox

Laser hair removal

Oh god thanks very much all for making me spend a fuck tonne of money

It’s gel nails for me too. Absolutely love them.

Also Charlotte Tilbury concealer. Country miles better than touch eclat.

Half watching the Apprentice and spending too much thanks to sheet masks and almond oil and acid pads!

I can’t use any powder, including bronzer because it just sits on my skin in a clumpy mess

I can’t use retinols/acid toners because it dries my skin out.

My skin drinks oils up and loves Simple cleansing oil, that’s the only tip I have!

Definitely going to try sheet masks.

lotta no problem. When I finish my current La Roche-Posay retinol (I've only just started second tube and been using all year) I may well look into a higher %, The Ordinary has very good reviews.

I like Touche Eclat, but use it in conjunction with No 7 BB cream, it is more of a highlighter, really. I prefer the Aldi one tbh, but I was bought some Touches Eclat, so I'm using it atm.

Over the last few years I’ve had all sorts of treatments and interventions. They all have their merits but the two that have made the most difference and that I will redo whenever necessary are botox and microblading. I also loved lash extensions but sadly I eventually became intolerant of the glue.

I love retinol too. Calmed my acne down and the scarring that went with it.

Olive oil for double oil cleansing. Super cheap and takes dirt and makeup off properly.

Wish gel nails worked for me. I love the idea of a good manicure lasting over a month. Four days it took before it all chipped off. Apparently I have very oil nail beds or something.

I llike oil cleansing too, I use olive oil or almond oil usually. So easy and I rarely have spots (I might just be lucky).