Beauty addicts anonymous! A wonderful community of hoarders!

[Experiment627]

New thread!!!!

Sorry I did not see the other thread getting full!!! Really hope you guys will find this new thread!!!

Enjoying reading about everyone’s HG products. Mine do change from time to time, but currently

Make-up:
Benefits pore-fessional primer. It’s the only thing I’ve found that actually does what it promises and blurs the appearance of pores.
Benefits goof proof brow pencil
Pat McGrath permagel eye pencil (blk coffee)
Bobby Brown under eye corrector
EL single eyeshadow (08)

Bath and body:
Olverum bath oil
Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream
L’occitane almond shower oil

Skincare:
Femme Lumiere vital C
Sunday Riley A+ retinol
Votary cleansing oil (Rose geranium in particular)
Elemis cleansing balm (again, preferably the rose one)

Hair products:
Olaplex 3
Batiste dry shampoo (original)

I have far too much stuff, and accumulate more from GWPs etc and also like variety, which is why I don’t stick to the same products - other than a few key make-up items as above which are pretty much used daily. Looking at the list above, it’s in the skincare category it seems hardest to find the “perfect” product. Possibly because so many over promise and under deliver, leaving you feeling disappointed.

Someone keep me away from the Revolution gift sets! I'll be getting their advent calendar (it's a tradition at this point) from their website (the one on the Superdrug website is slightly different, same sized products, but £80 compared to the one on the website that's £40.) But I really don't need anything else, especially as I've barely touched any of the stuff I got last year. I got both their advent calendars last year and gave up on then after day 5, I was so miserable I just wanted them out of the way. The big one was £80! I am not getting the big one this year (she says, looking longingly at the special Reloaded palettes.)

Also currently hoarding So...? body mists, and random shower gels, somebody please stop me!

I have got rid of loads of make-up I hadn't used, and gave my sister some stuff I had used. I need to be more discerning about what I do buy, which is tricky, as I'm a huge Revolution addict and collect their chocolate bar, Reloaded and Forever Flawless palettes, but even some of them I've barely touched, which is quite sad really, hence why I really don't want to buy the giftsets this year, when I normally do.

Mine are:-
Cleanser:Muji Cleansing Oil at home, or Curel Cleansing Balm if traveling. (Ha! As if!) Followed by Curel Cleansing Foam in in Winter or Cerave SA Cleanser.
Treatments: AM: On dark spots and visible hyperpigmentation, Melano CC Premier Concentrate Essence. (Vitamin C) Amazing packaging which is an opaque tube with a unique dispenser that allows only one drop at a time to be dispensed. No danger of air or light damaging the product - ever. Then Hada Labo Premium Shirojyun (Alpha Arbutin and Tranaxemic Acid with HA - the most brightening thing you’ll ever find! Has totally transformed my skin!).
PM:- Tretinoin 0.05% then above, or replace the Shirojyun with the 2021 Premium Hyaluronic Acid from Hada Labo for more hydration if I need it.
Moisturiser:- Virtually any light, gel-creme one if at all.
I use a Japanese or Korean (SPF 50PA++++) sunscreen religiously every day. (Current fave is Canmake Mermaid Skin Gel which is just gorgeous!!!) In the summer time when it gets very hot and humid where I live, I will swap to a physical sunscreen on my body if I am spending a whole day outside, but I find that they make me sweaty and feel awful.
Makeup is very simple… Tubing mascara (Aussie brand from supermarket), Sunscreen mixed with a wee bit of Fenty Body Sauce for daytime if going out in daytime, PM, It Cosmetics CC cream (rarely) mixed with Fenty Sauce. Bit of gel blush on cheeks and eyes (Canmake is current fave - cheap and lasts). Bronzer from my old faithful Nars palette from years ago. I am still puddling through my virtually antique Chanel Bucket O Bronzer, but that gives me a more foundationey, look. Good for work though. Whatever lipgloss I have in my handbag.

I don’t think I have many.

Aveda damage remedy conditioner.
Garnier 7 day body lotion (miles better than more expensive brands, very effective).
Bare minerals foundation compact (feels like not wearing make up).
Essie pale pink nail polish - the natural one.
Chanel rouge noir nail polish for toes.
Benefit Brow products are the best of any I’ve tried.

2 empties today.
Pai cleansing oil, was a free item with something, wasn’t expecting much but it’s really lovely. Potentially would RP this but have a few others in the cupboard to get through first.
The second is a facemask which has been begging to be used up for a while. It’s okay, nothing special, wouldn’t go out of my way to RP but if I received it as a GWP I’d use it up.

Rouge Noir was my nail colour for years! Looooove! (Tbh, ended up swapping out for a Revlon dupe and no-one noticed but me. Still preferred the OG.)

Recycled an empty today. Colgate Plax Mouthwash the green bottle. It's joining my HG list.

If anyone uses any N07 Makeup, they are having a packaging change and all the old makeup is being sold for £5. Grabbed myself 4 foundations and 2 mascaras. Well worth checking your local Boots out!

That is too good an opportunity to miss on No. 7. I also have more in that out right now as Boots are doing a GWP on two Estée Lauder products (one to be foundation or skincare) and I needed a new cleanser (note - needed!) and I am low on my Idealist pore refiner so I got one of those too. £70 down, but I did get £3 in advantage cards points back as well as the GWP.

I was thinking about the question posed early in the thread - why keep buying stuff when HG has been found?

I have found that over the years my HGs have changed because I have changed. For example, I wore a particular Clarins moisturizer for years and then one day I realised it wasn’t working for me anymore. It took me about a year of trying other things before I hit upon a La Roche Posay one that works for me. I had not been well, I was older and the thing that did work, didn’t work anymore.

That has also happened with a favourite cleanser and night cream.

Also, I’m a sucker for pretty packaging!

@Justilou1

Rouge Noir was my nail colour for years! Looooove! (Tbh, ended up swapping out for a Revlon dupe and no-one noticed but me. Still preferred the OG.)

@Justilou1 what dupe did you use

I don’t really have many HG products, Fenty hydra visor as I’m mixed race but there is a history of skin cancer in the family and the other spf products I’ve tried leave me with a grey cast on my skin, this ensures I wear it every single day. It smells divine and glides on. I’ve also used supergoop which is invisible but I don’t really like the texture and it caused some pilling too.
Also the allies of skin vitamin c, love the heavy sticky texture of this - I know lots of people hate this! But I apply it as I’m getting dressed and doing my skincare and then go and sort out dc breakfast etc, go back to it in half an hour and apply the rest.
Benefit roller liner too, the blackest budgeproof line and a nice fine nib.
Face wise though that’s about it.
Plenty of things I’ve repurchased because I’ve enjoyed them but for those 3 things I’d never choose to buy anything else in those categories because they are perfect for me.
It’s not to say I don’t try others if I receive them in GWPs or advent calendars etc but I don’t go out and buy alternatives.

@Justilou1 I was going through my lipsticks today - I have a Chanel Rouge Noir still kicking out (and I reckon it is circa 1996 😳😳😳)

Ooooo @Caggie09 I might take a look - I could do with a foundation that is actually the right colour... I tried one earlier and I looked like a clown!

@CornishTiger I just looked it up. (Not sure if it’s still available as was probably mid 90’s too.) Revlon Vixen. Actually wore better than Chanel Nail Varnish. Much better chip resistance. Stole photo from someone else’s blog. My paws are far less glam.

@Experiment627 I’ve a very old unopened rouge noir lipstick too !
I think opi do a good rouge noir dupe - will try and think of the name.

@TheChosenTwo - I’m a sunscreen geek because I also have genetic melanoma in my family (and live in Australia.) - my gene pool (stretching back a bit) is very United Nations and has left me with blonde hair, pale green eyes and light olive skin - that looks pale green in winter - that is prone to depigmented patches. (White patches in hair (not so visible in blonde hair, or unexpected at my age, so I don’t really care) and on skin.) please understand that Fenty Hydravisor is great for day to day use if you are just running in and out of the house, but not effective for genuine outdoor sun protection. It is still a moisturiser with ADDED spf (and only 15 at that.) this means that they can add literally one drop of spf 15 to the moisturizer. It doesn’t mean that it offers SPF 15 protection like a separate sunscreen does. I understand the white cast thing and also the texture (haaaate sticky, thick sunscreens.) Can recommend Japanese and Korean ones that offer much better UVA & UVB protection. (I swear by them!) You can check out James Welsh and Glow by Ramon (who is a bit irritating - talks very fast and is a bit squeaky, but he does test a lot of sunscreens and shows how they look on deeper skin tones and describes textures, etc.) Otherwise, YesStyle and Stylevana are great sites too.

Thank you @Justilou1 I do appreciate that! My hydra visor says spf 30 and I use 3 pumps over my face and then another 2 after a few minutes. I’m aware of the fact that it’s within a moisturiser but after reading up about it the consensus seemed that it’s an SPF with a built in moisturiser rather than the other way round like many are. Happy to be corrected though, I’m not an expert and always happy to hear good advice from others!
But yeah, I’m not an outdoorsy person to be honest, I run early in the morning at about 5am before work or go to the gym in the evening and work indoors all day! I’m not one to marvel at the great (grey) outdoors here
I’m a home bird really and most
Likely to be found curled up at home with my book!

That's good to know @Justilou1

I'm always massively confused about sunscreen and what constitutes a 'proper' one one when it comes to the face. Most seem to be combined with moisturisers which I don't really like. Was using a frezyderm serum type sunscreen over summer which I really liked. I tend not to use it much in the winter unless I'm out and it's a sunny day, and then I use one in a moisturiser.

Thanks for that info @justilou1 Do uou find the customs/VAT charges from YesStyle are heavy? I've been wanting to order from them for ages but put off because they're not based in the UK.

@FluffyWhiteBird I live in Australia, so taxes all different here. Can’t comment. Would be worth checking online. I am sure there would also be Uk-based K & J beauty stores you could buy sunscreen from. There are so many fabulous ones. (Current fave is Mermaid Skin Gel by Canmake. Tiny bottle but really cheap. Can even wear it over and around my sensitive eyes.)

Thanks for responding @justilou1 . I can't find any definite info online I already looked and nobody in UK seems to sell that brand. Never mind though that's just life .

Thanks @Justilou1 looks like revlon vixen is still available!

Opi dupe is midnight in Moscow.

3 empties from me this morning!

-L'oreal low shampoo. This was my first time using a low shampoo. It was strange at first having no foam and i didnt think my hair would feel clean. You have to use 10-15 pumps, so it will go down quickly. It says leave on for 3 minutes, very rare i did as who has time?! I was hoping it would help with how quickly my hair got greasy, it didnt seem to make a difference. I think in the future (after using 3 years worth of shampoo i have stashed!!) I would consider trying another low shampoo.

• Bramley Conditioner. I think i left this way to long. Went to use it on Tuesday morning and it was just small lumps of conditioner and a mix of water/oil. 🤢

• Bloom & Blossom sleep shower gel. Oh god, this smelt awful! Lush Sleepy and This Works are relaxing smells to me. This, when you lathered up, the whiffs were almost like cat pee! Cant say i felt sleepy or relaxed with this. I hate waste so ploughed through, and finally it's come to an end. Hurraay!