S/O-Tell me all of your beauty secrets!!

sarawifenow

So to go off of the oil pulling thread, I wanted to see what everyone's beauty secrets are. I am looking to up my routine before the big day and would love some home methods for making you sparkle from toes to hair.

I'll start... About once a month I like to do a hair mask made with 1 ripe (almost overly ripe) avocado mashed with 1 tsp honey and 1 tbs olive oil. I then mush it through my hair and wrap my hair in plastic wrap.

Leave on for 30 minutes then rinse with COLD water. It makes my hair shiny and smooth!

Ok your turn!

 

ETF:TK ate my paragraphs the first time

AddieCake

I exfoliate my whole body with plain sugar once a week. 

theartistformerlyknownas

This is going to sound super vain, but I heard when I was a kid that sleeping on your stomach or side with your face smashed into the pillow causes wrinkles, so I retrained myself to sleep on my back. Correlations =/= causation, sure, but I'll be 31 next month and don't have any wrinkles yet. I also wear giant sunglasses that cover the sides of my eyes so I don't squint, which is also supposed to help keep crow's feet from forming.

climbingsingle

I use conditioner to shave. It makes my skin super soft. 

I use coconut oil on my skin and hair. 

100% Pure are the most amazing products for my skin. 

emmaaa

For my face: (I will preface this with the fact I've had horrible acne for about 10 years and here I am, 4 months without a problem) I wash my face at night with a bar of Dove Soap (I use the pink one) and then use a baby bathing brush (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Safety-1st-Soft-Grip-Brush-and-Comb/16383402) to cleanse it.. I like this because it isn't rough at all and will clean your skin deeper. Then I put on Vitamin E oil as moisturizer. In the morning I either just rinse my face or use the Neutragena cleansing gel (the orange stuff) depending if my face feels too oily. (The Vitamin E oil absorbs over night). I moisturize with Clinique Dramatically Different Gel. I generally have combination/oil skin with dry areas around my mouth. This balances the moisture level perfectly. I originally wanted to convert to Oil Cleaning Method but this is working os well I hate to mess it up.

For my hair: I wash with whatever shampoo smells good and condition every time. I also use Moroccan Oil on the ends of my hair. The secret is to not over wash your hair. I only wash my hair every 5 days and it doesn't get oily.

MamaAlly89

I use baby oil to shave my legs in the shower. It keeps my skin from drying out and leaves it really soft. I also read its supposed to make your razor last longer, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Inkdancer

I also use conditioner to shave! It feels way better than shaving creams or gels.

I wash my hair with baking soda and vinegar rinses instead of shampoo, and my hair is much softer.

Also, I use Bioelements Oil Control Sleepwear creme at night. It erased the parentheses around my mouth in 2 days. (I have fat cheeks, and was getting wrinkles way too early.) It's $62 if you buy it at full retail price but I deal-hunt.

climbingsingle

Also, Tea Tree Oil to clear up blemishes. 

JCbride2015

Dry skinned girl here, 26, trying to ward off wrinkles.  I used to have terrible eczema, so bad my health center tested me for Lupus because they thought I had the "butterfly rash."  I got rid of it by switching mostly to Arbonne products and I am now a convert.  6 years after that really bad outbreak, I only have one little patch and it's under control.

I always, ALWAYS have day cream with SPF on when I go outside.  I'll tan my body a little bit with SPF 15, but my face has 20 on a daily basis and 30 if I'm going in the sun, plus a big sun hat.  I think sun protection is the best thing you can do to protect against wrinkles.

I use oils on my skin because it's so dry.  Arbonne makes a "skin conditioning oil" I really like, and if I want something heavier, I use straight Argan oil.  You can get it organic on Amazon for like $8, no need to pay for the fancy stuff.

I exfoliate with a body brush in the shower, then use bath oil over my whole body before I get out.

Just this past year, I've started wearing a little more makeup on a daily basis.  Things that have made a big difference with making my routine faster and prettier: YSL Touche Eclat concealer pen, Benefit Fine One One blush/highlighter stick, Benefit Gimme Brow (this thing is truly amazing, it has little fibers in it to make your brows look fuller).

Aray82

SPF 30 every day even in January. Greek yogurt as an exfoliating facial works better than any pricey face mask I've tried.

larrygaga

I use moisturizer with vitimin E and sunscreen. My skin is legit.

I only wash the roots of my hair, and condition the rest everyday. Once a week I do the whole thing. I have very fine, oily hair and I rarely use products in it. I tried the whole training your hair to not be as greasy so you can wash it less, and it doesn't work.

I use men's razors to shave. 

I use hairspray on my eyebrows to keep them under control. 

Once a week I get a couple of eggs and separate them. I wipe my face with hot water, and rub egg whites all over. I let it dry and rinse it off. Then I rub in the yolks. I let it dry again, and rinse it off.

I rinse my hair with beer sometimes. It makes it shiny but stinky.

I don't use foundation. I use concealer and then a finishing powder. I hate covering my freckles, and all that foundation isn't good for your skin anyway. However, I don't have a lot to cover up so this isn't a very good tip.

I line my lips with a pretty pink, and I fill in my lips too. Then I just put lipgloss over it. It stays longer than if I used lipstick, and usually the lipliner is enough for a very natural look. In fact, I rarely use lipstick. It's either a gloss, lipliner or a lipstain. I don't have time to reapply all day.

I think those are the weird things I do, but idk.

emmaaa

For razors, cheap one blade razors are the best. Especially in the bikini area because it doesn't cause ingrown hairs. 

And instead of getting your eyebrows waxed, get them threaded. It is much better for your skin.

theartistformerlyknownas

I also only wash my hair about twice a week. It's SO much healthier and doesn't get greasy.

jenna8984

Damn, I need to get down on some of these. I'm worse than FI when it comes to beauty routines. I don't exfoliate, I don't moisturize, I don't hair treatment, I don't get my nails or anything done, I don't wear makeup. I literally just shower every other day with my Pantene and Axe products and that's it. lol

I do love my Clinique toner (the once a week I remember to use it)

theartistformerlyknownas

jenna8984 said:

Damn, I need to get down on some of these. I'm worse than FI when it comes to beauty routines. I don't exfoliate, I don't moisturize, I don't hair treatment, I don't get my nails or anything done, I don't wear makeup. I literally just shower every other day with my Pantene and Axe products and that's it. lol

I do love my Clinique toner (the once a week I remember to use it)

AXE?! Oh honey.

sarawifenow

@emmaaa, I've heard threading is better. How is the pain level in comparison to waxing? Does it take longer to thread then it does to wax?

SBmini

Protection! spf 50 sunscreen on my face every morning, and all over my body if I'm out in the sun and moisturizer every night after washing my face. The best way to get rid of wrinkles and skin damage is to never have it in the first place.

Then, my sister got me this for Christmas: http://www.arcona.com/the-basic-five-regimen.html The travel kit is $80 and it lasted 4 months of daily use for me. It became my pre-wedding regimen. The products are incredible. I noticed my pores were smaller, skin was brighter, and seemed younger. Yes, they are pricey, but so is the face lift you avoid! I need to get more though, I just need to get to a place where cars and house stops needing stuff so I can spend the $200 on the full kit. 

jenna8984

lolo883 said:

jenna8984 said:

Damn, I need to get down on some of these. I'm worse than FI when it comes to beauty routines. I don't exfoliate, I don't moisturize, I don't hair treatment, I don't get my nails or anything done, I don't wear makeup. I literally just shower every other day with my Pantene and Axe products and that's it. lol

I do love my Clinique toner (the once a week I remember to use it)

AXE?! Oh honey.

lol Yup. I won't lie I'm a sweaty girl. The real feminine body washes don't make me feel clean and I need men's deodorant. Every female deodorant I've ever tried I get wet spots on my shirt but not with men's Axe or Men's speed stick. It's convenient when FI and I go on vacation, we just share lol.

theexactlee

I thread my eyebrows and about every 4 months my lip. I swear by The Body Shop tea tree oil line. I got really bad cystic acne after having kids right along my jaw line. This cleared it up. I don't have a lot of "home secrets". After I do all my makeup I get one of those makeup sponges really wet, squeeze it out and blot it all over my face. That sets the make up. You can always use toilet seat covers to remove oil from your skin. That is what they use on sets in Hollywood. They don't bother with fancy blotting paper, all makeup artists have a toilet seat paper box next to them to blot. I swear by that and do it all the time.

Kauris

To exfoliate/moisturize, I use Lush Buffy bar, I also shave right after I use it. It's one of my favorite products.

Under my makeup everyday, I use Monistat - Chafing Relief Powder-Gel @phira told me about it and it's a very good replacement for expensive makeup primers, it doesn't feel heavy and it smooths everything out.

I wash my hair once a week and since I've done that my hair has gotten much stronger. I use Batiste Dry Shampoo, to help with it not getting oily and it smells good, I get it at Ulta, there are 4-5 different scents and 3 colors. It's a good product with a good price point and the colored one (blonde, brunette and red head) helps cover my roots when I'm getting close to needing my hair done.

I use Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, I don't like a heavy foundation, and this has a Broad Spectrum SPF 20. My MUA told me it was a good one to use for pictures, because it doesn't have any reflective somethings in it.

And my worst (i.e. not natural or probably good for me) product, that I will never stop using... Lilash, I love this stuff, my lashes are so long, people ask if I have extensions.

erollis

I use the oil cleansing method for my face. It works wonderfully for my skin. I still had horrible acne tho but it did help with the severity of the breakouts. So much so people who know me took notice on how nice my skin was.

I will also use a couple times a week Clinique toner and moisturizer. Every other brand makes my skin worse.

I now take two meds that have helped my skin immensely. But I needed them because I was all out of whack hormone wise and I didn't know it until I started testing for fertility issues.

I also eat well for my body (IBS & Gerds) and this cut down on my acne.

Those last two aren't beauty routines but eating right can help anyone I think.

I also use baking soda mixed with a more natural shampoo. Then condition. Works for my oily hair.

I use coconut oil on my skin as lotion, and after shaving.

For makeup I use a concealer, powder, and blush from Bobby Brown.

I change pillow cases regularly because of my oily skin and hair.

I don't wax. I pluck and trim my eyebrows once a week.

I'm always useing Berts Bees Chapstick. Always. All the time. And drink a lot of water.

sarawifenow

@erollis, oil cleansing method?

erollis

SaraBrideSoon said:

@erollis, oil cleansing method?

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com

You use a combo of natural oils to help clean and balance your skin. My face is no longer greasy since a month in of doing OCM.

ETA: I've been doing this for two years.

wandajune6

Sunscreen. Always. And frequently reapplied.

Coconut oil on dry elbows and occasionally on dry patches on my face during the winter.

Mayo to condition the bottoms of my hair when it gets dry. Cornstarch in a salt shaker for absorbing oil in my hair. I'm not a fan of the baby powder smell and this works better than any dry shampoo I've tried.

Clear henna for moisturizing my hair. I do it every few months and leave it in for hours.

emmaaa

@SaraBrideSoon At first I thought it was torture. It was more painful than waxing only because it took longer. But I loved how much better my eyebrows looked and the fact that it wasn't peeling my skin off. It didn't take but one or two times to get used to it. I go about every 6-8 weeks. 

theartistformerlyknownas

kimches said:

I'm pretty simple. Dry, dry skin and very fine, greasy hair. I shower at night, put my hair in a towel for a few minutes, gently comb, and let it dry overnight. Saves a lot of heat damage from blow drying and a lot of time in the morning! Unfortunately my hair is SO greasy that I much shampoo my roots daily or I look (and feel) like a greasy mess. So most nights I just wash the roots and let the shampoo at least freshen up the rest of my hair as it rinses out. Condition the bottom few inches of my hair daily (conditioning your scalp daily can cause more oil). I really only shampoo my whole head a couple times a week.

It's not the conditioner that's causing more oil, it's the shampoo. Frequent washing overdries your scalp, so it overcompensates by creating even more oil. If you can ease into washing your hair less frequently, or even washing it with a cleansing conditioner rather than shampoo, I bet over time you'll see less oil start to build up. 

larrygaga

kimches said:

lolo883 said:

kimches said:

I'm pretty simple. Dry, dry skin and very fine, greasy hair. I shower at night, put my hair in a towel for a few minutes, gently comb, and let it dry overnight. Saves a lot of heat damage from blow drying and a lot of time in the morning! Unfortunately my hair is SO greasy that I much shampoo my roots daily or I look (and feel) like a greasy mess. So most nights I just wash the roots and let the shampoo at least freshen up the rest of my hair as it rinses out. Condition the bottom few inches of my hair daily (conditioning your scalp daily can cause more oil). I really only shampoo my whole head a couple times a week.

It's not the conditioner that's causing more oil, it's the shampoo. Frequent washing overdries your scalp, so it overcompensates by creating even more oil. If you can ease into washing your hair less frequently, or even washing it with a cleansing conditioner rather than shampoo, I bet over time you'll see less oil start to build up. 

I have tried and my hair does not cooperate. It sill gets super greasy and then I look like I don't shower. What in the world is a cleansing conditioner? Like a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner?

Mine does this too. In college I tried so many times to train it to wash it less. 

I'll just rock the bald look when I'm old.

blabla89

I swear by oil cleansing. I wash with a mixture of castor oil and olive oil. My skin is clearer than it has been in 10 years, and it doesn't get dried out in winter, either. My dermatologist doesn't approve, but I pretty much told her to shove it.

I also try to go at least a week and a half between washing my hair, and dry shampoo in between. My hair has gotten so much stronger and more manageable since I stopped washing it so often, plus my color stays nice and fresh.

theartistformerlyknownas

kimches said:

lolo883 said:

kimches said:

I'm pretty simple. Dry, dry skin and very fine, greasy hair. I shower at night, put my hair in a towel for a few minutes, gently comb, and let it dry overnight. Saves a lot of heat damage from blow drying and a lot of time in the morning! Unfortunately my hair is SO greasy that I much shampoo my roots daily or I look (and feel) like a greasy mess. So most nights I just wash the roots and let the shampoo at least freshen up the rest of my hair as it rinses out. Condition the bottom few inches of my hair daily (conditioning your scalp daily can cause more oil). I really only shampoo my whole head a couple times a week.

It's not the conditioner that's causing more oil, it's the shampoo. Frequent washing overdries your scalp, so it overcompensates by creating even more oil. If you can ease into washing your hair less frequently, or even washing it with a cleansing conditioner rather than shampoo, I bet over time you'll see less oil start to build up. 

I have tried and my hair does not cooperate. It sill gets super greasy and then I look like I don't shower. What in the world is a cleansing conditioner? Like a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner?

Sort of but not really... shampoo+conditioner is mostly shampoo with a little conditioner added, and this is mostly conditioner with gentle cleansing ingredients added. I like this one:

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4130141

Wen and Hair One are two of the "fancier" brands, but I couldn't bear to spend the money on them.

When I first tried weaning myself off of washing my hair every day, it was definitely greasy the day after. I just used a little dry shampoo, threw it in a ponytail and hoped nobody noticed. It's great now though, and I can go 5 or 6 days without washing it if I need/want to. 

lyndausvi

Sunscreen and water.

 I'm pretty low maintenance.    I'm complimented on how I look younger than I actually am.

I use whatever shampoo is on sale.  I shampoo only the roots and condition only the ends.   I wash with plain ole Ivory bar soap. 

 I shave with Schick Intuition Razors.   I rarely use moisturizer other than sunscreen.

I do not wear much in the way of makeup either.

SeaCaptainOtter

I started using the co-washing routine for caring for my hair. I don't use shampoo, except a silicone free version every month or so. I wash my hair with conditioner every couple days.  I haven't had nearly as much breakage or damage since I started and my hair has gotten much longer. My hair type is straight and thin, so not washing and not damaging with heat has been really great for it. It doesn't get greasy anymore in between co-washings either and I can even wear it down more than one day in a row. Home-made dry shampoo is amazing for in the beginning transition from regular shampoo to co-washing.

Oil-cleansing method for skin has been really amazing for my skin. I also added a AHA and BHA to fight acne. SPF everyday is a must!