Eye of the beholder and all that...
Tissa mentioned Macadamia Nut Oil on Twitter the other day, and I just started thinking about my favorite beauty products and...well, here they are:
Hair
Lush's Big Shampoo
Ugh, this smells so good. And you know how people sometimes describe hair as squeaky clean? With this shampoo, you hair actually does get squeaky clean. I don't use product on my hair all that often, so this is waaay too clarifying for me to use every time I wash my hair, but I use it as often as I can, because I love the smell.
Macadamia Nut Oil Treatment
I was about ready to give up on my hair this winter - until I found this. I had already tried the leave-in cream, which isn't really for me. Having the typical Scandinavian straight, limp hair with tendencies towards greasiness near the scalp, the cream mostly just weighed down my hair. But the Deep Repair Masque... Oh, the Deep Repair Masque! So great! I can only use it every other week, and directly after the treatment my hair is a bit heavy and off (but healthy-looking!), but the wash after that is where the hair is really AWESOME. I sometimes use the oil as well, but only on my (split) ends.
Face
Lush's Mask of Magnaminty
Firms up the skin, minimizes pores and smells divinely. I would caution against use if you have really sensitive skin or if you have any abrasions, because it normally just tingles on the skin, but it an sting like a motherfucker if you have any non-healed wounds. <-- speaking from experience
Lush's Enchanted Eye Cream
I have really sensitive eyes, they become irritated at the drop of a hat (or with just a speck of dust), and every single eye cream I've tried have made them irritated if even a hint of it came into my eyes. Until this one. I've only been using it for a few months, but so far so good.
Louise Young brushes
I bought three different ones from the web site when I got sick and tired of getting a face full of hair from the bareMinerals brushes that came with the set I had bought. Especially this brush pictured - which is a mineral foundation brush - is excellent. I also bought the Maxi Powder/Blusher brush, which is not as good (sheds a bit) and the Super Foundation brush, which I don't even use (because it's designed for liquid foundation and I currently only use mineral foundation).
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara
As a mascara, I have no complaints. My lashes are fairly thick and they only need a little bit of help. But where this really works like gangbusters for me is in the smudging department. I have very oily skin around the eyes, and practically all mascaras smudge like crazy for me. Yes, even waterproof ones. I will invariably look like a raccoon within hours of putting mascara on. I have found two - count them: TWO - mascaras where this has not happened. And one (I think it was Cover Girl Smudge-Proof mascara or somesuch) has been discontinued for decades. Not even exaggerating. Anyway, this is one of those mascaras that doesn't come off for anything other than water that's slightly above body temperature (38 degrees C). Not even make-up removers will work. I will say that this will not stay on if you're swimming for extended periods. But the mascara doesn't come off like regular mascara, instead it flakes off, sort of. It's got kind of a rubbery consistency. Whatever, I'm horrible at explaining this, but just know that it's amazing and wonderful and I love it to tiny little pieces. Despite the price.
Body
GudonyaToo's Whipped Clean in Spearmint
Whenever I put in an order at their Etsy store I'll try like one other product and then order three of these. Because that's how much will fit in one package without me having to pay extra postage. I've been using this for years and I always mourn it when I run out (which I think I'm about to do, so I should put in another order). Since there is hardly any water in the product, it's also extremely light and thus perfect for travel. On my three week vacation last summer I brought one of these jars that was only a quarter full at most and it lasted the entire vacation - and then some!
100% Pure body scrubs
I've bought three flavors of these -Meyer Lemon (DIVINE), Key Lime (yummy) and Blueberry (had expired and gone bad. Bummer.). Seriously, the Meyer Lemon scent is so amazing I could just sit and smell it all day. I also saw a vid on YouTube about how exfoliating before shaving will minimize the pores or hair folicles or whatever it is that dots your legs after shaving (unless you're tanned, that is). And wouldn't you know it, it works! Also, no need to moisturize after you shower, because this will moisturize you plenty.
The Body Shop's Brazil Nut Oil
Honestly, I'm not sure how great this is as a moisturizer. I mean, it moisturizes but it's awfully oily. But no matter, because I use this mostly for the scent. Heavenly! That's how I'd describe it. Caramel with a hint of chocolate and nuts. Brazil Nut used to be a regular scent that they discontinued for a while, but now it's apparently back. And the oils are new (you're supposed to be able to use them in your hair as well), and I only use them in two places: my hands and my lips. Mostly because I get oil on my lips when I bring my hands up to my nose to smell them. Heh.
Daisy (spring edition)
I've been using this perfume for three years, I think? And for the bottles I've bought after the first one, I thought they smelled different, but I chalked it up to my nose having adjusted to the smell as one's nose does after a while. Well, when the spring collection came out this year, I realized - not so much! The very first bottle I bought must have been a special spring edition as well, because this year's spring perfume brought that amazing scent back into my life. Yayness!
Hair
Lush's Big Shampoo
Ugh, this smells so good. And you know how people sometimes describe hair as squeaky clean? With this shampoo, you hair actually does get squeaky clean. I don't use product on my hair all that often, so this is waaay too clarifying for me to use every time I wash my hair, but I use it as often as I can, because I love the smell.
Macadamia Nut Oil Treatment
I was about ready to give up on my hair this winter - until I found this. I had already tried the leave-in cream, which isn't really for me. Having the typical Scandinavian straight, limp hair with tendencies towards greasiness near the scalp, the cream mostly just weighed down my hair. But the Deep Repair Masque... Oh, the Deep Repair Masque! So great! I can only use it every other week, and directly after the treatment my hair is a bit heavy and off (but healthy-looking!), but the wash after that is where the hair is really AWESOME. I sometimes use the oil as well, but only on my (split) ends.
Face
Lush's Mask of Magnaminty
Firms up the skin, minimizes pores and smells divinely. I would caution against use if you have really sensitive skin or if you have any abrasions, because it normally just tingles on the skin, but it an sting like a motherfucker if you have any non-healed wounds. <-- speaking from experience
Lush's Enchanted Eye Cream
I have really sensitive eyes, they become irritated at the drop of a hat (or with just a speck of dust), and every single eye cream I've tried have made them irritated if even a hint of it came into my eyes. Until this one. I've only been using it for a few months, but so far so good.
Louise Young brushes
I bought three different ones from the web site when I got sick and tired of getting a face full of hair from the bareMinerals brushes that came with the set I had bought. Especially this brush pictured - which is a mineral foundation brush - is excellent. I also bought the Maxi Powder/Blusher brush, which is not as good (sheds a bit) and the Super Foundation brush, which I don't even use (because it's designed for liquid foundation and I currently only use mineral foundation).
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara
As a mascara, I have no complaints. My lashes are fairly thick and they only need a little bit of help. But where this really works like gangbusters for me is in the smudging department. I have very oily skin around the eyes, and practically all mascaras smudge like crazy for me. Yes, even waterproof ones. I will invariably look like a raccoon within hours of putting mascara on. I have found two - count them: TWO - mascaras where this has not happened. And one (I think it was Cover Girl Smudge-Proof mascara or somesuch) has been discontinued for decades. Not even exaggerating. Anyway, this is one of those mascaras that doesn't come off for anything other than water that's slightly above body temperature (38 degrees C). Not even make-up removers will work. I will say that this will not stay on if you're swimming for extended periods. But the mascara doesn't come off like regular mascara, instead it flakes off, sort of. It's got kind of a rubbery consistency. Whatever, I'm horrible at explaining this, but just know that it's amazing and wonderful and I love it to tiny little pieces. Despite the price.
Body
GudonyaToo's Whipped Clean in Spearmint
Whenever I put in an order at their Etsy store I'll try like one other product and then order three of these. Because that's how much will fit in one package without me having to pay extra postage. I've been using this for years and I always mourn it when I run out (which I think I'm about to do, so I should put in another order). Since there is hardly any water in the product, it's also extremely light and thus perfect for travel. On my three week vacation last summer I brought one of these jars that was only a quarter full at most and it lasted the entire vacation - and then some!
100% Pure body scrubs
I've bought three flavors of these -Meyer Lemon (DIVINE), Key Lime (yummy) and Blueberry (had expired and gone bad. Bummer.). Seriously, the Meyer Lemon scent is so amazing I could just sit and smell it all day. I also saw a vid on YouTube about how exfoliating before shaving will minimize the pores or hair folicles or whatever it is that dots your legs after shaving (unless you're tanned, that is). And wouldn't you know it, it works! Also, no need to moisturize after you shower, because this will moisturize you plenty.
The Body Shop's Brazil Nut Oil
Honestly, I'm not sure how great this is as a moisturizer. I mean, it moisturizes but it's awfully oily. But no matter, because I use this mostly for the scent. Heavenly! That's how I'd describe it. Caramel with a hint of chocolate and nuts. Brazil Nut used to be a regular scent that they discontinued for a while, but now it's apparently back. And the oils are new (you're supposed to be able to use them in your hair as well), and I only use them in two places: my hands and my lips. Mostly because I get oil on my lips when I bring my hands up to my nose to smell them. Heh.
Daisy (spring edition)
I've been using this perfume for three years, I think? And for the bottles I've bought after the first one, I thought they smelled different, but I chalked it up to my nose having adjusted to the smell as one's nose does after a while. Well, when the spring collection came out this year, I realized - not so much! The very first bottle I bought must have been a special spring edition as well, because this year's spring perfume brought that amazing scent back into my life. Yayness!