the "help me figure out how to give ulta my money" post

[empressearwig]

Seeking product recommendations?

Have suggestions?

Other general tutorial/tips/help needed?

This is the place.

Comments

[empressearwig]

Desperately seeking top coat recommendations! I have approximately a third of a bottle of Essie's No Chips Ahead left and while it's okay, I'm not wowed. I want to know what top coats wow you.

[magisterequitum]

I actually use Sally Hansen. Or I did prior to getting gel all the time now. And it worked really well for me. They have a few different ones, depending on what you want. Whether it's for strengthening your nail or making them grow.

[empressearwig]

Sally Hansen was what I used to use. And it was fine. But I want the wouldn't move in a hurricane nail polish equivalent of hair spray.

[beth_shulman]

I've been using Seche Vite for years now. Definitely worth a try - super fast drying and shiny - but it's prone to shrinkage on some people/formulas. (So much depends on body chemistry!)

I also have the Dior Gel Top Coat (nice, but best on Diors, and I usually don't spend that kind of money on polish) and the Butter London tc in... Hardwear, maybe? Their quickdry version. It's good! Not as fast as Seche Vite, though. I LOVE Seche Vite. The only bad thing about it is it needs thinner after about two months, when it slowly starts thickening.

(HI! Katie linked me. Watch me totally spam your post now :)

[magisterequitum]

This will be a Things I'm Into Right Now sort of comment.

SO, things I'm really into right now:

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss in Lovechild I've kind of moved on from lipgloss in the years, BUT I got this as a sample reward from Sephora. I like Urban Decay a lot, so I figured it would be fun to try it out, even if it would disappoint me maybe. It so did not! This lipgloss isn't sticky or tacky. It doesn't smell weird. It actually does nice work on smoothing my lips and the dead skin. Lovechild is a medium pink, by its description, so it shows up some but not a ton. It's a great color for days where you just want something on but don't want lipstick or color.

MAC's Vegas Volt It's Spring so that means I start busting out brighter color lipsticks. I'd wanted a coral but coral has been sort of my "red", as in hard to find one that looks good with me. BUT, this coral is soooo nice. I have cool skin tones, and it's great. It's bright and fun, but blends well on so it's not too much.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator This is a liquid illuminator/

[empressearwig]

So.... here's a thing, I have a highlighter (from benefit, I think, their birthday gift at sephora last year), but I don't understand what I'm supposed to do with it. Help me.

[magisterequitum]

Is it liquid or is it powder?

[empressearwig]

Neither, really!

http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/watts-up

[katayla]

I'm really desperate for fragrance free/unscented/non-scented/even if it's really pretty or natural, Sephora guy who wouldn't listen that one time skincare products, especially moisturizer and toner.

I keep defaulting back to Clinique because they're fragrance free (even if their moisturizer still seems to bug me), but it just doesn't do anything for me. I'm trying out Philosophy now. Some of their products are a definite no, fragrance-wise. I may have found something with their microdelivery exfoliating wash, but it's hard to tell since I'm also battling seasonal allergies right now, so I don't know what all is making feel crappy at the moment.

ANYWAY, specific skin concerns are shiny forehead/oily T-zone.

Oooh, also any unscented body scrubs!

[leobrat]

Re: unscented body scrubs...you could make your own, with a little sea salt mixed with grapeseed oil?

I feel like kind of an asshole being like this, but I've got to speak up for the line we use at my work, because it really is absolutely amazing. It's called PCA Skin. I've tried probably hundreds of line, but the ingredients to this line are just amazing and they just work, plain and simple. The only thing is, it's only sold by estheticians/dermatologists. Sometimes online retailers have it in stock, but many times the online versions are dupes.

[katayla]

Ooooh. Maybe I'll try that.

Not an asshole!!! I like hearing about these things! And it probably wouldn't be a bad idea for me to go to a esthetician/dermatologist at some point anyway.

[katayla]

Jordan already did this, basically, but also, I want to know about anything amazing in general I should try out!!!

[magisterequitum]

MAC's Pink Poodle for a new bright pink if you're in the market. I'm going to get it soon. It's gotten really good reviews.

[katayla]

I really wish MAC was sold at Sephora or Ulta. I want to try stuff, but it's sooo much easier when I can just sneak stuff in an order there.

[magisterequitum]

Sometimes I wish they did too, because it would make it a lot easier. Which is probably why I started buying NARS stuff a lot, lol.

But I sometimes pop in and go to the MAC counter at Belk or whatever and just try. OR temptalia.com is a great beauty blog. She reviews a lot of products, so it's nice to read her stuff and then decide.

[leobrat]

I'm dying for the Real Techniques brushes, particularly the Expert Face, Blush Brush and Duo Fiber Contour Brush.

[beth_shulman]

The blush brush is HUGE, fyi. It's the size of a large powder brush. I hate big blush brushes, so it wasn't my thing - but you might love it!

[leobrat]

I think I will, because it's the exact shape I'm looking for. I really stalk the pixiwoo youtube channel, so I've been craving those brushes a long time (the face ones anyway, the eye shadow brushes look a bit too big for my eyes).

[pathstotread]

I have their Core Collection, and I really like it. I want to get the Expert Face and the flat topped stippling brush at some point.