Beauty Product Junkies

It's been, like, a year since anyone posted here, but I was plotting out my options for Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping (online only--I work in retail and refuse to go out into those crowds when I'm not required + being paid to) and wanted to share this awesome link post, because if any of you are like me, the most exciting holiday sales are beauty sales. The blog Nouveau Cheap always does a great job with a Black Friday Roundup for big stores and large brands, if that's your thing.

But the thing that grabbed my attention was that she linked to this amazing subreddit listing this year's Black Friday sales from a ton of indie brands. While there are still some big brands I like, indies really do it for me these days with the kinds of funky, unique colors and fragrances I crave. And by buying indie, I'm supporting a lot of women-owned small businesses, which is important to me.


Is anyone else planning to treat themselves to some new cosmetics, lotions, and potions this weekend?

I sometimes get curious about random things, so I have a question for the comm:

What's the best product/routine you've found for your skin?


For me, it's been using witch hazel as a toner, and treating blemishes with salicylic acid or sulfur products. I'm more into the cosmetics part of product addiction than I am skincare, so I've never really had a skincare routine. I don't often go buy skin products until it's necessary, but I'll almost always try something new when I need them.

That's how I found that sulfur works for me, by trying e.l.f.'s mineral blemish powder (active ingredient: sulfur 3%) on a whim and finding that it soothed my eruptions, sometimes even making smaller spots disappear overnight. Having had luck with that, I tried their Zit Zapper (active ingredient: salicylic acid 1%), figuring that since it was $1US, it wasn't a big deal if it was a dud. It also makes many of my small spots disappear, though it's a tossup on larger ones; sometimes it diminishes them, sometimes it brings them to a head.

The witch hazel was sort of a roundabout discovery. I had seen it recommended as a toner for ages, but I initially bought it in hopes of it soothing some chronic itching on my legs (which it has helped with, a bit). Once I started using it regularly as a toner, though, I suddenly saw a marked improvement in my skin. I used to have a lot of small, random breakouts, but after a couple of months of witch hazel, those stopped almost entirely. Now I only tend to break out right before my period, or when I can't keep my hands off my face.

My next notion is that when I run out of the commercial cleansers I've been using, I'll give oil cleansing a go.

So what about you all? Any successes, or are you still searching for the right things?

I had to work today and have no parties to go to, which means no dressing up. Still, I wanted to do a little makeup, at least. That turned into a simple living dead girl look this morning.

( Pics and tips under the cut )

Happy Halloween!