Best and Worst Products of all Time

[kdanielle0x]

This thread may have already been started, but I'll be honest, I didn't check because my browser has been really slow!

Anyways this thread is to discuss everyone's favourite and least favourite product of all time. Try to only name 1 product for each!

My Absolute favourite beauty item is the KVD Mi Vida Loca palette. It just stands out in my mind as my favourite. I just love it so much!

... And the least would have to be any eyelash curler that isn't nickel-free! I know it isn't a specific product, but I just can't stand when contact dermatitis develops on my eyelids! Nickel allergies aren't fun 😞

[Asche]

Great thread! 😄

Makeup

Best: the one that instantly comes to mind is Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Worst: Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base. My skin, which normally looks pretty good, instantly looked like a parched, fuzzy desert the second this touched my face. I tried to carry on and do the rest of my makeup, but this was so bad that I gave up halfway through, washed my face, and completely started over. Never again.

Skincare

Best: Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Moisturizer. My skin has never looked so good!

Worst: Algenist Hydrating Toner. Felt like water, definitely not hydrating, and did nothing but break me out.

Hair

Best: Redken Extreme Strength Builder Plus mask. Nothing like it, it's magical.

Worst: The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Conditioner. Practically impossible to get out of the bottle, and useless at detangling hair. 

[kdanielle0x]

@Asche  Thanks for sharing! 🙂 I just tried out the Algenist Hydrating Toner and I find it irritates my skin a bit. Not too much, but just enough for me to contemplate taking it back.

[Alicehoopz]

 Fun thread idea!

I'll do this by makeup and skincare. Ooph it's gonna be tough, talk about narrowing it down!!

Makeup best: How basic am I if I say KVD's shade and light? I use it every day. Even if a palette I'm working with has the transition shades and matte brow bone shades, hers are just....Better. lol.

Worst: I've had some major duds with subscription boxes lol, but I think the one that hurt the most bc I bought it was the horrid benefit eyeliner. Broke off every time I tried to use it. So frustrating!

Skincare best: I'm going with Ren's glyco-lactic renewal mask. I don't think anything has ever changed my skin in such a visible way

Worst: I have complicated feelings with the glamglow Supermud treatment. It works for spot-treating but when I try to use it on my whole face, it's as though it undoes ALL the dry skin treatments I have done for months and months. Hellooooo skin flakes!

[kdanielle0x]

@AlicehoopzThanks for sharing!

Ahhh I'm with you on the subscription boxes... I was subscribed to Glymm. I'm not sure if you've heard of what happened there, but they basically scammed a bunch of their customers, myself included! Whether you had just signed up for a year or had a few months left, they suddenly stopped sending out their bags and never refunded anyone.

[Alicehoopz]

Oh that's awful!! I always worry about that with subscription services. Seems people can really get the short end of the stick if they aren't careful 😞

[HarlemJPN]

I am totally with you on the complicated relationship with supermud. it can be a miracle and it can be a curse. I just can't quit it, though, even though I'm pretty sure my skin is telling me, "Stop!"

[liv545]

My all time favorite for practicality would be Tarte 12 hour BB. I've tried every other one I can get my hands on and so far this is the absolute best for my skin type and needs. My least favorite? I actually had to think for a while on that because I like most things makeup as a general statement...buuut hmmm...oh!! I have one. It's a hair product but that Christophe Robin Prickly Pear mask. It smells disgusting to me. And has this linger to it as well. And in that vein the Korres Greek yogurt primer which smells just horrendous. I guess you could lump my least favorite into "all products that smell incredibly offensive" to my particular nose? Everyone's is different, I'm sure there are many things I enjoy the smell of that others detest? All in good fun!!

[kdanielle0x]

@liv545  I haven't tried the Korres primer, but it seems like we have a consensus on the smell!

[jozkid]

And here I thought it was just me with the Korres issue. I actually like the primer. But the smell!  Like semi-spoiled milk. And it lingered all day. I kept being reminded of when I was pumping when my boys were infants ... just having that pervasive dairy odor on myself. Moo.  😳

[txcatx]

Omg I just tried a sample of that Korres primer a few days ago, and completely agree! 

[Samtian]

I didn't like the Greek Primer either.

[HarlemJPN]

The Korres yoghurt primer was very off-putting to me, too. Yuck. 

[liv545]

It was seriously so bad. I took it off with a makeup wipe the one time I tried it but had to haul myself to work and clearly did not get it off all the way. I slapped my usual get up over it and took off.By the end of the day I was super nauseous and had a headache from smelling it. It is rare I get that bad of a reaction to something, but to me it smelled like all the bad things rolled into one item, lol.

[HarlemJPN]

Fun topic!

i have combination skin, am acne-prone, and am in my 40s. Main issues are: minor acne, pore size, fine lines around eyes. 

Best/faves:

so many faves and so hard to choose! I'm cheating by subdividing the category. My bad!

fave anti-acne skincare is Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid. Changed my skin 4 eva!

fave morning serum: Drunk Elephant C Firma. 

Fave nighttime serum: Dr Denese Hydroshield

Fave new product: Paula's Choice 10% niacinamide booster or the Ordinary's azaleic acid lotion

fave moisturizer: Dr Jart Ceramidin liquid. (Perfect for my oily/combo skin!)

my fave cleanser: FAB antioxidant cleanser (so creamy and gentle but effective)

best peel/mask: Drunk Elephant Babyface

best skincare product: my Rx tretinoin gel 

Worst:

my skin is verrrry fussy. It hates anything with fragrance or irritants at all. 

Cleaser: Philosophy's Purity Made Simple. I know it has a large and devoted following. For me, it irritated my skin and caused breakouts. 

Moisturizer: Ole Henriksen nighttime gel thing. Yuck. Awful for me!

Serum: Paula's Choice antioxidant serum (pleasant enough but doesn't seem to do anything)

peel/mask: Ole Henriksen 3-step peel. (It irritates my skin so much!)

anti-acne: Paula's Choice weekly 8% BHA - caused me dermatitis 

[uscgirlie]

Thanks for sharing, loved reading your list! Would you mind sharing how the 2% BHA changed your skin? I've read mixed reviews on the 2% BHA so was scared to try it thus far. Thanks!

[HarlemJPN]

Hi! The 2% liquid BHA is my HG product for many reasons. First for me, it absolutely helped me turn a corner on acne. I have been on Rx tretinoin since I was in the womb at this point. Tretinoin is critical in controlling my acne but it was never enough on its own. I have had an Rx for everything - sulfur, antibiotics, azaleic acid, even benz peroxide. Some of these (in combination with Rx tretinoin) helped control my acne but everything caused irritation/redness/flakiness. The 2% BHA does none of that.

On the skincare side, it has worked wonders on skin texture. It makes my skin so smooth and soft and is effortless. It has helped keep blackheads at bay. Over time, it has eliminated dark spots. It reduces post-inflammatory pigmentation after acne or whatever by at least half. It is also hydrating and is just the best texture and feel for my oily/combo skin. 

I just absolutely love it. I haven't found any other salicylic acid product that holds a candle to it. I've tried different versions of it (lotion, 1%, 8%) but for my skin the 2% BHA liquid twice per day has been a game changer. And it isn't expensive. Double bonus!

hope this helps!

[uscgirlie]

Thanks so much @HarlemJPN, that was so helpful! My skin type sounds very similar so this definitely sounds worth trying! Do you recall if you had a purge when you first started using this? Thanks again and I'm glad that this works so well for you!!

[HarlemJPN]

Nope - didn't have any purge period

[figu0020]

If you don't mind elaborating: how exactly do you use the 2% BHA twice per day and a Rx tretinoin?  Do you use both on the same night or alternating nights?  Furthermore, if it's the same night, do you put your acid on first or the tretinonin?  Sorry for peppering you with questions, but it sounds like we have similar skin.  I too find that my Rx isn't quite potent enough to control my acne, and I also like the liquid BHA.  Appreciate your expertise! 

[HarlemJPN]

Here's my routine:

AM:

very mild cleanser, no device ever (I presently am using Paula's Choice Hydralight cleanser, but I'm a cleanser mercenary)

PC 2% BHA liquid (on cotton round)

Mix: Dr Jart Ceramidin liquid, PC 10% niacinamide booster, Drunk Elephant C Firma

Sunscreen/Makeup

PM:

mild cleanser, 2x-4x/week with Clarisonic (my fave cleansers are FAB and PC skin balancing oil reducing cleanser and Soy Fresh)

BHA 2% liquid on cotton pad

Rx tretinoin

Sometimes: DE framboos serum

Mix: Ceramidin liquid, PC 10% niacinamide booster

Sometimes: PC BHA 9 for stubborn imperfections

most of the time: Dr Denise Hydroshield around my eyes, on neck

moisturizers: DE B Hydra, PC radiance mask (just use it as a moisturizer), Dr Jart max water fuse mask (just use as a moisturizer) -- use depends on state of my skin

The Dr Jart Ceramidin liquid is magic sauce for me. It erases any stress that Rx tretinoin may cause but it isn't occlusive or heavy. 

I do use use other things but the above is pretty consistent for me. When I'm really sleepy, it is cleanse, BHA, tretinoin, Ceramidin liquid, sleep.

i don't wait between steps except I do brush my teeth for two minutes after applying Rx tretinoin. 

HTH!