YOUR UNSUNG HEROES

[jemly]

do you have some products (makeup, skincare, hair, etc) in your stash that you have a firm and unshakable commitment to--you repurchase over and over--but you've never really encountered anyone else who loves it too ? products that are never talked about on social media (or here, or amongst your friends), or perhaps have mediocre reviews but just work really well for you ? there are a lot of ways a product can fall into the 'unsung hero' category, and they're all valid ! 

one of mine is the GIVENCHY photo perfexion fluid foundation. in the givenchy world, the teint couture foundation is their reigning queen--or so it seems based on the frequency i see it mentioned. but the photo perfexion foundation is my queen ! it is admittedly not the longest lasting, but the coverage is infinitely buildable, making touch-ups, if necessary, a breeze. it just looks like skin. i've recently been using it with a sponge (real techniques miracle complexion) and i like it even more ! which i didn't know was possible. also, it has some great options for very fair skin. it has pretty good reviews on sephora, but i've never encountered my fellow people !

i'll write more of mine below ! 

[wheeeee]

Kerala Ayurveda.  

Ever since I am little I had a fascination with oiling myself.  I used to sneak the olive oil from the kitchen into my bedroom at night and oil my entire body and wake up the next morning baby soft.  

Then I read what I believe was the Body Shop book at a spa in my teens.  I think her initial principles were on Ayurveda. Or, maybe it was one of those Aveda spas. (can't remember exactly since I am old lady now)  lol!

I always try to follow Ayurveda lifestyle and spent most of my 20's and early 30's near India to have easy access to Ayurveda hospitals in Kerala.  I would check-in for 3-4 weeks and complete Panchakarma.  Sadly, no such thing exist in America.  

It is oiling in its oldest form.  Big pots of warm medicated oils prescribed just for you rubbed into every inch  of your body.  Even your orifices.  (TMI..???)  lol!!!  Panchakarma is NOT for shy people.

I would tell you the benefits (especially for a Vata like myself), but then that is like a book! ;')

Yea, Kerala Ayurveda because in America it is simply treated as another 'massage.'   It is so much more than that!  You literally spend like 3-4 hours in the AM getting oiled by 2-3 nurses.  Then you break for lunch and nap since this is very exhausting on the body.  In the early afternoon you have your 'specialized' treatment.  

This is when they work on just one area or treat a specific ailment.  One example for me is my TMJ. So, they oiled inside my ears to lubricate my jaw area.  It works.

You eat the most delicious healing Indian foods. (this is not a fat farm where they starve you!)  It is all so heavenly. 

Spoiler

[themusefactory]

Oooh.. I feel like Chantecaille as a whole doesn't get a lot of love. People tend to have a strong opinion about their save the animals palettes, but the other products don't get talked about much at all. I love the brow pencil which is perfectly natural brown - as someone who colors my hair A LOT it's nice to have a brow pencil that works with everything! Also the Lip Slicks are quite nice! 

[ShannonAlexis]

Here are some things that I love that nobody really talks about.

- Patchology hydrating sheet mask - the only mask that makes an absolute and immediate difference in my skin.

- Shiseido Glow Primer - this is a very nice illuminating primer that has never given me slippery skin like some illuminating products do

- MUFE aqua matic eye pencils - I LOVE these, why does no one talk about them? I have 4 and the consistency is a little different on each but they're all very pigmented and waterproof. The blue one is not messing around.

- Maria Badescu Cellufirm Drops - I still cannot explain why I love these so much, they just make my skin look and feel better

- Luxie Beauty Brushes- I love all the ones that I've tried. They're very soft, durable, cute, and they have a wide range of brushes. I think you get an excellent brush for a decent price. They also very frequently have 20-25% off sales. I got all mine during 50% off black friday.

- Lavett and Chin Coconut Moisturizing Facial Mist - I haven't heard anyone talk about this brand on BT. This isn't the most amazing spray ever but it smells delicious and is very delightful to use

- Inglot Contour Powder - This is the ONLY contour powder I use and probably will ever use. I have the shade 503, it's perfect for my pale neutral skin.

- Basin White Body Butter - I love these and get them at disney. This scent is Pink Sugar and it smells like if cotton candy could be sultry. (It doesn't have yellow pollen on it, the light was shining through my yellow clarins oil lol)

[dguest]

My boyfriend LOVES the Lavett and Chin Coconut Moisturizing Facial Mist!! He is crazy about mists and this is his all time favorite. 

[jen81]

The pathology sheet masks are lovely, I have considered the MUFE eye pencil but wasn't sure so will have to look at them again. 

[unfungirl]

@ShannonAlexis i have a few luxie brushes, and i love them! they have held up great over time, and the pink is gorgeous!

[TKLJ]

@ShannonAlexis Talk to me about MB Cellufirm Drops! I've had my eye on them. How do you incorporate them into your routine? 

[ShannonAlexis]

@TKLJ in place of a serum generally. I have no idea what I'm doing though!

Usually I do Cleanser -> Caudalie SOS Serum or The Ordinary nac+zinc serum -> Cellufirm Drops -> eye cream -> moisturizer

In the mornings if I'm in a hurry I will use them instead of a serum+moisturizer. Foundation products sit fine on top of them.

[TKLJ]

Thank you!

[myumew]

Luxie's pink brushes are so gorgeous. I'm dying to try them some day!

[purly]

I have nearly the full collection from subscribing to Ipsy and specifying that I like brushes. If you're an Ipsy subscriber, maybe modify your settings? You'll probably get some eventually.

[ShannonAlexis]

Subscribe to their emails! They'll send you a discount code

[jemly]

what a beautiful list of awesome things @ShannonAlexis !! how do the MUFE aqua matic eye pencils look on ? i feel like i need to rediscover a lot of the original 'aqua' products from MUFE. 

[ShannonAlexis]

@jemly I like the metallic ones best because they're the smoothest, the satin I have is the least pigmented (it's a nude) and the most shimmery, but can be built up to full opacity. They're all kind of hard to blend because they're dry-ish and long lasting. They're very bold though!

I can do swatches for you if you're interested! I have one of almost all the types of finish. Unfortunately I don't see them online anymore. I saw them in stores not too long ago

[JenniferOhJenny]

I love those MUFE eye pencils, too! They stay on all day and are so easy to use.

[Gwenhwyfar]

I just thought of another, related to a recent conversation about facial oils.

Rosehip oil | Pure, unadulterated rosehip oil. It does a lot of good for my combination skin and has different effects on the dry portions and the oily portions due to its multitasking properties. It is thick and intensely hydrating / plumping, but it also has a high concentration of vitamin C acids and is an effective exfoliator, ultimately almost having the texture of a dry oil. It reduces redness, smooths fine lines, and speeds the healing of blemishes and scars--and, fascinatingly, it seems to work for all skin types. Just an all-around favorite. (I have Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Fruit & Seed Oil.)

[AMHWKI]

These three things are the three I would take with me to a deserted island:

Josie Maran Daily Argan Moisturizer SPF47 - I buy the 4 oz bottles and I have repurchased multiple times over the last few years.

Rosebud Salve Minted Lip Balm - used to like the original but now I prefer the mint.  Old school tin, not the tube.

Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer in Fair - I have tried so many - from NARS to Cover Girl and I always come back to this!

[jemly]

more from me about things i love but don't see people really talk about:

AVEDA botanical kinetics skincare range !  the full range is not perfect (foaming cleanser for oily skin, and i'm shocked aveda hasn't released a balm or jelly cleanser in this range), but there are so many gems ! y'all see me talk about the botanical kinetics hydrating lotion (my go-to moisturizer) all the time (i've probably repurchased 10 times !), but the soft cream in the range is just as good, if not better ! while the hydrating lotion is lighter--and has a hint of tackiness, which some people may not like, i don't mind at all--the soft cream is a water bomb and so soothing. i never even tried to wear it under makeup but always wore it as a night cream. it was a dream. talking in past tense because i'm due for a repurchase ! their liquid exfoliant contains salicylic acid, but also contains alcohol denat. not ideal, but the rest of the ingredients are rather soothing, i find it is an exception to my no alcohol denat rule. and the eye cream in the range is fantastically hydrating and plumping too !

[Kay522]

Got a few products that I am super committed to!

Sephora's Gel Serum Concealer in Buttercream This stuff is my ride or die concealer. I've experimented with just about every item of my makeup routine, except this. I've thought about looking into other concealers (NARS or Tarte shape tape) but I always have a hard time getting a color to match. I have a white mixer for foundations, but not prepared to do that with concealer. Plus, at $14 it's not too bad price wise.

Rosebud Salve and Maybelline Original Baby Lips My two go-to lip balms. Rosebud salve is always the in the tube variety because it's less messy. Right now, I have one with my makeup, one in my purse, and a backup in my vanity drawers. I use it every night, and I'll put in on under lipstick if I'm wearing a more drying variety. Any other lipsticks, or if I'm not looking to wear any lip products, it's baby lips.

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Liar I love love love this lipstick! If I'm ever unsure about what lipstick to wear, I always grab it. It's my perfect MLBB color. It's my most-used lipstick, I've only go about 1/3 of the tube left of the one I have open right now. When UD announced they were discontinuing the revolution line, I bought a backup. I never buy backup of lipsticks. But I had to with this one. I've not tried the Vice formula for this color, but I'm really hoping that when I run through my revolution ones, it's comparable. Else I'll probably cry.

ABH Bow Products (Brow Wiz in Dark Brown, Powder Duo in Medium Brown) Any time I leave the house, I always do three things minimum for my makeup routine. Concealer, a lip product of some kind, and my eyebrows. I love the quality and colors of ABH brow products. The powder I use for a softer look, brow wiz if I want more defined brows. Brow wiz I always repurchase when I run out, powder duo will be repurchased when I do run out. I have almost hit pan on the lightest color, lol.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Burt’s Bees Blemish Stick | This is a necessity in my life. It clears up pimples and blemishes so fast! The scent is extremely strong and sharp and the alcohol burns, but it works great on clogged pores and to quickly and effectively shrink and heal extracted pimples without infection. I tried to “break up” with it recently and find another product to do the same thing, but no dice. After trying several really great products, none of them have the same immediate effect as the Blemish Stick and I just picked up another one… I’ve probably gone through a least a half dozen of these.

BareMinerals Ready Touch Up Veil 'Translucent' | I literally use this every day—with or without makeup. It has a really lovely and natural softening effect, and I use it to mattify my skin after applying all of my skincare products in the morning (which includes oils and serums and I usually end up rather shiny without a powder). I remember when it was included in one year’s iteration of the Sun Safety Kit and no one wanted it. Everyone was so bummed and disappointed, and I managed to collect a ton of unwanted baby compacts through BT trades. Unfortunately I think the product has been discontinued just this past year (I guess that means that it really was less popular to the standard consumer); I bought one last full size when I saw them disappearing from every major retailer. Fingers crossed they are coming out with something similar to replace it.

Bar soap | Yup, I love the stuff; I’m a total saponiphile. In this weird modern age of liquid antibacterial everything (firstly, why would I pay excessive amounts for watered-down detergent?! - and don’t even get me started on rampant use of antibacterials!), I like to throwback to the good stuff with old-fashioned beautiful French and handmade bar soaps. L’Occitane Bonne Mere (lemon, honey and lavender scents) and Zum Bars (patchouli, mint and sea salt scents) are my favorites, but I also have a weakness for new-to-me soap companies at artisan markets. I even have a collection of cute vintage Avon colored milkglass soap dishes that I rotate on my bathroom counter. I firmly believe that it is a decadent experience, and I’m sticking to it.

Sea salt | In my bath, in my body scrubs, in my scalp treatment, in my foot soaks—so many good uses! And buying a big thing of it at the grocer’s is so much cheaper than paying for fancy bath products; plus, it remains versatile for all uses including cooking and eco-cleaning.

A quality hairbrush and comb | Seriously, what would I do without you? I just take you guys for granted, and I am genuinely sorry for it. (I have an Acca Kappa 100% white boar's hair brush and the GHD wide-tooth comb. I love both so much.)

[Crazy4Sephora1]

The Retinol (that is the brand name) skincare line that is sold at Sally Beauty. They have day/night moisturizers, cleanser, serum, eye gel, makeup wipes, sheet masks, eye masks, hand cream, body cream, etc. Most of the items are ten dollars and under and I have been using the line for years. I'm 47 years old and get mistaken for 32. I also recently took a skincare class at Sephora and they measured my moisture level at 77 percent so the products do work!