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Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

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It’s that time of year, BIC! The holiday season is here, and we know many of you have some important shopping decisions to make. Whether you’re checking off gifts for your loved ones, or looking to treat yourself, we want to know: What beauty goodies are on your list this year? Got a solid strategy for getting the most out of the holiday sales and deals? Let Community know how you’re building your basket!

 

Click the “Reply” button below to share your holiday shopping list, post pics of your holiday hauls, or ask other members for gifting/product advice! 😊

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@Snick21804 I didn't even know Fresh made it in that jumbo size.  I thought my 6.7 bottle was the jumbo size!  I hope this around next year!  I'm still working on my 6.7 oz tube.

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

This year, I’m trying to stick to things I actually need. Running out of moisturizer so probably going to grab Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter Unscented since my skin is getting dryer in the winter. Currently use the Reversa retinol but it’s kinda pricey and am running out, so might try the The INKEY List Retinol Fine Lines and Wrinkles Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL . Also my brow gel is expired and I currently use the Eco brow clear brow gel but want to try Benefit Cosmetics Mini 24-HR Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel with Lamination Effect 0.11 fl oz/ 3.5 mL 

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@TeamBIC Well..... I've been doing major shopping sprees all year so I think I will pick up a few gifts for my family members who are addicted to skin care and makeup products.   My sister loves PAT McGRATH so PAT McGRATH LABS Mega Mothership: Celestial Divinity Eyeshadow Palette. I will also pick up a holiday limited edition gift the Sephora Favorites Baby, Let's Glow Outside Bronze and Glow Set  for my niece who loves all things bronze.  My god-daughter who is just beginning to experiment with make-up the SEPHORA COLLECTION Ready in 5 Face Brush Set Black . I don't need anything but I will probably pick up a few PMG Lippies and the Natasha Denona Sunrise Eyeshadow Palette 0.67 oz/ 19.25g. I'm almost finished with my vitamin C serum.  If I decide to not try Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum, I may try either Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum 20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA 1 oz/ 30 mL  or Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum. Not sure yet.  

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

I'm going to try to behave this holiday season, I did a little more damage than I'd care to admit during the friends & family sale.  

The first thing that I'm deliberating between is for my stepmother, the mascara junkie.  I'm thinking about either the tarte Save, Share, and Surprise Mascara Set or the Benefit Cosmetics Together at Lash Full-Size Mascara Value Set .  If the Sephora Favorites Lashstash Set didn't have a set of false lashes in there, it would be a shoo-in.  I may also throw a bottle of SEPHORA COLLECTION Mini Waterprooof Eye Makeup Remover 1.69 fl oz/ 50 mL in her stocking because it's one of those things that she would just need.

I'm probably going to snag one of the LANEIGE Dream & Wonder Gift Set or two because let's be real, who's lips aren't super dry.  I'm trying to talk myself out of getting a LANEIGE Limited Edition Lip Sleeping Mask Lemon Sorbet for myself because I still have a full-size berry one that I haven't dipped into from last year. 

During the sale I snagged a couple of goodies from Rare Beauty.  Do you know why?  Because I was born in the 90's and Selena Gomez was on Barney and I loved Barney.  Just kidding (sort of, celebrity fragrances were one of my first loves within the beauty industry.)  My best friend on the other side of the country was sending me screenshots when she saw the products because she likes Selena and is also big on the women supporting women thing, so I knew I had to include something for the gift making its way across Canada.  I picked up Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez With Gratitude Dewy Lip Balm Support for the girl I lean on for all of my woes because she's always so supportive and uplifting.  I also ordered Thankful for my step-mother, who's comfort zone is brown lips.  

I wish we had access to the Sephora Favorites fragrance gifts.  Those would be perfect.  Instead, I guess my stepmother and I will continue to end up buying the Shopper's versions for one another and laughing that we did it again.  

If I grab anything for myself, it'll probably be a Retinol serum for myself.  (I'm currently trying to talk myself out of grabbing Volition Beauty Strawberry-C Brightening Serum or Volition Beauty Snow Mushroom Water Serum after seeing them on sale, lol.)

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Looking forward to splurging on some lippies. What’s your favorite for rich deep jewel tones?

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Hi! I don’t know if you’re looking for shimmer shades or mattes, but I have a couple mattes I like! They’re mostly purple-y shades. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Two Lil Mattemoiselles Spanked/ Griselda  is a really good set of two, one is a dark plummy color and the other one is sort of a nude-ish dusty rose color? From FENTY I also like the Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick Flamingo Acid color, which I’d say is a little bit of a brighter purpley-red color. Hope this helped!

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

For myself and gifts for family members I have Addict eau de parfum by Dior, F*ucking Fabulous by Tom Ford,Tower28 lip glosses,Natasha denona mini zendo Palette and dior couleur couture eyeshadow Palette in my cart.

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

For myself I'm thinking about ordering Dior Miss Dior Eau de Parfum 1 oz/ 30 mL Eau de Parfum Spray 

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Protein v. Non Protein hair masks - how do you know which is good for your hair?

 

I've been interested in  Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Superfoods Hair Mask 8.0 oz/ 240 mL and it boasts protein free. But I've also been using Redkin's bleach line (though my hair isn't bleached, just super over-processed). Has anyone tried both or used the no protein mask and had good results?

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

I absolutely love this mask.  It leaves my hair feeling and smelling amazing.  It truly feels like something a pricy salon would offer.  I actually rotate this with the Briogeo “don’t despair, repair” conditioner.  If you are concerned about too much protein, that’s the way to go.  Moisture one week and protein the next ( with whatever deep conditioners you decide on) 

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@Kim888 When you say the bleach line, are you talking about Extreme (the blue bottle)?  

I'm no expert so I don't really have much of the science down here but at one point the ends of my hair were white blonde so I picked up a little bit of know-how.  Proteins are one of the more tricky subjects, it's so easy for things to overdue.  You mentioned that your hair's in a little bit of distress.  When your hair is wet, give the strands a little tug.  If the hair almost feels like it's a gummy texture, you're going to need to throw some protein in to help the integrity.  

I almost exclusively use protein free masks and then add in a protein treatment maybe once a week.  

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@Nickelliebear1 @The blue line. I don’t think my hair feels gummy, just super super dry and the ends are a bit straw-y ( though it’s been a while since I had a haircut). Sounds like the mask with no protein might be better then

 

thank you for your help!!

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@Kim888 I'm still learning the protein vs. moisture balance for my own hair and yep, it's confusing to understand. I think what type of hair mask you use depends on what your hair needs at the time so sometimes one with protein would be fine whereas other times you should avoid it, yeah, super helpful I know. Hair needs protein but using too many products with it can damage hair. There was a point when my hair felt almost straw-like which is one of the signs of protein overload. I think they describe when your hair feels overly soft to a point of squishiness as a sign of moisture overload. I think Manes by Mell on YouTube has a good video on it. Hope that helps! I guess from my unprofessional stance, masks without protein would be safer since you wouldn't risk overdoing protein, though too much moisture can not be good for the hair too. 🤷

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@ShortErica thanks for your thoughts! That makes sense and I’ll check out the video you suggested!

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Glad it makes sense @Kim888 cause sometimes I ramble. I really want to see a professional so they could tell me more but haven't cut my hair in a while.

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@Kim888 - That is an interesting question!  This mask is on my Loves list, but haven't bought it yet.  I never noticed that it was protein free.  I am interested in it because of the ingredients and it supposedly will do for my hair what I'm looking for in a mask.  I never considered the protein question or what role that might have.

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Definitely SEPHORA COLLECTION Holy Sheet! 

 

Also First Aid Beauty All That FAB  and Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Best of Rare Beauty Lip & Cheek Set look like great gifting sets or stocking stuffers.

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@TeamBIC  The one at-Sephora thing I want most for myself won't launch (at Sephora) until December, unfortunately. But if PAT McGRATH LABS Celestial Divinity Luxe Quad Risque Rose is still available during the sale, I might grab that. 

 

I do need a new daily moisturizer to replace my beloved Youth To The People Superfood Air-Whip Lightweight Face Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid 2 oz / 59 mL since YTTP just reformulated it with bad-for-me fragrance components. 😞 I'll add a few new-to-me moisturizers to my cart to test. Might also grab a few as gifts for others. I'll also give CeraVe Moisturizing Cream another chance and see if my face appreciates it, now that my skin's plenty adjusted to retinol. 

 

I'm sure I'll come up with more cart items within the next 16 days. 😄

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@WinglessOne so do you use The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer 1.7 oz/ 50 mL for day or night or both? I don't feel like I'm too versed in moisturizers (I guess I need to try more 😉) but what are you looking for? Hopefully someone will have a good suggestion for a replacement. Shame on them for reformulating!

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

@ShortErica  I'm testing TIL peptides moisturizer only at night this month, to see if if might be a good AM moisturizer during winter. (It's not remotely chilly enough during daytime right now to test in the AM.) When I use the (old) YTTP Superfood moisturizer on below-freezing days, I have to supplement it with a facial oil or Aquaphor. (Sure, I could just use Aquaphor each day, but I don't need something that occlusive every day.) 

 

A good moisturizer for me must include at least one occlusive, one emollient, and some form of hyaluronic acid. My derm insists I use one that also contains cholesterol, which was missing from the YTTP moisturizer. Bonus points for a good amount of antioxidants. Major bonus points for ceramides (also missing from YTTP). And it has to work on my entire face—all my dry zones, my crazy "can't decide what type I am" forehead, and the grease pit in the middle of my face. Must not contain citrus oils (ideally no citrus extracts, either), lavender oil, lavender extract, damask rose oil, damask rosewater, and pretty much any other essential perfuming oil. 

 

The last time I tried CeraVe Moisturizing Cream as an AM moisturizer, my skin wasn't amused. But that could've been a reaction to something else at the time. If my skin can handle TIL Peptide Moisturizer like a champ, then the CeraVe cream should be fine. Buuuuut I want a bit more out of my moisturizer than that cream provides. So I'm also going to buy a travel size Paula's Choice Omega+ moisturizer: I tried a foil sample last year during a trip to Florida and my face liked it a lot. I have high hopes for it. 

Re: Holiday Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in your basket?

Oh cool. You're a wealth of knowledge as always @WinglessOne. If I stumble across one that meets your criteria I'll let you know. Hope the Paula's Choice one lives up to your expectations.

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