Beauty Ice Breakers

[danielledanielle]

BIC is the place to talk about beauty!  There are lots of fun threads, from mask to makeup (and even photo A Year of Beauty- Photography Challenge ) challenges all the way to pet paradise.  In my early days, I kinda wanted to talk to everyone, but I didn't know what to talk about, I just knew I loved makeup and had found my people.

With threads like Monthly Favorites: May 2025 Edition! Community Favorite Concealers: Tag your Holy Grails!  , Beauty Pet Peeves 2 I feel the most comfortable when chiming in because I can talk about makeup.  I figured, hey, let's open up some discourse amongst ourselves; a thread with getting to know you questions could be kind of fun.  (And, I still get to talk about makeup.)

photo cred: HelloGiggles

I'll post a question and a phrase with a blank and change it weekly? periodically. Answer one or both.

[danielledanielle]

Just a singleton this time: 

(Yes, I know it's not even September yet, BUT)

If you could curate a mix of beauty & other items in advent calendar, what would you like in it? 

A red lip liner

A voucher for $10 off a foundation 

Little finger puffs or sponges

Hair Tinsel

ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr On 'Til Dawn Glitter Waterproof Setting Spray 

Chocolate - like Godiva truffles

Travel sized Gourmand Scent like Queens Caramel 

Range Beauty Bali Face & Body Glow Oil 

Check out 👉🏽👉🏽 Advent Calendars 2025 

[itsfi]

Ooooh fun! I love advent calendars! 💗 Hmmm.... a mix of mini's and full sizes, or all mini's would be fun. 

• a product from 1 or 2 new-to-Sephora brand (or maybe even a brand that is/was part of the Sephora Accelerate program past or present that has recently (or within the last 6 months) made its way into Sephora)
• a mini of a new product (new = released within the last 5-6 months of the advent being made available for pre-order) from an existing brand
• Sample packet of 1-2 pairs of the Biodance toner pads (they're good by the way!)
• Mini holiday scented candle
• A mini sunscreen from one of the newer brands to have a sunscreen or a newer brand - (e.g., from this year, Beauty of Joseon or Youth to the People)
• One of the new spray Patrick Starrr will likely release / have released in the particular year (I haven't tried them all but what I have has been veeeerrry nice!)
• Lip balm because ... lip balm
• Perhaps a new mini brush from the Sephora Collection?
• Under eye mask

I appreciate that these advent calendars are not a small undertaking to put together, conceptually or in practice, and can see that having a limited number available might be practical - maybe have a 12-day calendar and a 24-day calendar available for pre-order?

Love your suggestions @danielledanielle. Tinsel makes me think of our very own, the lovely makeuphappyhour herself, @sister13. 

[danielledanielle]

Yes, the hair Tinsel is a shout-out to @sister13 for sure @itsfi , I could totally see that being a good ad on at the beauty studio, too!

Love the idea to highlight Sephora Accelerate and also "Next Big Thing" products 

[itsfi]

Oh, yes!! That (hair tinsel) would be a great add-on Beauty Studio service for the holidays, festival season, etc. (@TeamBIC) or I can see there would be an audience for that year round. 

You know, I can appreciate that smaller brands, independent brands have limited budgets to work with and may not have a lot of discretionary funds, if any, and there may not be a lot of bandwidth (or any) for a mini range but my thought was just that if there was enough lead time for planning and budgeting, maybe being able to earmark something towards some mini's for a collab / promo / campaign like an advent calendar (or possibly another promotional down the road) might be a worthwhile endeavor. AND, it affords the general public, or the beauty loving segment of the general public 😚 to have an opportunity to really try out a product. I mean, look what that 14-day foil sample trial of EADEM Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum with Niacinamide and Vitamin C 1 oz/ 30 mL did for me?! 😂🤣😂 ❤️❤️❤️

[itsfi]

My current summer aesthetic is casual chic for clothing. 

The brand (s) I can do a full face with is/are 

(in alphabetical order)

* Armani

* Chanel

* Cle de Peau

* Dior

* Gen See 

* Merit

* Natasha Denona

* Pat McGrath Labs

* Prada

* Sephora Collection

* Suqqu 

* Tom Ford

* Tower 28

* Victoria Beckham Beauty

* Westman Atelier

There's been some magnificent capsules on the makeup capsule challenge!

*spoiler* - there'll be a One Brand or All The Brand theme, like we had last year thanks to @Mellmars1185.

I'm going to pretend I didn't see this list (or the one I made of brands that I'm 1-2 (or maybe 3) products shy of being able to do a full face). I now need to head over to the 2025 - THE NO-BUY, LOW-BUY, BUDGET-BUY ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT THREAD thread after I respond to the last question.  

What product had you in a chokehold? Meaning, what's a product you remember buying and immediately wanted to stock up?

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Natural Glow Foundation 

Bioderma Micellar Water 

Secret Key Banana Honey Sheet Mask (discontinued)

Sephora Collection Caffeine Eye Mask (discontinued)

Too Cool For School Coconut Ceramide Sheet Mask (discontinued)

Tower 28 Beauty SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation

Great to see these ice breakers @danielledanielle 😀 

[CorgiMommy]

Wow that is a awesome list of beaity brands!  @itsfi 

[danielledanielle]

I have two fill ins, plus a question... Answer one, both, all of them 🤷🏽‍♀️

My current summer aesthetic is _____ (need not be beauty related directly)

The brand (s) I can do a full face with is/are ______

(Prompted by some of the Fab capsules in Capsule Makeup Collection Challenge 2025 )

What product had you in a chokehold? Meaning, what's a product you remember buying and immediately wanted to stock up?

My current summer aesthetic is Wanderlust.  I want to go on weekend trips and use up some foils.

The brands, I can do a full face with are Fenty, Dior, Uoma, Danessa.

The previous version of DIOR Backstage Face & Body Foundation had me in a chokehold.  Buildable, covered up a lot without being cake, holds up.   I def stocked up right before it disappeared.  I still think about this 😂

[Titian06]

My current summer aesthetic is matte.  I still get more oily in the summer, so I wear more mattifying products like:

- Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder -Universal Primer Universal Radiant 

- DIOR Dior Forever Matte Skincare Foundation 0N Neutral 

- MAKEUP BY MARIO SurrealSkin® Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder 2 Neutral Light 

The brand (s) I can do a full face with is Dior.

What product had you in a chokehold?  I'm not sure I've had one.  I still miss Meow Cosmetics eyeshadows and blushes if that counts.

[PDXXXX]

My current summer aesthetic is drawing a lot from the nautical and prep aesthetic of the French Riviera. Simple separates, wide leg pants, and linens. Scarves and glasses. Made up but casual. A bit like 50's clothing clashed with 70's makeup and accessories...

The brand(s) I can do a full face with are Dior and Patrick Ta though only in the summer or when I don't have to have blush which is rare.

The products that had me in a chokehold, oh my....I so miss the Dior and YSL serum foundations that were the rage about ten years ago. I think I was pretty much hoarding the Dior just shy of ordering expired products on eBay when they were phased out. Also, where did all the Urban Decay Eye Shadow and Liner Shades go??? They had some of the best midtone browns. I still have a compact of the shade Secret Service and I haven't found a taupe replacement for it yet. Now it's the Gucci Luminous Matte Powder Blush. I swear I want every shade but the cost would be outrageous. I'm hoping they age well because they are d-e-v-i-n-e.

I'm glad you brought this back @danielledanielle ! I wanted to jump in when I first found out about the group but was late to it. Very cool of you to restart it.

 

[CorgiMommy]

@PDXXXX great aesthetic, the whole French thing is really fun 

[PDXXXX]

@CorgiMommy thank you. Hope you're doing well 🙂

[danielledanielle]

Oooh, I love this aesthetic.  @PDXXXX 

Urban Deccaaaaaaayyyy.  I was thinking about them today which led me to the brand question and brand(s).  I can't do a full UD face, but man, I really loved a lot of their makeup and wish they kept a lot of stuff.  I took forever to discard naked2 (and I still am holding onto the mini version because 🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️) and I still think about it... It was 95% right and 5% regret.

Thank you.  I'll try to think of more questions and note keep them so I can update this a little more regularly. I was reading the responses from the "doctorate" question and was cracking up all over again, so I'm glad for y'all for entertaining this.

[CorgiMommy]

Thanks for giving new life to this thread @danielledanielle 

My current summer esthetic is athleisure.  Lots of summer activities planned including hiking in Montana in July, getting back to swimming as a form of exercise (if it ever stops being rainy and chilly here), and road biking on some of my favorite bike trails.

The brand i could do a full face with is Dior .  My budget says different.

[danielledanielle]

Heh, I love your responses @CorgiMommy 

[CorgiMommy]

Thank you so.very much @danielledanielle 

[danielledanielle]

What is are the scents or skincare items (list them...ennnabbblleee meeee) you're drawn to at this time of the year?

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration – Face and Body Moisturizer for Skin Repair 8... 

Fenty Skin Butta Drop Refillable Warm Cinnamon Shimmering Whipped Oil Body Cream 6.7 oz / 200 mL 

DIOR J'adore eau de parfum infinissime 5 oz/ 150 mL 

Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA' By the Fireplace Eau de Toilette with Chestnut, Vanilla, and Clove Oil 

There's so many!! I've edited the question..

Dior Ball of dreams and my cheek challenge has me feeling royal.  Join me!  Give yourself an honorary title with a location or role styling -

I'm deeming myself danielledanielle, her royal highness, duchess of draping and ambassador of cheek challenges💸, first of her name 👑🤣

[PDXXXX]

I have been battling dry, sensitive skin that's constantly flaking and gets raw around my mouth and nose for the last couple of months. It's been a bit of a battle between Tatcha and SkinFix trying minis and figuring out what works for me. I'm still figuring out the exact combo of products I'll get full-sized versions of but some on the list are:

• Tatcha The Rice Wash Skin-Softening Cleanser , Tatcha The Dewy Serum Resurfacing and Plumping Treatment 1 oz / 30 mL, and most impressively Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream Treatment 1.7 / 50 applied at night,
• While I love how creamy the Tatcha face wash is, it doesn't always remove all my makeup and I've also been using Drunk Elephant Mini Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser 2 oz/ 60 mL and find it removes everything, is very concentrated (I've had the mini for a couple of months) and doesn't cause me any dryness or sensitivity,
• I've used #Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster for Redness Relief for years now and it helps considerably with my redness and is a level of exfoliation that doesn't irritate my reactive skin and each tube lasts forever,
• I've also been using Skinfix Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream Refillable Barrier Moisturizer with Ceramides as my main moisturizer and it's done a great job of repairing my skin barrier. I also got their Skinfix barrier+ Triple Lipid + Niacinamide Activating Serum and may stick with it rather than the Tatcha Serum once I run out of the Tatcha as I find both very effective and like that the Skinfix products are very hypoallergenic with no fragrance unlike the Tatcha which sometimes makes my eyes water,
• I love overnight masks like LANEIGE Cica Sleeping Mask for Moisture Barrier Support at night, and
• I'm almost through a bottle of ALPYN Instant Bright Eye Dark Circle Firming Cream with Niacinamide & Peptides 0.5 oz and still loving it so will likely replace it when it runs out.

For Body Care some of the products I love are:

• Nécessaire The Body Serum - With Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide + Ceramide 5.1 oz/ 150 mL which I've been using since early summer and magically keeps my usually red, bumpy legs smooth,
• For moisturizer, I usually like scentless products that don't compete with my perfume like SheaMoisture's Dry Skin Nourishing Hydration 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or BabyBum's Monoi Coconut Oil Balm, or anything sandalwood scented including Monoi Tiki Tahiti Santal Body Oil and Soap (or I'll just blend a drop of sandalwood essential oil with unscented coconut oil).

I'm a perfume nut who is drawn to white woods, sandalwood, and things like Ellis Brooklyn SALT Eau de Parfum with touches of driftwood or blended with coconut moisturizers during the summer but this time of year makes me look for creamier sometimes amber, powdery, smoky and wood scents. I just tried a sample of Mateire Premeire's Bois D'Ebene and might love it. I also like things like Ellis Brooklyn MYTH Eau de Parfum and a discontinued scent by Dean & Durga called Siberian Snow all which dry down to a soft, powdery almost lactonic musk. For days when I really want a smokey firewood feel I think Maison Margiela 'REPLICA' By The Fireplace 3.4 oz / 100 mL does a very good job.

Oh, and as for my title, @danielledanielle suggested, "Maiden of Mod" based on her The Fit, The Fab and The Face: Outfit and Inspo Thread and I'm keeping it 🙂 I'm probably not the first of my name but I enjoy keeping my favorite 60's Icons alive and am very influenced by them.

[itsfi]

I'll start with skincare @danielledanielle. 

My current skincare (body) loves include:

L'Occitane Cleansing And Softening Refillable Shower Oil With Almond Oil is always a love for my dry skin but especially well loved this time of the year! It starts off as an oil and takes on a thin, milky consistency as it's rubbed onto the skin, creating a light foam. It has a soft, almond scent and leaves my skin feeling cleansed, soft and smooth. Can also be used shaving. I use this almond oil shower wash with a shower scarf - the one in the photo is from hanni (part of a bundle through their site) but I usually use the Salux ones. I'm not as flexible as I once was and these shower scarves help me get to that mid-upper back area that is a challenge to reach even if I streeeeetch my arms and fingers. 😅 This trio is making for a great body care habit stack this fall / winter - exfoliation and hydration -Habit Stacking Thread 📚 . 

Hanni Splash Salve In-Shower Body Moisture Treatment 8.8 oz / 250 mL - quicky, easy and moisturizing. I've been making my way through the Hanni products for the last couple of years and this and the Hanni Water Balm Instant Hydration Body Moisturizer Mist 6.76 oz / 200 mL have been repeated repurchases and gifts.

Some new additions to my facial skincare routine for winter that I've really been enjoying include: 

Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover was something I started out using as a morning cleanser and has been one that has been working its way into my evening routine once or twice per week as both my first and second cleanser. With that second cleanse, I've been doing facial massage with it once a week. I talked in more detail about that on It's Tool Time - The BIC Beauty Edition with the tool for that face massage being the budget friendly tool of my knuckles! 

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream 1.7 oz / 50 mL (not pictured) has been a go-to pretty much all year this year and it will still play a prominent role in my routine this month when my skin will start / is starting to lean a lot more dry. When that dryness is more noticeable, I'll apply a later of Rhode Barrier Butter Intensive Moisture Balm as the last step in my skincare routine.

I'm trying to narrow down my scents of the season (and also seeing if a new one comes up with one of the advent calendars I picked up -Advent Calendars 2024 - Let the Unboxings Begin!! 

[PDXXXX]

Ooh, yes @itsfi; I have been in love with the L'Occitane Almond line for years!! That shower oil is amazing!

[Titian06]

@danielledanielle - As you already know, my fave skincare is First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration – Face and Body Moisturizer for Skin Repair and my fave fragrance for this time of year is Ellis Brooklyn APRÈS Eau de Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray .

I'm Lady Nail Lacquer 💅 and Keeper of the Kitties. 🧶