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]

Sale on my mind: 

What are you looking forward to this sale? 

I'm loving some of these recent fragrance releases, and it's a part of the challenge, so BORNTOSTANDOUT Drunk Lovers Eau de Parfum Travel Spray with Amber 0.25 oz/7.5 ml eau de parfum spray and World of Chris Collins Sunset In Tamarindo Eau de Parfum Travel Spray with Mango and Sandalwood .34 ... , 🧐👀

ORRRRR

Are you over the sale, and care to share what you can easily pass on? (Your girl can use some willpower 😂)

Fill it in, based on a comment I just read in the haul thread.

The one word I would use to describe my haul is ________

I would describe my hauls as chaotic.  I do ask myself on occasion..."what, what are we doing here?". They are less impulsive than previous years, but there's still an element of 🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️

[PDXXXX]

I just put in my sale order. In a word? Restocked. 

I've been doing the Re: 2024 - Twelve Months of Beauty Inventory and decluttering a lot and realizing I just do not need my 50th shade of peach blush right now (I guess my usual haul word would be "peachy" lol...all the things in apricot/peach or coral). I considered a travel sized fragrance but it only came in a $50 mini and I have too many near duplicate scents so scratched that as I'm sure I can get a smaller spray sample if I just *have to* smell it.

What I do want is to invest in products to keep my bleached hair and sensitive, dry skin healthy so I don't feel like I need to buy so many products to repair or cover them so I suppose a second phrase (if not word) is, "First, base" (terrible baseball pun I know, I know). This was also one of my New Year purchasing goals which I failed last month and want to get back on track with so...fingers crossed.

So, more of the same shampoo, conditioner and scalp serum: Act+Acre Stem Cell Shampoo For Thicker+ Fuller-Looking Hair 10 oz + Act+Acre Stem Cell Conditioner For Thicker+ Fuller-Looking Hair 10 oz + Act+Acre 2% Stem Cell H-2 Grow Complex ™ Scalp Serum For Thicker-Looking Hair 2.2 oz/65 mL - 2 Month... + Kérastase Blond Absolu Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo 8.5 oz/ 250 mL.

Plus one new one I hope I love on my ongoing "balance out the tretinoin irritation" battle: AESTURA A-CICA365 Soothing Redness Relief Face Serum pH4.5 with Centella Asiatica + Hyaluronic 1.35 ... 

[WinglessOne]

@danielledanielle  If I partake, it’ll only be for things I can’t get (for $0 OOP or with a better discount than 20%) from other retailers, and things I won’t use a rouge reward to get. This narrows the field a lot for me. It’s a good time to get some Sephora Collection at 30% off… might try SEPHORA COLLECTION 12HR Colorful Waterproof Retractable Eyeliner 25 Matte Lime, and I wanna swatch SEPHORA COLLECTION Best Skin Ever Ultra Slim Precision Concealer in person to compare it to Lisa Eldridge’s.

Ice breaker question: The one word I would use to describe my hauls is curious. Because the urge to test and compare things is my usual driver, for better or worse. 😅 And then there’s the other definition of “curious” that also applies, depending on different people’s perspective. 🙃

[danielledanielle]

I like that @WinglessOne , you're a curious curator.

Also, love to hear thoughts on SEPHORA COLLECTION Best Skin Ever Ultra Slim Precision Concealer , I dunno if you've skimmed the reviews...  I wonder if there's a learning curve to it, and that's why the expectations/reviews are off 🤔

[WinglessOne]

@danielledanielle  I was gonna say “some of the reviewers might’ve tried using the micro concealer like a regular concealer, on too large an area of the face.” But now I see Sephora does imply (in the “How to Use” section) it can be a cheek contour or nose bridge highlighter, and can mask dark circles. 🤔 That seems like a lot to ask of a micro concealer. They’re usually more for concealing red/dark marks, lip contouring, and other small-area tasks, and sometimes they work best when blended with a finger vs. a brush. I need to play with a tester to see if this one’s as drying/cakey as some reviewers say.

[greeneyedgirl107]

@danielledanielle I was surprised TeamBIC didn't have a post planning for the sale like they usually do.

I might pick up SEPHORA COLLECTION 12 Hour Colorful Contour Pencil Eyeliner in a green shade. 

Wanting to replenish The INKEY List 15% Vitamin C & EGF Brightening Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL 

Maybe LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm – Lightweight Hydration Lip Treatment with Shea Butter 

Will probably hold off on Kerastase hair mask.

I'll have to check my loves list for other ideas.

[danielledanielle]

Same @greeneyedgirl107 , @TeamBIC WYA 🫶🏽

Green sounds fabulous 😍 

[SportyGirly125]

@greeneyedgirl107 I decided to make one just in case Sephora Savings Event 2026 What’s in Your Basket? 

[TeamBIC]

@SportyGirly125 Love it! Thanks for kicking off the haul parade!

[SportyGirly125]

@TeamBIC Welcome 

[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 

[miss8]

@danielledanielle , #OMG 😋 I Would LUV A #WeirdScienceThemeAdventCalendar 😉 Like, Tiny #DIYScienceProjects That Make A Usable Item (Like Gloss Or Something) ⚗️✨💄 I'm Sure I'm Missing Several Logistics Aspects Here 😂

#DIYMagic

[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 Skin Tint with Mineral Zinc SPF 30

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.