Fall Cozy Challenge: Tag a holy-grail self-care product that you're thankful for!

[TeamBIC]

Autumn is approaching! We’re getting cozy in the Beauty Insider Community, and what better way to channel the spirit of the season than with a beauty challenge? For the next few months, we’re calling on you to respond to weekly beauty-related prompts inspired by ✨fall✨. We’re doubling down on self-care and autumnal glam right in time for colder weather and spooky season, and we hope you’ll join us for the fun!

Check out our weekly prompts below:

• Week 1 (9/1 - 9/7): Tag your fave fall lip product (plus any selfies or swatches!) 💋
• Week 2 (9/8 - 9/14): Share a fragrance that gives you cozy vibes 🍂
• Week 3 (9/15 -9/21): Shout-out your go-to self-care masks 🧖🏼
• Week 4 (9/22 - 9/28): List your bath & body routine for colder months 🛁
• Week 5 (9/29 - 10/5): Post a photo of a fall-inspired eye look 👀
• Week 6 (10/6 – 10/12): Tag your current hair care routine 💇🏾
• Week 7 (10/13 – 10/19): Name a seasonal home scent you’ve been loving 🕯️
• Week 8 (10/20 – 10/26): Show us your amazing autumn-inspired nail designs 💅
• Week 9 (10/27 – 11/2): Happy Halloween! Name a beauty product or trend you were scared to try but ended up loving 🎃
• Week 10: (11/3 – 11/9): Tag your skincare routine of the season 💆
• Week 11 (11/10 – 11/16): Name a hair tool you would use to get glam during the holidays 🔥
• Week 12 (11/17 – 11/23): Tag a holy-grail self-care product that you’re thankful for 🦃

Hit the "Reply" button below and use the "#" symbol to tag a standout product in your self-care routine. The Beauty Insider Community can't wait to hear your recommendation!

[Yeahsureok]

Ack, I'm still scared of home microneedling!! I'm totally up for having a professional do it... but I'm not sure that I'm ready to be doing that to myself haha. That being said, it's always nice to hear NON-horror stories regarding microneedling. Fear aside, I just know that I'm only a few weeks away from starting to do it myself!

[itsfi]

@Yeahsureok, you’ve had it done professionally? Wow. You’re brave. I’m more scared of that. With the at home route, I thought I could control the intensity. Scaredy-cat over here does not put a lot of pressure at all 😂 and I go slowly so as to not cause any pain. Hahaha! 

If you end up doing it yourself, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. 

[Ispend2much6]

Highlighters scared me; I didn't understand their purpose.  Now I want to buy them all.

[itsfi]

"Now I want to buy them all."  😂😂😂 @Ispend2much6. So many pretty highlighters for you to choose from too this holiday season! 🛍

[Ispend2much6]

@itsfi   Bobbi Brown direct is having a spinning game, and my offer is for a free Golden Hour Illuminating Highlighter with purchase.  I'll have to see if I already have it. lol

[QueenV0326]

I was super scared to try the Super Goop Unseen SunScreen SPF+40 because I get apprehensive about trying new primers because of the way they may sit under foundation. This product is amazing!!! It wears well underneath every foundation I've tried with it and I love the idea of simplifying my skincare/beauty routine. 

[itsfi]

@QueenV0326, the formula on the Unseen sunscreen is absolutely beautiful!

[faeriegirl]

I was scared to try sheet masks, but now I love them❤️

[itsfi]

@faeriegirl, I never knew this! I'm so glad that you gave sheet masks a shot and happy that they are now loves! 😍

[pocketvenus]

Retinol terrified me for a long time. I love it now! Thread about how I got over it https://community.sephora.com/t5/Skincare-Aware/retinol-routine/m-p/5760697

So far I've been using The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, Signs of Aging Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL and Sunday Riley Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil 35 mL but the original retinol formula

[Ispend2much6]

@pocketvenus   How often do you recommend using a retinol product, and how can a person tell when enough is enough?  I'm starting to use Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum  but I'm not certain how to combine that, individually or together, with their vitamin c serum and lactic acid overnight treatment.  Thanks!

[pocketvenus]

@Ispend2much6 If you are new to retinol, definitely start SLOW and at a low concentration. My skin tends to tolerate new products and actives really well so I started with 0.5% and twice a week otherwise, I would've done 0.25%. I still only use it twice a week and see that it's kept my skin taut and plumped up, particularly in the cheekbone area.

It's best to be patient and not expect instant results. I read accounts of women who didn't feel much so started increasing the "dose" and their skin ended up burning. I'm not a doctor but I'd give it around 3-4 weeks and if I'm really not seeing anything, you can increase the frequency.

The conventional wisdom is Vitamin C for day and retinol for night. I would recommend not combining retinol with lactic acid or any acid with retinol until your skin has developed a tolerance for retinol. It can be stingy at first!

[Ispend2much6]

@pocketvenusOoohh, thank you for the great advice!  I was definitely doing too much at one time!!

[pocketvenus]

@Ispend2much6 slow and steady wins the race! 🙂 Hope it works out well for you ❤️

[itsfi]

@pocketvenus, that's wonderful that you have retinols that your skin loves! 😍 They work so well for folks; I envy folks whose skin can tolerate retinols. Thankfully for my skin, there's bakuchiol, but the results from retinol products look fantastic.

[Yeahsureok]

Scared to try? As a relatively low-key guy, makeup in general! But I finally reached by breaking point in living with blemishes and redness and got color-matched to some NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Wasn't long before I also started incorporating Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer and Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Translucent into my daily "no makeup" routine. And now I'm addicted to trying more things out!

[itsfi]

@Yeahsureok, those are fabulous beauties for a 'no makeup' routine! 😍

[PrettyPaint]

Beauty product initially scared to try but ended up loving:

Actually, sheet masks. Before trying them, I was afraid I would feel suffocated and they would break me out or irritate my skin. Thanks to the masking forum, I now find them to be a relaxing treat and have definitely noticed skin benefits. And I haven't felt suffocated (except for the sheet mask with no mouth hole). 

[itsfi]

@PrettyPaint, those no-mouth-hole sheet masks!!! Ack! I'm convinced that if my first experience with sheet masks was one of those no mouth hole ones, I would have stopped sheet masking right then and there. Just thinking about them is making me grimace.

[lmaster]

Winged liner scared me! @TeamBIC I'm more comfortable now 😆

[itsfi]

@lmaster, I live vicariously through you BIC beauties and your gorgeous winged eyeliner looks. @CarolBT and @heavyhedon, I join you in the scaredy-cat camp when it comes to winged eyeliner. 😆