Hi! Thank you for such a great topic!
hmm....
i've used Mach3 before.. but i'm such a klutz that i cut myself every bloody where
.. thus, i ADORE Venus!!
things to avoid:
* Neutrogena - anything - i'm sure it's a great brand, but for me, nothing's worked.. or, i've broken out, and i don't break out easily
* If you've got dark skin, i'd watch out for anything with Retinol. This stuff made me get dark patches on my skin... even if i wore sunscreen. Ditto for: Hydroquinone.
* Nivea Creme - in a huge tub... sticky sticky and white like Zinc ointment or something.. yet.. didn't even moisturize
* Revlon mascaras - for some reason make my eyelashes brittle, or just go wrong. i LOVE Lancome (Definicils or Flextencils), and in a financial pinch i'll use L'oreal's Lash Out. i've been wanting to try Maybelline's Great Lash.. any hints out there?
* Revlon Skinlights: combo/lipgloss/foundation - ugh! the combo is rather chalky, ditto for the foundation and the lipgloss is gloppy not-in-a-nice-way. i've just tried Rimmel's vinyl lip gloss, and although it is sticky, it's lovely.
* Revlon lipsticks - haven't tried them in a couple of years.. but they smell and taste yucky
* i'm not totally dissing Revlon.. i like their powder cream foundation... good stuff!
* those silly shower poufs.. how do you scrub anything? i like the harsher cloths eg. from the Body Shop. Ditto in the negative re: those hand-shaped scrub cloths - if you wear them on your right hand.. how do you get to scrub your right pit hmm?
* Body Shop makeup.. just... wrong!
* MAC foundation/lipstick: totally allergic to them. Maybe b/c they have sunscreen.
i'm adding this.. stuff to rave about:
*okay.. you know i'm gonna say it: Venus baby - Venus!! my hubs even likes it more than Mach 3 - and he uses Venus on his face!!
* Dove Body Wash - Unscented - it's great for EVERY part of your body (ahem) and fantastic for shaving!! it moisturizes more than the 'dry skin' version. Hubs likes this too for shaving his face.
* someone didn't like this, but i LOVE Olay's foundation stick.. b/c i have really really dry skin, and i'm dark skinned.. and this is the only foundation that goes perfectly with my skin.
* eye-make-up remover: L'Occitane Blueberry Flower Water (WITH Sorbitol.. the one without Sorbitol won't take it off).
* if you've got super duper dry skin, that's sensitive.. try 100% pure Shea Butter.. you just need a teeny piece.. about the size of your fingernail... emulsify it thoroughly between your palms and rub it into your facial skin.. wonderful wonderful stuff.. super healthy and natural sunscreen too. if you apply too much though, you'll be all greasy.
* *** Paste, Paul Mitchelll Dry Wax - these are great products if you've got short hair and you want chunky funky stylin.
* for awfully dry skin on the body, i've used 100% Glycerin (vegetable deritive is and works better) but you can get the regular stuff from the First Aid aisle of your drug store. Just use about 1tsp and rub it all over your legs to start. It'll feel rather sticky/greasy at first, but then it seeps right into your skin, and keeps it moisturized all day. It'll also suck the moisture out of the air into your skin. Not recommend for summer.
tirrah!