Well, besieging is maybe a tad overdramatic…
Naw, it’s fine. 🙂
Let’s see… Other than finding new ways to stuff even more lipsticks and glosses into my bag (#truth), the beauty issues currently besieging my mind are…
Finding skin care products that actually work on my fine lines and wrinkles
First, I’m totally cool with looking my age. I’ve been through a lot in my 39 years, and I like I’m OK that it shows on my face.
But I wouldn’t say no to a new kick-@ss anti-aging eye cream!
I’ve been using a non-acidic daily peel, Pericone MD’s Blue Plasma Orbital, at night for the past few months, and it does a good job on the tiny bumps on the skin around my eyes, but my fine lines are still just as fine as can be!
The stuff also dries out quickly in the jar once it’s opened, and it’s not cheap ($65 for 0.5 ounces).
Brows, brows, brows!
Ha! Sounds like a chant from a Dr. Seuss book.
Even though I’m satisfied with the current state of my brows (they’ve taken FOREVER to grow out) and have fully accepted that the bald spot in my left brow, aka Raul, will never leave me, I feel like I’m always looking for the next best way to get them looking full, yet natural.
It’s a never-ending story, but a great pair of brows sets the stage for your makeup.
Covering up dark circles, aka finding the ultimate under-eye concealer
I want one that does it all! — the One True Concealer. One that brightens, covers completely, lasts all day long, looks and feels lightweight and doesn’t crease or settle into my fine lines.
I’ve been using MAC Pro Longwear Concealer for years, and it gets the job done, but there’s always room for something better, ya know?
Witchy woman
Probably TMI, but I have these really annoying stiff hairs on my chin, and there’s like a whole gang of them, too. Not just one.
I would love to find a way to vanquish them permanently, because I am hella tired of plucking them.
How about you? What are your most important and/or urgent beauty issues? In other words, what beauty issues are currently besieging your mind?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m okay with aging gracefully. But I’m struggling to find skin care products that don’t also clog my cystic acne prone pores. I’m also having a tough time avoiding the foods that contribute to the acne. (Chocolate and coffee addiction, anyone?)
The other issue that’s been weighing on my mind is a little out of the box, but still beauty related. I’d like to do makeup artistry outside of blogging. My kids are 5 and 3 now. They also drive me absolutely insane now that Little V is on summer break. Mr. M and I have talked about whether or not I should go back to work outside of the house, but I’d hate to give up the ability to have so much flexibility and time with my kids (there are good days!). Doing makeup artistry freelance would be a great way to earn extra cash, do something with other grown ups, and retain my sanity 🙂
Hi Alison,
Happy Tuesday! I, too, have had trubs with acne, especially on my chin and around my mouth, and the only thing that helped me was Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing lotion. I tried everything — prescription stuff, meds, and this was the only thing that worked. I actually keep a backup in case I run low.
Also, that’s great that you’re thinking about doing freelance work! The thought has crossed my mind once or twice, too. Are you thinking of doing weddings?
I’ll look into the Kate Som stuff, thanks! I’d be open to any sort of MUA work, but living in Florida means I’d most likely do a lot of weddings!
Try using oils high in linoleic acid like grapeseed, evening primrose, some sunflower seed oil (check the back of the bottle, you’re looking for around 70% poly unsaturated fats) – there is some research that suggests that acne prone skin is deficient in linoleic acid, which makes up half of our sebum. The high levels of oleic acid (mono unsaturated fat, found in oils and butters) make the sebum sticky and therefore cause cystic acne.
I hear you, Karen! I find the best thing for my crazy dark circles is layering: A good concealer underneath, and a subtle, peachy highlighter (my favourite for this is Chanel Éclat Lumiere) on top.
I also struggle with the witchy hairs. 🙁 I started doing electrolysis awhile ago to solve the problem. It works. 🙂
Hi, Karen!
I guess the biggest thing for me is finding an easy, fast way to have smoother, less frizzy curls. Less flyaways. I want those huge romantic curls you see on movie stars on the red carpet. Most anti-frizz stuff helps a little bit, but not anywhere near as much as they advertise them to!
I have been going crazy the past few weeks trying to find a new eye cream. Ok, maybe going crazy is an exaggeration but I’ve been reading tons of reviews and am forced to conclude that none of them actually do what they say they will. Or some of them work for some people, but not for others. I think I’ll have to settle for settle for something that moisturizers the area without making me break out, but how much should I pay for something like that? Or maybe I’m just overthinking the whole thing.:)
Well, since last year, I’ve been doing the Face Yoga method. It kinda fix my sagging eyelids but I need to do it everyday. My beauty struggle i just experienced, which was terrifying (lol) was my cystic acne on my jawline. I already solved what was causing it. Now, they’re healing and i need to deal with the scars.
HI Karen, love your blog! I just turned 62, so I can address facial hair and lines: The best way to permanently get rid of hair is electrolysis. It’s not very painful (and I have a LOW threshold…)and relatively cheap. Retin-A is the only cream that actually works on lines. It’s prescription of course, but any doc or dermatologist can write you one. I have pretty sensitive skin, so I mix mine 50-50 with my night moisturizer. You have to stick with it for awhile to see results, but you’ll get them: fine lines, bumps, uneven skin tone, acne – Retin-A will get rid of all.
Hi Kris,
Thank you for the tips! I never thought to mix retin-a with moisturizer…that is a great idea! 🙂
This is a good idea with a facial oil… but PLEEASEE do not do this if there are any water based ingredients in your moisturizer!!! water and retin-A do NOT mix!!!
My current beauty issue is age/skin/hair related. Since I turned maybe 31/32 (I’m almost 34 now) I CANNOT for the life of me find balance. Products I used and loved for years stopped working for me. My hair and skin tend are dryer than they used to be – thus I’ve tried a number of products for both. The struggle with my hair is that once I use something moisturizing it goes flat and limp since it’s fine. Once I get the dry areas on my face moisturized I end up with tiny pimples in other areas…so yeah. I’ve found a system that is working to an extent, but there’s definitely room for improvement. I’m very grateful that I have very few very fine lines at this point…the one positive to working all the time and being inside an office building I guess. 🙂 Pale skin and less wrinkles.
Like you brow brows
may hair it tends to be frizzy sometimes no matter what
Keeping my skin clean, I doing all I can, beauty tea, detox tea, drink plenty of water, cleaning, face mask and vitamins, and no sugar wich is hard cause sometimes I need that chocolate
And my teeth, thinking on braces for one teeth it looks a bit crooked.
by I have 1 hair in the chain I have been plucking for years, I always try to get the root too. It just one but I hate it.
My current beauty issues:
1) My BANGS. I’m constantly in the “do I grow them out? do I keep them blunt?” back-and-forth, plus I have a very strong and powerful cowlick in my hairline that likes to part and make them look horrible. I’ve been parting them in the favor of the cowlick because I’m sick of battling with my hair every single day, but I am afraid I look horrid because I have a large forehead.
2) Finding a good, cruelty-free and vegan undereye concealer! NYX HD concealer was my go-to, but they just got bought out by L’Oreal, so they are no longer cruelty-free.
Jennifer- have you tried Tarte’s maracuja creaseless concealer? Its pretty decent at covering dark circles, is vegan, and I’m pretty sure it’s cruelty free too. I hope this helps!
My biggest beauty issue at the moment is making sure that my skin stays clear. I’ve finally hit the right combo of products, diet, exercise etc that my skin likes, and I just hope it stays this way!
First of all Karen, I can’t believe you’re 39! You look amazing! Lucky Asians/pacific islanders! I’m 31 now, and I feel like in my 20s I could go without makeup and not give a crap. Not anymore! What I’m really concerned about are the bags under my eyes, I look so tired no matter how much sleep I got. Might try a new concealer, I read Makeup Forever had a good full coverage one.
Hi Karen,
After 40 years of fighting wrinkles (yes, let’s just call them what they are!) Kris is right – all you have to do is go to the derm and pick up some Trentinoin (the generic name for Retin-A). As your skin adjusts or you want a bit more, you can increase the concentration. And, as a bonus, it’s usually cheaper than the high end skin care lines, especially if they try to sell you the entire line.
My problem is that I’m losing my hair. I’ve been to derms and other types of docs and there is no answer. I use volumizing hair care products, but they are not much help in covering the balding spots.
I’ve tried some of the colored powder as a cosmetic fix, and they are okay in a pinch, but I would love to have my own healthy, full head of hair back.
Thank you, Sadra! I will have to get a tube!
Oily skin! I am a oil pit by 5 PM, or earlier. Most oily skin cleansers are over-drying, so I get dry flaky patches that are slicked in oil by the end of the day. Not pretty. Can’t I just turn the oil off, or down? I’m thinking of giving Retin-A another try. Any suggestions?
Hi Martha,
Have you tried using a oil-controlling primer? That might help.
Oh I could name ten things from the top of my head! Bad, I know :-S Let’s stick to a top 5 though:
1. My large pores, blemishes and the smoothness (or lack thereof) of my skin
2. Fine lines that are starting to form under my eyes and around my mouth
3. My hyperpigmentation returning for summer
4. My flat limp hair that won’t hold volume, curl or anything
5. My eyeshadow all of a sudden creasing, with a primer that used to work wonders for me
Lately my obsession is finding a foundation that has olive undertones, not just that a brand thinks “olive” means I’m tan. So many medium toned foundations oxidize peach or pink on me in a few hours! I need more green in there!
Karen,have you seen or tried this product?
http://www.lancome.ca/le-correcteur-pro/correcteurpro,default,pd.html?dwvar_correcteurpro_color=100%20Ivoire&start=1&cgid=makeup-concealers
Is it worth getting? I have dark circles and suffer from ‘coon eyes (look more like Ozzy Osbourne) from my eye liner drifting south.
Hi May,
I haven’t tried it, but I’ve used similar kits and don’t really stick to them because I usually don’t finish the products at the same time. What are you currently using?
Karen, I’m also a big fan of MAC Pro Longwear concealer, but it’s a little dry for the undereye area and it clogs my pores. It Cosmetics’ Bye Bye Under Eye concealer certainly covers up the circles, but it’s greasy and smeary and it gives me painful little pimples. I finally bit the bullet and bought the Cle de Peau Beaute concealer stick and so far I’m really impressed. It covers circles AND blemishes easily, lasts pretty well, and so far no new breakouts. It’s very easy to use – I apply directly from the stick and blend with a Beauty Blender or a fluffy concealer brush – if I try to blend with a finger it thins out too much. There are only four colors and they’re pretty pale but if you can find a good color match I think it would be worth a shot.
Hi Rebecca,
Ooh! Thank you for the rec. I’ve seen it in store and have often wondered about it. How does it handle fine lines?
It doesn’t make them disappear, but it doesn’t emphasize them either. I do apply it over an eye cream to keep things smooth since it has a slightly tacky consistency.
Two things:
Finding the right shade of soft pink. I have a ton of yellow in my skin so stuff either turns orange or is too blue and contrasts too starkly.
Finding a great deep, DARK red. Blackened red. Impossible to find. I tried mac’s dark side, but it looks so purple on me. Next stop: UD shame and milani black cherry.
I would love a good under eye concealer, but I have dry skin there with fine lines. So I can’t use a cream or a liquid. I tried mac’s pro long wear and it went all wrinkly on me.
Also, mastering the perfect cat eyeliner. I can’t do it for some reason. Maybe my tools are wrong? Maybe I just need practice?
Those are my beauty bothers of the moment.
Lol oops! Four things!
I have two problems lol. I need a mattifying primer for my ever so shiny forehead. Then I need to stop buying makeup! I’ve been hauling too much lately lol. I’m overdue for a no buy!
Girl don’t make me start:
-Acne: right now I’m having a massive invasion of pimples and I think it’s all the fault of a new powder the first week was OK but at the second I started to breakout like crazy. I’m using the same products but I think I’ll have to wait a week to see results *sigh* Also I have stopped drinking milk but cheese it’s hard to leave.
-Dark spots and scars: every pimple even if I don’t touch it has the probability to end up as a dark spot or scars. I’m going to try some brightening products but I want to wait for autumn.
-Sunscreen: I have really oily T-zone and almost every sunscreen make it greasier, the only one that really control oil, end up dehydrating my skin since the quantity of alcohol.
-Powder/Foundation: as I said before my new powder made me breakout and now I think that I’m only going to use mineral foundations since I’m afraid of pimples.
Sorry to hear about your acne troubles, Efrain! I feel your pain. 🙁
I would say pores, brows and chin hair. I, like you Karen, am tired as all get out of plucking!!
I’m totally over it! 🙁 What tweezers do you use? I use the Tweezerman Slant Tweezers, they are the best!
I tried the Nair Brazilian Spa Clay for Sensitive Skin Hair Remover, and it is AMAZING if you don’t go the electrolysis route. It has kept those 5 pesky chin wires at bay for several weeks and only takes about 10 minutes to do. It is cheap and easy for removing unwanted facial hair :-)Give it a go. I highly recommend it!
I’m on the hunt for the perfect undereye concealer as well. Most products I’ve tried have been far too dry and just end up emphasizing my fine lines. Maybe I’m just too difficult to please! (I haven’t given MAC Pro Longwear a try though, so thank you for the suggestion.)
Hyperpigmentation is another concern – sunscreen helps, I just wish I could find a product to fade fresh dark spots more quickly.
You’re welcome. Give it a go and let me know how it goes. It’s kind of tricky at first (easy to overdo), but once you get it down it’s good stuff!
This is a fun question! My most pressing beauty issues would have to be a) coordinating the color of my fake tan to my foundation (sometimes in the bathroom it looks like a good match, and then I go out in natural light and think, “way too light!!”), b) acne, acne, acne. on my chin, and scars on my cheeks. it’s prevention and treatment that are both screwing me in my early 20s, and c) my nails/cuticles. i don’t usually focus on manicures(especially when it comes to your blog- the face/hair stuff is more fun for me!), but my nail zone is really an abomination and one of my premiere beauty issues.
Probably a foundation that would suit me ( I use Chanel CC cream and no foundation at all ), THE perfect lippie formula that will never migrate out of my lips ( the current Nars ones work well for me but they have been reformulated ), skincare that would brighten my skin and THE perfect cream for my cuticles.
Karen I’m 50 and I have many concerns that were posted. I recently when on a major corrector/concealer hunt and tried EVERYTHING (samples). I thought Bobbi Brown’s corrector might be the HG I was looking for but it wasn’t. So I’m sticking with MAC’s Pro Longwear – haven’t found anything any better.
I’ve also been on the hunt for a replacement to Studio Fix but alas I think I’ll be sticking with that too. I think however I need an oil control product and will try MAC’s Oil Control.
And I’m going through the same issues with my bangs as Jennifer. Sigh. Cowlick girls unite!! LOL!!
Hi Michelle!
In the comments below Amy mentions Laura Mercier’s Secret Concealer. I was thinking about picking it up because I’ve heard great things about it. Have you tried it?
As for oil control…I’m a sucker for MAC Blot Powder!
Karen I’m 50 and I have many concerns that were posted. I recently went on a major corrector/concealer hunt and tried EVERYTHING (samples). I thought Bobbi Brown’s corrector might be the HG I was looking for but it wasn’t. So I’m sticking with MAC’s Pro Longwear – haven’t found anything any better.
I’ve also been on the hunt for a replacement to Studio Fix but alas I think I’ll be sticking with that too. I think however I need an oil control product and will try MAC’s Oil Control.
And I’m going through the same issues with my bangs as Jennifer. Sigh. Cowlick girls unite!! LOL!!
Karen,
You look amazing, I don’t see any fine lines or wrinkles!
Let’s see, I’m like many other posters – I’m looking for The Eye Cream. I have always had ridiculously dry skin, as I get older it gets even drier. I find that really rich products can be a bit much though and instead of my skin glowing I look oily. I can’t find the right balance.
My upper lip hair is blonde but also as I’m aging it’s getting thicker and I swear it grows back in a week.
And I have dark circles under my eyes that won’t go away. Concealer settles into my dry, wrinkled skin making them look even worse.
My rosacea has also gotten worse with age and I find that if I get a foundation with enough coverage to cover it up, I look overly made up. So I have to live with a little of it showing through, which I suppose isn’t horrible. I just wish I could have that even color I had when I was younger.
I love that I can come on here and commiserate, my husband rolls his eyes and my friend isn’t really into makeup.
Hi Stephanie,
Oh, they are there! It’s the makeup doing its work. 🙂
And ya know, I’m so glad that I have you (and the rest of the gals here on MBB) to lean on! El Hub is tired of me ranting about concealer and my two best girlfriends are not really into makeup either. Thank goodness for the internet and common interests!
I have a question for you about rosacea. My mom-in-law has it and has been looking for skin care and base makeup. I don’t have it and was wondering if you have anything to recommend that I could pass along to her?
Christine who blogs on 15minutebeauty.com has rosacea and often discusses managing and treating it. She’s my (second) favorite makeup blogger and you should check her out!
My 2 beauty problems right now are:
1) Oily skin – same problem every summer
2) How to keep my blush from oxidizing and looking patchy because my face gets so oily
I have 3 things on my mind:
1) The annoying acne on my chin that came from no where and I’m trying to find a way to get rid of them
2) My brows – I can’t wait to get them shaped and waxed because they are going crazy
3) Eyeliner that won’t smear everywhere. I got a new under eye concealer and I’m still trying to figure out if I like it…
Hi Leah,
I feel your pain with chin acne! I went through a bad spell myself. You might find this helpful: 3 Things That Helped My Hormonal Chin Acne.
Hi Karen!
Thanks for the recommendations! I’m going to give them a try. It’s so annoying to have chin acne!
My current beauty concerns are my dark undereye circles (lack of sleep) and how to keep my makeup looking fresh with the weather turning warmer.
I would love to fix scars: acne, and injury scars. They go away over time with Vitamin C (when I remember to use my cream, which is about once a week), but it takes a long time. I think my biggest one, though, is that I wish I had more energy to get in good, solid workouts (instead of just doing what is the quickest, usually HIIT or tabata type workouts), and more energy to wear some makeup on a daily basis. I don’t do very well without 8 to 10 hours of solid sleep (and I can’t function without sleep all the time anymore), so some things end up being sacrificed in the morning so I can sleep in, like makeup and a longer workout.
Being South Asian my biggest beauty concern has always been facial/body hair. Now I’ve had laser hair removal to “control” the situation but it’s not permanent and its very costly. I have a good routine down using waxing, shaving and my handy epilator however sometimes I’m just too lazy to keep up with it all. To top it all off, I get ingrown hairs that get infected so easily. I think my only solution is to continue getting laser and I may try electrolysis (because it is permanent after enough treatments). I would gladly give up makeup for permanent/low maintenance fuzz free skin ANY day.
This is not a current issue but an all through life issue, I have very large pores (thanks dad) yet dry dehydrated skin (thanks mom)! Products that target pores usually are combined with an anti-oily agent which just makes it worse for me.. wish I knew what sort of skin regime to use!
I have this severe – and not warranted as I’m fairly certain that I’m being neurotic – fear that if I keep wearing my hair in a bun/ponytail that my hairline instantaneously will recede to that of a 75 year old man. Is that weird? Yes? I thought so.
For everyone looking for an excellent under-eye concealer: Laura Mercier’s Secret Concealer is the perfect combo of coverage, brightness, and no settling in fine lines. I couldn’t use touche éclat bc of the fine line issue and light coverage, tried several that were too fluid, and found MAC a little cakey. The LM one is a total find! They have 7 shades from super light to very dark, a good range.
Hi Amy,
I actually contemplated this while I was at the counter last weekend. Do you have to prep it with anything? And how about setting? Do you need to use powder? I’m at the point where if I set stuff with powder underneath my eyes it starts to look a little funky.
Oily skin is my major issue. I live in Brazil, and it’s hot almost everyday of the year, so, I got natural glow easily through the day.
Second problem is my wrinkles and fine lines on my forehead. I’m 29 years old but it’s already there, I can see them..
Third is a perfect concealer for my under eyes..I don’t have dark circles, but I have some sunspots that Prolongwear concealer can’t handle.
Sorry for my bad english. Love your blog!
Your English is great, Ludmila! Good job. 🙂
As for you under eye concealer may l suggest IT cosmetics eyelift in a tube. I am lndian and have horrible racoon eyes and it works like a charm. It is double ended,one side concealer the other a highlighter. It helps brighten my eyes and lasts all day in the Chicago humidity without creasing.
This might sound silly, but I’m always thinking about what companies are cruelty free. From there, it’s just a big shopping list in my head, LOL! I’m currently on the hunt for a good CF whitening toothpaste. Oh, and I am in DESPERATE need of a good eyebrow waxing!
Cruelty free is my first priority too!
This list is long!
1. Skin Texture! I have a lot of scars and large pores. I need to get some heavy hitters in my kit to tackle this or maybe even a chemical peel. Not a little one either. Maybe IPL!
2. Broken Capillaries!
3. Cherry angiomas everywhere!
4. The beginning of the finest of fine lines. That or dehydration. I’m 35 so it’s hard to say.
5. Tear Troughs. I think a filler might help but that’s a lot of money and pain.
6. My need to lose a few dress sizes. I don’t need to be skinny just fitter and a bit thinner.
7. AND THE WORST: Hair Loss! Auto Immune issues are the freaking worst!
Like a lot of others I can’t find an under eye concealer that doesn’t turn into the Sahara desert as soon as I apply it. No matter how creamy or full of moisturising ingredients they are they just look awful. I’m 46 so I guess it’s par for the course but so frustrating!
Do you still use and love the MAC Fast Response eye cream?
What’s been plaguing my mind the most lately is hormonal acne attacks and anti aging around my eye area. I need to find a solution to my adult ace quick and a great eye cream for the fine lines!
Karen, you should try Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer. It´s the best i’ve tried. I used to love mac pro longwear, but in dries my undereye like crazy!!