Perfect foundation/face powder

[BeBopBaby]

t-zones, these can be very troublesome, especially as the weather gets warmer. mattifiers work great. Also, I use mary kay brand for this, but there are plenty of products out there that work just as well.

I've used Clinique's mattifier in the past and it works well. But I just bought Benefit's some kind of gorgeous foundation faker and I love it!

http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/gp/...6580-3488166?ie=UTF8&n=164983011&bcBrand=core

The compact looks like a record and come in a box that looks like a record player. I love Benefit's packaging! It really mattifies the skin and makes you skin look fabulous. However, it won't cover things up like a foundation will and isn't as heavy. I hate wearing foundation so I just use a little concealer on my trouble areas and finish with the Some Kind of Gorgeous. It really makes my complexion look nice.

One word of warning, it looks dark in the compact. I am very fair and I was worried that it wouldn't match my skin tone. But it does go on translucent and blends right in.

 

[CherryRed]

I have occasional problems with flaking also. My morning cleanser is Olay extra moisurizing cream cleaner for normal to dry skin, followed by Olay lotion for a moistuizer. At night I use Ponds Cold Cream and Olay regenerist night cream. When I get the flaking(it's only visible when I put my make up on) I use Olay's microdermabrasion and peel set. I used to use Mary Kay's microdermabrasion set but Olay is half the price and just as good. It is the only thing they gets the flakes off for me.

 

[mysterygal]

Another product I've been using lately, that I absolutely love is L'oreal revitalift...this stuff does wonders for any wrinkles that may be appearing on your face and it moisturizes really well too.

 

[SarahLouise]

I've got combination/oily skin and only experience flakiness if I'm using a product specifically designed to remove oil and shine such as the Biore range (steer clear of these products, my skin completely dried up and was very flaky). I've been using the Clinique 3 step routine for several months now and I can see the difference in my skin; I still suffer from spots unfortunately (mine are hormone related so no matter how well I look after my skin it will always look crap!) but the texture has improved. I love their dramatically different moisturising gel, it is by far the best moisturiser I've used and I really recommend it. The only problem with using the Clinique routine is the price!

Face powder - I really recommend Benefit Get Even powder. Again, it's expensive but it makes your skin look flawless! I have tried many brands, expensive and cheap, and I always return to this one. The lightest shade is pale enough for me too. Foundation - I still haven't found the perfect one yet so can't really recommend any. I currently switch between cheap Maybelline Ever Fresh and Revlon ColourStay. I've tried MAC foundations and am not fond of them, particularly the Studio Tech which actually gave me more spots! I want to try either Estee Lauder (in particular their Maximum Cover foundation) or Clinique next.

 

[fortworthgal]

I have been using Pond's Fresh Start daily exfoliating facial cleanser, but it can be a bit drying. Currently I am using Burt's Bees deep cleansing cream and peach willowbark scrub. I love them both! My skin is not so sensitive, so I do exfoliate a few times a week with a nice scrub. They cleanse well, but are hydrating and don't clog pores or cause me to break out. Moisturizer - I vary between several. I always use a Vitamin C serum daily in addition to my moisturizer. At night I use Burt's Bees radiance night cream, and I use their Radiance eye cream daily. For a daily moisturizer I really like Garnier Nutritioniste with SPF. Also, regular old Olay has always worked well for me!

I've tried tons of foundations, but now I won't use anything other than Bare Escentuals. Occasionally in the winter if my skin is really dry, I'll use Burt's Bees tinted moisturizer. I highly recommend the mineral foundations. My personal experience is that there's nothing better! I will say that they can be a bit drying though, so you do need to exfoliate and moisturize well beforehand.

 

[Sweet Polly Purebred]

I've been using the Clinique 3 step routine for several months now and I can see the difference in my skin; I still suffer from spots unfortunately (mine are hormone related so no matter how well I look after my skin it will always look crap!) but the texture has improved. I love their dramatically different moisturising gel, it is by far the best moisturiser I've used and I really recommend it. The only problem with using the Clinique routine is the price.

I use the 3 step program too, though I only use the toning every other day as it tends to dry me out and brings out the roseyness in my cheeks.

I don't wear foundation or powder every day, because I found that my skin is SO much happier without it, it takes time to wean yourself off of daily foundation, but if you can bear to do it, I say "go for it, you wont regret it.".

I generally wear cover up only on weekends or special nights out. My skin can be flakey just like you all, and I also have larger pores on my chin and on my nose (dagnabbed TZone). Since I don't wear foundation every day I'm ok with paying a little bit more. If you are ok to spend a little extra, I cannot say enough good things about Lancome's "Teint Idole Ultra". It goes on beautifully with a brush and leaves a flawless lightly powdered finish. The only thing I can complain about re: Lancome is that their lightest shade isn't quite light enough for me in the winter.

 

[goldwyn girl]

I recently changed my expensive moisturisers for the Olay Regenerist line. It came out tops above many other prestige brands for performance, so being me I had to try it. Well using the combination of Olay and my Elizabeth Arden face capsules I'm very impressed,being in Vegas without much humidity your skin gets very dry, but my skin is soft and even after 12 hours of wearing foundation, I use Estee Lauder Maximum Cover and Coty Airspun powder, it still looks freshly applied.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

I recently changed my expensive moisturisers for the Olay Regenerist line. It came out tops above many other prestige brands for performance, so being me I had to try it. Well using the combination of Olay and my Elizabeth Arden face capsules I'm very impressed,being in Vegas without much humidity your skin gets very dry, but my skin is soft and even after 12 hours of wearing foundation, I use Estee Lauder Maximum Cover and Coty Airspun powder, it still looks freshly applied.

I used the Olay regenerist scrub for about a month. Within a week my skin was clear and perfect. I was thrilled - then it stopped working and made my skin worse. Oh well.

 

[fortworthgal]

I too used the Olay Regenerist line for about 2 months. I liked it fine, but it didn't really do anything any more spectacular than my regular products. I didn't notice any real change in my skin. So, I couldn't justify the cost ($13 for the thermal scrub and another $8 for the cleanser) when it didn't seem to do much more than my $5 Ponds cleanser. On that note, check the MUA reviews for Pond's Fresh Start cleanser, it is definitely a bargain product worth trying.

 

[goldwyn girl]

I strongly believe that not all products will give the same results to everyone. You need to find what works best for you regardless of price or brand name, everybodys skin reacts differently to ingredients, and an allergy can happen with the most natural of products, so for me at the moment I'm happy with the Olay.

 

[SarahLouise]

I use the 3 step program too, though I only use the toning every other day as it tends to dry me out and brings out the roseyness in my cheeks.

I don't wear foundation or powder every day, because I found that my skin is SO much happier without it, it takes time to wean yourself off of daily foundation, but if you can bear to do it, I say "go for it, you wont regret it.".

I generally wear cover up only on weekends or special nights out. My skin can be flakey just like you all, and I also have larger pores on my chin and on my nose (dagnabbed TZone). Since I don't wear foundation every day I'm ok with paying a little bit more. If you are ok to spend a little extra, I cannot say enough good things about Lancome's "Teint Idole Ultra". It goes on beautifully with a brush and leaves a flawless lightly powdered finish. The only thing I can complain about re: Lancome is that their lightest shade isn't quite light enough for me in the winter.

You may be using the wrong number toner as it shouldn't dry you out, have you had the consultation? You can visit one of their counters or do it yourself via their website because what you may think is right for you may not be. For example, I have combination/oily skin and instantly thought I needed the number 4 (for very oily skin) but apparently it is quite drying and you need to move up slowly with the toners so that your skin becomes used to it.

 

[StaceFace]

Another product I've been using lately, that I absolutely love is L'oreal revitalift...this stuff does wonders for any wrinkles that may be appearing on your face and it moisturizes really well too.

YES! I know I probably don't have to worry about wrinkles or anything yet, but my grandma didn't like the way the night cream felt so she passed it on to me and I LOVE this for an overnight moisturizer.

I also like the Mary Kay Oil Control Lotion. It keeps my face from turning into an oil slick but leaves it silky smoth and moisturized at the same time.

As far as the makeup goes, I don't have an unlimited budget so I mainly stick to drugstore brands. I use the porcelain shade of L'Oreal True Match and lighty dust with the Coty loose powder.

The Ponds cold cream works well for a nightly cleanser and I usually follow up in the morning with a Burt's Bees complexion soap.

Then again, as goldwyn girl said, everyone will have different results with different products [huh]

 

[gluegungeisha]

My skin has been a MESS because of my hormones! I just got off birth control about two months ago, and my doctor had me use a progesterone cream with small doses of DHEA and testosterone because those levels were extremely low when he took my blood tests. Yuck! Going off birth control is enough to drive anyone's skin crazy, but the effects of the testosterone are still evident. Balancing the levels improved my mood and stress a bit, but this is insane! I'm going to get my levels reevaluated soon with saliva tests for three days, and there's a lady my accupuncturist sees who might be able to even things out in a more holistic fashion. [huh]

For pimples, my favorite treatment is Aztec healing (bentonite) clay. You can find it at most health food stores, and a jar will last you a really long time. Mix it with apple cider vinegar or water for a mud pack. I also use it on spider bites to draw out the venom. Warning: it feels REALLY weird the first few times you use it! You can feel your skin pulsating, hahaha. I usually just use it as a spot treatment because it's pretty intense.

My favorite foundation is Jane Iredale pressed powders -- it's a very pure mineral makeup. I don't even need to use concealer with it, it's so nice! Really pricey, but it's honestly the best makeup I've ever used. It blends beautifully and a lot of the minerals have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it's perfect for acne and other skin conditions. It's also SPF 18-20 because of the titanium dioxide. However, this presents a problem for anyone modeling, because it doesn't photograph well, unfortunately. I think there's a shade in that line for everyone -- I usually wear the palest shade from most brands, but they actually carried one or two lighter shades than mine!

For photoshoots, I've been using Dr. Hauschka's translucent foundation, but I personally didn't find it to be worth the price. It really just evens out the skintone, so you need to use concealer with it, and it leaves my skin kind of greasy (unless that's my hormones too, hehe). It also doesn't blend to my skintone that well...hmph.

 

[StaceFace]

For pimples, my favorite treatment is Aztec healing (bentonite) clay. You can find it at most health food stores, and a jar will last you a really long time. Mix it with apple cider vinegar or water for a mud pack. I also use it on spider bites to draw out the venom. Warning: it feels REALLY weird the first few times you use it! You can feel your skin pulsating, hahaha. I usually just use it as a spot treatment because it's pretty intense.

That sounds like a great product. And for the price; who can pass?

 

[mysterygal]

I'm really liking this combo, as in my avatar;
Mary Kay 101 + Mary Kay pressed powder 101

 

[mysterygal]

Ben Nye also makes a terrific brand as well!

 

[catspyjamas]

From all of the photos I've seen, the ladies of FL seem to have gorgeous skin. I'm quite green (with envy) because I always feel spotty and greasy - yuck. I've been using liquid foundation but during the day my skin goes all oily/shiny...like melted butter on a stack of flapjacks. A friend of mine uses the brand Bare Escentuals (crazy spelling) which is created from natural mineral powders. Apparently you can even fall asleep in it and in the morning you still won't have a single zit. I am definitely going to try it !

 

[JazzBaby]

My problem now is, that my skin is somehow flaking....

I used to have quite bad acne, and very flaky skin on my nose and between my eyebrows especially so I went to my GP about it and he said that my skin was overproducing oil and the flakes were actually flakes of oil, which people often mistake for dry skin. He gave me an exfoliating gel to get rid of the acne, and now I wash my face with Dove soap and use an oil-free moisturiser (Johnsons Clean & Clear range has some good ones) in the morning and soap and cold cream at night and my skin has never looked better. I also use a scrub once or twice a week to keep my pores unblocked (if you have blocked or enlarged pores on your nose than that's a sign that you're definitely dealing with oily skin.)

But of course, what works for one person may not necessarily work for another, so the best advice I can give you is to try a few different products and see what works best for you. Or, see a specialist

 

[SarahLouise]

I've just found out that Clinique have released their new Anti-Blemish Solutions 3-step programme so will probably try that out. I have acne prone skin so this should work better for me rather than just the oily range of their products. I'll let you guys know the results!

 

[princessofcandl]

I use Clinique too but I use the 2-step. I don't care for thier mosturizes so I use Oil of Olay (better price too). I had to step down from the toner they suggested. I have oily skin but hardly ever break out (don't hit me) so I use the #3. Plus I got flakes when I used #4.

I use MAC Studio Fix too. Love it! I use it very lightly compaired to how they do it in the store. But, I only apply the foundation once. After that, I use the MAC Blotting Powder to touch up shiny spots. Its mineral based so it doesn't add to the layers. Its like the stuff on the little papers but in a compact. Works fab! I've been doing it for years.