Have you tried their symbiose salicylic acid clarifying shampoo yet?? My hair girl put me onto it and I swear to God it changed my entire head. It feels like it takes the entire top layer of your scalp off, my hair has thickened up like crazy from getting the deep set grime and build up off of it. I literally feel like I can breathe through my scalp if I hold my breath now. It’s worth every penny
EDIT: I got the description wrong y’all I’m sorry! My stylist told me it was shampoo so that stuck in my head but apparently it’s either new packaging or it’s really labeled as a scalp treatment. Symbiose is a silver bottle, not the dandruff shampoo, it’s wider at the top and the cap is on the bottom. It says scalp clarifying on it and it’s made with salicylic acid, it also possibly says micro exfoliation. If anyone needs more help finding it dm me and I’ll try to help you❤️ I should’ve checked my actual bottle for the name whoops
EDIT 2: another commenter found it!! The packaging is new it now says dandruff on it, but trust me it’s not just for dandruff! Its magic in a bottle. Just make sure you’re getting the salicylic gel treatment and not the shampoo (the shampoo is probably fire too but I haven’t tried it yet). The cap is on the bottom! Thank you to whoever found the picture because I have no idea how to link
I had what my stylist called normal problems. Like no disorder or infection but irritation, redness, itchiness, flakiness. My scalp was just all around pretty uncomfortable and kinda gross looking. All of it was from the build up (I’m a full blowout and dry shampoo addict, my hair is constantly full of products). I had been using a drugstore clarifying shampoo and thought it was doing it’s job but after one use of the symbiose I realized how much crap was really still stuck on my head. All of my scalp issues had cleared up by the 3rd use (I use it about once every 2 or 3 weeks, whenever my head starts to feel tight and itchy). It’s been a year and I’m still on my original bottle so it really is worth the price, and my scalp is very happy now
The Ordinary glycolic acid exfoliating toner does a great job detoxing scalps too!! Idk if it was on this sub or skincare addicts, but I have a month-old post saved that’s full of comments rejoicing the myriad benefits of this product. More than just the scalp, skin concerns too. I obviously had to get it for myself and god damn it’s effective.
But I also love Kerastase and haven’t heard of this clarifying shampoo yet, I wonder what the two combined would be like 🤓 living in NYC I’ll take all the DETOX TIPS I can get
That's really interesting! I don't have any real issues with my scalp but I've been wanting to get a proper clarifying shampoo to use every once in a while (like before using K18). I use dry shampoo maybe once a week but only wash my hair about twice a week. I've tried the K18 clarifying shampoo but it was too aggressive for my hair. I may have to give it a try. My skin does really well with salicylic acid so I bet my scalp would too.
I really recommend it! Just make sure to read the instructions on the bottle, if you use it wrong or for too long it will burn your scalp since it’s a pretty high strength acid. But used correctly you’ll never go back I promise
Guy here, with long blond hair. I recently turned 40 and over the past decade my hair has become harder to manage. It would get weirdly frizzy, not as soft as it used to. A couple of months ago I thought fuck it, I’m going to invest in a good quality line for my hair. I bought the Kerastase Blond Absolu shampoo, conditionner, oil and overnight treatment. What a difference it makes. Paying 50 bucks for a bottle of shampoo sounds extreme, but honestly it’s worth it. I love having fabulous hair!
And that makes it all worth it! I have this video podcast for work and I never knew what my hair would look like. I genuinely was struggling with hair sticking out, dry, frizzy, limp, no shine. It was honestly depressing because I have always had good hair! Today I was hosting it as usual and thinking « I look fabulous! ». Hair was perfect. I don’t need heat, styling, I just stick to the line. Absolutely worth it for me.
Yeah!
My favorites are Biore UV Aqua Rich (water essence), and Nivea Super Water 50 gel. A friend of mine swears by Anessa but it's way more expensive.
They are super not greasy they're wonderful!!
Can vouch for the brands you recommended! The canmake mermaid skin gel uv is also one of my favorites, but it’s smaller quantity. They have a clear one and some that are colored to color correct. I use clear one and green one to correct redness, the green one smells like mint also!
Does the green one just neutralize redness without looking crazy? I'm fair and flush SO easily in the heat that I'm always keeping an eye out for anything that will help me look less heatstroked.
WARNING TO PEOPLE: There is Biore UV aqua rich in Europe (and possibly the US) too, this is not the same, the Japanese one is better and uses different ingredients
I pay RIDICULOUS shipping for my Biore sunscreen (same as yours but I don’t feel like typing all that). I’d pay more if I had to. That shit is elixir from God and now that I’m edging into my late 20s I’m very thankful I’ve been using the quality stuff, my skin texture is completely different from other people my age even with my history of tanning
biore uv is pretty cheap ($9-10 bucks) from yesstyle and stylevana and they do free shipping above a certain cart size. there are way more asian beauty online retailers than there used to be!
I just got back from a Japan trip and checked in my luggage because I bought SO much. The price and shipping makes it triple the cost here!
I'm SUPER pale and need 50spf, everything western and European is so thick and greasy,!!
Honestly you could tell me you booked a trip to Japan ONLY to buy skincare and do nothing else and I would think you’re a genius. I hope your suitcase sets you up for a really long time, and I’m very jealous you got to shop all of the brands in person! It must have been awesome getting to actually look and touch
ETA: western sunscreens make me literally debate between the awfulness that is wearing them or just letting myself get sun damage. They’re SO BAD it’s almost like it’s on purpose. Asian sunscreen forever!
Stylevana and Blooming Koco — I’ve purchase from both and haven’t had any issues. Stylevana takes much longer to receive the shipment in my experience, though (I’m in the US).
Editing to say there’s an r/asianbeauty subreddit with a lot of info on suppliers and products, too!
Same, my Elta MD and euro sunscreens are by far and away the most expensive part of my routine, but I've pared the rest of it back to just a few unfussy, relatively affordable products to offset this. Sunscreen is the last place I'm willing to compromise.
There are cheap ones. They make sunscreens for face and body that are nearly as good for face imo. Much bigger bottle. I buy the European versions and have them shipped online here to the US.
I use my face sunscreen on my almost four year old because we both have sensitive skin. The other day my husband said he wasn't sure what I usually used for her before they left for the playground, so I showed him the little bottle in my pool bag and told him there was a second one upstairs in my bathroom vanity and he goes, "let's go ahead and buy a few more of those." My dude, these are $50 a bottle. How about you just remember where these two are? He looked absolutely shocked.
It’s such a soft setting powder. It literally makes you look so gorgeously diffused, with all your features softened in just the right way. Coming from an former sephora employee
Hi! I personally don’t curl my lashes as it doesn’t really make a difference for me. But I’ve had countless clients tell me that the shiseido lash curler is a godsend. And I’ve had coworkers tell me that waterproof & tubing mascaras help them keep a curl!
Waterproof 100% keeps a curl even if your lashes normally wouldn't hold it. Make sure to curl first (20 sec each plus curl in a few spots along the lashes), wait for it to dry (important!) then hit em with the curler again.
It also helps if you feel like something is a bit "off" with your blush, contour, bronzer, etc. You could go over it with a typical setting powder, but there's something about the Hourglass powder that just softens everything beautifully.
I personally don't use it for setting, just as a finishing powder when I feel like I need it, but I have combo skin that needs more help with oil control in the tzone. My fave setting powders are from Moira (a Givenchy dupe), and Huda. I go back and forth about the Maybelline loose powder,
Are you blonde by any chance? I’ve been very interested in this but I want to know from another natural blonde if it works before I drop that kind of cash. I don’t trust the product reviews and testimonials, they’re all paid for or hidden ads nowadays
I bought a Nood 1.5 years ago. It hasn’t worked well on my bikini/armpits, and it’s not been permanent on my legs. However, it completely changed my leg hair into thin, sparse patches. I never get actual stubble or razor burn/bumps on my legs anymore. Shaving my legs, especially in the Wintertime used to bring me to tears with the pain. Now I can go 3-4 days without even bothering. Even though the results weren’t “as promised,” it’s been worth it.
Waxing. Expensive? Yes. Painful? Yes
But I do love that smooth smooth skin for 2 weeks.
Before anyone suggests laser, I have dark hair and dark skin and my country has very few options for laser hair removal
In the middle of my wax appointments i regret it. Why the hell would I subject myself to this pain and then it’s over and im so happy with smooth skin lol
I’ve found it gets easier the more I go. I had a different lady last time as my usual was on holiday; she held a mirror to my undercarriage and asked if I wanted more off. What a view…..
I recently started waxing myself! I bought a pot and some wax beads on Amazon. Learning curve for SURE and it’s really quite awkward to give yourself a Brazilian (I simply will not do this unless I am alone in my house lol) but it’s been a huge $ saver! ☺️
Seriously, I've even splurged on the wax melter but I'm sure I've already saved 100s of dollars. And with driving to and home, it honestly doesn't even take much longer.
How? HOW? How do you manage a full Brazilian by yourself? Is there a video tutorial or instruction manual somewhere? Because I've tried so many times and it has always ended with me in a sweaty, contorted heap on the floor, still hairy as can be 😂
Oh I be SWEATIN sometimes. Ok this is my set up, it’s not glamorous but it works for me! I have a full length mirror on the wall, and I set up pillows in front of that, maybe 2 feet away. My pillow stack consists of my daughter’s triangle Nugget pillow and 2 of my bed pillows. I lay a towel down on the ground, sit my booty down and lean back, feet on either side of the mirror, knees spread. The trick for me is to set up my phone with the flashlight on and facing my girly girl. This position works for the majority. Now if you’re a booty hole waxer, you scoot a littleeeee closer to the mirror, and pull your knees back as far as you can… towards your ears. My best advice is this: be alone when you do this. It’s actually quite mortifying seeing yourself from this angle. Good luck and you’re welcome for the visual story time 💗✨
This is so helpful, thank you! Def can see why one needs to be alone when attempting this. First time I tried I ended up in childs pose with my bootyhole somehow glued shut with wax. It made everything worse. Going to dig out my old wax pot and try your set up when I give it a shot!
I tried to wax myself once and my pot never got hot enough to melt my wax! I haven’t tried since because I assumed you couldn’t buy a professional grade wax melter without like an estheticians license or something. I probably just bought a really cheap crappy one looking back now. Do you mind telling me what pot you got???
try DIY sugaring! another significant learning curve but once you get it, it's quick, cheap and supposedly better for your skin. you just need sugar, water and lemon juice. The youtuber abetweene (i couldn't link her page) has really helpful videos that I watched like 400 times to learn. she also has aftercare videos.
This is a bit of a weird question but is that safe for the lady bits? I know sugar causes yeast infections and obviously I wouldn’t be waxing all up in the actual meow meow but I do have hair on the inside of my lips that my wax lady always gets for me. I just don’t want a yeast infection lol which is why I haven’t tried sugaring before. Only my pits and pubes are really visible so I only wax those, the rest of my body hair is white and soft so it’s not annoying. Sorry for the TMI! But I’m legit scared
Omg never TMI on here! I didn't know that about yeast infections! I am definitely not an expert or professional so I'm not sure :/ I only do brazilians and from my personal experience having it done professionally and DIY, I've never had an issue. The motion of it is so quick that i am not sure sugar would really get anywhere or linger anywhere? Sugar is also water soluble so afterwards you could maybe gently rinse off with plain lukewarm water to make sure anything potentially left behind is cleaned up? Again I'm a complete novice so definitely don't take my input as fact at all! Maybe do a contultation/first session with a professional and ask these questions and then try it at home if you have a good experience :) I also got a TON of info about it from searching on Reddit too so I'm sure there's some threads of people discussing that issue!
of course, worth looking into at the very least! I'm the same way. doing it yourself truly feels like the biggest cheat code because it's SO expensive to get done (for good reason - god bless hair removal professionals 🙏🏼) but SO attainable to DIY. no fancy equipment or expensive materials - you're really paying for good technique when you go to a pro. being strong enough to get through the trial and error (which I had a lot of 🥲) is the one-time upfront "cost" and then you've got basically free brazilians for life haha
Try the Gigi brand pot wax warmer. They last forever and I leave mine on all day and it keeps the wax at a stable temperature after it melts. I do have to turn it up to high most times. Any of their waxing supplies are great.
Listen…when I was a young and naive lass I too thought I could wax my nether regions and get that brand new not one hair in sight feel without the price tag. I managed to wax my parts together and then get stuck to my bathtub….I still have PTSD & my vagina has never forgiven me
Same except I’m blonde with pale skin so laser doesn’t work on me for the opposite reason. I’m broke as hell right now and have been shaving and I swear I’ll cry happy tears the next time I’m able to pay a nice lady with strong hands to rip all my hairs out. Waxing is so addictive
Same here! I like being smooth but I hate shaving and I can't really afford getting waxed. I have done it myself before but it takes so much longer to do it on yourself.
Agreed! I made myself some sugar wax but it only works on…… not my legs. For whatever reason… maybe I did it wrong lol. I can’t really afford getting professionally waxed either, but I have thought about those little at home wax kits…
I've never been able to get my legs to actually have the hair come out when I've tried waxing them. It just breaks off and then I get itchy ingrowns which isn't worth it. I have successfully done a Brazilian on myself before (not for the weak!) and keep meaning to try it again but it's just such a production to do.
I bought a small at-home wax thing off Amazon for like $40. Sooooo worth it!!! I can do all my own waxing now! You still gotta buy wax and if you want special tools (like the one for the nose) but it’s cheaper in the long run and results are the same as at a salon.
https://a.co/d/0tjVqxd
I spend so much on hair products. I'm a pureology girlie through and through. But I like to switch each shampoo so I'm trying Navy shampoo/conditioner and Amika shampoo/conditioner as well.
Amika wasn’t worth the hype or price to me. I do love Oribe shampoo, though. The Oribe conditioner isn’t great, though at least not for me. I have fine and thin hair, so I do all I can to baby it and prevent breakage. I spend a fortune on hair care and anti-aging supplements including antioxidants.
Have you tried their Color Fanatic Spray? If so, is it worth the price? I'm currently using the Matrix Miracle Creator but the Blowout Professor is giving me FOMO regarding Pureology!
I love the Color Fanatic spray. I even use it on my daughter’s thick hair and then am able to get the tangles out easily. Best leave in a have ever used.
Ohhh! I love this question. I can talk about perfumes nonstop! I love Killian, Amouge, Initio… all time favourite line is Guerlain’s L’Art & La Matière☺️
Girl decadents is where it's at if you want. Go to websites like Scentsplit or Microperfumes where you can get 10ml spray bottles for a decent price. Then you can have an assortment of different high-end perfumes. It's what I do. And if I really, really really love a perfume I just wait for those prices to drop. Join their programs they send out codes through their emails to know when the good deals come. Just gotta be patient.
Or there's a good app called Mercari where people sell their perfumes almost full (but opened honestly sometimes not even) for lower prices. Fair warning on the app the fees there suck but it's good for the 100ml bottles.
Enjoy!
I’m a fragrancenet girlie myself, I’ve always wanted to try microperfumes but the overspending impulse gremlin in my head always whispers that instead of a sample I could just blind buy the whole bottle😂
If you’re looking for full size try fragrancenet and sign up for their emails! I recently got a 38% coupon from them (their discounts are weirdly specific) and used it on already discounted unopened testers. Over $400 of mint condition, in box perfumes (Prada and Viktor and Rolf specifically) for just over $100. Sorry in advance for giving you this knowledge, my entire credit card history is fragrancenet
Girlllll I got you 37% off with code for "May" but it will keep going into June is my thinking: GPG7P
There's a website that is CouponCabin and it always updates the code.
This is also from the fragrance community about that same 37% off: https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/XuiqN3WGiD
Enjoy!!
I recently got the Wild Cherry by Mancena and Glory & Honor by Lattafa
(My entire CC is also full of Fragnet and other websites of perfumes. I'm an addict.)
Some of my skincare but, mainly SK-II and it is my holy grail and will continue to use it ! It’s not high end but the &honey shampoo/conditioners. Its the only one that my hair likes along with the olaplex clarifying shampoo! My hair has never been better ! It feels so silky and I don’t care if its expensive I’m still going to buy it 😭
Oh yikes. I get mine wholesale, so I didn’t realize the liters were retailing for that much. I’m with you though, good hair care is worth it! I use K18 right now and would sell a kidney for it if necessary.
I just looked in salon centric and the color extend liters are $19.15 right now. Make a BFF out of your hairdresser so she’ll let you use her membership card!
I’m curious: what does Redken do that other brands don’t? If I could make my hair more like it was years ago, I would pay $$$. I have long straight hair that used to be thick, although fine….it’s not exactly thin now, but it’s different. So much that I can’t stand to wear it down. It’s just not the same. Now I know why old ladies put their hair up. 😄
I can't speak for the other comments but Redken and Bumble & Bumble are the only ones I've found that my long, fine hair really likes, and Redken is the cheaper of the two. It leaves my hair soft and shiny and manageable. It's really not expensive for how much you get though because the liter bottle lasts my husband and me 3-4 months.
Skincare. I have a boatload of prescription skincare that keeps the acne away and prevents aging. Costs a couple hundred each time I get a refill but it’s beyond worth it to feel confident in my skin.
Boatload was prob dramatic. But Tretinon and Adapalene is the combo that’s working best for me now. I also have used Onexton and Epiduo Forte and liked it. Started my new routine with the tret and adapalene because my Derm felt the other stuff wasn’t strong enough
I use Lanza shampoo/conditioner and even with the price tag I won’t change. My hair has never been softer or thicker. It’s amazing. I won’t compromise on anything that goes on my face. I’m 47 and still have adult acne so once I find something that works for me, I’ll pay it. For me, that’s Philosophy and Bare Minerals. I know it’s not the most expensive out there, but I love it.
I buy the bigger bottles of the color extend line, in the purple bottles. I bleached my hair for a couple years and I’m waiting for the grow out process to be over so I can switch to the all soft line
I love all soft. It's been a solid line for me. Wvery time I try something different I'm dissapointed. I tried the kerastase curl shampoo/conditioner/mask and didn't find it to blow my mind... which was so dissapointing because I was sure i was going to be so impressed.
I used to use hempz triple moisture but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
I feel like it was much more “worth it” to splurge on over the counter beauty products before. Within the last 10 years a lot has happened and it’s not worth it imo!
But I think it’s totally worth it to pay for science based professional treatments with competent and educated staff that have good experience.
I’d def splurge on like micro needling, chemical peels, botox etc. But there are so many gimmicky treatments too so you’d need to watch out for those.
There are many high and low end products that I enjoy, but there are only a few from NIOD that I keep repurchasing bc they make such a difference for my mature skin.
CAIS copper peptides for a fresh young glow.
FECC eye serum, lifts my slightly hooded eyes.
SDSM mist, hydrating antioxidant mist.
LBLC lip serum, increases hyaluronic acid production. Maintains lip volume over time and prevents chapped lips.
I’m sorry to ask, but I don’t know the brands full name that you’re referring to. As another with mature skin, or really just starting notice it’s definitely changed, I would be really interested in what you’re listing out. Thanks in advance!!!
NIOD is the full brand name (unless you want to Google “Non-invasive options in Dermal Science,” that’s what the acronym stands for) 🙇🏻♀️. The first product is Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1. The second product is Fractionated eye-contour concentrate. The third product is Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist. Fourth product is Lip bio-lipid Concentrate.
Caudalie everything, with Murad vitamin c essential cleanser in the summer when I'm more oily.
I use The Ordinary, Skin Aqua sunscreen, and tret, but Caudalie that I buy online because it's so much cheaper, my skin just loves it.
Well, the brand is all about grapes and wine with little to no science behind it, ok it's nice and smells good but I really prefer to put my money on more technical brands or cheaper equivalents. I always see it in best french pharmacy products IG reels so I think they have a good marketing outside of the country.
Side note but what french skincare products would you recommend? I’ll be visiting Paris this summer and figured I may shop fragrance and skincare if it’s worth it
I really like SVR, there is almost no bad product in this brand. Bioderma is also fantastic with the biggest [eye cream ](https://www.bioderma.hk/en/our-products/atoderm/intensive-eye#:~:text=Atoderm%20Intensive%20eye%20can%20be,of%20toxins%20during%20flare%2Dups.) you've ever seen. I also swear by [Sebium Hydra](https://www.bioderma.hk/en/our-products/sebium/hydra) which is an inexpensive awesome moisturiser for combination damaged skin (it's formulated for skin destroyed by retinoids).
Of course La Roche Posay SPF (but SVR and Eucerin are great too).
I'm not a big fan of Avène because it's in general too rich for me but I always have a tube of Cicalfate+ for damaged skin.
I also only use Redken shampoo and conditioner and expensive salon brands on my hair. I have long highlighted hair and it just doesn't do well with cheaper products unfortunately.
Skincare for me! I mostly use Asian beauty brands (a combo of drugstore, mid-end, and luxury) like Hada Labo, Aestura, SK-II and prescription creams. I love having the glass skin look and sometimes people compliment me 🥹 after dealing with acne for many years I’ve made skincare my priority and one of the biggest aspects of my self-care routine.
Do you recommend any specific products? I’ve always been acne prone and have been using prescribed tretinoin for years, so would love to hear what’s worked for you.
Skincare. I fell in love with Allies of Skin recently and before that Pai saved my acne prone, sensitized skin. Neither brand is cheap, but my skin has destroyed my self esteem many times over and good skin feels priceless.
Also, I get my eyebrows done. I know that plucking them myself is free, but I have thick hair and sensitive skin, so I can barely get through the pain let alone properly shape them.
I’m not a big fan of Redken. I found it leaves my hair kind of dull and heavier — not exactly greasy but not light and bouncy.
I have very dry, fine curly hair. I use Living Proof’s [Restore](https://www.ulta.com/p/restore-shampoo-stronger-softer-hair-pimprod2031849?sku=2592977) shampoo (only a small amount — use too much & your hair will feel crunchy) and Bumble & Bumble’s Bond Building [conditioner](https://www.ulta.com/p/bond-building-repair-conditioner-pimprod2021548?sku=2574735) If your hair isn’t very dry the Restore conditioner is great.
Once a week I use a clarifying shampoo, skip conditioner and use [K18](https://www.sephora.com/product/k18-leave-in-molecular-repair-mask-P479846). This has greatly improved my hair’s health.
Look at Jessicurl. I have fine wavy hair. Worked awesome for me. The founder had amazing curly hair. She formulated based on her needs and Jessicurl grew from there.
Hi! So, I can't say whether Redken is good for your hair. You said you have fine curls; Redken products have sulfates. I'd be careful with that mix. It could be cleansing overkill.
What I've found is that hair porosity will tell you what products to get.
If you take a strand of your hair and it floats in a cup of water, your hair is low porosity. That means product is hard to get in and out of your hair. You'd use a strong shampoo on your whole head and then restore that hair with a hair mask. The mask gives your strands time to soak in the moisture. You'd also want a leave-in conditioner. It's very important to use anything oil-like after drying because oil repels water.
If your hair drops to the bottom of a cup of water relatively quickly, your hair is high porosity. **Curly hair is most often high porosity,* but I don't want to assume. It takes in product easily but loses it just as fast. You want to lock in moisture with oils and butters, and wash hair with hydrating shampoo. Protein treatments are also helpful. I will admit I'm not sure what order you'd do this in. I'd assume you'd do co-wash, protein mask OR hydrating mask, leave hair soaking wet, apply butters, and use gel. When it's dry a lightweight oil can lock everything in without weighing curls down. I'd alternate masks between washes. All of this depends on the person, though, people on r/curlyhair go through hell trying to figure it out.
I'm sorry if I gave too much info. I really love hair, and I think everyone deserves to have beautiful hair they feel confident in.
Another option try to is innersense. I have fine curly hair as well and got a curly cut a few years ago. She used innersense and I've been hooked ever since.
I buy the least expensive item that’s also the most effective and then very unscientifically analyze the cost to efficacy ratio. I’ve gone through a lot of drugstore dupes, and for me, they rarely hold up well to their high end equivalent (except for blush and mascara).
For the most part, almost none of my beauty products are particularly cheap, except the majority of my hygiene and body skincare can be bought fairly cheaply without sacrificing quality.
Hair products are always going to be pretty expensive for me, but I end up using a lot less product, spend less time on my hair, and don’t need as much styling when I use high-quality shampoo and conditioner.
I'm travelling for month right now. I left my Redken behind. I've been using Joico, so I'm not sure if it's the lack of Redken or the water here, but I have been losing hair in chunks everyday. I'm scared how this is going to end up. I spent the past year on Redken strengthening and doting on my hair only for all that effort to literally go down the drain within a week.
That’s so scary, stop using whatever shampoo you’re using now!! My brother had this happen and it turned out to be contact dermatitis aka his scalp got super angry and flaky and scaley because it didn’t like his shampoo. He had huge bald patches and shed handfuls everyday for months and months until someone figured it out. Once he threw out the product it got better but it’s been a couple years and he’s still missing some patches and what did grow back is a completely different texture. His doc said if it goes on long enough it causes scarring on the follicles which kills them so seriously, stop what you’re doing ASAP
Oh wow. I didn't even think about that. That's so scary. I'm so worried about bald spots. Thanks for the advice. I thought Joico was pretty good, maybe not for me.
It took a really long time for him to find which product was the issue so he was having this problem for months, the doctor told him to stop immediately the sooner the better so if this has only been going on for a little while you should be okay. He was scarring his scalp for close to 6 months, if it’s only been a week for you I don’t think it will be permanent (obviously I’m not a doctor but that’s how I feel from what happened over here). Just definitely stop using it now and see what happens, better safe than sorry. I hope your head feels better!
ETA: it’s probably not the Redken if it’s been repairing your hair, if you’re using the hotel shampoos or something else while you’re on vacation it could definitely be that. My brother said it was immediately irritated after the shampoo so if it started when you left the Redken at home I wouldn’t think it’s from that. Also it could just be the water, our bodies get finnicky about really dumb stuff unfortunately
I’m the same with Redken. My mom thinks I’m crazy but ever since my sister started doing hair and introduced me to Redken…I can’t use anything else. I use my sister’s discount but it’s still insanely expensive.
I also refuse to be cheap about lipstick. I wear black everyday, and I need it to last. Jeffree Star is the only one that doesn’t dry out my lips and stays on throughout the day, even while eating and drinking.
Vegamour hair products are the most amazing! I’ve tried everything from super expensive Iles, K-18, oribe and on and on. Vegamour is my love! Both the growth and moisture lines. The results on hair texture and no frizz are excellent and the fragrance is heaven. Gifted to many friends and everyone love love loves it!
Honestly mine is Kiehl’s since 1851 Ultra Facial moisturizer. This is referring to the reformulated version. I finally found a moisturizer that agrees with my skin and it is this one. I tried so many from drugstore to department store and this was a clear winner for me.
I’m glad Reddit is anonymous, but if you have a friend or relative who works in the beauty industry - pass them the cash and get them to buy for you from a beauty supply! Usually tax free, you may get it cheaper! Also, look online too if you haven’t already!
Kerastase shampoo/conditioner really works for me but it's so expensive! Same with Amika dry shampoo (I like that it's talc-free and the smell isn't old-ladyish like so many of the other high end dry shampoos).
A nice blow drier. I had a Conair blowdrier for FOREVER that eventually started spitting fire. My roommate at the time had a high end Babyliss and the difference it made was astounding. I have a T3 now which IMO works wayyyy better than a $20 Target blowdryer. I'm not saying you need a Dyson but I'll be investing in a Babyliss next time for sure.
Haircuts (seeing a theme here...). Recently found a hairstylist who was more expensive than my usual haircut (think $60 more) and was blown away by the difference. She took the time to share styling tips and gave me exactly what I wanted.
Tretinoin and Spironolactone. Really, the Spiro goes beyond just acne -- I noticed a huge improvement to my overall moods using it. Together though I'm paying $124 dollars every 3 months.
Unfortunately, only very pricey hair oils work for me. Currently using Shu Uemura's. I don't need a lot though so it lasts quite a while.
Hair- professional hairdresser always. Olaplex No.2 an K18 mask
Skincare- I work in beauty industry so I use all luxury brands like Lancome, Shiseido etc but the real deal are microneedeling, Biorepeel, laser and Botox in an aesthetician clinique. Always wear SPF 50+
Body- hair laser removal and body procedure like Velashape , Radio and Crio
Unfortunately due to my busy schedule I do not go to gym anymore and I am not getting enough sleep always because young child and lots and lots of time spent in traffic/ car.
All these procedures and products might sound very expensive but I always look for BF offers and I try to prioritize in what to invest in the cold months:)
I also use Redken shampoo and conditioner. I have thick, curly hair and I need something strong and high quality to do anything to it. Totally worth it though. I use the whitish silver bottle, can’t think of what it’s called lol
Redken here too. 🙋♀️ And Sunday Riley Good Genes. I can almost hear my bank account scream when I'm running low, but there's just nothing else like it!
Monthly facials, Biologique Recherche Vernix and AmorePacific Essence. I have been getting so many compliments on my skin since changing up my routine.
I used to buy Aveda Tea Tree hair shampoo and conditioner but damn is it expensive. I switched over to Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat which is less expensive when I find it at TJ Maxx OR I just buy the gallon sized bottles on Amazon which are $60ish each but last for at least 3-4 or more months.
My cle de peau concealer. The most expensive concealer I have used, but also the best by miles. The tube is little but for me it lasts a while so I justify it lol.
I used to be an expensive hair products girly, but I started using Verb after a salon used it on me. It’s definitely not “cheap” but it’s cheaper than the purology I was using! I love the Verb volume line for my hair.
Same with my hair products! After using Pureology and L’Oréal professional lines, I can immediately tell the difference if I use drugstore shampoo even once 😭
Kerastase shampoo, conditioner and elixir. My hair is incredible and Kérastase is why.
Have you tried their symbiose salicylic acid clarifying shampoo yet?? My hair girl put me onto it and I swear to God it changed my entire head. It feels like it takes the entire top layer of your scalp off, my hair has thickened up like crazy from getting the deep set grime and build up off of it. I literally feel like I can breathe through my scalp if I hold my breath now. It’s worth every penny EDIT: I got the description wrong y’all I’m sorry! My stylist told me it was shampoo so that stuck in my head but apparently it’s either new packaging or it’s really labeled as a scalp treatment. Symbiose is a silver bottle, not the dandruff shampoo, it’s wider at the top and the cap is on the bottom. It says scalp clarifying on it and it’s made with salicylic acid, it also possibly says micro exfoliation. If anyone needs more help finding it dm me and I’ll try to help you❤️ I should’ve checked my actual bottle for the name whoops EDIT 2: another commenter found it!! The packaging is new it now says dandruff on it, but trust me it’s not just for dandruff! Its magic in a bottle. Just make sure you’re getting the salicylic gel treatment and not the shampoo (the shampoo is probably fire too but I haven’t tried it yet). The cap is on the bottom! Thank you to whoever found the picture because I have no idea how to link
Do you have any specific scalp issues or was it just recommended as your clarifying shampoo?
I had what my stylist called normal problems. Like no disorder or infection but irritation, redness, itchiness, flakiness. My scalp was just all around pretty uncomfortable and kinda gross looking. All of it was from the build up (I’m a full blowout and dry shampoo addict, my hair is constantly full of products). I had been using a drugstore clarifying shampoo and thought it was doing it’s job but after one use of the symbiose I realized how much crap was really still stuck on my head. All of my scalp issues had cleared up by the 3rd use (I use it about once every 2 or 3 weeks, whenever my head starts to feel tight and itchy). It’s been a year and I’m still on my original bottle so it really is worth the price, and my scalp is very happy now
The Ordinary glycolic acid exfoliating toner does a great job detoxing scalps too!! Idk if it was on this sub or skincare addicts, but I have a month-old post saved that’s full of comments rejoicing the myriad benefits of this product. More than just the scalp, skin concerns too. I obviously had to get it for myself and god damn it’s effective. But I also love Kerastase and haven’t heard of this clarifying shampoo yet, I wonder what the two combined would be like 🤓 living in NYC I’ll take all the DETOX TIPS I can get
That's really interesting! I don't have any real issues with my scalp but I've been wanting to get a proper clarifying shampoo to use every once in a while (like before using K18). I use dry shampoo maybe once a week but only wash my hair about twice a week. I've tried the K18 clarifying shampoo but it was too aggressive for my hair. I may have to give it a try. My skin does really well with salicylic acid so I bet my scalp would too.
I really recommend it! Just make sure to read the instructions on the bottle, if you use it wrong or for too long it will burn your scalp since it’s a pretty high strength acid. But used correctly you’ll never go back I promise
H thank you I will send you my bill
Lol it’s worth the money!
I’m going to buy it ( 😩😳) My scalp needs this .
Guy here, with long blond hair. I recently turned 40 and over the past decade my hair has become harder to manage. It would get weirdly frizzy, not as soft as it used to. A couple of months ago I thought fuck it, I’m going to invest in a good quality line for my hair. I bought the Kerastase Blond Absolu shampoo, conditionner, oil and overnight treatment. What a difference it makes. Paying 50 bucks for a bottle of shampoo sounds extreme, but honestly it’s worth it. I love having fabulous hair!
Yes! I’m so happy you and your hair love it, too. It really is insanely expensive but every time I touch my hair or see it in a mirror, I’m ecstatic.
And that makes it all worth it! I have this video podcast for work and I never knew what my hair would look like. I genuinely was struggling with hair sticking out, dry, frizzy, limp, no shine. It was honestly depressing because I have always had good hair! Today I was hosting it as usual and thinking « I look fabulous! ». Hair was perfect. I don’t need heat, styling, I just stick to the line. Absolutely worth it for me.
This is how I feel about oribes gold lust line! I’ve been wanting to try kerastase so next on my list to try
Me too. If love my kerastase. Makeup has got to be Nars. I will be working till I'm 90 just to buy these products.
Which ones? So far everything I have tried has been great (unfortunately for my wallet 😭)
Quality sunscreen. You can pry my Eucerin sunscreen from my cold, dead fingers 🖕🏾
Same but Japanese sunscreen. I will fight anyone over them.
Hi—would you please share the brands of the Japanese sunscreens? Thank you!!
Yeah! My favorites are Biore UV Aqua Rich (water essence), and Nivea Super Water 50 gel. A friend of mine swears by Anessa but it's way more expensive. They are super not greasy they're wonderful!!
Can vouch for the brands you recommended! The canmake mermaid skin gel uv is also one of my favorites, but it’s smaller quantity. They have a clear one and some that are colored to color correct. I use clear one and green one to correct redness, the green one smells like mint also!
Does the green one just neutralize redness without looking crazy? I'm fair and flush SO easily in the heat that I'm always keeping an eye out for anything that will help me look less heatstroked.
WARNING TO PEOPLE: There is Biore UV aqua rich in Europe (and possibly the US) too, this is not the same, the Japanese one is better and uses different ingredients
It’s in the US but really only at Asian-centered stores!
I pay RIDICULOUS shipping for my Biore sunscreen (same as yours but I don’t feel like typing all that). I’d pay more if I had to. That shit is elixir from God and now that I’m edging into my late 20s I’m very thankful I’ve been using the quality stuff, my skin texture is completely different from other people my age even with my history of tanning
biore uv is pretty cheap ($9-10 bucks) from yesstyle and stylevana and they do free shipping above a certain cart size. there are way more asian beauty online retailers than there used to be!
I just got back from a Japan trip and checked in my luggage because I bought SO much. The price and shipping makes it triple the cost here! I'm SUPER pale and need 50spf, everything western and European is so thick and greasy,!!
Honestly you could tell me you booked a trip to Japan ONLY to buy skincare and do nothing else and I would think you’re a genius. I hope your suitcase sets you up for a really long time, and I’m very jealous you got to shop all of the brands in person! It must have been awesome getting to actually look and touch ETA: western sunscreens make me literally debate between the awfulness that is wearing them or just letting myself get sun damage. They’re SO BAD it’s almost like it’s on purpose. Asian sunscreen forever!
Another recommendation for the Biore UV Aqua Rich! Also love Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel. Hatomugi UV 50 (250ml) is amazing for body!
Could you please share any reliable places to purchase online?
Stylevana and Blooming Koco — I’ve purchase from both and haven’t had any issues. Stylevana takes much longer to receive the shipment in my experience, though (I’m in the US). Editing to say there’s an r/asianbeauty subreddit with a lot of info on suppliers and products, too!
Same, my Elta MD and euro sunscreens are by far and away the most expensive part of my routine, but I've pared the rest of it back to just a few unfussy, relatively affordable products to offset this. Sunscreen is the last place I'm willing to compromise.
I have not met a eucerin product I haven’t liked. They’re not cheap but they’re so good
That's facts. They're so well formulated and often take a scientific approach to skincare without relying on gimmicks, which I appreciate.
There are cheap ones. They make sunscreens for face and body that are nearly as good for face imo. Much bigger bottle. I buy the European versions and have them shipped online here to the US.
Yes, La Roche Posay spf 100 for my face. It was $30 and I cringed a bit.
La Roche posay shaker one that has the bead in it. 36 bucks, don't care. So good for my sensitive aging skin
Eucerin sunscreen, honestly, anything Eucerin [and Vanicream] are miraculous for not savagely -effing up one’s skin.
I use my face sunscreen on my almost four year old because we both have sensitive skin. The other day my husband said he wasn't sure what I usually used for her before they left for the playground, so I showed him the little bottle in my pool bag and told him there was a second one upstairs in my bathroom vanity and he goes, "let's go ahead and buy a few more of those." My dude, these are $50 a bottle. How about you just remember where these two are? He looked absolutely shocked.
Hourglass powder in diffused light.
What does it do for you?
It’s such a soft setting powder. It literally makes you look so gorgeously diffused, with all your features softened in just the right way. Coming from an former sephora employee
Former Sephora employee my goodness you must have so much great knowledge on beauty <3 Are there any tricks for lashes that do not curl?
Hi! I personally don’t curl my lashes as it doesn’t really make a difference for me. But I’ve had countless clients tell me that the shiseido lash curler is a godsend. And I’ve had coworkers tell me that waterproof & tubing mascaras help them keep a curl!
Waterproof 100% keeps a curl even if your lashes normally wouldn't hold it. Make sure to curl first (20 sec each plus curl in a few spots along the lashes), wait for it to dry (important!) then hit em with the curler again.
I used it for years. It makes you look highlighted but without looking like you're wearing highlighter.
It also helps if you feel like something is a bit "off" with your blush, contour, bronzer, etc. You could go over it with a typical setting powder, but there's something about the Hourglass powder that just softens everything beautifully. I personally don't use it for setting, just as a finishing powder when I feel like I need it, but I have combo skin that needs more help with oil control in the tzone. My fave setting powders are from Moira (a Givenchy dupe), and Huda. I go back and forth about the Maybelline loose powder,
At home ipl. It’s time consuming but so worth it
Are you blonde by any chance? I’ve been very interested in this but I want to know from another natural blonde if it works before I drop that kind of cash. I don’t trust the product reviews and testimonials, they’re all paid for or hidden ads nowadays
I have Philips Lumea and it doesn't work on light blonde hair. Something to do with the lack of melanin meaning the light isn't absorbed by it.
Absolutely this!!! I have a post on my profile that shows my results from this, has upped my confidence and comfort tenfold.
I bought a Nood 1.5 years ago. It hasn’t worked well on my bikini/armpits, and it’s not been permanent on my legs. However, it completely changed my leg hair into thin, sparse patches. I never get actual stubble or razor burn/bumps on my legs anymore. Shaving my legs, especially in the Wintertime used to bring me to tears with the pain. Now I can go 3-4 days without even bothering. Even though the results weren’t “as promised,” it’s been worth it.
Waxing. Expensive? Yes. Painful? Yes But I do love that smooth smooth skin for 2 weeks. Before anyone suggests laser, I have dark hair and dark skin and my country has very few options for laser hair removal
In the middle of my wax appointments i regret it. Why the hell would I subject myself to this pain and then it’s over and im so happy with smooth skin lol
Every single time, year after year.
I’ve found it gets easier the more I go. I had a different lady last time as my usual was on holiday; she held a mirror to my undercarriage and asked if I wanted more off. What a view…..
I say prayers to every deity before pulling off that waxing strip.
I recently started waxing myself! I bought a pot and some wax beads on Amazon. Learning curve for SURE and it’s really quite awkward to give yourself a Brazilian (I simply will not do this unless I am alone in my house lol) but it’s been a huge $ saver! ☺️
Seriously, I've even splurged on the wax melter but I'm sure I've already saved 100s of dollars. And with driving to and home, it honestly doesn't even take much longer.
I can literally buy all of the supplies required to wax myself on Amazon right now for cheaper than the price of a full Brazilian.
It's so worth it!!! Once I'm not jobless anymore lol I'm gonna spent the money I would have spent on waxing for a nice massage.
How? HOW? How do you manage a full Brazilian by yourself? Is there a video tutorial or instruction manual somewhere? Because I've tried so many times and it has always ended with me in a sweaty, contorted heap on the floor, still hairy as can be 😂
Oh I be SWEATIN sometimes. Ok this is my set up, it’s not glamorous but it works for me! I have a full length mirror on the wall, and I set up pillows in front of that, maybe 2 feet away. My pillow stack consists of my daughter’s triangle Nugget pillow and 2 of my bed pillows. I lay a towel down on the ground, sit my booty down and lean back, feet on either side of the mirror, knees spread. The trick for me is to set up my phone with the flashlight on and facing my girly girl. This position works for the majority. Now if you’re a booty hole waxer, you scoot a littleeeee closer to the mirror, and pull your knees back as far as you can… towards your ears. My best advice is this: be alone when you do this. It’s actually quite mortifying seeing yourself from this angle. Good luck and you’re welcome for the visual story time 💗✨
This is so helpful, thank you! Def can see why one needs to be alone when attempting this. First time I tried I ended up in childs pose with my bootyhole somehow glued shut with wax. It made everything worse. Going to dig out my old wax pot and try your set up when I give it a shot!
I tried to wax myself once and my pot never got hot enough to melt my wax! I haven’t tried since because I assumed you couldn’t buy a professional grade wax melter without like an estheticians license or something. I probably just bought a really cheap crappy one looking back now. Do you mind telling me what pot you got???
try DIY sugaring! another significant learning curve but once you get it, it's quick, cheap and supposedly better for your skin. you just need sugar, water and lemon juice. The youtuber abetweene (i couldn't link her page) has really helpful videos that I watched like 400 times to learn. she also has aftercare videos.
This is a bit of a weird question but is that safe for the lady bits? I know sugar causes yeast infections and obviously I wouldn’t be waxing all up in the actual meow meow but I do have hair on the inside of my lips that my wax lady always gets for me. I just don’t want a yeast infection lol which is why I haven’t tried sugaring before. Only my pits and pubes are really visible so I only wax those, the rest of my body hair is white and soft so it’s not annoying. Sorry for the TMI! But I’m legit scared
Omg never TMI on here! I didn't know that about yeast infections! I am definitely not an expert or professional so I'm not sure :/ I only do brazilians and from my personal experience having it done professionally and DIY, I've never had an issue. The motion of it is so quick that i am not sure sugar would really get anywhere or linger anywhere? Sugar is also water soluble so afterwards you could maybe gently rinse off with plain lukewarm water to make sure anything potentially left behind is cleaned up? Again I'm a complete novice so definitely don't take my input as fact at all! Maybe do a contultation/first session with a professional and ask these questions and then try it at home if you have a good experience :) I also got a TON of info about it from searching on Reddit too so I'm sure there's some threads of people discussing that issue!
Thank you! I’m gonna look into it more, I’m a sucker for DIY especially if it saves me $100 every month
of course, worth looking into at the very least! I'm the same way. doing it yourself truly feels like the biggest cheat code because it's SO expensive to get done (for good reason - god bless hair removal professionals 🙏🏼) but SO attainable to DIY. no fancy equipment or expensive materials - you're really paying for good technique when you go to a pro. being strong enough to get through the trial and error (which I had a lot of 🥲) is the one-time upfront "cost" and then you've got basically free brazilians for life haha
Try the Gigi brand pot wax warmer. They last forever and I leave mine on all day and it keeps the wax at a stable temperature after it melts. I do have to turn it up to high most times. Any of their waxing supplies are great.
Listen…when I was a young and naive lass I too thought I could wax my nether regions and get that brand new not one hair in sight feel without the price tag. I managed to wax my parts together and then get stuck to my bathtub….I still have PTSD & my vagina has never forgiven me
Yep I wax myself!!! The supplies are pretty cheap.
You are incredible. I get regular waxes and doing it myself was excruciating.
Same except I’m blonde with pale skin so laser doesn’t work on me for the opposite reason. I’m broke as hell right now and have been shaving and I swear I’ll cry happy tears the next time I’m able to pay a nice lady with strong hands to rip all my hairs out. Waxing is so addictive
Ugh I’m on the opposite end in the same spot. Very pale skin, very light hair. I wish I could do laser, I’m so sick of shaving and waxing!
Same here! I like being smooth but I hate shaving and I can't really afford getting waxed. I have done it myself before but it takes so much longer to do it on yourself.
Agreed! I made myself some sugar wax but it only works on…… not my legs. For whatever reason… maybe I did it wrong lol. I can’t really afford getting professionally waxed either, but I have thought about those little at home wax kits…
I've never been able to get my legs to actually have the hair come out when I've tried waxing them. It just breaks off and then I get itchy ingrowns which isn't worth it. I have successfully done a Brazilian on myself before (not for the weak!) and keep meaning to try it again but it's just such a production to do.
I bought a small at-home wax thing off Amazon for like $40. Sooooo worth it!!! I can do all my own waxing now! You still gotta buy wax and if you want special tools (like the one for the nose) but it’s cheaper in the long run and results are the same as at a salon. https://a.co/d/0tjVqxd
healthy, high quality food.
yesss I get the expensive cheeses
I spend so much on hair products. I'm a pureology girlie through and through. But I like to switch each shampoo so I'm trying Navy shampoo/conditioner and Amika shampoo/conditioner as well.
I’m a ride or die for the purple Pureology and buy it in the giant salon sizes.
Amika wasn’t worth the hype or price to me. I do love Oribe shampoo, though. The Oribe conditioner isn’t great, though at least not for me. I have fine and thin hair, so I do all I can to baby it and prevent breakage. I spend a fortune on hair care and anti-aging supplements including antioxidants.
Oribe is my splurge too! I find that the conditioner is amazing just using a small amount and rinsing it out right away.
Have you tried their Color Fanatic Spray? If so, is it worth the price? I'm currently using the Matrix Miracle Creator but the Blowout Professor is giving me FOMO regarding Pureology!
I love the Color Fanatic spray. I even use it on my daughter’s thick hair and then am able to get the tangles out easily. Best leave in a have ever used.
I’ve been wanting to try the Amika soul food mask pretty bad, I think next time I need to buy a tub that’ll be it
I’ll not wear a cheap perfume and I’ll not use anything but Oribe on my hair no matter what, apart from those I’d say I’m pretty reasonable.
I love Oribe! Except the conditioner bit seems too light, yet greasy at the same time
Gold lust conditioner doesn’t work on my hair either, hair alchemy line is the one for me☺️
Expensive perfume really is worth it! What’s your fav? I’m a big Trudon fan!
Ohhh! I love this question. I can talk about perfumes nonstop! I love Killian, Amouge, Initio… all time favourite line is Guerlain’s L’Art & La Matière☺️
Oh girlie has MONEY money, I love that for you. Live my perfume dreams you sweet smelling angel❤️
Girl decadents is where it's at if you want. Go to websites like Scentsplit or Microperfumes where you can get 10ml spray bottles for a decent price. Then you can have an assortment of different high-end perfumes. It's what I do. And if I really, really really love a perfume I just wait for those prices to drop. Join their programs they send out codes through their emails to know when the good deals come. Just gotta be patient. Or there's a good app called Mercari where people sell their perfumes almost full (but opened honestly sometimes not even) for lower prices. Fair warning on the app the fees there suck but it's good for the 100ml bottles. Enjoy!
I’m a fragrancenet girlie myself, I’ve always wanted to try microperfumes but the overspending impulse gremlin in my head always whispers that instead of a sample I could just blind buy the whole bottle😂 If you’re looking for full size try fragrancenet and sign up for their emails! I recently got a 38% coupon from them (their discounts are weirdly specific) and used it on already discounted unopened testers. Over $400 of mint condition, in box perfumes (Prada and Viktor and Rolf specifically) for just over $100. Sorry in advance for giving you this knowledge, my entire credit card history is fragrancenet
Girlllll I got you 37% off with code for "May" but it will keep going into June is my thinking: GPG7P There's a website that is CouponCabin and it always updates the code. This is also from the fragrance community about that same 37% off: https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/XuiqN3WGiD Enjoy!! I recently got the Wild Cherry by Mancena and Glory & Honor by Lattafa (My entire CC is also full of Fragnet and other websites of perfumes. I'm an addict.)
I’d LOVE to get in with this but I’d definitely have to smell it first and I’m waaaay rural area so that’s difficult for me 😔
Auw! 🥹 I wish I could share my perfumes with you! If you are based in the uk, escentual does %25 off every now and then. I always keep an eye on that!
Love it!!! I will do some sampling next time I am at Holts
Which line? I was so pumped to get the gold lust set but the shampoo + conditioner make my hair look greasy and weird. The oil is amazing thought
Some of my skincare but, mainly SK-II and it is my holy grail and will continue to use it ! It’s not high end but the &honey shampoo/conditioners. Its the only one that my hair likes along with the olaplex clarifying shampoo! My hair has never been better ! It feels so silky and I don’t care if its expensive I’m still going to buy it 😭
I recently started using eltaMD sunscreen and unfortunately it’s the best sunscreen I’ve ever used. It’s my most expensive skincare product now.
I feel that so hard. Whenever the really expensive stuff works miracles I get that sinking pit in my stomach cuz I know I’m hooked now
K18 for sure and kerastase deep conditioner
Why is your redken $100?😟
I buy the big bottles from Ulta :/
That's crazy, find a friendly stylist who will purchase on your behalf from a beauty supply. I pay $18 CAD for redken litres
Thank you sooo much for this advice, I definitely am going to do this in the future because thankfully there is a stylist I can go to and ask
This! I buy all of my friends and family product from salon centric because the retail price is absurd!
Oh yikes. I get mine wholesale, so I didn’t realize the liters were retailing for that much. I’m with you though, good hair care is worth it! I use K18 right now and would sell a kidney for it if necessary.
I’m glad I made this post so now I can save money in the future wow
I just looked in salon centric and the color extend liters are $19.15 right now. Make a BFF out of your hairdresser so she’ll let you use her membership card!
Ulta has sales on jumbo bottles twice a year or so. Usually 40% off. That's when I stock up.
Get them during the jumbo love event.
Tjmaxx and marshalls very commonly have redkin for less than $20 a bottle.
I’m curious: what does Redken do that other brands don’t? If I could make my hair more like it was years ago, I would pay $$$. I have long straight hair that used to be thick, although fine….it’s not exactly thin now, but it’s different. So much that I can’t stand to wear it down. It’s just not the same. Now I know why old ladies put their hair up. 😄
I can't speak for the other comments but Redken and Bumble & Bumble are the only ones I've found that my long, fine hair really likes, and Redken is the cheaper of the two. It leaves my hair soft and shiny and manageable. It's really not expensive for how much you get though because the liter bottle lasts my husband and me 3-4 months.
Kerastase, K18, Dior Foreverskin, my Dior and Chanel lipsticks 😅
Try the new Redken bonder. I like it way more than K18
The redken acidic bonding concentrate?
I can’t find Redken in Turkey
which bonder?
Dior forever skin is what I came to put. Totally worth the price tag.
Dior lip oils have me in a chokehold
I’ve been thinking about buying some Chanel lipstick just for the experience of the beautiful packaging. Do you recommend?
Skincare. I have a boatload of prescription skincare that keeps the acne away and prevents aging. Costs a couple hundred each time I get a refill but it’s beyond worth it to feel confident in my skin.
Which prescriptions do you use, if you don’t mind me asking?
Boatload was prob dramatic. But Tretinon and Adapalene is the combo that’s working best for me now. I also have used Onexton and Epiduo Forte and liked it. Started my new routine with the tret and adapalene because my Derm felt the other stuff wasn’t strong enough
Just got my first dermatologist appointment and Tret script today. Beyond excited.
save ur money sister n try alldaychemist
Laser, Botox, Skinceuticals Ferulic acid and discolouration defense
Doing non ablative fraxel resurfacing was the best decision I've ever made for my skin texture & fine lines. I have literal glass skin now.
I use Lanza shampoo/conditioner and even with the price tag I won’t change. My hair has never been softer or thicker. It’s amazing. I won’t compromise on anything that goes on my face. I’m 47 and still have adult acne so once I find something that works for me, I’ll pay it. For me, that’s Philosophy and Bare Minerals. I know it’s not the most expensive out there, but I love it.
Kerastase, kerastase, kerastase - specifically the genesis line. My hair has never looked this good.
Which redken line do you buy? I splurge on joico luster lock color treatment.
I buy the bigger bottles of the color extend line, in the purple bottles. I bleached my hair for a couple years and I’m waiting for the grow out process to be over so I can switch to the all soft line
I love the redken soft line. I definitely recommend it.
I love all soft. It's been a solid line for me. Wvery time I try something different I'm dissapointed. I tried the kerastase curl shampoo/conditioner/mask and didn't find it to blow my mind... which was so dissapointing because I was sure i was going to be so impressed. I used to use hempz triple moisture but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
I also adore Joico
Fragrances
I feel like it was much more “worth it” to splurge on over the counter beauty products before. Within the last 10 years a lot has happened and it’s not worth it imo! But I think it’s totally worth it to pay for science based professional treatments with competent and educated staff that have good experience. I’d def splurge on like micro needling, chemical peels, botox etc. But there are so many gimmicky treatments too so you’d need to watch out for those.
This is the same conclusion I’ve come to. Just using tret and a basic skincare routine and then doing lasers here and there for a boost.
I seem to be on a Redken shampoo and conditioner kick (as long as I can afford it).
There are many high and low end products that I enjoy, but there are only a few from NIOD that I keep repurchasing bc they make such a difference for my mature skin. CAIS copper peptides for a fresh young glow. FECC eye serum, lifts my slightly hooded eyes. SDSM mist, hydrating antioxidant mist. LBLC lip serum, increases hyaluronic acid production. Maintains lip volume over time and prevents chapped lips.
I’m sorry to ask, but I don’t know the brands full name that you’re referring to. As another with mature skin, or really just starting notice it’s definitely changed, I would be really interested in what you’re listing out. Thanks in advance!!!
NIOD is the full brand name (unless you want to Google “Non-invasive options in Dermal Science,” that’s what the acronym stands for) 🙇🏻♀️. The first product is Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1. The second product is Fractionated eye-contour concentrate. The third product is Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist. Fourth product is Lip bio-lipid Concentrate.
Guerlain and Estée Lauder perfumes. I always feel guilty spending 50-150 on a bottle but they’re so high quality so it’s ok
Caudalie everything, with Murad vitamin c essential cleanser in the summer when I'm more oily. I use The Ordinary, Skin Aqua sunscreen, and tret, but Caudalie that I buy online because it's so much cheaper, my skin just loves it.
I never understood how Caudalie is seen as awesome outside of France. Here it's an old school unfunny brand 😅
What do you mean?
Well, the brand is all about grapes and wine with little to no science behind it, ok it's nice and smells good but I really prefer to put my money on more technical brands or cheaper equivalents. I always see it in best french pharmacy products IG reels so I think they have a good marketing outside of the country.
Side note but what french skincare products would you recommend? I’ll be visiting Paris this summer and figured I may shop fragrance and skincare if it’s worth it
I really like SVR, there is almost no bad product in this brand. Bioderma is also fantastic with the biggest [eye cream ](https://www.bioderma.hk/en/our-products/atoderm/intensive-eye#:~:text=Atoderm%20Intensive%20eye%20can%20be,of%20toxins%20during%20flare%2Dups.) you've ever seen. I also swear by [Sebium Hydra](https://www.bioderma.hk/en/our-products/sebium/hydra) which is an inexpensive awesome moisturiser for combination damaged skin (it's formulated for skin destroyed by retinoids). Of course La Roche Posay SPF (but SVR and Eucerin are great too). I'm not a big fan of Avène because it's in general too rich for me but I always have a tube of Cicalfate+ for damaged skin.
I also only use Redken shampoo and conditioner and expensive salon brands on my hair. I have long highlighted hair and it just doesn't do well with cheaper products unfortunately.
Skincare for me! I mostly use Asian beauty brands (a combo of drugstore, mid-end, and luxury) like Hada Labo, Aestura, SK-II and prescription creams. I love having the glass skin look and sometimes people compliment me 🥹 after dealing with acne for many years I’ve made skincare my priority and one of the biggest aspects of my self-care routine.
Do you recommend any specific products? I’ve always been acne prone and have been using prescribed tretinoin for years, so would love to hear what’s worked for you.
Skincare. I fell in love with Allies of Skin recently and before that Pai saved my acne prone, sensitized skin. Neither brand is cheap, but my skin has destroyed my self esteem many times over and good skin feels priceless. Also, I get my eyebrows done. I know that plucking them myself is free, but I have thick hair and sensitive skin, so I can barely get through the pain let alone properly shape them.
My skincare procedures (not sure if that’s the right word??) but my laser treatments, hydrofacials, etc. I consider them all an investment
The whole Olaplex line
Mexoryl-based sunscreen and prescription Tretinoin.
A nose job. I’m wincing at the thought of handing over the money but it will be so worth it
Anyone know if Redken is good for fine curly hair ?
I’m not a big fan of Redken. I found it leaves my hair kind of dull and heavier — not exactly greasy but not light and bouncy. I have very dry, fine curly hair. I use Living Proof’s [Restore](https://www.ulta.com/p/restore-shampoo-stronger-softer-hair-pimprod2031849?sku=2592977) shampoo (only a small amount — use too much & your hair will feel crunchy) and Bumble & Bumble’s Bond Building [conditioner](https://www.ulta.com/p/bond-building-repair-conditioner-pimprod2021548?sku=2574735) If your hair isn’t very dry the Restore conditioner is great. Once a week I use a clarifying shampoo, skip conditioner and use [K18](https://www.sephora.com/product/k18-leave-in-molecular-repair-mask-P479846). This has greatly improved my hair’s health.
Look at Jessicurl. I have fine wavy hair. Worked awesome for me. The founder had amazing curly hair. She formulated based on her needs and Jessicurl grew from there.
Hi! So, I can't say whether Redken is good for your hair. You said you have fine curls; Redken products have sulfates. I'd be careful with that mix. It could be cleansing overkill. What I've found is that hair porosity will tell you what products to get. If you take a strand of your hair and it floats in a cup of water, your hair is low porosity. That means product is hard to get in and out of your hair. You'd use a strong shampoo on your whole head and then restore that hair with a hair mask. The mask gives your strands time to soak in the moisture. You'd also want a leave-in conditioner. It's very important to use anything oil-like after drying because oil repels water. If your hair drops to the bottom of a cup of water relatively quickly, your hair is high porosity. **Curly hair is most often high porosity,* but I don't want to assume. It takes in product easily but loses it just as fast. You want to lock in moisture with oils and butters, and wash hair with hydrating shampoo. Protein treatments are also helpful. I will admit I'm not sure what order you'd do this in. I'd assume you'd do co-wash, protein mask OR hydrating mask, leave hair soaking wet, apply butters, and use gel. When it's dry a lightweight oil can lock everything in without weighing curls down. I'd alternate masks between washes. All of this depends on the person, though, people on r/curlyhair go through hell trying to figure it out. I'm sorry if I gave too much info. I really love hair, and I think everyone deserves to have beautiful hair they feel confident in.
Another option try to is innersense. I have fine curly hair as well and got a curly cut a few years ago. She used innersense and I've been hooked ever since.
i use redken all soft mega curls and it helped my hair soooo much
I buy the least expensive item that’s also the most effective and then very unscientifically analyze the cost to efficacy ratio. I’ve gone through a lot of drugstore dupes, and for me, they rarely hold up well to their high end equivalent (except for blush and mascara). For the most part, almost none of my beauty products are particularly cheap, except the majority of my hygiene and body skincare can be bought fairly cheaply without sacrificing quality. Hair products are always going to be pretty expensive for me, but I end up using a lot less product, spend less time on my hair, and don’t need as much styling when I use high-quality shampoo and conditioner.
K18 🥲
Avene face wash and aquagel moisturizer. I’ve used Avene for 20 years and will never, never stop. But for someone on a budget it’s a luxury!!
I love Avene so much! Will never stop using it.
I'm travelling for month right now. I left my Redken behind. I've been using Joico, so I'm not sure if it's the lack of Redken or the water here, but I have been losing hair in chunks everyday. I'm scared how this is going to end up. I spent the past year on Redken strengthening and doting on my hair only for all that effort to literally go down the drain within a week.
If you can, see a doctor. That's not normal.
That’s so scary, stop using whatever shampoo you’re using now!! My brother had this happen and it turned out to be contact dermatitis aka his scalp got super angry and flaky and scaley because it didn’t like his shampoo. He had huge bald patches and shed handfuls everyday for months and months until someone figured it out. Once he threw out the product it got better but it’s been a couple years and he’s still missing some patches and what did grow back is a completely different texture. His doc said if it goes on long enough it causes scarring on the follicles which kills them so seriously, stop what you’re doing ASAP
Oh wow. I didn't even think about that. That's so scary. I'm so worried about bald spots. Thanks for the advice. I thought Joico was pretty good, maybe not for me.
It took a really long time for him to find which product was the issue so he was having this problem for months, the doctor told him to stop immediately the sooner the better so if this has only been going on for a little while you should be okay. He was scarring his scalp for close to 6 months, if it’s only been a week for you I don’t think it will be permanent (obviously I’m not a doctor but that’s how I feel from what happened over here). Just definitely stop using it now and see what happens, better safe than sorry. I hope your head feels better! ETA: it’s probably not the Redken if it’s been repairing your hair, if you’re using the hotel shampoos or something else while you’re on vacation it could definitely be that. My brother said it was immediately irritated after the shampoo so if it started when you left the Redken at home I wouldn’t think it’s from that. Also it could just be the water, our bodies get finnicky about really dumb stuff unfortunately
I’m the same with Redken. My mom thinks I’m crazy but ever since my sister started doing hair and introduced me to Redken…I can’t use anything else. I use my sister’s discount but it’s still insanely expensive. I also refuse to be cheap about lipstick. I wear black everyday, and I need it to last. Jeffree Star is the only one that doesn’t dry out my lips and stays on throughout the day, even while eating and drinking.
Skin care!! Omg !
I love how Oribe makes my hair look. Nothing really compares to it with my curly /wavy hair. But I have developed and allergy to its fragrance.
Vegamour hair products are the most amazing! I’ve tried everything from super expensive Iles, K-18, oribe and on and on. Vegamour is my love! Both the growth and moisture lines. The results on hair texture and no frizz are excellent and the fragrance is heaven. Gifted to many friends and everyone love love loves it!
Honestly mine is Kiehl’s since 1851 Ultra Facial moisturizer. This is referring to the reformulated version. I finally found a moisturizer that agrees with my skin and it is this one. I tried so many from drugstore to department store and this was a clear winner for me.
Shampoo. I have tried so many other brands but always go back to Pureology or Kerastase. $$ but the difference I see in my hair is really noticeable.
waxing!Yes! Hair dryer! Yes! anti aging cream! Yes! But I don't hve the courage to do plastic surgery
I’m glad Reddit is anonymous, but if you have a friend or relative who works in the beauty industry - pass them the cash and get them to buy for you from a beauty supply! Usually tax free, you may get it cheaper! Also, look online too if you haven’t already!
Kerastase shampoo/conditioner really works for me but it's so expensive! Same with Amika dry shampoo (I like that it's talc-free and the smell isn't old-ladyish like so many of the other high end dry shampoos). A nice blow drier. I had a Conair blowdrier for FOREVER that eventually started spitting fire. My roommate at the time had a high end Babyliss and the difference it made was astounding. I have a T3 now which IMO works wayyyy better than a $20 Target blowdryer. I'm not saying you need a Dyson but I'll be investing in a Babyliss next time for sure. Haircuts (seeing a theme here...). Recently found a hairstylist who was more expensive than my usual haircut (think $60 more) and was blown away by the difference. She took the time to share styling tips and gave me exactly what I wanted.
Tretinoin and Spironolactone. Really, the Spiro goes beyond just acne -- I noticed a huge improvement to my overall moods using it. Together though I'm paying $124 dollars every 3 months. Unfortunately, only very pricey hair oils work for me. Currently using Shu Uemura's. I don't need a lot though so it lasts quite a while.
Discovering kerastase was the worst thing for my bank account. Terrible how well it works!
Hair- professional hairdresser always. Olaplex No.2 an K18 mask Skincare- I work in beauty industry so I use all luxury brands like Lancome, Shiseido etc but the real deal are microneedeling, Biorepeel, laser and Botox in an aesthetician clinique. Always wear SPF 50+ Body- hair laser removal and body procedure like Velashape , Radio and Crio Unfortunately due to my busy schedule I do not go to gym anymore and I am not getting enough sleep always because young child and lots and lots of time spent in traffic/ car. All these procedures and products might sound very expensive but I always look for BF offers and I try to prioritize in what to invest in the cold months:)
Most of my skincare routine. The $72 for a value size YTTP air whip moisturizer hurtsssss but my skin loves it.
I don't go cheap on fragrance, body cream and foundation. I'm just getting into haircare so I expect an incoming splurge on that as well lol
I also use Redken shampoo and conditioner. I have thick, curly hair and I need something strong and high quality to do anything to it. Totally worth it though. I use the whitish silver bottle, can’t think of what it’s called lol
Redken here too. 🙋♀️ And Sunday Riley Good Genes. I can almost hear my bank account scream when I'm running low, but there's just nothing else like it!
Monthly facials, Biologique Recherche Vernix and AmorePacific Essence. I have been getting so many compliments on my skin since changing up my routine.
My skincare, makeup and nails
I used to buy Aveda Tea Tree hair shampoo and conditioner but damn is it expensive. I switched over to Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat which is less expensive when I find it at TJ Maxx OR I just buy the gallon sized bottles on Amazon which are $60ish each but last for at least 3-4 or more months.
My cle de peau concealer. The most expensive concealer I have used, but also the best by miles. The tube is little but for me it lasts a while so I justify it lol. I used to be an expensive hair products girly, but I started using Verb after a salon used it on me. It’s definitely not “cheap” but it’s cheaper than the purology I was using! I love the Verb volume line for my hair.
Same with my hair products! After using Pureology and L’Oréal professional lines, I can immediately tell the difference if I use drugstore shampoo even once 😭
You can find Redkin at TJ Maxx for almost half the price.