Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with beauty

Winter hair woes.

blackcatcuriouser — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:24:44 -0800

I have long, fine, mostly straight (female) hair that becomes dry, limp and majorly staticky during East Coast winters. My normal hair routine involves moisturizing shampoo, conditioner at the tips, volumizing mousse when my hair is wet, and blow drying upside down with a bristly brush. Sometimes I use some light hairspray to keep it in place. Initially it looks and feels great. But by the end of the day, it is totally dead and full of static. I keep a dryer sheet in my bag to smooth out the static throughout the day but this isn't much of a long-term solution and it doesn't fix the limpness. Advise me please? Any product suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Hunting for Italian cosmetics: How to be bella in Italia?

purpleclover — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:52:20 -0800

I love cosmetics, and I'm in Rome. What should I buy here that I can't get in the United States? Things I'd love to find here: the best eyeliner, delicious blushes, fabulous mascaras, luxurious lotions, wrinkle creams that aren't FDA-approved, the eye cream that changed your life, the bronzer that makes you seem like you just got back from Cozumel, hand creams that make you weep, etc.

Has globalization eliminated this kind of shopping? Should I use all my liquid allocation for olive oil, or are there still Italian cosmetics and beauty elixirs worth seeking out?

Like me, but less hairy.

Foam Pants — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:09:26 -0800

If it works, Tria Beauty would change my hairy life. Anybody have any experience with a home laser hair removal gadget?

I've just seen a face...

eatdonuts — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:30:21 -0800

Yikes! Nearly every 'healthy' cosmetic brand has toxic waste in it! Here I thought using Burt's Bees was good for unicorns and everything, apparently they have issues too! So does the Body Shop - badly. Search the database... Anyone have a good, healthy brand line? Please no "Stop Using." Try telling that to a 13 year old who just got permission.

Best place in Providence for a facial treatment?

quodlibet — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:59:54 -0800

Providence, RI: Best place for a facial treatment?

No more facial soap bars, switching to liquid soap.

mtphoto — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:54:22 -0800

What kind of liquid facial soap do you recommend? I'd like to stop using facial soap bars to wash my face. I've used the Neutrogena "transparent facial bar" for several months, but I don't like how to bar melts away so quickly. What liquid facial soaps do you recommend?

I'm a guy, if that changes your suggestions at all.

Changing the world, one kiss at a time...

Muirwylde — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:35:10 -0800

Cosmetic manufacturing in China. I've noted that certain regions of China specialize in different types of consumer goods manufacturing. Which city or region is ground zero for cosmetics manufacturing in China? I'm interested in having a cosmetic product line (lipcare, lip gloss, lip balm, etc.) manufactured in China. Product line will use stock componentry custom overprinted with trademarked logo. I have had products produced in Taiwan of my own design. I don't need concept, design, or formulation input. My Tawainese suppliers are not suitable for this project and I want to take a trip to Mainland China to find a supplier who is capable of providing scalable production capacity for a national, and eventually, international roll out. I don't expect a recommendation to a specific cosmetic manufacturer unless you have specific experience with this type of product. The product (lip gloss) will be hot-filled in glass. I realize the manufacturers have close relationships with componentry suppliers and I also have my own sources for the componentry. Manufacturer must be capable of supplying a 1200 door international chain from 2-3 store test phase through full roll-out. Manufacturer must be willing to work with a small but rapidly expanding niche brand.There are hundreds of Chinese cosmetic manufacturers (or agents masquarading as cosmetic manufacturers) online. Please, no links to Alibaba or other China 'business lead'-generating sites. Rather, I am more interested in what city or region I should be looking at that is the absolute center for cosmetic manufacture in Mainland China so I can travel there and make some decisions after eyeballing the terrain. Any links to the pre-eminent cosmetic trade shows (in China) or China cosmetic trade organizations that you feel might be useful or helpful would also be greatly appreciated. I also would be interested in knowing what unforeseen problems you may have experienced while rolling out similar product lines. Thank you!

The decline of architecture?

dydecker — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:49:44 -0800

Why is it that I seem to instinctively prefer houses from the late-19th or early 20th century to post-war architecture? I'm a architectural dilettante. I like what I like, but I don't know too much about houses or architecture so I can't explain why I like what I like. I need a bit of help. Can someone much more knowledgable than me about the subject explain why I--and many other people it seems--seem to prefer houses build during the Edwardian or Georgian period than the modern or post-modern stuff? I do like the occasional modern thing, especially when the design specs are really really high, but it seems to me that this contrasts with my feeling about most all pre-modern architecture, which I like as a rule and it would be the rare exceptional bad building which rubs me up the wrong way. OTOH, MOST of the stuff from the second half of the 20th century rubs me up the wrong way. It just seems so bland.

I have a suspicion that this instinctive dislike is based on some kind of building technique which changed in the 20s or 30s. Maybe your average suburban building started being mass-produced at this time? Or is it because the older buildings are often in the more desireable neighborhoods? Was it due to the invention of the car?

I'm mostly drawing from architecture in New Zealand, but then also some stuff I've seen in Europe and elsewhere. What is the reason for this? In other fields such as painting or music, I'd say I can appreciate modern styles and idioms much more than the older stuff...but I'd like to know what happened to architecture in the 30s or 40s and thereafter which made it change so.

Straight from the goat's... mouth?

oinopaponton — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:33:26 -0800

How can I tap into that sweet, sweet argan oil goodness without breaking the bank? I've been hearing about the miraculous effects of argan oil on unruly hair for a while now. I'm interested in buying some from my local health food store, but since the American argan oil industry seems to be overrun with trendy cosmetic companies selling diluted products (full of silicone and stuff), I'm not sure how to go about the DIY method with a purer oil. Anyone have any experience or pro tips? If it matters, my hair is thick, coarse, and dry everywhere but the scalp, and I use a sulfate-free shampoo.

Who Will Sing Me to Sleep?

Holly — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:33:32 -0800

Aural Joy Filter: which songs, performed live and on YouTube, combine simplicity, beauty and quietness into a haunting, moving whole that will make you cry when the mood is right? There are such lists on Ask MeFi, but often without links.I'm thinking of things like this by Kate Rusby, which is just the most gorgeously sad thing.

Should I get my ears pierced?

brainmouse — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:49:39 -0800

I’m considering getting my ears pierced. Just regular old lobe piercings. Help me decide if I should, then help answer all the probably simple questions about the process, because I seriously know nothing. Before you bring it up – I’m planning on going to a real piercing place, not Claire’s. I got my ears pierced when I was in elementary school. Once they healed, I took the earrings out and basically never wore any again, so the holes closed up. I could feel the hole through my ear still for a long time, but it’s been gone for maybe 15 years. There are still little marks on the front of my ears where you can see that they were pierced.

I’m considering doing it again. I’m just undecided. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and I think I will always be undecided if I keep on this route… so I just thought I’d ask for opinions. My pros are: I think earrings look pretty on people, and I think they would look pretty on me. Also, most adult women wear earrings, and it's often assumed that I do to. People occasionally think it's weird that I don't. These people sometimes include me. My cons are: I don’t wear a lot of jewelry, even when I like it, so I’m a little worried I won’t actually wear earrings either, and they'll close again. Also, I can't help but thinking I shouldn’t be literally mutilating my body for beauty (note: definitely not judging people who have even many piercings; I mostly think they look great and have never had that feeling about other people, just myself). I’m just not sure how reasonable that is – especially given I’ve already done it once, and you can still see the holes.

Once you answer that (or not, whatever), can you help me with answers to the following questions about the process?:

1. Do I bring my own jewelry in or get some at the piercing place? I don’t especially like studs, and don’t plan on wearing them after the healing part of the process is over. How small can they be and still be ok? What should they be made of? (assume gold isn’t an option)

2. Will it hurt? How much? For how long? Is there anything I can do to mitigate the pain at the time of the piercing or later?

3. I really really really don’t want them to get infected. If they do, I plan on taking out the piercings immediately and permanently and not trying again. What are the odds that it will? What can I do to keep it from happening? Where do I buy the cleaning supplies?

4. How much should I expect this to cost?

5. Will I need to make an appointment or is this the sort of thing you can walk in for?

6. Long-term, how often, roughly, do I need to wear earrings to keep the holes open? How do I keep them as small as possible while keeping them open?

7. Can anybody recommend a good piercing place in downtown Oakland or downtown Berkeley (or, I guess somewhere BART-able in San Francisco would work too)?

8. Is there anything else I should know?

Thank you!

BeautyNerdFilter: Luck with homemade Vitamin C serums?

airguitar2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:40:17 -0800

BeautyNerdFilter: Luck with homemade Vitamin C facial serums? (Chemists welcome!) I've recently found some recipes online and have been experimenting with making my own vitamin C facial serum, using l-ascorbic acid crystals dissolved in vegetable glycerin and distilled water. (A number of studies that show the topical use of Vitamin C improves the skin through boosting collagen synthesis.)

Questions

1. Could I be doing any damage by applying vitamin C directly to the skin? This morning my cheeks felt a little rough, and I started to worry that I might have done some harm!

2. Do I need to worry about the ph level?

I'd love to hear from folks who have used a similar concoction, or any chemists/cosmetic scientists who might know about possible consequences... I realize this is a fairly specialized questions-- any specialists out there with some ideas? Thanks!

Beauty items not packaged in plastic?

toomuchkatherine — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:18:58 -0800

Plastic-free beauty filter: I'm researching how to diminish the amount of plastic I am using from day to day, and I'm about to attack my personal-care items. Does anyone have suggestions for shampoos, deodorants, face washes, lotions, toothpastes, etc., that don't come packed in plastic containers? I'm interested in commercially available stuff and also recipes I can make at home if the components aren't too plastic-y.

Recommend a professional skin care brand?

pinkbungalow — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:46:40 -0800

What is your favorite professional skin care line? I'm opening a studio where we will offer skin care services. I have been searching and researching and trying different lines. I am ruling out Dermalogica. What has worked for you? Nice smelling, organic, all that would be great but it has to be a line that can produce good results for my clients. I've already selected PCA, but I'd like to find another that may be a notch down in price points. I can't recommend something I don't believe in, so I'd love any suggestions.

Help me calibrate my sense of female beauty.

pseudonick — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:45:35 -0800

Help me calibrate my sense of female beauty. Can anyone point me to a source of pictures of random women at various ages.

Ideally I could select an age and a number of pictures and would be given a page with pictures of randomly sampled women at that age. I realize that it's the randomly sampled that will be the problem, the closer to random the better. Clothed preferably, but unclothed would be ok too.

Some sort of academic study about beauty would be perfect, though I'd be happy with an amateur approach. I'm trying to get a better sense of average attractiveness in spite of media exposure and living across from a sorority row.

Quality, at-home haircut for the vain

notjustfoxybrown — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:06:44 -0800

I wear my hair close-cropped, sort of like Erykah's in the picture on the right (I don't actually like to cut close enough to see skin but I like it low.) In order for me to keep it this way, I have to cut it at least weekly ... which is expensive and time-consuming. I'm looking for a place where I can purchase barber-quality clippers either somewhere in the Phoenix area or online. I'm not looking for anything I can buy at Sally's or Target (I've tried clippers at both places and they just aren't are good as the ones my very-skilled barber uses.)

Thanks!

Help me identify/find this mysterious liquid eyeshadow!

emilyd22222 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:02:10 -0800

Help me identify/find this mysterious liquid eyeshadow! I bought some eyeshadow from CVS several years ago. I had it in two shades of gold/brown- a light one and a dark one. It came in a tube with a rounded end. The tube was completely opaque and was the color of the makeup inside. The applicator worked by twisting one end of the tube, which would bring the makeup comes out of the other (spongy) end through a number of holes. It was about the consistency of lip gloss, maybe a little thinner, although not sticky or overly shiny like gloss. If it ever had a label/any sort of branding, it was on one of those plastic wrappers that you can peel off of the tube. I've checked CVS and Ulta with no success. I even looked in the lip gloss sections in case it was actually meant for the lips. I'm pretty sure it was a major brand like Revlon or Maybelline. Can anyone help?

What to do about Inflammed Hair Follicles

Anthro girl — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:56:08 -0800

My thigh is covered with inflamed hair follicles. It's basically little red dots that look like razor burn. It doesn't hurt, itch, or anything, it just looks bad. Is there any way to reduce them?

How to become an Expert at Not Being an Expert?

canijusa — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:10:13 -0800

How to self-market with Diversity (not necessarily ethnocentric) as my key point-of-difference, twisting a liability into an asset, within an industry that almost exclusively values Specialization? I love my freelance work in the Beauty/Fashion/Entertainment industry, which similar to many fields, is very compartmentalized; it's rare to find examples of frequent successful mobility (think Theatre vs. Film vs. Fashion vs. Music). Even though we commonly have experience in most aspects, when it comes down to what pays the bills, jobs and referrals follow a family-tree system and we end up semi-pigeon-holed, making it hard to move between specialties (due to trends, innovations and networking).

I tend to be bored with routines and never aggressively pursued a path, simply because I wasn't sure which one I liked more. Luckily, because of this, I have current and ongoing experience in multiple facets of my field, work regularly, teach advanced classes to peers and am fairly respected in my industry because of my range. Unluckily, I face periodic criticism that my body of work is segmented.

In addition to my skill diversity, and my upbringing (mixed-culture hippie home), I have a social-service background (anti-discrimination and civil rights), in which my heart is deeply rooted. Speak to me for more than 5 minutes and you'll see I'm incredibly passionate about the topic beyond the politically-correct rhetoric. As my two passions are seemingly in direct opposition though, it's honestly never occurred to me that the two aspects could even co-exist, let alone flirt and get married. I generally prepared myself for the day I'd have to secede from my current field to rejoin the other.

Some possible challenges:
-Most people value Expert over Generalized skills for obvious and practical reasons, and because my industry is incredibly trend and image-conscious with a short attention span (and I'll say it...snobby and superficial), my concept will not be accepted easily without a very "slick" hook and package. Unfortunately my field is rampant with novices who obtain jobs simply because they are eye-candy and have a pretty website.
-I'd really like to have a thoughtful, holistic marketing plan, and my inner snob also wants it to be fun, approachable and stylish with the seductive whiff of elitism that my crowd tends to be aroused by.
-Due to the potential sensitivity and yawn-factor of "Diversity Issues," how do I incorporate the idea in a fresh, modern, positive, relatable way that avoids any smug moralistic pitfalls or triteness?
-In light of current changes in government and the resurgence of the topic, how can I ensure credibility, relevance and longevity beyond what will likely lead to "buzzword buzzkill," like happened to Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action? Or is it even possible? I don't want to be swallowed up when the topic gets beaten to death or trivialized as just another marketing fad (a la "green").

Additional Info:
-I've written a book on the near horizon that combines my loves; it will likely be in the Health/Beauty/ChicLit categories, tongue-in-cheek, bawdy, peppered with anecdotes and (not so) hidden political messages.
-In researching and writing the book, I've been following trends and forecasting, all of which lead me to hope that clever marketing is possible...that people are open to the idea more than in the past.
-So far, I have found nothing in existence with the same hybrid, there's only one other book even slightly close to my perspective and everything else is very segregated and/or too political to appeal to a larger audience. Time is of the essence for me to be a leader in this niche.

Essentially, I need to become an Expert in Not Being an Expert. I think. That's what you are for.....thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Help me find websites that trade or sell gently used cosmetics.

scazza — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:06:08 -0800

Help me find websites that trade or sell gently used cosmetics. Found this thread from 2006; is there anything other than Makeup Alley? Ebay is not the best. I'm looking for a specific very expensive moisturizer. I saw that Makeup Alley has some bad reviews of this product and I wonder what those people did with what they had left. I'm not worried about sanitary issues, this has a very sanitary container.

Thank you!

Art, design, technology

Your Time Machine Sucks — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:23:01 -0800

Please recommend some sites to me that are focused on art and design and are technology-friendly to boot. Hello,

I am looking for sites (blogs or online magazines or similar) which have design and/or art as their focus, but which are tech-friendly in those areas and where it wouldn't be surprising to read about an unusual or well-designed UI along with good industrial design examples or art installations. Which are your favorites? Disclosure: I'm asking a) because I adore that kind of site and always want to find more, and b) because I think there is a possibility that sites with that focus might be interested in a project of mine.

Thank you very much!

Do my crumbly nails indicate a problem?

toomuchkatherine — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:08:24 -0800

Normally healthy and strong, my fingernails are now peeling, flaking, and crumbling a bit near the tips. Is this a sign I'm missing something in my diet? (I'm a 29 y.o. female and I eat pretty healthfully, home cooking, plenty of vegetables. I do not take vitamins.)

No entourage here.

typewriter — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:44:41 -0800

How do I keep my make-up and hair looking fresh all day long? This is my ridiculously silly question that I am embarrassed to ask, but really need help with. Tomorrow, I have a stupidly full day, where I am expected to be very nicely dressed, with nice hair and full make-up ALL DAY LONG from 9:30am to at least 11pm. I will be on-camera several times, as well as meeting with people face-to-face, attend a party and will have to criss-cross the city several times. (I drive.) I would normally choose flats and some stretchy pant ensemble, but tomorrow's events require a bit more dressing-up (dress, heels, hose.) I know movie stars have an entourage that check their hair and makeup etc., but what does a regular person do? Any long-lasting make-up or hair tips would be most, most appreciated. I have a base, so I can store products in my car, or at a location. I have access to a bathroom, and even one where I could plug an hair-dryer in or something. I don't have a lot of time between things except between 4 - 7pm. Help me not look frazzled and bedraggled.

Need a foundation that won't turn orange

IndigoRain — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:10:50 -0800

Recommendations for not-too-expensive foundation that won't turn orange on my very pale ivory skin? I am pale enough that I can usually buy foundation in one of the two lightest shades in any given line. My two most recent failures were Mary Kay's both full and medium coverage foundations. Both turn orange on me, no matter how lightly I try to apply them. Previously I'd been using CoverGirl something or other, with the same problem.

I do use concealer but I have severely dark blue/purple undereye circles, reddish old acne scars, and the occasional red pimple, so I have a lot of skin tone variation. I don't know if all these powdered "Bare Minerals" knockoffs (for example, L'Oreal's Bare Naturale) can handle that much coverage, and they seem to be messy (as in, you get powder everywhere).

I need something affordable too, so preferably something I can pick up in a drugstore or Wal-Mart, not something Sephora-exclusive. What doesn't turn orange on you?

What are these eyeglasses?

karizma — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:59:59 -0800

[WhatISThatFilter] What is the make and model of the eyeglasses Danny Gokey wore on the March 17th episode of American Idol? Danny Gokey of American Idol fame wore a very cool pair of glasses (yes, he wears many) on a recent episode of American Idol that aired on March 17th, 2009. I like them very much, and would like to get a pair, but I'm uncertain as to the make and model.

I have some scant ideas as to what they might be but I'd like the HiveMind confirmation if that's possible. Note the clear sides with metal within and the silver nose-bridge. Very simple, modern, light, airy, cool.

Here is a picture of the glasses.

A few notes...

- I asked this question on Yahoo Answers several weeks ago (just in case your Google searches run into it) and someone thought they were Fendi 703m. I don't think that's even close.

- It's speculated that he wears primarily Versace and Fendi branded glasses, as well as Dolce & Gabbana and possibly DKNY.

- Contact info for his supposed optometrist in Wisconsin is available but I don't really want to be *that* guy. I'm not a huge fan of him... just of the glasses.

My best guess is that the make model is Dolce & Gabbana DD 4128 (H66 - silver transparent) but I can't say for certain.

Can you help?

Thanks so much!