Cosmetic things that worked for me - sharing girly stuff

Thank you all for the advice on the coconut oil. I've been using it for about a week, and I really can tell a difference. My skin had begun to dry out anyway, and with the chemo, it was like paper -- wrinkly paper. The coconut oil makes a HUGE difference. My skin is much softer. I've now started using it, at night, on my hands and neck. 

I had to laugh -- and cry -- at someone's mention of "Seventeen" magazine. It, too, was my fashion Bible back in the '60s. I remember feeling sad when I knew I had outgrown it. Then "Glamour" was my new fashion Bible for years, until I also realized that it no longer applied to me. So, finally, my go-to monthly became "More," for women over 40.

But now even "More" makes me sad. Ads for shampoo, conditioners, hair color, straighteners, volumnizers. Sorry, I don't have hair. Ads for mascara that make your lashes 10x longer, 6x thicker. Sorry, I have about six lashes on each side. Ads for shaving cream and pastel razors. Sorry, I don't have hair there either. 

Oh, well...this site is now my favorite spot for fashion and beauty advice. It's free, and everyone is going through, or has gone through, the same trials of BC. 

It was my understanding that MAC products are not tested on animals. I went to the MAC store a couple times when I was going through chemo. They customized some fake lashes for me to wear in my sister's wedding. I wear their mineral powder and find that it's the best for my skin.



I discovered another line called Inglot. They sell it in a few of the big cities. We have a store here in Vegas. The pigments are amazing and the products are pareben free and cruelty free.

crystalphm I don't use any waterproof cosmetics. I just wash my face with Cetaphil (paraben free). It's a gentle cleanser. Also you can try washing your eyes with baby shampoo. This is what people do who get or are prone to blepharitis. I did this when my eye lid swelled (recommended by my ophthalmologist).

I have started using coconut oil for make-up removal.. This is truly a wonder oil.. Softens my skin removes my make-up. You can even use it as a lubricant.. Is there anything coconut oil can not do??

I use Pond's cold cream to remove makeup, have been using it for years. But now that I'm a coconut oil convert, I think I'll try that!

My favorite eye make up remover is sesame oil! I don't know if I smell like Asian food when I go to bed or not, but I love it. I just put some on a cotton ball and mascara comes right off. As for products that are paraben and pthalate free, that do not test on animals - my favorites are Hydropeptide (made in the US, near Seattle) and Devita. I go back and forth between the two. My SIL has been using Hydropeptide for about a year. We just visited her this weekend and her skin looks amazing. I am not sure where all you can buy it. - maybe check their website? I love their eye cream and their plump and peel sets. As for Devita, they have a night cream that is fabulous. - do not buy their toner as it comes in a glass bottle, which is a great idea, but mine tipped over n the counter and shattered on impact the very first day I had it. And it did not fall off the counter - just tipped over! What a waste of $$$. They other thing I love is vitamin c serum. My favorite is by a brand called CSI. You can find it on Vitacost.com. It is 12% vit c and in addition to helping firm up your skin, it also helps provide some protectin from the sun. BTW, vitacost.com and lucky vitamin.com are great places to find devita and csi at discount prices! Of course, I adore coconut oil as well. It is the multi purpose oil!

Thank you all for the tips...!!! it really does help my self esteem to get more into this girly stuff :-)

I have to tell you I tried eyebrows with just a maybelline brow pencil and wow, did I get compliments on "how good I looked". I probably should have dealt with 3./4 of my eyebrows not growing back sooner than this.

Yea Stacie!

Apple-

I have wondered that myself. I'd like to use Vitamin C to help with the uneven complexion I now have due to hormonal changes and the sun. I got hyperpigmentation with each pregnancy, and I now have some spots on my face that I'd like to fade. I was using a product called iSClinical before my diagnosis, and it contained Arbutin and Kojic Acid. It was a WONDER PRODUCT, and I feel that I cannot use it, since Arbutin is a known carcinogen. I wrote to Dr. Perricone and asked him about it, and he wrote me back to tell me that Arbutin is a harmful product.  

So, thinking maybe Vitamin C could do the trick. I also heard that Apple Cider Vinegar will fade spots. 

Apple,

There are some Vitamin C crystals that my friend and I experimented with. We mixed the vitamin C with grapeseed oil (quite a lovely oil) and olive oil. It felt kind if burny and our skin looked nice... From what I remember .

Have any of you ladies ever supplemented with Vitamin A? I know large doses are bad, but I have been on a regimen for my allergies for the past few weeks- taking 10,000IU daily to get my respiratory tract strengthened.  It does magnificent wonders for my skin, and I sure wish I could take it more frequently.

I usually drink a beet/carrot/apple/lemon juice combo from Whole Foods (from their juice bar), so I guess I am ingesting Vitamin A through that and leafy foods, but I don't get the same effect the supplements give!!

Nordy, Interesting website, does it burn on your skin? Do you use any other products?

Apple, you have me smiling :-)

Ladyfighter - thanks for mentioning the Totalbeauty website.  I've been looking for the "perfect" mascara and thanks to the recommendations on that site, I found what looks lifke a couple of really good options that I ordered from Amazon.  I wore one of them today and no flakes, no black circles under my eyes, woohoo!  And oh, not expensive.

Claire - love the idea of "fabulousness!"  I have been shopping for our upcoming trip to Paris (going to be fabulous!) and I have bought a few things that I probably would not have bought before, thinking they were too expensive.  Now, if something really speaks to me and I it works with my wardrobe (we are talkng clothes and accessories here), I buy it.  I want to LOVE everything in my closet!  And I want to feel that I look fabulous when I go out.

i stumbled upon a link to coconut oil.. everything you wanted to know.. with opportunities to buy 10 and 20 gallon tubs.  ha ha

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Coconut%2BOil

Cyborg I don't believe it is but I would check with both your onc & dermatologist.