I just found out that CVS house brand moisturizer with hyaluronic acid is an excellent cheaper dupe for Cerave, and my skin is very happy tonight.
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Update: less scrubbing and more snail goo (apparently key?) and moisturizing gel and sunscreen seems to have helped redness about 40-50%. Treating testosterone levels helped painful acne and bacne 
I’m still oily though.
I’m running out of Trader Joe’s face wash and want to try something more specialized for oily, redness prone skin. $40 for cleanser and toner from Paula’s Choice: Good? Bad? My sis had good results with the brand, but switched to CeraVe after, I think for cost reasons. Still that seems like a good rec unless their products have changed significantly in a couple years?
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I am Very Committed to CeraVe foaming facewash, but I’ve never tried Paula’s Choice, so I can’t compare. I have a hard time imagining that it’s that much better, but my skin has been behaving for a while.
Niacinimide is supposed to help with redness and oiliness I think?
ETA: I don’t understand anything, but snail goo is also pretty magical on my skin. how? why? gonna keep putting it on my face.
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Right? It’s kinda sticky but I don’t break out and I wasn’t seeing improvements till I tried it, so… Idk. 
Are magic I guess? 
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I forget if we have a makeup thread. I’m going makeup shopping soonish. Like capital nketters SHOPPING. I have not really bought makeup since 2019.
What should I get?
New liquid liner and mascara for hygiene. Sample size if I can because I can’t use up a full
An eyeshadow palette (any recs? I prefer hippy everything and want to do neutral and dramatic neutral eyes)
Maybe a bronzer or highlighter?
Probably a foundation - might buy online from the ordinary if I remember my shade. I know I was golden 
A lip Gloss or crayon? I have cheapo lipstick.
Mostly it’s about the eyes and a little concealing. I feel like if I contour everyone will remember what I looked like yesterday and be like…nope.
Have there been innovations in the past five or so years I should expect?
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The biggest thing I really like is that now there are a lot more brands that are skincare meets makeup, so makeup that’s also beneficial for skin health. I also think there are more lightweight and versatile makeup products now, like highlighter that also covers circles and moisturizes the skin. The other thing I like are all the custom options now! It’s pricy but you can do tests online and then get concealer or foundation matched perfectly to your skin.
Other fave new(ish) products:
Lip oil- imbues color but doesn’t rub off, plus moisturizes. I layer it with lip liner for definition.
Eye shadow crayons are awesome! I like it better than a palate, I have a nice one from bobbi brown and a cheaper one from nyx (neither are natural, but natural brands do them too). Both are great! I also use eye primer so that probably helps.
I like liquid eye shadow too, it’s super low maintenance and comes in a tube with an applicator (like concealer). Just dab on and it’s ready to go, it dries into a powder immediately and I love that I don’t have to use brushes or anything.
Highlighters I like are tula and benefit.
Here are some of my fave sites which have lots of natural brands, but IDK if they’re all accessible for you:
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I really liked W3ll People mascara when I got one in Birch ox Birchbox (lol) , and wanted to try more stuff but they never had my shade(s) in sample sizes and then I got increasingly over wearing makeup as my mascaras aged… But anyway check it out. 
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Re: hippie things . . . I am IN LOVE with Axiology’s zero-waste “balmies” tiny crayons that work as lip/cheek/eye color. I seriously have 6 or 7 colors and covet the entire superfan set but cannot justify dropping the dough till the ones I have run out. (Grumble.)
Also a fan of Bésame products. I bought the “1922” lipstick for my 1920s outfit and was shocked at how well it stayed on all night. The cake mascara isn’t as dark as tube mascara, more of a naturally darker look, but it’s enough for me most days and there are no hygiene issues since it dries back out every time. You can buy a metal-handled reusable spool brush to go with it, which I did. I have not yet mastered the art of using it as liquid liner with the tiny liner paintbrush, but they say it can be used for that too.
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Redness is also a problem I struggle with, and I totally didn’t realize it till you mentioned this, but I think it has gotten worse since I ran out of my snail goo and didn’t re-buy because of the plastic tube. I just found it in a glass ampoule with dropper and, whoops, I guess I’m buying something today!
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Funny story… When the snail goo arrived (with sunscreen and nail tools) I told Human “oh and I got snail goo because it was half price and every woman has to try snail goo at some point, it’s a Rule” and he’s like, “hrm, OK…” clearly thinking I’m a weirdo. And I totally thought snail goo was one of those weird things like idk bat poops or bee venom or whatever that sounds exotic but doesn’t actually do much? But now I find out it has a following because it actually, magically, works!? 
Definitely some internalized patriarchy in my whole journey there, but idk it was a good journey. Also I’m glad I helped and that you found it acceptably packaged!
PS Human was totally supportive and had no issue with my getting goo. I should offer him this panacea for his skin issues. 
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Where do people buy the aforementioned snail goo?
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Following because I am also in need of advice.
What do you do when you only wear make up like…twice a year? I need to throw out all my current make-up because everything is at least 3 years old. But - I’d like to have an eyeliner, maybe an eyeshadow, and a lipstick? Is there somewhere that sells only sample-sized eyeshadow? Tinted moisturizer is fine for me on my face, and I use that as sunscreen anyway so I’m set there.
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Ask my mom to give me her freebies from Clinique 
no but really, I’ve seen people ask on Buy Nothing for unused items from Ipsy type makeup bags, people get stuff that isn’t their “color”. Ulta also has quite a few sample size items, although makeup is still eye bleedingly expensive to me lol.
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Ok. I’ve seen it and ignored it because ick. But… if it does something amazing for my skin I could change my mind. What is it intended to do?
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Allegedly, it’s a hydrating “essence”. Per anecdata above it seems to be somewhat anti-inflammatory (maybe a side effect of hydration though). It is slippery but odorless and clear.
@Bracken_Joy I got mine from ulta, but it’s kind of everywhere? Not sure where WJ found the non plastic one, prob a different brand.
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Lol at keywords
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You get powder eyeshadow as a palette from essence (very cheap) or nyx, or like one eye crayon. You do cheapish eyeliner and mascara and probably only wear them twice each. Basically I’d either keep budget brands in stock, or just get your makeup done. Powder cosmetics are usually good for 2+ years. It’s anything wet that’s a bigger worry.
I actually love makeup and I’m back to wearing it almost daily! But everything is a little too old and I decided I deserve the treat of rebuying
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Is it really snail mucus?
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I toootally forgot about snail goo but it also worked great for my skin, I should restock.
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You too with the snail goo?? Lol. I don’t think I need hydration so maybe I can continue to skip the goo.
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