Men's and Women's grooming and beauty products

I share your love for beauty products!!  One great find for me was Olay Ribbons Body Wash - there is lotion in the wash!!  I have very dry skin and when I get out of the shower, it is sooo soft!  I won't use anything else!

My favorite products:
 
The new body wash I tried today is Caress EXOTIC OIL INFUSION in MOROCCAN scent… according to the companies claims I am “enchanting” everyone around me today[].. all I know is the scent is great, my skin is silky smooth and it works great for shaving! (I usually use and enjoy the caress glowing touch and Tahitian renewal but I like this one better)
 
[linkhttp://www.caressskin.com/english/default.asp]http://www.caressskin.com/english/default.asp[/link]
 
 
 
I am a big fan of silicon serums for keeping hair smooth and frizz free. While this is VERY expensive, I personally think it is the best one out there and I have wasted a ton of money on dozens of similar silicon based products
[linkhttp://www.pureology.com/]http://www.pureology.com/[/link]
 
 
 
For my eyebrows I prefer waxing versus a lot of plucking and I don#%92t like any of the waxes that you heat, etc.. I prefer the cold wax strips like these from Surgiwax
 
[linkhttp://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=152795&catid=50625&aid=335933&aparam=surgi_wax_brow_shapers]http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=152795&catid=50625&aid=335933&aparam=surgi_wax_brow_shapers[/link]
 
 
For smoother skin I really like to use salt and sugar scrubs (although I prefer the sugar to the salt… it is more coarse and I feel does a better job). There are lots of great companies out there but most of mine I get through bath and body works. On a side note, if you have never used these before be careful in the shower…the oil in them makes things a little slick…DH ALWAYS swears I am trying to kill him when I use this stuff… [sm=devil.gif]
[linkhttp://www.bathandbodyworks.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=sugar%20scrub&origkw=sugar%20scrub&sr=1]http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=sugar%20scrub&origkw=sugar%20scrub&sr=1[/link]
 
 
 
For when I want to wear lipstick, but my lips are dry in the winter, these lip shimmers from Burts Bees work great (btw ladies- careful with burst bees products…they contain LOTS of products that can irritate your skin…)  
[linkroductId=14959&langId=-1&categoryId=&showSubCategory=yes]http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10751&storeId=10101&roductId=14959&langId=-1&categoryId=&showSubCategory=yes[/link]>http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10751&storeId=10101&roductId=14959&langId=-1&categoryId=&showSubCategory=yes]http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10751&storeId=10101&roductId=14959&langId=-1&categoryId=&showSubCategory=yes[/link]
 
 
 
Another great item that you can get anywhere and is super cheap is baking soda. Mix a little baking soda once or twice a week into your face wash and it will gently exfoliate your face. Also if you have oily patches on your face, then use a little milk of magnesia on those spots a couple times a week and it will help to absorb the oil a bit. I know these sound nuts but the cosmetics cop lady I mentioned suggested them in her book and they work fantastic! []
 
  
 
 
Men#%92s products my DH likes…
 
I REALLY like this bay rum shaving soap and it lasts FOREVER.. I got it from burt bees (but it is hard to find) as a shaving kit with the shaving brush and the bowl to hold the soap in. DH likes it because it isn#%92t too foamy…I personally love how he smells when he shaves with it.
 
[linkroductid=144]http://www.busyburtsbees.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&roductid=144[/link]>http://www.busyburtsbees.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&roductid=144]http://www.busyburtsbees.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&roductid=144[/link]
 
 
He also loves Curel lotion for the winter when his knuckles get dry and cracked. It works great and has been used in hospitals for years.
 
[linkhttp://www.curel.com/]http://www.curel.com/[/link]
 
 
 
Enjoy hair gel works great on his hair. I also like the enjoy brand products.   
 
[linkhttp://www.enjoyhaircare.com/strgholdgel.htm]http://www.enjoyhaircare.com/strgholdgel.htm[/link]

I am a big fan of silicon serums for keeping hair smooth and frizz free. While this is VERY expensive, I personally think it is the best one out there and I have wasted a ton of money on dozens of similar silicon based products
http://www.pureology.com/

 
Shelly - which product is it?  I've wasted a lot of money on smoothing serums and would love to find one that really works.
 
I love beauty products too, but there's only one thing that I truly can't get by without, and it's a skin treatment by Murad.  It's pricey, but the bottle lasts me about 6 months and I use it every single morning after I've washed my face and before I put on my moisturizer.  I've run out before, and within a day or two, I noticed that my makeup wouldn't go on smoothly and my face felt dry.
 
[linkhttp://www.murad.com/]http://www.murad.com/[/link]
Combination Skin Treatment
for normal combination skin

Adjust skin's equilibrium. This gel evens out both oily and dry areas. Signature formula gently dissolve dry skin and impurities while normalizing oil production and skin hydration. U.S. Patent 5,972,999




Additional features and benefits:

• 
Glycolic and salicylic acids refine skin texture and reduce the first signs of aging


• 

Murad's patented Advanced Performance Complex™ encourages more youthful looking skin


• 

Powerful antioxidants keep skin healthy and protectedCombination Skin Treatment
for normal combination skin

Adjust skin's equilibrium. This gel evens out both oily and dry areas. Signature formula gently dissolve dry skin and impurities while normalizing oil production and skin hydration. U.S. Patent 5,972,999




Additional features and benefits:

• 
Glycolic and salicylic acids refine skin texture and reduce the first signs of aging


• 

Murad's patented Advanced Performance Complex™ encourages more youthful looking skin


• 

Powerful antioxidants keep skin healthy and protected

Shelly - which product is it? I've wasted a lot of money on smoothing serums and would love to find one that really works.

 
Sorry Cathy, for some reason it didn't link to the right page on that website...
 
It is the SUPERSTRAIGHT line relaxing serum... the shampoo and conditioner are pretty good too but IMO not nearly as good as the hair serum.   
 
It is very hard to find products that are for combination skin so I will have to look for your product recomendation Cathy...  I will have to look it up in that ladies book too...I am interested to know now. Thanks for the suggestion!
 
Westiegirl- I will have to try your Olay rec... I actually thought about buying it the other day and had it in my hands and then saw the new caress one and was "enchanted" by the smell... []  I will give the olay one a try though![]
 
 

PLEASE, if anyone has a good shampoo for incredibly thick, stick straight hair PLEASE help a girl out. I have 7 (7!!) shampoos in the shower right now and pretty much hate them all.

My favorite stuff includes:

[linkdept_id=328&dept_id=408&cat_type=B]Avon>http://shop.avon.com/shop/product_list.asp?level1_id=300&level2_id=302&dept_id=328&dept_id=408&cat_type=B]Avon Pore-Fection products[/link]

[linkhttp://www.thebodyshop.com/bodyshop/browse/product_detail.jsp?productId=prod3650055&categoryId=cat30008]The Body Shop Strawberry Body Polish[/link]

[linkhttp://www.lancome-usa.com/_us/_en/catalog/skincare_pure-focus-toner.htm]Lancome Pure Focus Toner[/link]

[linkhttp://www.ivory.com/YourIvoryProducts_ClassicIvoryBarSoap_Aloe.htm]Ivory Aloe Soap[/link]

[linkRODUCT_ID=PROD1679]Estee>http://www.esteelauder.com/templates/products/sp_nonshaded.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY5860&RODUCT_ID=PROD1679]Estee Lauder Idealist[/link]

PLEASE, if anyone has a good shampoo for incredibly thick, stick straight hair PLEASE help a girl out. I have 7 (7!!) shampoos in the shower right now and pretty much hate them all.

 
Kelly, pm me with the products you are currently using and I will look them up tonight in my book and also will look up what she suggests using for your hair type. Just so I am clear...SO are you looking to keep it straight but you want more volume or something?

I'll PM you in a sec - more volume on me looks too fluffy, I just want it smooth and clean - some products are practically impossible to rinse out.

My hair is so thick that I've been turned away by hairdressers - and even my regular hairdresser won't even attempt an updo  [sm=uhoh.gif]

I cannot live without -

Neutrogena foundation/powder/concealer - the only brand I've found that has a liquid foundation that doesn't turn oily right away.  I have dry skin on my face, but it also gets oily easily.  If I use a powder foundation, it doesn't work b/c it doesn't even stick.  This liquid stuff moisturizes and lets me apply a power layer without it getting all cakey and greasy.

Olay shower lotion - I have really dry skin in the winter, so typically I itch from head to toe for four months.  This is the ONLY lotion, body wash, or moisturiser that has made any difference.  These days all I can find are the "cream ribbon" body washes.  I think they may have discontinued the original stuff.

Hair ties - I have about 50 versions of ponytails and rarely wear my hair down b/c I don't even know a curler or any styling tools.

I also use blush or brozer, brown eyeliner (top lid and just a tad under), earthy colored eye shadows, and black mascara daily, but I'm not attached to any brands.  I like to wear make-up, mostly eye make-up because my eyes are the only thing about myself I really like, but not colors that really stand out unless I'm going out.

If anyone has any recommendations for a good facial exfoliant and/or DIY chemical peel, let me know.  I have some acne scars from a recent breakout that look worse b/c I was on vacation and my face got tan and is now dry.

If anyone has any recommendations for a good facial exfoliant and/or DIY chemical peel, let me know.

 
Liesje- Try adding in some baking soda to your face wash and see if that helps. It is a great "natural" exfoliant.
 

  I like to wear make-up, mostly eye make-up because my eyes are the only thing about myself I really like, but not colors that really stand out unless I'm going out.

 
If you like the more "natural tones"  you might want to try out the cosmetic cops lady I gave the link to... she has great subtle colors for daytime that i like to use.. for nightime I use MAC eyeshadows.  
 
Thanks for the nuetrogena makeup rec![]
 
 

  My hair is so thick that I've been turned away by hairdressers - and even my regular hairdresser won't even attempt an updo 

 
WOW Kelly!  [sm=eek.gif]  I will see what I can find for you []

It is very hard to find products that are for combination skin so I will have to look for your product recomendation Cathy... I will have to look it up in that ladies book too...I am interested to know now. Thanks for the suggestion!

 
Shelly - I looked it up on her website some time ago and while I agree and respect what she has to say, she didn't give the Murad line any rave reviews.  If I hadn't tried it and loved it for the last several years, I wouldn't buy it either.  My former SIL actually recommended it way back when, and I trusted her opinion.  There've been times when I had little $$, and thought, phooey, I just can't afford it, but then I realized I couldn't stand not using it.  It probably isn't for everyone, but it's truly the only thing I can't find a substitute for or live without. 
 

It is the SUPERSTRAIGHT line relaxing serum

 
Oh, I wonder if it would work for me.  I have straight hair, but I just need something to tame the flyaways.  I use a Matrix product right now, but it's a little bit too heavy.

Shelly - I looked it up on her website some time ago and while I agree and respect what she has to say, she didn't give the Murad line any rave reviews.

 
she doesn't give ANY line rave reviews actually! What is nice is that she will state if it has any ingredients that might be skin irritants and such... as long as she doesn't give it a "thumbs down" due to potential irritants I will go with someone's suggestion even if it isn't one of her "top recommendations". She actually states how difficult it is to find good "combo" products and I haven't found any I really like yet.
 
As far as the Pureology... yes, it can be used on straight hair. mine is straight but it seriously helps with flyaways, humidity and overall control of the hair. My local hair supply shop has "travel" size bottles of this so this might be good to try and find first unless your store allows you to return products that don't work well for you...          

Have you tried Bare Minerals? Their products are expensive, but they work for a lot of people (not everyone). I had bad acne [:'(] and any makeup would make it worse...until I started using their powders. The first day I tried it, I got tons of compliments...the guys at the car dealership I work at said I looked great and that something was different, but they couldn't put their finger on it. Months later it has helped to clear up my face dramatically.

I love anything beauty. Since I wear scrubs all day every day, the only way I get to play with my look is make-up and hair

My favorite face products are Kiehls, you can get them at nordstrom/neimans/or their own web page. Great stuff!!!

My favorite hair products are the curl line from bumble and bumble, the curl cream and shine serum are to die for, I'll never use anything else!

http://www.bumbleandbumble.com/

As for make-up, I have a bit of a problem, I need a support group
I really like bare minerals too, great products, I've been using them alot lately, LOVE bisque and warmth (good for pale red headed complections)
For crazy looks, the MAC eyeshadows are good, not fond of most of their other products though
For all around great make-up Trish McEvoy is the best with Laura Mercier close second, Stila probably third
For lip gloss, chanel glossimer is my favorite
For brushes, I own the full set of chanel, mac, bobbi brown, trish mcEvoy, and bare minerals. They are all good, but I like the trish brushes the best. Most just sit in their pretty little containers unused.

For perfume, I also love the Trish McEvoy scents especially number eight and sexy number eight (blueberry and vanilla). They smell light and sweet and it's pretty rare to find someone who also wears them which I like

ORIGINAL: sooner

I just want it smooth and clean - some products are practically impossible to rinse out.

Have you tried any of the "clarifying" type shampoos?  I can't use them everyday b/c I have dry hair, but I like to use it about once a week and it really gets all of the product build-up out of my hair.  However, if I use it repeatedly, my hair tends to get frizzy (have very thick, but Curly hair), but for someone like you, it might be good.