Mascara in general — I love the way it looks, but too often I’ve jabbed myself in the eye so there’s always that moment where I have to brace myself, LOL! Skincare, in general, as well because efficacy is so hard to judge. I can’t think of a third one!
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Brow products—Before I lost my brows to chemo many years ago, the only thing I ever used on my brows was a tweezer. But they grew back extremely sparse, so I had to learn how to fill them in. Since then, I’ve found a few brow products I love, but I hate the fact that I have to use them at all.
Foundation—I love how the right foundation gives my skin an almost flawless look, but hate that it’s such a necessary product for me. I wish my skin was nice enough to use a lighter product, like a tinted moisturizer.
Guerlain Meteorite Pearls—Such a pretty and glamorous product, but I just don’t notice any difference at all when I use it.
I have the same issues as you. My 60 year old eyebrows have bald spots, I struggle to get them to look the same, ugh! Hyper pigmentation on my cheeks prevents me from going without foundation. Also, the meteorite pearls – ditto.
I’m right there with you, brendacr1. I’m sure a good part of my brows and skin tone problems has to do with age, too.
What are three products you have a love/hate relationship with? Why?
Interesting question!
1) Foundations. It’s so hard to find a match for very fair skin with neutral undertones, and then I have to make sure it stands up to oily skin and doesn’t break up or oxidize. But I love how it evens out my skin, and creates a canvas for my color products.
2) Skincare. I find the subject boring, and using it a chore. However, it’s really saved my skin from the havoc menopause wreaked on it, so now I appreciate good skincare more than ever.
3) Black mascara, liquid eyeliners, and eyeshadows: Because of my *very* sensitive nickel allergy, it’s a constant crapshoot whether I’ll be able to wear a product. (Weirdly, I rarely have a problem with black pencil liners, even in my waterlines.) I could honestly happily live the rest of my life without black shadow, but black mascara and eyeliner are my go-tos. I love how black defines my eyes. I love how black liner and mascara instantly pulls an eye look together.
I hate when foundations oxidize. And I don’t know what’s with the PH of my skin, but no matter the skincare or primer I use, every foundation oxidizes on me. If people review and say a foundation oxidizes on them, I know it will double oxidize on me. 😆
All of them? How frustrating that much be! I’m lucky in that there are a few foundations I can wear without oxidation, as long as I have a good primer under them.
Sincerely, when I first started wearing make-up I never cared too much about shades, undertones, oxidization, which is not great (but I didn’t had too many options also).
But in the last 4-5 years I don’t remember one to not oxidize. 😆 And it’s like the more hyped is a foundation, the more it oxidizes on me. But I know it’s my PH / skin chemistry. I also have an `issue` with fragrance; my skin `cuts` the sweetness of every fragrance, even the most sickening sweet ones smell just mildly sweet on my skin.
Mascara as well! It’s hard to find one that doesn’t flake for me, and there’s always the danger of poking myself in the eye, lol.
Concealer. Especially for under my eyes. It always creases, no matter what. I really love the Maybelline Better Skin Concealer, but I think it’s discontinued, so the search continues.
Lip gloss. I love it, but I hate that my hair always finds a way to get stuck to it.
Celesta, I do not know if this will help you but when I hit my 50s I had terrible creasing under my eyes. I started using Ilia Cucumber Water Stick with Olay fill and seal wrinkle treatment patted over top (I hope they still sell this it has lasted forever!). Then I use Mac Studio Finish concealer applied with a brush, then I use a damp beauty blender to even everything out. Powder and setting spray to finish off, once in a while I will have to use a damp beauty blender later in the day to touch it up. But it is so much better than it used to be.
AFAICT, Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin concealer is still available. You can buy it on Maybelline’s site or click Find a Store for a retail location.
https://www.maybelline.com/face-makeup/concealer/super-stay-better-skin-concealer
Store Locator doesn’t seem to be working for me right now, but a Google search says it’s available at Walmart.
1. Foundation and my mentality there is always a better match and a coverage/finish fit for me.
2. Loose powder only because my HG powder was d/c‘d years ago and I’ve tried many which are mostly total duds in comparison.
3. Eye cream. I need it to control texture on my eyes, but it interferes with e/s longevity even using a really good primer. I was negligent and stopped using eye cream on my lids for quite some time and little by little, surface texture came back which makes eyeshadow trickier to apply. You see the conundrum. I’ve somewhat figured out what eye cream works best for day versus night and what works under my eyes, but not on my eyes. Still.. hmpf.
1. Highlighter – Sometimes it looks pretty and sometimes it looks like glitter bombed my face… even if I use the same application method and same highlighter it can look different from day to day.
2. Liquid Lipstick – Love the long lasting power, but I have such sensitive lips (not dry, just sensitive) and am very cognizant of how things feel so even if a liquid lip doesn’t feel awful and dry I just know it is there and have to try hard to resist wiping it off. I only have two brands that I like and can stand for 4 hours (lovely lipsticks that aren’t uncomfortable necessarily, but I know there is something on my lips)… after that I just want to take it off.
3. Eyeliner in the Waterline – I have some I love that are usually no issue, but many do (at times) get smudgy on my contacts and make my vision get a little cloudy. If I would just pony up the funds and get Lasik I wouldn’t have any eyeliner issues. Sometimes I just want to put loud colors on my waterline and not worry about a little getting in my eye (totally normal when you put a product on your waterline – but the contacts seem to trap anything instead of letting it naturally gather in the corner of my eye where I can just tap it off easily.)
Lauren, I’ve had similar highlighter issues, but there are two that work consistently for me: Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Highlighter 01 (for a subtle highlight) and Diorskin Nude Luminizer in Pink Glow (for a glowing-from-within highlight). I used to have issues with products on my waterline, so I tightline instead and it works great.
I gave up (almost) completely wearing eyeliner in the waterline after an annual eye exam. When the doctor showed me on the monitor how make-up goes on the eyeball, clogging the tear duct, even if it’s not visible without looking through a `microscope`… I got grossed out. Off course, I’m aware that even concealer or eyeshadow will still get in my eyeball while I apply make-up a little bit… but products applied on the waterline eventually get transferred mostly to my eye ball and tearduct.
1. Metallic lipsticks. I love a shiny metallic lip, I don’t love how some of them really emphasize lip texture.
2. Glitter. I love glitter, I hate that microplastics are bad for the environment.
3. False eyelashes. I love wearing them, hate picking the mix of glue, eyeliner, and mascara out of my lash line for the next three days (and I didn’t like the magnetic ones I tried).
1.) UD Naked Smoky. I love the shades, but hate the fact that I have to add additional steps to make it work and not look like a muddy mess.
2.) Marc Jacobs Topaz Flash. I’m terrified of the PET glitter in it, having had a bad experience with it already, but I LOVE the shade so much that I sometimes do risk it.
3.) Every eyeshadow primer I’ve this far used. They all let me down if my eyes begin tearing up from allergies or wind. The MAC 24 HR one is far better than the others I’ve tried, though. But still happens to some degree. I believe this has more to do with my tears pH more than the primers, though.
I have the same issue (tearing eyes from wind, temperature change – aka simply going from cold outside to warm indoors, allergies) and Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Primer Potion (only Anti-Aging), The Balm Put A Lid On It, Smashbox 24H and the ABH Eye Primer work really well for me. I assume that you already tried the first 4 (since they are old over hyped ones) and I would only recommend the ABH one if you can live with the fact that it oozes from the tube (personally, I decided that the efficiency makes the bother worth it).
If we are talking about generic products,
* Concealer: I have dark undereyes (it’s genetic / natural) and always had fine lines in that area (even as a child/teen). I love the coverage a good concealer brings, I hate all crease on me (off course, some are better than other),
* Liquid eyeliner: I love a cat eye look, I hate how it actually looks on my hooded eyes (if I put in more than the thinnest line, I look like I have a full black eye lid) and my lack of skills applying it.
* Mascara: I love mascara, how it defines my eyes… but I hate when I poke my eyes or get mascara on my eyelid. I also hate how hard is to find a great formula (I have runny eyes, so non-waterproof formulas smudge easily on me) with a nice wand (small eyes, hooded eyelids, careless application, I think we all get that big fat wands are a no-no for me).
Foundation – as I am getting older, they just don’t look as good on me. It make my skin look blemishless and nice, but if I ever move my face, all my fine lines show up and make me look 20 years older. And it is so hard to find the perfect shade. I actually just tried out some foundations in the store today, one different shade on each side of my face, and seriously, I can’t tell the difference.
Blush – I feel like its the boring part. They take forever to hit pans, and really, only peaches and coral look good on my skin. So, I technically only need 2 blushes in my collection at a time. But, I love how flesh it makes my face look when I have blush on. It is always the happy part of my makeup routine.
Sunscreen – I know it is the most important part in the skincare routine, but they all make my skin greasy
Sunscreen is my number one love/hate relationship! I finally found one that doesn’t turn me white but I find that no matter what type of sunscreen I use under my BB cream or tinted moisturizer my face gets really shine-y and slick within a couple of hours. I have dry, dry skin normally so don’t use powder so I am not sure how to combat this phenomenon.
Highly pigmented lip gloss is my next one, my lips need a little extra help and gloss is my preference but I find that the sticky gloss also tends to get on my teeth, so not cute.
And finally, highlighters. I know, I know. They look SO pretty on other people and in photos but I just feel like they draw attention to my pores and/or create texture on my skin which I don’t really have? Maybe I just have not found ‘the right’ one. Open to any suggestions!
Have you tried La Roche Posay’s Ultra Light 50+ sunscreen? I found that this was the only one that didn’t turn white on me. I have a porcelain complexion and the Avene one does turn white.
Ditto about highlighters – they create pores on my face that I didn’t even have!
I had the same issue with sunscreen until I tried IT cosmetics’ CC+ cream SPF50… now I wear it practically every day from March until October – and if I’m going to the beach I use supergoop SPF50 since it’s waterproof and I don’t mind to be a bit shiny.
Mascara-it makes a huge difference but sometimes I leave it off and give my eye lashes a break. I’ve also been swimming after work so leave it off.
I hate removing it—such a pain.
2.Blush- I look awful without it but if it too bright or patchy and I’m away from home hard to fix. I only carry lip products so rub it off.
3. Red gloss. So pretty but smears sometimes runs, so high maintenance I cannot deal.
The three beauty products I have a love/hate relationship with are:
1. Eye brow pencils – I find it tricky to get them right and choosing the correct shade as my eyebrows are so fair.
2. Like you Christine – mascara – I have to be careful it that it dries down before I put my glasses on otherwise their windscreen wiper streaks on them. Also the whole issue of not jabbing yourself in the eye with the wands.
3. Sheet masks – I tried one a few weeks ago, expecting something really good at the end and was a bit disappointed that my skin felt pretty much the same. It was a brand that I often use, good quality too. But I think they are overrated.
Primer in general. Not convinced they do all they say they do
Foundation. Love that it conceals, evens out my skin tone etc but I hate how it feels on my face
Mascara. It’s such a necessary thing for me but I hate how difficult it is to remove. No matter what I use and no matter if I think I’ve removed every last trace, I still wake up with black smudges under my eyes!
I adore makeup but everything gets harder when you’re older (I’m in my 60’s).
I have a love/hate relationship with:
1. FOUNDATION. I have extremely dry, fair skin with few wrinkles but some texture and I cannot find a foundation that both matches my skin tone, gives reasonable coverage, and sits well on my skin.
2. LIPSTICK. I adore lipstick but it’s very hard to find a suitable formula that is not drying but doesn’t travel into lip lines.
I’m open to suggestions!
Have you tried Pat McGrath’s lipsticks? The LuxeTrance and BlitzTrance are as moisturizing as lip balm, and the mattes are pretty moisturizing, too. And they really stay on and do not feather.
Thank you Katie. I’ll check them out. ?
Mascara- I love a formula when I first start using it and then it will change formulation, by the next month it’s an all new mascara. I also hate that when I apply it, one eye often looks way better than the other for some reason .
Liquid Liner- I like the way it looks, but I am bad at applying it and once you mess up over eyeshadow you’ve ruined your look.
Glitter- Absolutely love it, but I am still working out applying it over eyeshadow. I am also saddened by what I have been hearing about microplastics.
I guess it’s the one I need the most, mascara. I am probably very clumsy when it comes to this step, I can get mascara on my lids from the wand and I so dislike removing the black spots. I have tried applying mascara first, but the find it harder to apply any type of liner. I also very often manage to make my lashes clump together making them look spidery, I either comb the lashes then or decide that at least I can see them and just let it be. (I really dislike how my huge fleshy hoods makes the lases point straight out or even down, I need some surgery!)
Foundation, I need a bit of evening out, so I don’t need a full coverage but most foundations gather in my pores. It can also at times look cakey. I think I now have a few that works, I watch Angie at Hot And Flashy and she’s run a series for a long time now on foundations for people over 50 and one that she liked also works quite well for me.
Lipglosses. I love glossy lips but hate when my hair gets stuck on my lips and sometime I get streaks of gloss on my cheeks from removing the hair from the lips LOL. I don’t use gloss on windy days anymore.
1. Pressed powders- i have been testing out different brands, too face peach hourglass Laura mercier candlelit… and for oily skin and probably even dry skin the peach perfect is a hidden gem.
2. Brow gel. I’m obsessed w the fluff. I have like 10,000 brow gels in taupe, medium and dark brown. I like to mix colors and textures because i feel that’s what best matches a natural brow vs. the same monotone color. But i have 10,000 brow gels.
3. Primers- it is like a mix and match trying to see which of your favorite foundations match your favorite primer formulas.
1. colourpop super shock shadows. They look awesome generally but they dry out quickly. If you drop one (I’m clumsy) it breaks so easy but they mold back together easily. However you can only mold them together if you drop it with the cap on because otherwise it’s all over the floor. Also, I have long nails so applying with my finger just isn’t an option and they’re never as pretty no matter how many tricks I try.
2. moisturizer. oh how I need it for the benefits but oh how I hate finding the right one. See if I buy a foundation or concealer, I can test the color in store or use Temptalia to find an appropriate shade. Testing moisturizers isn’t as easy unless they come as a free sample. Even when I get a sample, if I try a moisturizer and it starts to pill, I look silly and/or gross all day!!
2b. eye cream. same reasons as above except to add that I have one sensitive undereye that will get a rash with certain ingredients, and I just haven’t pinpointed the right ingredient yet.
3. brow products. I love a good brow and people tell me they are impressed that I have the patience to draw them on every single day. (now I just realized my avi on this site is 5 years old!) But its hard to find the right brow product. Pencils break on me a lot and that is wasted product. I like pomade and powers. I am pale with very dark brown hair so I never know what shade to try! But once I find a nice brow product it is with me forever!
1. Pretty much ever concealer I own. I need concealer; I can’t skip concealer; I look like some sort of crypt keeper without concealer but every one of them has faults (some more than one). The fault of my favourite one (Cargo) is that it’s discontinued…
2. Urban Decay Primer Potion. I don’t know if they’ve changed the formula or what but my new tube (with the doe foot) doesn’t work nearly as well as my previous one (which was the squeeze tube with the needle nose/pointy tip)
3. Urban Decay Love Drunk Comfort Matte lipstick. The colour is gorgeous but that “comfort matte” description really should have them up in front of some “truth in advertising” commission. Thanks for Elizabeth Arden’s lip primer, though, I can wear this with a reasonable degree of comfort and lips that don’t look like they’ve been through a food dehydrator!
I’m devoted to IT cosmetics’ under eye illumination waterproof concealer since I tried it once as a sample… and I’ve had the same tube for over 2 years. Definitely worth every penny!
It’s very dense so about a rice grain is enough for both eyes, deposit on one forefinger, rub and warm it with the other then tap on undereye area, preferably soon after eye cream so it doesn’t tug.
I can top that, Bianca. I’ve had IT’s concealer since it first hit the market. I have the regular one (on my 2nd tube – the first lasted for more years than I care to think about) and the Illumination one, which I don’t like nearly as much. But still, while the original is among my best concealers, it’s not perfect and I want PERFECT!!!!
Colourpop. Colourpop everything.
The products themselves are (generally) amazing, but they mess up orders so often and their customer service team is really rude and condescending if you are an international customer. I only buy their product if I really really HAVE to something because it’s not worth having to deal with their customer service people and go back and forward with them for days if something isn’t right. They are not very big on fixing things up, they don’t care if you paid customs on the full amount and but only got half your order, they won’t replace broken things, they just offer a coupon that isn’t enough to repurchase it because they won’t honour the sale price, etc etc.
Concur with mascara as one fo the products due to errors (and then having to wait for it to dry to correct easily). Also gloss, like the look and prefer to lipstick, but don’t like that it tends to wear off easily, especially after eating. With age, powder – if you don’t have a good one it doesn’t melt into the foundation or your base if you choose not to wear foundation and it takes away some of the youthful shine, so you really have to go lightly.
Foundation, no doubt. It evens up my skintone and hides my scars, but it’s REALLY difficult to find a brand that matches my neutral/cool medium dark olive skin tone, so I have to combine several brands and correctors everytime I use it.
Foundation, no doubt. It evens up my skintone and hides my scars, but it’s REALLY difficult to find a brand that matches my neutral/cool medium dark olive skin tone, so I have to combine several brands and correctors everytime I use it.
Mascara, I love some dark, long eyelashes… but it’s usually a pain to remove.
And my purple blush. It’s either GREAT and so flattering or a patchy Mess, even if it’s the same blush. I’ve tried exfoliating, primer, but it seems to be just random.