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What question would you like to ask Temptalia readers?

I’d love to pick your brains for ideas for our question of the day feature! 🙂 The constraints are that the questions should be open-ended and encourage discussion. Questions regarding favorites are welcome to be emailed in for our other weekly feature, The Hit List, which is specifically about best/worst/most products and the like. Thank you!

— Christine

48 Comments

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Ray Avatar

It might be outside the scope of this blog, but I’d be interested in reading people’s thoughts on skincare products. People with “difficult” skin types tend to self-select out of the beauty/skincare game, and it can be hard to trust reviews.

Zoe Avatar

Definitely! I have eczema and wear makeup, but never get a good idea from bloggers with “dry skin” if it will actually cover my level of skin texture.
Sorry if that was gross, but I agree with you.

Ginny2 Avatar

Fellow facial eczema sufferer here. I totally agree – it is very hard to get reviews on effective skin care that won’t irritate, and also makeup that won’t maximize flakiness or bumpiness.

Zoe Avatar

Glad to know there are others out there.
The best things I have found are those serum/water foundations, bare minerals or tarte mineral foundation, and Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau.
Good luck!

Maria Avatar

I’d like to know where do most readers purchase their products? Drugstore? Department store? Sephora? And do certain products do better at a drugstore vs high end store? I.e. many people would purchase eye products from drugstore but would only buy foundations at Sephora..

Momo Avatar

MAKEUP:
1. What are the factors that contribute to you trying a new makeup brand?
2. How does shipping cost affect or influence your makeup purchase?
3. Who are your essential YouTube makeup gurus?
4. If you could only wear one lip pencil as a lip color for a whole week, which lip pencil would it be?
5. What is your favorite color correcting product?
6. What Summer 2016 collection/product(s) are you hoping to purchase?
7. What’s your favorite illuminating bronzer?
8. Besides your face and neck, where else do you apply, or have you applied, makeup?
9. Who are/is the professional makeup artist(s) whom you idolize?
10. What was the last makeup brush you bought?

SKINCARE:
1. What is your go-to moisturizer for summer?
2. What’s the best high-end and low-end skincare product you’ve tried?
3. What expensive skincare product have you always wanted to try?
4. What’s your favorite DIY skincare or hair care recipe?
5. What are your 3 must-have nightly skincare routine products?
6. What is your favorite Sunscreen SPF product?
7. What are the key components you look for before purchasing a good eye cream/serum/moisturizer?
8. What’s your favorite skin exfoliating product?
9. What’s the most you’ve ever spent of a skincare product?
10. What product do you use to keep your feet well moisturized?

Laura Avatar

I would like to know:

What do you do to keep powder products out of your eye throughout the day? I have investigated and I have been getting watery eyes lately and I know it is powder products that are getting in there.

What is the best under-eye concealer when you are only fighting dark circles versus many other issues?

What eye moisturizers are good but still light enough to not clog pores and cause melia?

What are your favorite blushes for various skin tones?

Dua Avatar

Eyeshadow primers usually keeps away powders from slipping here and there. Or maybe try tapping off excess powder before applying. And sorry if I missunderstood you question!

Best concealers are Mac Pro-long wear & Nars.

Hands down best blushes are The Balm Instain collection then Mac blushes.

Dua Avatar

Splurge on Foundations, Highlighters & Perfumes for sure.

I would like to win Charlotte Tilbury line, there are a lot of things I need to try out but the prices are ridic..

Allison Avatar

to all beauty junkies…. what is the craziest thing you have done to get your hands on a limited edition product? and of course what was the product?

Julia Avatar

I thought of a few more…

-What is your favorite “off label” usage of a product? Ex: blush as lip color, mascara as eyeliner, etc.
-What is the craziest or most “out there” make up item or look you have ever rocked?
-How much of a factor is packaging in wether or not you purchase a product?
-Which beauty company is your favorite for seasonal or holiday collections?

Zoe Avatar

– What is your favorite makeup to give as a gift?
– Do you feel you get a good deal from value sets?
– How quickly do you go through mascara (or other products)?
– How do you add variety to your makeup looks, when travelling with only essentials?
– How do you test out a new perfume/scent?
– How many lip products do you keep in your handbag?
– Do you keep makeup at work?
– Whats your favorite way to exfoliate?
– Best sheet mask you’ve tried?
– What is an underground/indie/rare makeup brand you like that never seems to get enough love?
– Favorite duochrome products?
– Do you put makeup on before or after you get dressed?
– What type of mirror do you use to apply makeup?
– Do you think you could apply makeup without a mirror?
– What is the beauty/makeup skill that still eludes you?
– Favorite non-makeup product you use as makeup?
– Favorite alternative use of makeup?
– Favorite DIY makeup?
– What are the tips/resources you give friends who are new to makeup?
– What are the products you usually recommend to makeup newbies?
– How often do you try to recreate looks you have seen in magazines or online?
– Favorite tutorial format?
– What beauty product, that most people use, do you find always find yourself skipping?

Julie Avatar

1. Which is more important for you: quality or price? Would you prefer a B+ drugstore product, or A+ luxury product?
2. How have your makeup preferences change over time?
3. Which product characteristic is most/least important to you, such as pigmentation, texture, color, longevity, and why?
4. What is your favorite discontinued product?
5. What fragrance notes do you prefer?
6. Do you have a go-to, signature scent, or do you change it up? Has that changed over time?
7. How do you choose what fragrance to wear? Do you coordinate your fragrance to your clothing or makeup look?
8. What has been your biggest challenge in finding a foundation?
9. What makeup trend from the past would you like to see make a comeback?
10. What makeup trends from the past do you hope never return? Did you personally follow them?

Ok, hope some of those are winners!!

Nell Avatar

1. Fix it area of the day
Tell what and how you fix disasters and poor product packaging.

2. What is your true lip color?
Just as we know our skin, eye and hair color and tone, do you have a way of identifying your true lip color? If so, how do you use it to select lip color products?
( I’m struggling with this right now and trying to find great new lip colors.)

3. Do you try on products at the store, or swatch them?

Donya Avatar

I recently transitioned from a young/oily skincare routine to an anti-aging/moisturizing one. I am also aware I should switch from powder/matte/mineral foundations to a liquid. The problem is I don’t feel I get the same coverage. Realizing that at this age, being fully powdered and matte will make me look older than I actually am, what are others’ tips? Every makeup counter person thinks their thing is the best and I hate taking advantage of free samples and “just return it”. NARS tinted moisturizer was a no-go for me. Lancôme lady did a great makeover but her advice not to set the liquid just does not work. I live in the desert!

Julie Avatar

Hey, Donya! I’ve recently made the same transition myself! It hasn’t been easy, that’s for sure! For me, the best formula I have found is NARS Sheer Glow. It’s a drier formula, in that it sets and is transfer-proof, but it isn’t drying. Also, the slight luminosity offsets the drier texture to keep it looking more natural. I’ve found the coverage to be medium, but build able to full. If I’m particularly dry, I will moisturize before applying, and I haven’t found that to negatively impact the wear. Of course, your results may vary, but if you have a Sephora nearby, I recommend getting a sample! Hope that helps!

Donya Avatar

Thanks, Julie! I may try that. I love the NARS creamy concealer. I got a sample of the Laura Mercier CandleGlow that I am using right now (came in a friend’s Sephora order and she is dark). It is EXACTLY my color and today is the 3rd time I am wearing it. I think the result is similar to what you described above. I will have to compare both before I commit to >$50 for a bottle.

Jeanine Avatar

I’d like to know some of your tips and tricks for using non-makeup/skincare items for same. What items do you re-purpose (sold for one purpose – useful for another)?

Genevieve Avatar

1. What has been the best bargain makeup purchase for you and why
2.Your beauty purchase regrets…
3.How helpful or not have MUA been in assisting you?
4. Colours that you gravitate to in eyeshadows.
Hit List
Cream vs powder blush
Best Mascara brand
Worst eye shadow palette

Sarah Avatar

I want so much to know what Temptalia readers’ favorite indie brands are. So. Much. Every time a Survey Says comes up with “favorite ____ color eyeshadow” I know there’s a chance that at least one comment will have one inexpensive and unheard of. I’ve discovered Notoriously Morbid, Aromaleigh, and Pretty Zombie all through comments here. I’m always in need of indie brands!!!

Bonnie Avatar

Oooh Sarah!!! Have you looked at Black Moon cosmetics (liquid lipstick) Stobe cosmetics (eyeshadow) or Lunatick cosmetics (face products, eyeshadow, lipstick)? I also love Impulse cosmetics for lipstick and nail polish!

Kelvene Avatar

I just have one question; does anybody ever feel overwhelmed by their collection? I especially would love to here your response to this Christine since i assume you have a large collection!

Sometimes i get overwhelmed in the sense that i want more eye shadow colors but yet i know i cant wear them all or hit pan on any of them before they go bad. Its the same with lipsticks. So many different brands i want to try and just own but i know there is no way i can effectively wear them all and some with get more loving than others. I hope my question makes sense.

Susan Dowman Nevltainly Avatar

I give to my daughter and adult granddaughter usually. If they fail the sniff test, I pitch them. If they are in a safe bottle, I give them to friend.
Recently, I’ve thought about donating samples and unused products to a woman’s shelter. I plan to keep a box in my closet and bring it out on sorting day. Will also include the numerous make-up bags received as freebies.

Mariella Avatar

Kelvene, I think many of us are in the same boat. I know I tend to revert to the same looks/products because I do feel so overwhelmed sometimes but it still doesn’t stop me buying. I take comfort in the fact that, despite what the labels say, most powder products (and that includes eyeshadows, which are my biggest weakness) really do last almost forever. I’ve only ever had one Estee Lauder eyeshadow trio go bad and it went bad quickly – the smell was dreadful and the mirror in the lid seemed to go really weird so I think water had got in or something went wrong “at the factory” but other than that….I’ve never had a problem.

Susan Dowman Nevltainly Avatar

I have thin, vertically ridged, peeling and cracking fingernails. They have never been good nails and polish with ba

Susan Dowman Nevltainly Avatar

Finishing my post above.
Polish with a good base and top coat peel in about 24 hrs. They have been we ask for my entire life. I really would love to have good nails. I’m now 66. I take vitamins including those recommended by my doctor and drink a very nutritious home made organic smoothie daily and use a good hand cream and critical oil.
Any suggestions to improve them would be welcome.

Cat Avatar

1) Which products(s) do you have a love/hate relationship with and why?
2) How many products do you own that you’ve never used?
3) What is the best/worst makeup advice you’ve been given?
4) Which brand listens the most to the needs/wants/criticisms of consumers?
5) Has the packaging or design of a product ever stopped you from making a purchase?

And a final question just for you, Christine! Have you considered creating a way to make our “vanity” and “wishlist” searchable (by brand/product type)? I think it would be a popular feature. I always see people talking about spreadsheets and such when it comes to keeping track of their makeup. For me, being able to search my wishlist would be very helpful when I’m getting ready to make a purchase from certain brands.

Bonnie Avatar

Perhaps this is a better poll question but I’m curious as to what percentage of temptalia readers are ingredient conscious, and also what ingredients they look to avoid and why. Also, how many choose to buy cruelty-free and/or vegan only. I feel like more and more people are turning to cruelty free brands and more cruelty free brands are popping up and gaining popularity, and while I don’t boycott mainstream makeup brands that still do animal testing because they sell in China, I think it’s fantastic that the industry is becoming more humane.

Bibi Maizoon Avatar

I’d like to ask:
I need to buy a an eye shadow palette for my Indian niece. She does bridal make up in India. Her brides nearly all request a “natural glowing” look. Most of the brides she does make up on have very warm medium to rich skin tones.
What eyeshadow palette would you recommend I buy for her when I go to the US?
What line of make up would you suggest that has foundations and concealers appropriate for very warm/yellow medium to deep skin tones.
Bobbi Brown & Estee Lauder are the two best I can think of, anything newer, better & cheaper out there?

Fran Avatar

How do you determine the undertone of a color cosmetic (warm/cool/neutral)? Do you find the concept of warm/cool/neutral skin tones helpful, confusing, or tyrranical? How do you go about figuring out what colors are flattering on you? How do you decide what colors go well together?

I must have dozens of more questions, but can’t think of them right now. I’m training myself to get up earlier in the morning in preparation for going to school, and the brain fog is really intense! I’m really glad I started switching my schedule several weeks ahead of time!

Iris Avatar

Who are your beauty icons?
What order do you do your makeup in?
What are your thoughts on “Instagram makeup or makeup artist?” Ie. Two toned brows, dramatic contour, strobing etc.
How often do you notice a stranger’s makeup? What do you notice?
What are your favorite features on beauty blogs or beauty Youtube channels?
What do you think are the next big beauty trends?

Emma Avatar

What makeup products did you or would you wear on your wedding day?
Do you have any makeup/skincare regrets from when you were younger?
What makeup /skincare products do you wish were sold in your country?
What has been your best budget makeup/beauty product discovery?
What was the best makeup advice your mother/grandmother gave you?

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