Hi Everyone:

I'm a mommy of two adorable boys (3 and 1) and living in California. As a working mom, I like beauty and make up products that is cost-effective and easy to use. I love reading beauty tips & tricks and product reviews, especially if they are NON-ENDORSED and non-biased.

Thanks

Hi everyone,
My name is Christine, I am 61 and live in Toronto, Canada. I have been very unhappy with the look of my foundation for a while, I switched from liquid (Sothy's, a French product) to Mineral Powder (Ireland) on the advice of a consultant who specializes in Mature skin (her claim, not mine).
I finally did a google search for help, and found this site. I love that fact that the information does not come from people who have something to sell, and that the Brains take a scientific approach and are not scared to say, when the hype does not translate into reality.
I posted a questions a few days ago, and already got some very good suggestions that I will check out. Sarah F, I have just added the Sephora Nude Skincare Eyecream to the list., thanks.
I love this site...
Christine

Hi, I'm Nell. :) I'm 26 and beauty products junkie ;). I found this wonderful blog and forum while I was searching for info about "dangerous" chemicals in my cosmetics. Natural cosmetics supporters had managed to scare me really, really bad but after I read this blog I know better. That's why I decided to register and say "THANK YOU!!!!" to the Beauty Brains and the other forum members. You really helped me.

I am a beginner hairdresser and I wanted to look into becoming a cosmetic scientist. I googled it and happened upon this blog.
So of course, I am hooked. I am still not over being a fan of natural products, but I definitely know now how many products claim to be "natural" and are not.
And with all of the competing theories out there I want to be a cosmetic scientist even more now.

:)

Greetings All,

I'm sooo excited to meet all of you and to finally have people to talk to about my favorite obsession:) my family and few friends don't understand my excitement about products.

I just turned 30 in July. Feel like ive been in transition all my life but more intense within the last 5 years. I came across beauty brains last year when i was searching for schools or guidance on how to become a cosmetic chemist. i don't have a science background. initially went to school for psychology, until i realized that its one of the few things in life that bores me. I've been an admin in the corporate world and freelance most of my life. at this point i aim to find work with passion and purpose. that's why im trying to figure out what im going to do about school. i was accepted to the London College of Fashion's Cosmetic Science degree program. Unfortunately its a challenge to find funding. being that i don't have a chemistry baground, i wonder if they accepted me just for the money they would get from an international student. the financial aid dept and admissions arent that helpful.

i grew up vegetarian. so ive always been conscious of the things ive put in my body or on my skin (thanks to my mom:) i'm a true product junkie (from shaving get to cooking oil). I spend hours in the pharmacy comparing products and ingredients. I'm like a kid in a candy store when i go to Sephora (i'm a natve new yorker). I'm lazy when it comes to makeup and always very frustrated that i have to search high and low an order online just to find a foundation for dark skin. That's why i will make my own line. im tired of mixing colors and going a shade lighter or too red. its all about undertones which seems to elude the cosmetic industry. i will make my mark one day soon so that every woman regardless of color, culture or tone can enjoy quality natural cosmetics and skincare.

peace and blessings to everyone on this journey we call life....

Hi there.
My name's Yvonne. I'm 31 and live in Germany, I'm married and have a 19 months old son.
At the beginning of the year I decided to let my red hair grow long again and keep it natural (no more perms, ma'am!)

It was last year that I started being interested in the ingredients of beauty products. I started to buy only natural cosmetic products but in the meantime I found out that this isn't always the best thing to do.

I'm more than happy to have the Beauty Brains on my site to guide me through the beauty jungle.
Thanks a lot for that!

Yvonne
xoxo

I'm very happy to have found this forum, and I'm very excited about the opportunity to ask questions and share information with others who have a similar hair type as mine.

I'm Native American, Caucasian and African American and my hair is a real mix too. I have very coarse hair that is also very porous and very very curly, with a mix of fine tight kinks, larger s-curls, and springy spirals. I'm one of those people who kind of fit into several "curl type" categories. In an absolute zero product state, my hair is extremely unruly, dry and impossible to comb. I have tried a relaxer, twice, but it only made it lay in tight waves. It did help with the frizz though.

When relaxers failed me, I decided dreadlocks were the way to go because I hated combing my hair. I liked the way they looked on me but they eventually got so thick it took over 4 hours to dry them under a hair dryer every time I washed them! One night after sitting under the dryer forever and still finding them wet, I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut them off about 2 inches from the scalp, and with a lot of grease managed to pick out the remaining hair. I washed it, conditioned it, but some leave in cream on it and took a look in the mirror. Amazingly, I discovered that my hair was healthier and more moisturized than it had ever been before! It actually looked nice, short though it was. I realized that the care regime I had used to care for my locks had really been helping my hair; washing once a week with a sulfate-free shampoo, using leave-in products, clarifying monthly with warm vinegar, and never brushing it (which had caused an over-oily scalp and flake issues).

For several years after cutting my locks, I kept this up. Then I started using cheaper shampoo, forgetting to condition, not taking time to put a leave-in product on it and never clarifying. I did continue not to comb my hair except once a week when I washed it, and then I was careful to never touch my scalp with the comb. Because of this, my scalp at least remained healthy. The days I didn't wash, I put my hair up in a bun and smoothed the fly-away hairs around my head with gel and slicked it with a boar bristle brush to make it look neat. (Yeah, I know, I was horrible :(

Recently, I noticed that my hair had grown quite long (to my butt when wet) and that the ends were very split and brittle. I asked my husband to cut it in half (to the middle of my back when wet), which he kindly did. When dry, of course, it was much shorter, too short to do my usual bun routine. I was forced to try something different. A co-worker of mine saw the state of my hair and recommended some products. She even made me a list with the prices and everything! (Yes, it was that obvious I needed help!) She has very small tight curls, very short length, and her texture is baby fine. Most of the products did not have the same end results for my hair as hers, but the people at Sally Beauty kindly let me take back all the ones that didn't work.

Luckily, she did inspire me to fix my hair care routine. By trying the products she recommended, I learned that my hair needed something different. I have since tried a number of new products, done a lot of research online, and learned more than I ever thought I would care to know about my hair. I feel much more comfortable with its natural form than ever before, but I still have some issues when it gets really wild. I'm getting there, slowly but surely!

Right now, the best products I have found are:
VO5 conditioner (used instead of shampoo)
Biolage Matrix Conditioning Balm- the generic version you get at Sally Beauty (Used as a rinse out conditioner)
Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker 14-1 (used as a leave-in conditioner/oil)
Organic Root Stimulator Twist and Loc Gel (Used as a light Gel after the leave-in/ this one has no protein)
Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel (Used as a thicker Gel after the leave-in/ this one has protein)
Proclaim Olive Oil Sheen Spray (Used as an all-over mist. It smells great and gives extra moisture and shine)
Parachute 100% Coconut Oil (used as a monthly deep treatment)

I haven't used these for very long, but I can already tell they are working well for my hair and it is looking better than ever!

If anyone else has my type hair and has some tips, tricks or product recommendations, please let me know!!

My name is Alex(andria) and I am a 41 yr old digital retoucher. I am a skeptic, and I also love yummy skin products. I just got some samples of the simply organic line, and am a fan of arcona. My fave shampoo, conditioner and oil are from Rare Elements and I just tried a line from Persephenie that has a full body scrubs, bubblies and oils that are truly amazing.

I was dx'd with MS 3 years ago, and after making a switch to natural and organic products I did notice a difference in my skin. Am loving the BB's! What a great site!

Alex

hi all,

i'm joseph, 41...not far from 42, and a skincare fanatic(or as my friend and i call each other "skincare 'ho)"...at least as much as my budget allows. i've been using isomers the past four or five years now but do sneak in other bits from product lines as they tempt me. i try to read as much as i can to understand skincare ingredients so i can make informed decisions about my purchases. i feel, whether good or bad, all of our decisions should be informed!. it's difficult to name any of my favorites as i have many, primarily from the isomers line. i definitely love my facemaster though...put that at the top of my list!! my latest quest is for a moisturizing concealer (yep, all about a little man-makeup as needed!) in a very natural skin tone for the discoloration i'm starting to see in my eye area...that ain't easy!

so glad to have found this forum...the beauty brains do rock!

Hi, my name is Mazenderan. I'm not scientifically qualified in any way (and I count on my fingers!), but I do regard those of you who are with deepest awe :) I love reading all the explanations on this site while concentrating very intently.

Having chronically badly-behaved skin (adult acne, seb derm, random rashes), I have become deeply sceptical of most beauty products. I also worked at a skincare counter for a while and then became even more sceptical after hearing most of the spurious claims such companies spouted.

I currently use differin cream and oral tetralysal (sexy! ;D). For moisturising, I use Superdrug's cheapest (doesn't aggravate my reactive skin).

I'm Siobhan, I live in central Vermont and I never wear make up for a variety of reasons. I'm 44 as of this writing and I've started having problems with dry skin in the winter. I use moisturizer after showering, and reduced the amount of showering I do in winter to three times a week. I use neutragena oil free spf 45 moisturizer on my face and cetaphil everywhere else.

I am Ashley and I live in Calgary, and I am in Grade 5. No kidding. I am only 10 years old. I am currently working on a sciende fair project and I like eating sushi and tacos.

Hi I am Tan and am just a hubby trying to make head nor tail of some products before getting them for my beloved.

I am Tucker, age 37. I lived in Florida without ever getting a tan. My most important skincare regime is "lots of SPF-50 sunblock every day" because I have had radiation to my face. I became interested in the biology and chemistry of skin while trying to remedy the damage of what amounted to a nuclear sunburn.

My favorite beauty products include retinol, fruit acids, and peptide creams. I use Revlon Colorstay lipstick because it will stay on through an entire day of sipping from a water bottle. I like curling mascaras, and usually use a curling mascara with a little Maybelline very black mascara as a top coat. I rarely use foundation...and I have gotten so many comments on my great skin, especially when I worked in a makeup department, that I think I'm doing okay without it.

Hi everyone

My name is Jake, short for Jackie, I'm 47 and very happily married. I have spent a lifetime working in food manufacturing, but 2 years ago started a small soap making business based in southern Ontario, Canada. I'm a skeptic and fanatic label reader which is why I found myself following The Beauty Brains. I don't believe a word advertisers say until I've read the research and googled it and even then I'm not convinced.....sorry........

I love all things scented, but hate wearing perfume, go figure! I've had a long battle with skin problems and a 14 year old son who is having the same issues, hence the soap business. I've never been much of a make-up wearer, but I love creams, moisturizers, sugar/salt scrubs, bath bombs and of course, handmade soap! I'm a confirmed/stubborn "I'd rather make it than buy it" type of person. From cheese and sausages to a lovely foaming sugar scrub and fantastic lip balm, not at the same time tho!!

Hi :) My name is Serena, i'm 25, i'm an Italian girl (i live in Rome).
I' ve always been interested in Beauty & Co. and i'm trying to turn my general interest as a superficial consumer (yes, i admit) into a more "scienfic" kwoledge..that's why i came across this site! Hope i will be able to find some answers together with you, and give my little contribute, at least by making questions.. :P
Oh..and please, please.. excuse me for my bad English.. i will repeat this every time i'll write something :)

I just found this site 2 days ago, and I. too, am impressed with the intelligent, researched information available here. I don't generally find the time to read everything (5 pages of intros here! wow!), but I have always been a skeptic re: skin-care products with good reason - I owned a small store selling natural skin-care lines for over 30 years, starting in 1975 when the "natural" phenom was just beginning (I'm now selling on-line only). It has given me so many insights into the "beauty" world. As a result, I absolutely do not trust anything I see, hear, or read about a product until I see the ingredient list for myself.
If I could impart only one bit of advice to every woman wanting better skin, it would be - don't buy b/c of the hype, the packaging, and/or the scent - spend your hard-earned money on products that nourish your skin & won't harm it. And the only way to know what's decent out there is to learn, & this site seems to be a source for (mostly) good info.

One of the books I keep handy is Ruth Winter's "A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients". I can't find a newer edition than 2005, but it still comes in handy.

Sooo - My name is Martha - I am 60 yrs. old, live in New Mexico (& LOVE iT!), and use very little in the way of any routine, b/c I'm secretly lazy & I'd rather spend my time doing other things. I wash my face with mild glycerin milk soaps in the shower, or with the dripping shampoo I use on my hair. I do believe using a natural facial moisturizer with an SPF each day protects skin from the effects of environmental damage (sun. smog, dry heat, etc.).
I mostly use my own products, & people tell me I don't look my age (although I freak out sometimes when I look at myself, wondering when did I get old?). But I don't carry cosmetics, and am always looking for a lipstick that will stay on without being full of scary ingredients.

Hello everybody

My name is Gloria and I live in Paris. I am 39 and I am a psychologist. I apologise since now for my english, I can understand very well but writing is more difficult.
I am interested in cosmetic that works, no wais of money and energy.
I have blond permed hair, fair skin, normal and sensitive. I am worring about wrinkles, lost of tonus, and so on, I think it is quite normal when you are 39.
My routine is

AM
Cetafil
Thermal water La roche Posay
Hydrating B5 Skinceutikal
Avene creme tr

Hi,
My name is Karen Im 25 years old,Im not obsesses with cosmetic product but to beauty it self .I want to gain knowledge about cosmetic because it adds beauty to people who wears them (that's why I join forums to lean)I would like to hear recommendation,reviews and friendly suggestion about how to apply products,why should I use certain brand and where should I look to find good brands.

I just want to share few of my LOVE PRODUCTS..(If you have use this product please let me know your comments...lets share!!)

>For my eyes the product that I use is Envyderm eyelash growth serum..I stumble on this one upon looking for a good brand of extension,result shows after a couple of weeks.It inhibit lashes growth...
>For my rosy chicks the product that I indulge in body shop product cheek Blush..I believe that its a new offering..
>For my lips,I only use Delipscious lipbalm.Im not that much into lipstick...


I've been using this product because of good reviews and recommended by friends...this products also received high recommendation in forums that I've been...But if you can give me more idea much better,I would like to share with you more and you to me..thank you..

HI - I am 57 and a skin care and makeup junkie. Love to try all kinds of products with most concern being eye cream and concealers. I find I need alot of moisture around my eyes with a concealer that will NOT go into lines and dry out over the day. Any suggestions?

Hi, everybody :-) Nice to meet you all :-)

I am very new in this forum, I registered just yesterday :-)

My name is Perlita, I am from Lithuania (one small, nice country from northern Europe, unfortunately most of people do not know where it is :neutral:) , and now I am living in Turkey. I am in love with this country- culture, foods, people, sea and great weather :-)

I love to debunk beauty myths and I am very interested in science, dermatology, psychology and critical thinking and I love to read about these subjects a lot, but I consider myself as ''amateur'' :-) as Socrates said : ''The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing'' :-)

However I don't like to play with make up and use it just sometimes...

I don't waste my money on useless or expensive cosmetic products. Also when you live on tight budget you can't afford this luxury...

My current day regimen:

A cheap foundation (I use it a lot and can't go without it! Also I have to use it- my sunblock makes my face totally white!)
Mustela sunblock 50+ (a sunblock is considered t be the best prevention to photoaging, so I apply it religiously)
Cleansing lotion, perfume free and almost without surfactants (I use at evening) to clean all that load of make up :-)
Sometimes I brew up a big cup of strong green tea, refrigerate it overnight and use it in the morning to rinse my face... I don't know how beneficial it is, but it's cheaper than buying creams with green tea extracts...
A moisturizer (I buy in bulk, about 1 kg for 8-15 $ from newdirections.uk, and use it at least a year. Most of time postage is higher than price of that cream :-(
Tretinoin cream 0.1 % (super cheap local brand :-) - it's the best thing I have ever used, finally I am acne free!
Sodium carbonate as face exfoliant.


I love The Beauty Brains and I am happy to join this forum.

See you :-)

Hi Ellie!

Welcome to forum :-)

Hi, My name is Miranda, I'm 21 years old.
I've actually been looking at this site for a few months looking up products I've heard about and reading the blog. I absolutely LOVE this site. Before discovering this site I was buying expensive salon shampoo and conditioner because my stylist claimed that drugstore shampoos would completely strip my hair. I read your response to salon vs. drugstore shampoos and completely ditched the expensive shampoo. I think my wallet would like to thank you. :)

Hello all.
I love makeup, hair care, fashion, perfume... and everything girlie. I also love science, mostly regarding computers, astronomy, flora and fauna. I love to read nonfiction, and at any point in time I'll research anything that strikes my fancy. I signed up a while ago, but lost the link in one of those computer crashes. But now... I'm baaaaack!

Hi everyone!
I'm Eva. I'm 20 and I'm from Buenos Aires (City of Tango and art), Argentina. I'm a model and actress, and many things more, like photographer, graphic designer, makeup artist, singer, dancer, cook, etc. I love art, everything in my life is related with art. Also, I love science, specially when is related with things that I'm interested about, like skin care, health, the space and aliens, lol.
I'm more than simply in love with skin care, I'm obsessed. I know that when most people say that they're beauty lovers is all about makeup. Not me. I want makeup just as an option, and as least as possible. Although I studied to be a makeup artist with some friends and technically I'm a makeup artist, makeup is not a big deal for me anymore. However, I can't live without a lip and cheek stain but that's it. I dream of being a totally natural beauty, and my idea of beauty is based on little girls: optimal and radiant skin, flushed cheeks and lips, long lashes, big and natural brows, soft and shiny hair, all very healthy. Excessive, I know, but I'm in love with this kind of beauty.
My obsession with skincare started at 18, while modelling. I went to a Pond's casting and I was rejected because of my skin. Someone told me that my skin wasn't so good as should be if I wanted to continue modelling. So then, I started to pay attention to my skin. This is a very tough industry and is better to be "perfect". Actually, I never saw anything wrong with it, I used to see some freckles, tiny scars and expression lines, but never that was a problem for me. Thanks to internet, I discovered many things about skin and I also discovered that my skin has more problems that I used to see, like an oily t-zone and blackheads and dark spots not only from sun damage also from blemishes. I started to see that really my skin wasn't so good, and I've learned many many things from the most simple things like that you should remove makeup before go to bed to more complex things like the different nature of products or ingredients, and a lot more. But I want to continue learning about the skin and how to take care of it, I have still have many doubts about things that I know and things that I don't know. That's why I'm here, and I have a lot of questions in my mind. I hope that this place could help me with all my doubts.