-after applying dark mascara, i apply a clear mascara coat on top of it, it will remove the clumps from the black mascara so there is no need to comb the lashes, and it seals the dark mascara from getting on the bottom eye lid if you're wearing the mascara for a long period of time or if you sweat and tear alot from sports or dancing.

-there is a new form of sunblock, its in a spray can. I mist this over my neck chest shoulders and sometimes arms if im going to wear a tank top, it gives the skin a sexy glowing shiny coating like the way bikini models rub oil into their skin for photos. It doesnt feel oily and its really light since the mist is very dispersed so you dont even feel it on you. It definately turns the heads of males on sunny days.

-use light foundation that is yellow based on eyelids prior to eyeshadow application, the yellowish pigment hides red puffy eyes well and the shadow sticks to the foundation very well so it doesnt smudge or crease theres no need for eye primer.

-waxing the forehead, nose, cheeks, chin....facial hair isnt really visible on women, but you will feel a major difference because all the tiny nearly microscopic hairs are removed, your face has a better chance at staying cleaner because oil and dirt wont build up as much without the hairs

-this is not a tip but i use a small round face cleaning brush to scrub my facial cleanser in circular motions, clockwise then reverse to counterclockwise, after rinsing my skin feels so smooth and tingly yet at the same time its so soft because i dont need a strong cleanser since the brushing exfoliates everything. when your face is wet do not rub it with a towel...pat it dry

-to prevent itching from waxing in the bikini area, i use cocoa butter

-put cocoa butter on the area between breasts and armpit when you bloat to prevent stretch marks, men should do it before they bench press at the gym -the body shop sells it in a stick form (like a deoderant/antiprespirant stick)

-i think someone may have already said this...use spf sunscreen oilfree lotion instead of foundation primer

haha you can tell i use sunscreen religiously, the thought of wrinkles scare me

Wow that's a good idea about putting clear mascara over regular.. I never thought of that! I'll have to give that one a try. Another great way to get your lashes unclumped is to buy clean plain mascara wands (available at drugstores) and comb through them before the mascara dries. It works great! Also wiggle the wand from side to side while applying it.

I also think a fan brush is really great for bronzer.. b/c you don't want TOO much where it looks like your face is dirty. The fan brush just puts a light dusting of powder on you.

I use cream foundation that is in the compact (Covergirl Aquasmooth) and what I always do to make the foundation blend really well is put it on before my moisturizer dries. This makes it practically impossible for it to get cakey, and it makes it go on your skin evenly and thinly.

When using liquid make up a foundation brush is a must. You will be amazed with how flawless you make up is. A friend of mine who is an actress in New York, told me about this, She said they use to apply makeup with a sponge for photo shoots but discovered how flawless the brush made their appearance.

My brush is Lancome and cost $30, which I purchased 2 years ago, the best. I'm sure if you check around though, you could find a better bargain. For instance, Sephoria I noticed last night had a nice one for $24. Do look at a nicer brush before selecting yours to know what you want in this brush. If you are near a dept store...do take a look at the Lancome brush, this will give you an excellent idea. :wave:

I tried looking in Walmart last night for the Queen Helene Mint Julip Mask. I wanna try it so bad! The lady in cosmetics had never even heard of it before and neither did the one in the Pharmacist. I tried Shopper's Drug Mart again and still nothing. So I settled and grabbed NeoStrata Deep cleansing mask and blemish spot gel. I tried the mask last night and it was crazy. I could see the yucky wet spots where it was pulling out the oils. My face felt pretty tingly too. But when I took the mask off no over dryness. My skin was soft and soooo smooth. I was amazed. Now I just need the spot gel to work wonders on my "Spots". I'll keep ya posted guyz and tell ya if I recommend this product.

P.S. I remembered another tip for eyebrows. If you are in the habit of getting your eyebrows waxed every 3 weeks or whenever, try not to go too often. The pulling from waxing destroys your eyelids natural firmness and you will have droopy eyes when you're older. Try looking into other methods for eyebrow hair removal. You can get a professional tweezing or threading is super popular now-a-days. I don't suggest using any hair removal gels or creams near your eyes though. Electrolysis is pretty cool too. It's not mush more than what you would pay for the accumulation of waxing. Good luck and protect your eyes from deadly drooping.

This may get long and I'm apologizing in advance here lol

1) Mascara - If you try the Cover Girl Exact Lash or the Max Factor version, Lash Perfection (or any other with that spikey type of application wand), when you run out, SAVE THE WAND from it!
I realized a week or so ago that using the old wand as a "comb" to separate your lashes after applying your mascara... OMG it's a maaaaajor miracle worker for me. I've never had much luck with the regular eyelash combs or even the little spoolies that you can buy at the stores to separate them.. it just doesn't work well for me for some reason. But the spikey type of "comb" is just amazing! Just make sure to clean it off really well to get all of the old mascara off before you use it as a comb the first time and then just wipe off really well after each use.
Yesterday, I also tried the blow-drying technique (whoever mentioned that, thank you!!) after I curled my lashes and then applied one coat of mascara and combed through with the old wand.. then I applied another coat and combed through with the wand again and blow-dried them up again.. I swear, I soooo wish we could post pictures on these forums, because I seriously looked like I had on fake lashes..
I know this may sound like alot of work, but it's so worth it. I've never thought I had long lashes. But wow. Just WOW. Even my husband commented on them (which is a miracle in itself)!

2) The aspirin mask - I swear by it, too. I've always had little tiny pimples on my face since I was in 2nd grade (I'm 31 yrs old now), but since I've been using the aspirin, my face is almost completely clear.. The thing is that I can't use it as a mask, as it's just way too drying for my super sensitive skin. Instead, I use it as a scrub every 3 days. I do have regular pimples that pop up every now and then, but I fix those another way... (see below)

3) Toothpaste for pimples LOL - For me and a few of my friends, it works wonders. My husband introduced me to this trick. I dot on a bit of plain toothpaste on the pimple and wear it overnight- NOT THE GEL KIND, though. It has to be in paste form. I have no clue what's in toothpaste that helps heal them, but it does help alot..

4) Cleanser and Moisturizer - I use Basis cleansing bar for sensitive skin. Harsh soaps for acne prone skin are way too harsh and really don't do anything for you anyway.. if it's a good cleanser to begin with, it should wash away completely, right? So, nothing's left behind to really help your skin.. so, what's the point in drying out your skin? The Basis cleanser is extremely gentle, but works really well.
For moisturizer (which everyone needs even if you have oily skin), I use oil free Purpose. It's really light and doesn't break me out whatsoever like every other moisturizer I've tried has.

5) Drink lots and lots of water EVERY DAY. It really does make a difference in your skin.

6) I use Bare Minerals foundation.. it's never broken me out (like I said before, I have very sensitive skin!). It's not a heavy coverage at all and the Bisque concealer is pretty good. When I need a bit more concealer on a stubborn zit, I use the Maybelline Pure Makeup concealer stick. It has a bit of salicylic acid in it and helps heal the darn things..

Hmmm, that's all I can think of right now :D

Wow, you ladies have such good tips. I am excited about trying some of them out. I have a hard time finding the Queen Helene Mint Julepe Mask too.. But I can usually find it at CVS or Wal-Greens. But a lot of times they don't keep it in stock very well.

Has anybody noticed the skin on the forehead drying out after blow drying the lashes? I use the cool setting, but I think it still dries out my skin (kind of like being out in the wind in the winter). Does this happen to anyone else? What can I do about it?

Has anybody noticed the skin on the forehead drying out after blow drying the lashes? I use the cool setting, but I think it still dries out my skin (kind of like being out in the wind in the winter). Does this happen to anyone else? What can I do about it?

I haven't noticed it, but I use moisturizer twice a day.. once after my shower before I put my makeup on and then again at night before bed.

Do you use moisturizer?

First off,anyone looking for the Queen Helene Mint Mask, email me because so many stores by me carry it!

Now-my beauty secret is that I put calamine lotion on pimples at night and by the time I wake up, they are gone. I got this idea after I found out that Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion-which is a huge seller-contains Calamine as it's main ingredient.A bottle of calamine lotion costs about $6 and will last you a long time...better than paying $17 for a on ounce bottle of Mario's Lotion!


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Where can I find Calamine lotion (never heard of it before)?

You can find calamine lotion in the first-aid section of any drug store. I buy mine at CVS...I bought their brand and it was $5; I bought the bottle over a year ago and still have almost the entire bottle left, as I don't break out that often anymore but when I do, I apply it right away. I use a Q-tip and in extreme pimple situations, I put the calamine lotion on a cotton ball, place it over the pimple and put a band-aid on to hold it in place overnight.

A foundation brush is the best invention yet. I had read about how make up artist get the stars faces so even and smooth, using a brush. I bought mine in a department store and it is higher quality, $30ish dollars. One of the best investments I ever made. It will last forever if taken care of. They are becoming more popular and you can find them in make up shops, etc. You can buy a less expensive version in the drug stores, about 5 dollars but a little more difficult to work with and doesn't smooth the make up as well. In the "make up stores" you can get a pretty good one under 20 dollars. Practice on the top of your hand first to get a consistent smoothness. With the face you get every little corner evened out unlike your fingers or a sponge. Remember, when using your fingers it produces more oils on your face. With a brush you can avoid that circle around your chin and face. I actually use Bare Ess. now but do occasionally use foundation for dresser occasions. hope this helps Annie

Before I became a teenager, my older cousin told me when I put moisturizer around my eyes, wash with a cloth, wipe tears away etc., to start at the outer corner and go toward the nose. It will help you not become wrinkled. I have always done that, I'm 46 now and don't have a lot wrinkles like many women my age. Also, always moisturize your neck and chest too. You'll be glad you did when you're my age. :)

Queen Helene Mint Mask can be bought at Sally's too

I am a cosmetologist and have used Dove soap (it is dermatologist recommended) since I can ever remember. I also use baby oil on my entire body, except the face, after showering. I apply it while my skin is wet and blot my skin, don't pull with towel to dry. I am 49 years old and just yesterday my grandson told me how soft my skin was on my arms. I also get told all the time I look like I am around 35 and I give all the glory to my Dove soap and baby oil!!! :wave:

No real beauty secret here, just wanted to comment about the baby shampoo for the eyes. I have horrible problems with my eyes and getting clogged tear ducts and a lot of other problems. My eye doctor recommended I use baby shampoo each day on my eyes and since I've started I've not had a single problem, and it doesn't hurt. So yes, it is very safe to wash your eyes with it. It also takes eye makeup off in a breeze!

Where can you get Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask??

Where can you get Queen Helene's Mint Julep mask??

Sally's Beauty Supply, Walgreens, some Walmarts, probably any place like CVS or Rite-Aid.

ABOUT USING BABY SHAMPOO on eyes?????

SEO, do you just use it as a wash or do you put it on a cotton ball or how do you use it on the eyes?????

I finally found it!!! I finally the Queen Helene Mint Julip Mask. I checked almost everywhere in my town. I couldn't find it at Walamrt or any Drug stores. I found it at a health food store right by my house. Yay! I used it last night, and I swear I could feel it working. I'm gonna add it to my regimen. I'm excited to see how well it works. I also picked up Queen Helene Grape seed extract peeling mask. Has anyone tried this? If so tell me how thats worked for them. I haven't tried that one yet. Good luck to everyone!

I think I am the only person alive who does not like Queen Helene's Green Mask. It does nothing for me.

A few things I love....

Facial steamer

Monistat powder gel used as a makeup primer. Sounds odd... Works great and costs less.

Philosophy's skincare

This isn't so much a beauty secret..but someone told me this and I had to share. I constantly wash my husbands chapstick (forgets to take it out of his pockets). The grease always seems to spot all over the clothes. If you take corn starch and rub it on the grease stain...it is suppose to come right out.

Monistat powder gel is great as a primer before putting on foundation! It has the same things as Smashbox or any of the other primers.

Yes, I just take a quarter-sized amount of baby shampoo in my palm and wash the eyes directly with it. It doesn't hurt as it's baby shampoo! It really has helped me keep my eyes clean and the tear ducts unclogged, and I've never had a problem with it- it's always kept me from problems! Weird thing though- I can use Johnson's & Johnson's and the Generic Wal-Mart brand (equate) but nothing else. I'd stick to one of those brands to start with.

Finally found the Queen Helens and am so far loving it! I tried the mint julip face scrub and it's a very gentle scrub. I found mine at Ulta- don't know if they're national.

Thanks for all of the tips!!

I have used baby magic baby wash on my face for years now. It works great and smells really good. I also use it as my bath wash. After I had my first baby it was just easier to grab one bottle to wash both of us!

yeah, baby soap is great as a body wash. while my niece was staying here, i used her milk bath baby wash in the shower and i absolutely loved it. i've wanted to buy my own bottle, but i cant seem to find it in any stores in my area.

Couple things Ive always heard and try to always remember...

Drink lots of water
Dont sleep with your makeup on
Be beautiful on the inside

people always tell me how beautiful my nails are, at least once a week (usually more) i file them to eliminate snags or spits and push back my cuticles before i put on a strengthener. 2 nice ones are nail envy by OPI and another one by witchcraft that basicly works just as good at a cheaper price.

also if you get rough chapped hands in the winter like i do (mine actually start to bleed) i rub vasaline on mine before i go to bed and put on some little winter mitts or some latex gloves (i find latex gloves are more convinient in case i have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night cause you can wash them) and in the morning theyre baby soft. apparently same goes for you're feet i hear. my friend said she put on plastic bags and socks one time and it worked wonders. i tried but it was too uncomfortable.

When shaving your bikini area, immediately after you've gotten out of the tub or shower, apply roll-on deodorant to the area. Absolutely no redness or bumps, and it keeps you super smooth! :)

Two secrets...first I blow dry my hair upside down and get a lot of volume. Then I straighten the bottoms while my head is upside down. I get straight hair and incredible volume. Second, I use Madre Perla De Ultratez on my stretch marks. I use it once a day for 1/2 hour to an hour and the marks on my hips are completely gone and the ones on my stomach are almost gone, it's been three months. Gotta love growth spurts! :p

I have extremely sensitive eyes and I have discovered an "eyeshadow" that does not make my eyes burn and it has no sparkle to it either. I use Maybelline's eyebrow powder as my eyeshadow...of course your choices are brown and brown and...ummm...brown but that's all I ever wear is brown so it works great for me. I was reading an old thread from last year and someone said that they always paint their toenail at night and in the morning when they shower, any mess ups that get on your skin come right off during the shower...I also do this! The polish really does come right off of your skin from the shower!

I live in a beach community and to keep my hair healthy during the hot summer months I use Phyto Plage Hydrating After Sun Mist. It works wonders especially since I also color my hair.

It's marketed for sunstoke hair, lol.

Phyto Plage Hydrating After Sun Mist.

Where can you find this at?

I buy it online from Sephora for $20.

Does anyone know of a shampoo that will curl straight hair? I'v seen commercials for "The Curling Shampoo", but I haven't seen it in any stores. My hair is naturally thin, fine, and straight and I the only way it curls is if I braid it when it's wet. I can't use curlers or a curling iron cause it falls flat half-way through the day. Any suggestions would be great.

Well I don't know what the gimmick with that curling shampoo is but I know people that have used it and it didn't do anything to help their hair to be curlier. Occasionally I will see it at Walmart though.

Thank you SO much to the person who posted about using baby oil every day after the shower! I've done it the past few days and my skin is DEFINATELY softer. :)
Please tell me if i'm doing this right:
I get out of the shower, and don't dry off. I rub the baby lotion into my skin, and rub in most and then blot the excess of with a towel.

Also, thank you to the person who suggested moisturizing your neck and chest and the proper way rubbing moisturizer around your eyes. :)

I like the Vaselline on eyelashes tip, too. :)

That's pretty much what you do with baby oil. I just did the same thing after I showered, it's great. I've been using it for a while but only 1-2 times a week. I should definitely do it more often since my skin dries out so quickly and lotion alone doesn't do the trick.
But yea, like you said, all you do is get out of the shower and apply the oil on damp skin, than rub it in a little and let it dry.
I usually also apply Nivea lotion (or any other kind, though I prefer Nivea) a few minutes after applying the baby oil. This takes a while to dry, but the combination of the two leaves skin even softer than oil or lotion alone.

Don't forget that baby oil is just scented mineral oil so for those of you that don't care for the scent, you can buy just plain ol' mineral oil instead of baby oil for the same effect only unscented. This makes a wonderful massage oil too! And if you don't mind the oiliness, it also makes a great eye make-up remover for that hard to remove waterproof mascara. I have a 53 year old sister that has used baby oil for eye make-up removal since I can remember and she has no wrinkles at all around her eyes and look like she is about 35!

Several years ago, this baby oil trick was a big thing. They even used it in their advertisements with the slogan 'dry off soft.' And for shaving too. I tried shaving with it and it caused pimples on my legs! So watch for that.

An alternative is jojoba oil or camellia oil. They cost more, but are less likely to cause break outs. People rave about them over on the acne board every so often.

i tried shaving with baby oil once. the bathtub and i both turned into one big slippery, slimey mess. never again!

Several years ago, this baby oil trick was a big thing. They even used it in their advertisements with the slogan 'dry off soft.' And for shaving too. I tried shaving with it and it caused pimples on my legs! So watch for that.

An alternative is jojoba oil or camellia oil. They cost more, but are less likely to cause break outs. People rave about them over on the acne board every so often.

I think the best would just be baby oil. It's cheap, and you can just buy a body wash that already has jojoba oil or jojoba butter in it. I LOVE Olay Body Butter Ribbons.

i tried shaving with baby oil once. the bathtub and i both turned into one big slippery, slimey mess. never again!
Although shaving with baby oil is great (in my opinion) since it's so moisturizing and you can get a close shave, it dulls razors sooooo quickly. I've done it a few times too, but wouldn't do it again. Who can afford a new razor every single day.

I knew there was a reason why I never cared for baby oil after shaving.I forgot that it made my legs break out! I have to agree to watch out for that if your prone to ingrown hairs on other places on your body from shaving.If you have fine hair on your legs then it probably wouldn't cause a problem there.

Don't know if you'd call this a beauty secret...more like a cosmetic trick:
Don't throw away lipstick colors that look sick on you...instead mix them with another crummy color ;) to make a great color. For example you can mix a too pink with a too brown to get just that right shade of a brownish plum that looks like YLBB(your lips but better). I can't tell you when I'd actually bought a shade of lipstick that I like :(

You can use it to tint lip balm as well. Just scrape out the lip balm, melt in a dixie cup with a bit of lipstick in the microwave and pour back into the tube.

I use Drysol to prevent sweating in my armpits. It is the best product I've ever used! Even at the end of a long day there is absolutely no odor or wetness. Also no more yellow marks on those nice shirts. Give it a try, you'll love it. Drysol is found in all drug stores like Walgreens.

Does eyebrow waxing really cause upper eye droop over time? I've never heard that,and I love to have my eyebrows waxed.

This thread is great! I have a bunch to add :)

For scaly elbows: Cut a lemon in half, rest elbows in for 10-15 mins., rinse, and apply a rich moisturizer

Toner: Put it in a spray bottle, store in fridge, and it gives your face a nice refreshing treat

Evening Primrose oil: relieves hangovers if you take 6-10 capsules before bed.

Lipstick on teeth: Put 1 finger in mouth, pull out finger tightly against inside lips and the extra lipstick will be on your finger

Sunspots: 1 lemon, 1 lime, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 oz. plain yogurt, mix, massage into spot at least once per week

Cellulite: In shower, rub into the cellulite coffee grounds left over from the morning coffee. The main ingredient in the expensive cellulite creams is caffeine!

Stretch Marks: Use retin-a on them to fade away

Dark under eye circles: Use raw potato slices

Leave in hair conditioner: make your own! use 1/2 cup fabric softner, 1 cup of water... choose the scent that appeals best to you

Sharpening eye pencil: Make the pencil last longer by placing the stick in the freezer for 15 min. before sharpening... it will give a perfect point.

Loose up to 6 lbs. in a couple days: take 2 garlic capsules and 2 papaya capsules before breakfast, lunch, and dinner.. dont do this for more than 2 days but its a natural way to loose it for a special event!

Hair Ties: Pany hose makes great ones the wont split or damage hair. Cut strips from the lower leg section.

Lemon juice makes a great toner or refreshed face.

Whiter teeth: 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Brush teeth with this only 1 time per week. Its awesome for removing tea and coffee stains!

Bloated? Dont chew gum, drink from a straw, or from a bottle.... it causes you to swallow air which goes to your tummy!

Well thats about all I can think of! Hope it helps :)

Wow Jen121, lots of great tips I'd love to try right there!!

Hey, can you buy papaya capsules at the drugstore? I have never heard of those.

wow, thanks Jen121! i'm holding potato slices under my eyes right now lol