Interesting Discussions

Tine at Beautyholics Anonymous asked me about 5 items I do not need and 5 makeup and skincare don’ts. I’m going to break this up into 2 posts because I think each category merits a post of its own!

Picture Credit of Owen B.

My Five Must-NOT Have Items

These are 5 beauty related items I can happily live with-OUT, in no particular order. You may or may not agree with me but one of it has taken me through hell and back out again so I’m quite justified in saying that you will never find it in my beauty cupboard!

1. Tresemme Hair Conditioner. This off the shelf brand of shampoo and conditioner is supposedly formulated for salons or has a salon formula. It left my hair feeling soft, but left my face a mess of acne. I never knew that hair conditioner or hair products can cause acne but apparently this one did for me, and many readers have left comments on similar reactions to various shampoos and conditioners. My acne problem cleared up once I stopped using this conditioner. Never again.
2. Lip gloss. Ok, I’m sure there are many who will be happy to disagree with me, but I say that lipgloss is one of my must not have items. I’d be quite happy not to have any lip glosses in my collection at all as I hardly use them. I dislike the goopy texture of lipgloss and the thick feeling it leaves on my lips, and when my hair sticks to my glossed up lips! I prefer lipstick as I think it looks more polished, and you can mimic having gloss on, if you use a glossy lipstick. That said, the lip glosses I have tried and like are Revlon Superlustrous lip gloss, Guerlain Kiss Kiss lip gloss and Dior Addict lip glosses. The Guerlain and Dior aren’t thick and last longer than normal and the Revlon ones are just good stuff for the price!
3. Nail Polish. I used to have regular manicures and pedicures because it made my nails look pretty. Then, I realised that for all the money I spent, it never lasts because I use my fingers a lot – typing, scraping stuff, undoing staplers – you aren’t supposed to but I do anyway because fingers are just more convenient. I tried applying nail polish myself at home, but failed miserably because I don’t have a steady hand and I have no patience. So, its bare nails for me! I like it this way because when I was using polish, I found my nails would turn brittle and peel or turn yellow.
4. Face Bronzer. I’m not saying that bronzer is something not to have, but it is definitely something I can live without. I am naturally fair all over and I don’t tan (I can’t really tan anyway – I’d just burn) so bronzers are something quite alien to me. I understand the bit about getting a “healthy glow” but I just never saw the need for me to use it. Maybe its because for me, a “healthy glow” translates into glowing skin and pink cheeks. Besides, the few times I tried using bronzer, I found that my face was a shade or two darker than the rest of me – made quite a comical picture, it did.
5. Lip Palettes. I don’t like lip palettes so I don’t own any anymore. I don’t like how they melt if you carry them around in our hot tropical weather; and I don’t like the messy look of the lip palette pans after you have dug into them with your brush, especially after the colour has been used a lot. I understand the convenience factor, but I still don’t like them. This is also why I tend to steer clear of face palettes that have mixed cream and powder products in them.

There you have it. 5 items that do not work for me or that I do not like one way or another. Makeup and skincare are very personal things so my holy grail product might be your worst nightmare and vice versa.

So, are any of my “must NOT haves” your “must haves”?

Stay beautiful,