Cheap Beauty...A ? for those of the femme persuation.

[julieisafemme]

Originally Posted by Talon

>>You gotta do ultimately what works the best for you.
Have you thought about using a face-powder sunscreen? Don't quote me, but I believe that Phillip Thomas Roth has one that is a spf30, that you can get at Sephora. And Physicians Formula has a compact pressed powder as well as a bronzer, that's an spf50 at drugstores.

>>I use Laura Mercier wooden make-up brushes...expensive, but they last.
I also like her Secret Camoflauge concealer. I've also found that you can find really high-quality brushes at art-supply stores...for a fraction of the cost. They also carry small paint pallets for colour-mixing foundation, concealer, lip colour..ect.

I did try the powdered sunscreen and it was a bust. It was too drying. I have melasma leftover from pregnancy on my driving side of my cheek and so bronzer sometimes looks funny. What I really need are laser treatments but there is no budget for that!

[Talon]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

I did try the powdered sunscreen and it was a bust. It was too drying. I have melasma leftover from pregnancy on my driving side of my cheek and so bronzer sometimes looks funny. What I really need are laser treatments but there is no budget for that!

Now I'm curious. Let me see if I can do a little research on this, and come up with some other viable options for you.

[Words]

Originally Posted by julieisafemme

I did try the powdered sunscreen and it was a bust. It was too drying. I have melasma leftover from pregnancy on my driving side of my cheek and so bronzer sometimes looks funny. What I really need are laser treatments but there is no budget for that!

Julie,

I'd think twice about the laser treatments if I were you. I recently had IPL treatment on some red veins on my upper chest (cheap and very effective) but whilst chatting to the beautician, she happened to mention that IPL is not recommended for melasma. In fact, according to what she said and what I've read since, it can actually make it worse.

If, on the other hand, you (or anyone else) are suffering from those horrible little red veins - in my case, due to sun exposure - then I throughly recommend IPL. I had just one treatment at a cost of around $60 and poof, they were gone. I'd also recommend IPL for permanent hair removal - that was far more costly, took far more treatments, and hurt like hell (especially in the - *ahem* - more delicate areas), but when you think that it means that you'll never again have to bother with shaving/waxing/whatever, it's definitely, in my opinion, worthwhile. (Bear in mind though that it works best with darker shades of hair.)

Words