Episode 377 - Beauty Product Talk!

Summary

Episode Summary: The Beauty Brains – Episode 377: Beauty Product Talk!

Release Date: November 7, 2024
Host: Valerie George
Guest: Sarah Bellum

In Episode 377 of The Beauty Brains, host Valerie George welcomes back co-host Sarah Bellum for an engaging discussion centered around their personal experiences with various beauty and cosmetic products. Departing from the show's usual format of addressing listener questions and beauty news, Valerie and Sarah delve into the products they currently use, share honest opinions, and exchange recommendations across different beauty categories. This in-depth conversation offers valuable insights for both beauty enthusiasts and those seeking expert opinions on everyday cosmetic products.

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1. Hair Care

Pantene Pro-V and L'Oréal Wonder Water

Valerie and Sarah begin their conversation with hair care products, highlighting their enduring trust in established brands.

• Sarah Bellum emphasizes her loyalty to Pantene, stating, “I’m the most basic in, to be honest... I always go back to Pantene shampoo and conditioner” (02:24).

• Valerie George defends Pantene’s reputation, particularly in professional settings, noting, “Pantene Pro-V gets a bad rap... But there's nothing special about it. It's not leaving this horrendous residue on the hair” (05:01).

Sarah adds that during her time at Alberto Culver, “Pantene always won” in blind benchmarking tests compared to salon products (05:17).

• L'Oréal's Wonder Water is another product discussed. Sarah appreciates its effectiveness despite its simple formula, likening it to an old-school VO5 treatment: “the formula is pretty basic, but it works well, so I go with it” (02:24).

Valerie shares her mixed experience with Wonder Water, highlighting its affordability and performance but critiquing its strong fragrance: “it felt like it had 150% fragrance in it... but it did make my hair feel smooth and strong” (03:17).

Garnier Sleek and Augustinus Bader Shampoo

Valerie mentions her use of multiple shampoos to cater to her hair’s needs, specifically praising Garnier Sleek for its clarity and cleansing properties: “It doesn’t leave a lot of depositing stuff on the hair... my scalp gets really clean” (06:19).

Sarah contrasts this with Augustinus Bader’s Shampoo, describing it as “the most interesting shampoo I’ve ever used” due to its unique cream-like texture: “it’s a cream shampoo... it feels like shampoo is coming out like a ribbon of honey” (07:15). Despite finding it intriguing, Valerie critiques its high price point: “the price point's really high” (07:15).

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2. Body Care

Method and Olay Body Washes

Transitioning to body care, Valerie and Sarah discuss their preferences in body washes.

• Method Body Wash: Valerie shares her positive experiences with Method’s creamy body wash, appreciating how it makes her skin feel pampered: “my skin feels amazing when I get out of the shower” (09:39).

• Olay’s Relaunched Body Wash: Sarah prefers Olay’s new body wash, which she describes as “very moisturizing and very creamy,” ideal for her sensitive skin with eczema: “it feels very soothing” (09:34).

Valerie humorously admits she hasn't used the new Olay product as much as Dove’s offerings but praises the scent and texture of Method’s body wash: “the shea butter lavender version... I feel a little pampered” (10:26).

Dove Super Gentle Body Wash

Sarah recommends Dove Super Gentle Body Wash for those with sensitive skin: “very creamy. My skin, I have very sensitive... it feels very soothing” (09:55).

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3. Skincare

Cleansers and Exfoliants

The discussion shifts to skincare routines, focusing on cleansers and exfoliants.

• Sarah Bellum has adopted an oil cleanse regimen using Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, which she credits for improving her dry skin: “skin feels noticeably smoother after use” (15:08).

• Valerie George shares her appreciation for Skin Fix Cleansing, describing it as a non-fragranced, oil-based cleanser that maintains her skin’s barrier: “it's a lot of gums and some surfactants... my skin doesn't feel really dry afterwards” (16:58).

• Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant is highlighted by both hosts for its gentle yet effective exfoliation. Sarah praises its non-irritating formula: “I don’t get redness, but I still get that smoothness” (18:54). Valerie discusses the benefits of BHA, especially for sensitive skin: “salicylic acid doesn’t sting like glycolic acid” (20:20).

Serums

When discussing serums, both Valerie and Sarah express a mix of satisfaction and ongoing search for the perfect products.

• Sarah Bellum favors The Ordinary’s niacinamide and retinol serums for their affordability and effectiveness without irritation: “I like it because it doesn’t irritate my skin” (21:53).

• Valerie George admits her struggle with finding suitable serums, sharing mixed experiences with products like Barbara Sturm and Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Serum: “the fragrance I wasn’t crazy about... it felt really cocooned” (25:12).

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4. Sunscreens

Supergoop and Other Tinted Sunscreens

Sunscreen discussion centers around tinted options that offer both protection and aesthetic benefits.

• Sarah Bellum praises Supergoop’s GlowScreen SPF for its dual functionality as a sunscreen and a light primer: “it acts as a little bit of makeup or primer as well as a sunscreen” (27:12).

• Valerie George highlights the importance of tinted sunscreens, explaining the role of iron oxides in blocking visible light and aiding in hyperpigmentation prevention: “Iron oxides don’t necessarily have an SPF value themselves, but they’re great at blocking visible light” (28:46).

• Both hosts share their disappointments with certain tinted sunscreens, such as Tatcha’s Tinted SPF, which Valerie criticizes for its runny texture and overly dark shade: “the product was extremely runny... it got everywhere” (29:24).

• Prequel and Murad Essentials are mentioned as preferred alternatives: “I really like this one. It’s very lightly tinted” (30:25), and “Murad Essentials... smells like oranges” (30:25).

Valerie concludes with her intention to purchase Paula’s Choice 2% BHA and Supergoop GlowScreen, while Sarah plans to try the Skin Fix Cleanser (31:45).

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5. Final Thoughts and Recommendations

As the episode wraps up, Valerie and Sarah exchange their favorite products and reaffirm the importance of personal preference in beauty routines. They emphasize finding products that not only deliver results but also enhance the user’s overall experience through texture, scent, and ease of use.

Notable Quotes:

• Valerie George: “It should make you feel good. There’s also an aesthetic part to it” (25:55).

• Sarah Bellum: “I love talking about beauty products... it was like this was what heaven was like” (32:06).

Conclusion:

Episode 377 of The Beauty Brains offers a candid and insightful exploration of personal beauty product preferences. Valerie George and Sarah Bellum provide listeners with honest reviews and thoughtful recommendations across hair care, body care, skincare, and sunscreen categories. Their expert perspectives, grounded in scientific understanding, make this episode a valuable resource for anyone navigating the vast landscape of cosmetic products.

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Be sure to subscribe to The Beauty Brains on Apple Podcasts, leave a review, and follow them on their social media channels for more expert beauty insights.

Transcript

[Valerie George]

Hi, I'm Valerie and you're listening to the Beauty Brains. Welcome to the Beauty Brains, a show where real cosmetic chemists answer your beauty product questions and give you an insider's look at the cosmetics industry. This is episode 377. I'm your host, Valerie George, and with me today is not Perry, it is Sarah Bellum. Perry is. It has been so long since Sarah Bellum has been on the show. Perry is in Brazil having a great time at ifscc. He could not be on today to record. And so I said, sarah Bellum, I am too scared to do my own solo episode, unlike Perry, who has a lot of confidence. And I said, please come on the show with me today so we can talk properly. Because I feel like with Perry, we never get to do that enough.

[Sarah Bellum]

That's true, that's true. He's not a big product user himself.

[Valerie George]

Not at all. So how long has it been since you've actually been on the show? I think this is the first time since I've been a co host, I think.

[Sarah Bellum]

So Perry and I may have done an episode together a few years ago, Valerie, during the pandemic, but before that it was many years. So it's good to be back.

[Valerie George]

I'm so excited to have you back because the audience does love you. Maybe not as much as Perry.

[Sarah Bellum]

I'm just kidding.

[Valerie George]

But they do love you. And today what we are going to do is we are not going to go through the usual show format, beauty science news and beauty product questions. We are actually just going to talk about what products we're using because we may love them, we may hate them, we may have gotten them for free, we may have bought them. And I think it's important to discuss all these things. So what category would you like to start with?

[Sarah Bellum]

Gosh, Valerie, I don't know. I mean, I have a hair care product in front of me, so let's just start with the top and kind of work. What do you think?

[Valerie George]

All right. Yeah, I love it. Head to toe.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Valerie George]

So what are you using?

[Sarah Bellum]

Well, I start with hair, but it's probably the category that I. I'm the most basic in, to be honest. You know, I work from home, as you know, so I don't spend a ton of time styling my hair and wavy hair. So I try not to, like, overdo it with the hair care products.

[Valerie George]

And your hair is, like, really thick. You have, like, a lot of it.

[Sarah Bellum]

I have a lot of hair, yes. So, you know, but I'm. I'm a pantene. Girl. I love Pantene shampoo and conditioner. I've tried other stuff. I always go back to it. The one product I do like to use once a week is L'Oreal's Wonder Water, which I find kind of hilarious because the formula of Wonder Water is really the same as the old school VO5 hot oil in shower hot oil treatment that I used when I was in high school and then worked at Alberto Culver. So it's full circle for me. But I like the packaging for the L'Oreal product better. But when you look at the formula, it's the sort of same, you know, self heating technology that's been in VO5 forever. But wonder water is like huge on TikTok and it does really give my hair that shine and like smoothness that I like. But it is kind of funny. The formula is pretty basic, but it's at a good price point. It works well, so, you know, I go with it. But it does make me laugh.

[Valerie George]

We did, we do get a lot of questions about the L'Oreal Wonder Water on the show. And finally after like months of people writing in asking about it, I said I'm going to give it a try. So I picked up a bottle. It's very inexpensive, as you mentioned, and I was like, water, propylene glycol, alcohol. This is so simple, like so ridiculously simple. And aside from the fact it felt like it had 150% fragrance in it, it's very fragrant, too much for me and it smells like a dryer sheet to me. But I actually really did like the way it made my hair feel like you. I have wavy hair, sometimes curly. It's as thick as a spaghetti noodle per strand and it does a really good job of, yeah, making it smooth, making it looking aligned, feeling strong.

[Sarah Bellum]

And you know, it's funny. It's, you know, I'm sure you get this too. A lot of my friends ask me what I use, what I recommend. And this product, you know, I have a few friends that have very, very thick hair and they love it. So, you know, I stand by it. It's a good product. But you're right, the formula is basic. It's old school technology that VO5 has been using for many, many years. But my hair does feel noticeably better after I use it. So it's a regular in my shower.

[Valerie George]

Valerie, let's go back to Pantene Pro V because I feel like, especially in the salon professional world, Pantene Pro V gets a bad rap totally. And I don't understand why. Because the ingredients in Pantene Pro V in salon products, there's nothing special about it. It's not leaving this, like, horrendous residue on the hair. It's just not. I worked at a salon brand, and if it were crappy, I would tell you it was not a good product. But it's. It's really. Panthenol is a wonderful thing for the hair. And they're using a ton of panthenol.

[Sarah Bellum]

I. You know, I mean, I totally agree. And it's funny when, you know, again, when we worked at. When I worked at Alberto, and we would do, like, blind benchmarking tests against salon or mass products, Pantene always won. Always. And people are always shocked to find that out. But, I mean, especially their conditioner, the shampoo. I mean, shampoo. Shampoo. But I'm, you know. But their conditioner. And it's funny, I did get a free Aveda conditioner, so I've been using it, and, you know, the Pantene just knocks out of park. In my opinion.

[Valerie George]

Pantene did launch, like, a gold collection for coarse, kinky hair a handful of years ago, and we actually bought the whole collection and had it tested in our professional salon. And the feedback was actually really good on it. I actually really liked that line.

[Sarah Bellum]

I don't think I use the gold line ever. You know, I go with the whatever smooth and sleek conditioner that they've had forever. And I always go back to it. It's a fan favorite. But you're right, it has a bad rap in the salon world that it leaves this wax on your hair, which I don't get. There's not wax in the formula. It just seems, you know, crazy to me. But, yeah, it's a product I always go back to.

[Valerie George]

Well, I'm using many shampoos right now, and I say many for a couple reasons. One, you never know what your hair needs.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes.

[Valerie George]

Two, Mr. Cosmetic Chemist has put out a formal memorandum of understanding in her household that I have to use the products. And so I'm committed to using bottles. I am currently using the Garnier Sleek. Yeah, it's a clear shampoo. I like it because it doesn't leave a lot of depositing stuff on the hair. It smells good, has great lather. I'm just, like, a big fan of clear shampoos in general, and I feel like my scalp gets really clean when I use it.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Valerie George]

I'm also using a bunch of prototypes I'm not allowed to talk about.

[Sarah Bellum]

I remember those days.

[Valerie George]

Yeah. And. And then anything I don't like, I basically tell Mr. Cosmetic Chemist to use.

[Sarah Bellum]

Same in our household. Yeah, whatever I don't like goes to Perry.

[Valerie George]

Exactly. Then I'm using the Augustinus Badr shampoo. And I know they have a hair care line.

[Sarah Bellum]

I. I was gonna say that's a new one for me.

[Valerie George]

First and foremost, nobody buy it. Not because it's terrible, because I think the price point's really high. Like Augustinus Botter fashion. Now, when I got it, I was expecting a shampoo.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah.

[Valerie George]

What's inside is a shampoo, but it looks like a conditioner. And you may be thinking like, oh, is it like the Wen by Chastene Cleansing conditioner?

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah, yeah.

[Valerie George]

No, it's not. It's not a conditioner. It's literally a cream shampoo.

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay.

[Valerie George]

It's really odd and interesting.

[Sarah Bellum]

Does it lather?

[Valerie George]

Yes. Do you know what I'm gonna do? I'm going to send the bottle to you because it is the most interesting shampoo I've ever used.

[Sarah Bellum]

Well, that's a bold statement. I mean, I'll try any shampoo. Honestly, was the packaging super fancy? Does it have a high end look?

[Valerie George]

Yeah, it's that signature dark blue with almost that little electric type look to it. It comes with a standard cap dispenser. And I was like, oh, gosh, shampoo will come pouring out like a ribbon of honey. And it was cream and I was like, whoa. I didn't get the impression from online that this was a cleansing conditioner. But no, it's. It's just a shampoo in a cream format. It's not offensive in fragrance and my hair feels really clean after using it. But it's like when in the 90s, they came out with like colorless Pepsi and it was called Pepsi Clear. Or like they came out with like ketchup that was purple or green. It's just like I can't get into it because it's not what shampoo is. Like.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's interesting. Yeah, I would be curious to try it. You know, I tend to stick. Like I said to Pantene shampoo. I do use some. You know, you mentioned Garnier. That's another brand that I use some of their styling products. Another very affordable brand that I think uses pretty high quality ingredients and, you know, I get good results, so. But you know, I. I'm always open to experiment, except especially when I get something for free, so.

[Valerie George]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. For body wash, I'm just using a Prototype that I had to make for somebody. So I'm enjoying that. Not to be like, oh, I'm a chef and I like my own food, but that's going pretty good. But for body, do you know what's a product I actually go by?

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay, what?

[Valerie George]

Method Body Wash. See, I've never used.

[Sarah Bellum]

Method, but I use the Olay. It's the new. It's funny. Again, this is like a new, old Olay product. If you remember, maybe 10 years ago, Olay had the Ribbons body washed. You know, it was, like, supposed to be, like, swirled with moisturizer.

[Valerie George]

I think my mom used that because I feel like it was in their shower.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes. So they relaunched it. And of course, I don't have it in front of me, but it's the same product but with a different name. But I do like it. It's very moisturizing, you know, very creamy. I think it smells good. And my skin, I have very, like, sensitive. I have some eczema on my skin, so it feels very soothing. If I don't. If I don't have that, then I just use the Dove Super Gentle Body Wash for sensitive skin. So again, very creamy. I'm assuming the method is more like a clear gel, like their hand soap, or is it creamy?

[Valerie George]

I'm using a creamy one. And I'm going to be honest. Is it like my skin feels amazing when I get out of the shower? I'm going to be honest. No. I think Dove is really great for that. Olay is really good, now that you mention it, but I really like the way it smells. It's like a shea butter lavender version. And it just, like. I don't know, I feel a little pampered when I'm using it. The foaming is good.

[Sarah Bellum]

Totally.

[Valerie George]

And it's not Mr. Cosmetic Chemist old Spice, which sometimes I have to use that, which is, like, terrible.

[Sarah Bellum]

This fragrance is so strong. Yeah. I think Perry uses shampoo as body wash, which would, you know, which would add up. But, you know, I use the Method hand soaps for the same reason. They smell really good. It just makes me feel happy. So I love the bamboo scent they have. Oh, that's just like, clean and fresh. So. Yeah. But I've never used their personal care products.

[Valerie George]

You know, it's a little expensive, so unless you're committed to the scent, I don't recommend it because it was like $12 for a bottle. And granted, it's a big bottle, but I. Maybe I'm out of touch with today's prices because I just have so Much stuff. I don't know. But a little fun fact about me, I have used almost every single Method scent, and I was featured on a Method blog one time.

[Sarah Bellum]

So you're like a Method fan girl.

[Valerie George]

And one time, I went to their corporate office in San Francisco, and I was talking with the chemistry because my friend was selling them ingredients, and she was like, hey, I'm going to the Method headquarters today. Do you want to come with me? And I was like, yeah, I don't care if I sit in the waiting room. So she was like, my friend is a chemist. You may know her, and her name's Valerie George. She's, like, obsessed with your product. So they all came out, and I knew more about the fragrances at the company than they did. I was like, oh, no, that was in 2012. And that actually was a limited time release only in that the gel hand wash, that didn't come out in foaming. And they were like, I've never even heard of that. Yeah. Anyway. But yeah, like, only for the fragrance. Like, is it the most luxurious experience? Probably not. But I actually think I'm going to go back to bar soap soon.

[Sarah Bellum]

Really?

[Valerie George]

Being Dove?

[Sarah Bellum]

Well, Dove is. I mean, I. I like Dove products, but I don't like using bar soap because it just gets messy. Like, how do you, you know, kind of melts and your hair sticks to it? I don't know, because I feel like bar soap is having a moment right now. A lot of natural brands and using solids and all sorts of products, but they slip out of my hand. So I don't know. What's your solution for dealing with the mess factor of a bar product?

[Valerie George]

Well, actually, I was at an ingredient show. I had a booth, and across from the way was a guy who invented this thing that you stick into soap.

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay.

[Valerie George]

And it allows you to, like, keep the soap not upside down, and it keeps it on a little pedestal.

[Sarah Bellum]

Oh, man.

[Valerie George]

I forget what it's called. And then when you pick it up, you have a little handle so it doesn't slip everywhere.

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay. All right.

[Valerie George]

Yeah, yeah. So I've used that in the past also. I've. I mean, I've used boxes and stuff, but they're just like. They get gross.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah.

[Valerie George]

And then you're like, I can't even clean it out. But sometimes for my body, because it does, you know, slip everywhere. I actually rub it all over a loofah.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah.

[Valerie George]

And get the loofah jazzed up with the soap. And then I put it.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. That's like, that's like an extra step, though, Valerie. But I do, I do.

[Valerie George]

Is there a body product you've used where you're like, this is disgusting and I will never use it again? You don't have to name the brand if you don't want to, but I.

[Sarah Bellum]

Can'T think of anything. The only thing that comes to mind is more of a body lotion, and it's because it went bad. So it's a brand that you would buy at the mall, let's say that.

[Valerie George]

Teenagers, like, I wonder, I wonder what it is.

[Sarah Bellum]

And so I had like the, you know, a tub of lotion, and it wasn't old. Like, I had gotten it as a gift unless the person re gifted it, which is possible. But it clearly just dusted it off. Yeah, exactly. It clearly. I mean, you know, when a fragrance goes bad and, you know, it's just, it's noticeable. So it was clearly an unstable product or, I don't know, it had some sort of contamination. But I've noticed some stability issues with this certain company, at least back in the day. Admittedly, I haven't bought any of their products in a while, but, you know, sort of inconsistencies and fragrance and product, color, product texture, that's more of the thing. And you know, obviously as a chemist, it's very noticeable to me and off putting to see obviously unstable products that are being sold for a high price point.

[Valerie George]

Yeah, exactly. What about face? Let's talk skin care.

[Sarah Bellum]

You know, again, I experiment, but I think one of the things as I've gotten older is my skin has definitely gotten drier. I have moved to the oil cleanse. That was probably a big change in my skincare routine in the past, like three or four years. And a noticeably noticeable improvement, especially here in Chicago in the winter, you know, it's so, so dry. So I use the Clinique take the day off cleansing balm. And I have tried other cleansing balms. And I will say I just like the Clinique product. I don't know why. Just, you know, again, these are pretty basic formulas, but I just, you know, you rub it on your face dry, and it kind of dissolves your makeup, and then you splash it off and just use a really gentle cleanser to follow up. And I just use cetaphil foaming cleanser to follow up. I don't know, my skin just feels better.

[Valerie George]

That's the one we have in our shower is the cetaphil foaming cleanser.

[Sarah Bellum]

So that's kind of what I do in the summer, it's not as much of an issue as my skin. Skin isn't as dry, but in the winter, it's a game changer. And especially if I'm a day where I'm wearing makeup again, I'm working from home now, so it's not as much. But, you know, I like. I wear makeup on a somewhat regular basis, so I feel like, you know, if I just use a really gentle cleanser, it wouldn't get my makeup off. So the I. But this oil cleansing gets the makeup off without, like, totally drying out my skin. So that's kind of what I've been doing in terms of cleansing anyway. What's your. What's your go to.

[Valerie George]

I like the idea of a cleansing balm or cleansing oil for, like, the massage therapy aspect. And you can, you know, massage the jaw muscles, but I just don't really like them other than that it's fair, to be honest.

[Sarah Bellum]

It's fair.

[Valerie George]

And a cleanser that I have used and that I actually bought again was the Skin Fix Cleansing. They call it an oil cleansing product, but it's not like a cleansing oil. It's just a cleanser with oil.

[Sarah Bellum]

Oh, okay.

[Valerie George]

They're their skin barrier technology. Basically. This cleanser is a lot of gums and some surfactants.

[Sarah Bellum]

I was going to say what's in.

[Valerie George]

It and then like a tiny bit of oil. Yeah. And a one pump goes a long way and it just feels good. It's not fragranced. My skin doesn't feel really dry afterwards, which is important.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes.

[Valerie George]

Right now, though, I'm having to work through a bunch of smaller samples from different. Either different projects or like I got from raw material suppliers. Like, they'll make a prototype and I'll test it out. There's one that is okay. That I'm using. It's a really concentrated gel cleanser. And then I'm actually using the Barbara Sturm cleanser. Oh, fancy a liquid that foams in a bottle. It's like the travel size.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah.

[Valerie George]

I think it's a little too old, though, because the foam doesn't feel as, like, wet.

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay.

[Valerie George]

It feels like kind of dried out and waxy now. Yeah. So maybe I should add some distilled and sanitized water to it or something. Or I could just throw it away, I guess.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah.

[Valerie George]

But that one's okay. I actually really like foaming cleansers. I like the way the foam feels.

[Sarah Bellum]

I do, too. And, you know, again, I have sensitive skin and so, you know, I use. I tend to lean on Cetaphil and Cerave for skincare. But I love the Cetaphil foaming cleanser. Like, I'll keep it in my shower and then. And I have one at my sink, too, and, you know, it's. But if I just use that alone without doing an oil cleanse first, it doesn't get my makeup off. Like, that's sort of my beef with it. If it's a day I don't wear makeup, I can just use that, and that's good enough. But the oil cleanse for me has been a bit of a game changer, though. I am curious about that Skinfix product. See, I might have to go buy that Valerie.

[Valerie George]

And it's really big. A little goes a long way, so it'll last you, like, a long time.

[Sarah Bellum]

Nice. In terms of after cleanse, I use this, I'm looking at it right now, the Paula's Choice BHA liquid exfoliant.

[Valerie George]

Okay.

[Sarah Bellum]

This is an example of me getting a free sample of a product and then going ahead and buy it because I really like it. You know, I try to, you know, again, getting older, try to keep my skin exfoliated, but I don't want to use, like, anything with bees in it or anything that's going to irritate my skin. So I really like this because it doesn't burn or feel like, you know, like some. Sometimes like a salicylic acid or like an alpha hydroxy. An AHA type product can feel stingy or burny. This doesn't at all. But my skin feels noticeably smoother after use. And it just is a good, you know, base for them, putting moisturizer and makeup on. And the price point is, I think, fair. And it's like a two.

[Valerie George]

Paula's Choice has good pricing.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes. Though I believe Paula's Choice is owned by Unilever now. Is it okay?

[Valerie George]

Yeah, it is.

[Sarah Bellum]

I've noticed. I've seen more of her products, so she's probably get. They're getting better distribution with Unilever, but like I said to Sephora, I bought it at Sephora, I believe, But I'm a fan, and the price point seems fair. And it lasts again, a little goes a long way. It lasts forever. And I've had this probably almost a year, and it's crazy because I use it almost every day.

[Valerie George]

I should look into that because I've been making my own salicylic acid solution, and I'm not gonna lie, I've been putting alcohol in it because it's like the easiest thing you could do to dissolve salicylic acid and then some dimethyl. Dimethyl isosorbide, which aids in penetration and it burns.

[Sarah Bellum]

Okay.

[Valerie George]

But I really love salicylic acid because it's is not stinging like you've said with the glycolic acid and the other alpha hydroxy acid molecules. Even though technically it's an alpha hydroxy acid. But I think it's more gentle. I think you can get great exfoliation at a neutral pH. It goes into the pores and it not only cleans the pores out, but it tells the pores to slow their roll. It is anti inflammatory. It's just a really great communicator to our skin.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes.

[Valerie George]

And I think a lot of people can benefit from it. And I have rosacea, so I can't use the glycolic acids and the lactic acids of the world. So BHA actually doesn't make me break out with rosacea pustules either. And I should, I should pick that up because I do like Paula's Choice. I like bha. You like it?

[Sarah Bellum]

I'm kind of with you. I get a lot of redness in my skin. You know, I have some eczema. So I am, you know, with my skin I'm a little more picky. Like my hair, I'll do whatever, but with my skin I am a little more picky. And so this product, you know, not, you know, again, it's a bha it's not as stingy and irritating. I don't get redness, but I still get that smoothness that I'm looking for, obviously from an exfoliant. So. And I know these are ingredients that work and it's like clear on the label, you know, a little bit ordinary esque in terms of just clear communication. What's the ingredient, how it works? So I like it. It's very straightforward, nothing fancy, but it works. And it is a product that like I'll go back and buy again. So I'd recommend it.

[Valerie George]

Okay, cool. What about ser what are you using for serums now?

[Sarah Bellum]

This one, I'm all over the place. I have a couple ordinary serums. I have the niacinamide serum. I have like a vitamin C B, I think it's like a vitamin C BHA serum that, you know, I don't know, it's, it's fine. But I kind of, I haven't found a serum that I'm loving, to be honest. Like I used to use, you know, that brand Pixi. Like I Pick it up at Target they had like a glycolic acid serum serum that I liked. Okay. But I like the Paula Choice product better. So yeah, I've kind of, I've been using the Ordinary niacinamide. I don't have any strong feelings about. It's very affordable. You know I'm, I'm a fan of the ordinary though. I, I don't love all of their products. Like I did not like their cleanser or moisturizer at all.

[Valerie George]

No. I tried a couple things and I.

[Sarah Bellum]

Was like I like their retinol. So I use a retinol before I go to bed and I use the ordinary retinol. And again I like it because it doesn't irritate my skin. Skin I don't get that sometimes stingy feeling that I get with retinol and I definitely wake up noticing that my skin feels smoother. So I like the retinol but that's probably the only product from the Ordinary that I would buy again. So I don't know what are your serums? Do you have one to recommend? Cuz I'm still on the hunt to be honest.

[Valerie George]

Well, I am really depressed that I can't use retinoids. I'm going to be honest. It's like I just want that perfect skin and I can't do it. I'll get pustules all over my face. I'm all over the place with serums too. But in general I always put on a hyaluronic acid serum. They're kind of all the same from a function perspective. So for me the focus is like what's one that has a texture that I really like? Not gonna lie, I had to duplicate Barbara Sturm for a couple projects so I have some of hers. I actually just finished the bottle. I've used Renee Rouleau skin drink in the past. Again like a basic serum with hyaluronic acid ser sodium pca. I have a bunch of hyaluronic serums that I've had to use. I actually really love this Fender prototype from Melle Biochemistry. I was like this serum is really awesome and hopefully the main ingredient is doing all the work. Cuz I felt like my skin looked really good after like waking up the next day. But I tend to really like very lightweight creams.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yes.

[Valerie George]

As kind of like a pre moisturizer step.

[Sarah Bellum]

And it just occurred to me and I will admit I got this product for free but it was the Peter Thomas Roth and it was like a, it was like you said, a very Light cream. It wasn't like a serum or gel, it was like a light cream and it was like a peptide. I don't know what else was in it. And admittedly I'm not, you know, I'm a little skeptical of some of the peptide. You know, they're big claims. But I loved how the product felt on my skin. And again it was like that pre moisturizing step. It felt, my skin felt good. I did like it. I feel like my skin looked better. But I won't buy it again because you know, it's sort of, it's like a high price point for me that I just don't think is worth it. But I did get it for free and if anybody else wants to give me some, I really, I did like just the, it was more of the texture for me than anything else because it wasn't like a, you know, a lot of the serums are worn like in a drop format. This was just a light cream and a pump, easy to apply. And I felt like it just like it was more of an aesthetic benefit than anything else.

[Valerie George]

That actually reminds me, I did just finish maybe like a few months ago the Caudaly Resveratrol Lift Serum. It's like a milky serum and it's in like a light pink pump bottle. And I bought it cuz I was traveling and I was like bummed out about something and I was like, do you know what would cheer me up? Going to Sephora always. And plus Mr. Cosmetic Chemist is not around to police me. So I picked up this serum and I actually really liked it. Now the fragrance I wasn't crazy about. I think it would have been better without any scent. But I really like again it's, it's like the texture, it's like. Yeah, not so much about what's in it. It's just like I felt really cocooned in it.

[Sarah Bellum]

Oh, that's a good. I like that word. Yeah, yeah. And you know, I think that is the thing about beauty. Like you know, it's easy to get hung up on just what's in it and that's important. But it should, you know, it should make you feel good. You know, there's also an aesthetic part to it and that's why I think we're all, there's all different preferences but I do it. I also with you, I like a lighter cream like product. It just feels easier to apply to me. So I haven't used a Caudalie product in a long time though. I might have to check it out.

[Valerie George]

Yeah. They're changing their game up. Before it was like, eh. Now it's like, okay, there's some modern textures. I think they're doing a really good job.

[Sarah Bellum]

Nice. Good to know.

[Valerie George]

All right, let's finish this up with sunscreens. I hope you are wearing sunscreen.

[Sarah Bellum]

I am daily.

[Valerie George]

Thank you. Because Perry and Mr. Cosmetic Chemist, all they do is complain about how hideous their skin is, and if they just wore sunscreen every day, they would.

[Sarah Bellum]

I know. I have tried to buy Perry moisture because I'm like, doesn't it drive you nuts to have dry skin? Like, I just hate that feeling so much, and it's a. It's an uphill battle. Valerie.

[Valerie George]

I know. I know.

[Sarah Bellum]

I will say sunscreen for my face is a bit of a splurge, and I have tried to find dupes, but I love the Supergoop glow screen. I. Oh, I just, like.

[Valerie George]

I haven't tried that one.

[Sarah Bellum]

Oh. I. I like it because it has a tint to it, and again, I have some redness in my skin, so it. It acts as, like, a little bit of a makeup or primer as well as a sunscreen. Supergoop was having a sale, so I just bought. I'm reading it, the protect tint. So it's like a daily SPF tint, kind of like a tinted moisturizer. Of course. I love it too. They're just. I don't know. I like the idea of having sunscreen in more of a makeup format, so. And I have tried dupes of the glow screen. Like, Sunbalm makes one that's, like, a similar product with, like, the tint to it. Cerave makes one. The product aesthetics were off to me. They were, like, too thin. Like, they would, like, run down my face. I don't know. So the glow screen, it's a bit of a splurge, but I feel like for my face, and now I got my mom using it, my sister using it, so it's a whole family affair now. I would say that's probably like, the biggest splurge. Like, for my moisturizer, I use CeraVe for my body cream, I use Thera, like, a lot of the drugstore brands, but the Supergoop sunscreen and the tinted product are my two new faves.

[Valerie George]

I like that Supergoop, and I'll be honest, I haven't really tried them. Yeah, I've tried a couple products in the past. Like, they had an SPF setting spray, which I thought was. That's just not a good product category to begin with. I Tried a powdered SPF they had because I had a powdered SPF project once. But I'll give their creams a try because I like tinted moisturizer, first of all, because it helps hide the redness on our skin.

[Sarah Bellum]

Exactly.

[Valerie George]

And gives us a little pop of color also. I think I've talked about this before on the beauty brains. Iron oxides are the pigments that are used to make flesh tones. So any range of like tan brown, it's iron oxide on the ingredient list. And so these tinted sunscreens are using the iron oxides to impart that little kiss of color. Iron oxides don't necessarily have an SPF value themselves, but they're really great at blocking visible light. And visible light is the reason that some people have hyperpigmentation in the sun. And so a tinted sunscreen to me is like a bonus on top of the spf.

[Sarah Bellum]

I agree. Yeah.

[Valerie George]

There are some studies that help show that it helps reduce that. I have tried some tinted SPFs in the past and they were terrible. I'm not going to lie. The Tatcha tinted SPF was a huge mission in my opinion.

[Sarah Bellum]

I. Sorry. I had some misses with Tatcha as well, so that's interesting.

[Valerie George]

Yeah. I didn't like it and the color was very dark for someone as pale as me. And that's okay. But coverage should be buildable in that type of product versus just in the middle or come out with some different tones to make it more encompassing. But you know, it's not about me and my. My paleness. But the product was extremely runny. It made a mess everywhere. They actually have changed their packaging because this was such a big disaster. I'm guessing that's why they changed the packaging. It's the only reason I can think of. It got everywhere. It even ran into the eyes. And like a sunscreen should stay put.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah. And not want to get it in your eyes that burns.

[Valerie George]

I honestly threw it away because I couldn't even get anyone to use it. They were just like, I'm good because it was just a big miss. So I didn't like that one. But I received a free sample from the brand called Prequel. Their zinc oxide based spf. It's very lightly tinted. I really like that one. Of course, I still have some ELTA md. I actually finished the prequel yesterday, so I have to be on. And then I finished a Murad sunscreen today, which I'm actually really liking this. Mura Essentials. Murad Essential. I forget what it's called. Smell like oranges. That's probably 90% of the reason I like it. But then I'll go back to the Ulta md, which is tinted.

[Sarah Bellum]

You know what? I have a sample of the Ulta md. I just haven't used it because I kind of use the Supergoop. And I will say the Supergoop tint is thin, but it's in a bottle that you can do a precise application so it doesn't drip all over. But the GlowScreen sunscreen product is a good, I think a good texture. But the Ulta MD I also have. I just haven't. It's the. This. The one I got's a little dark for my skin, so I really have to blend it in, but I do feel like it's. It's a nice product.

[Valerie George]

Okay, so after this call, I am going to buy The Paula's Choice 2% BHA, definitely. And I am going to buy the Supergoop Glow screen.

[Sarah Bellum]

Excellent. And I'm going to buy the skin Fix cleanser.

[Valerie George]

Okay. Yay. Perfect. And then I'm gonna send you the Augustinus Botter shampoo.

[Sarah Bellum]

Great.

[Valerie George]

Yeah, yeah. So you could give it a try. I'll share the wealth because, like I said, it's such an interesting tip.

[Sarah Bellum]

Yeah, definitely. Definitely.

[Valerie George]

Well, thanks so much for joining us today. I'm so glad that you could come on the show.

[Sarah Bellum]

I love talking about beauty products. I mean, Valerie, I still remember my first time going to a Sephora in New York. I felt like this was what heaven was like. It was. I was so excited and I was 20 years old, so I couldn't afford to buy anything, but it's still. It's still one of my favorite places.

[Valerie George]

Oh, my gosh. Well, next time we're gonna have to talk makeup and nails, love. Well, thanks again for listening, everyone. If you get a chance, head over to Apple Podcasts and leave us a review that's gonna help other people find the show and ensure we have a full docket of beauty questions to answer. Speaking of questions, if you have one or want to ask about the products we talked about today, just record a question on your smartphone and email it to thebeautybrains gmail.com the Beauty Brains are on Patreon. If you want to support the show and keep it ad free, Please head to patreon.com thebeautybrains to subscribe at any level. Also, follow us on our various social media accounts on instagram at the BeautyBrains 2018 on x rathebeautybrains. We have a Facebook page and a TikTok. Thanks again for listening, everyone.

[Sarah Bellum]

Remember, be brainy about your beauty.

[Valerie George]

Yay. Bye, everyone.

[Sarah Bellum]

Kittens.