Self-serving fashion question

I am so fucking uninspired fashion-wise lately. I've actually been thinking about just buying a bunch of Old Navy boatneck tops and a handful of J. Crew sweaters in that one style I like in several colors and just basically developing a uniform. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

I hate all the clothes I own, but I really can't afford to replace them. And they're fine, anyway. Putting together outfits used to be one of my favorite little daily pleasures, and now all I want to do is throw on whatever's crumpled up on the floor next to the bed.

Have you had this experience? How did you snap out of it? HEEEELP MEEEE!

Maybe the trick is to get out in the fresh air and start feeling more positive about things in general, and the style will follow. It's spring now, right?

Quick question: What's your favorite moisturizer?

So I find myself, for really the first time in my life, dealing with dry/tight skin. I'm thinking it must be an age thing. It's dry in my apartment because the heat is on all the time now, and my face also get a little chapped from walking out in the wind everyday. But neither of these things are new. I have always lived in dry and/or cold and/or windy places. And I've always had oily/combination skin year-round. For the last month or so, it's been sliding toward the dry end of the combination spectrum.

My Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisture Gel, which has always served me admirably in the past if I ever felt a little dry, really isn't cutting it right now. So I thought I'd ask:

What's your favorite moisturizer? Cheap is good, of course.

I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who deal with a little oiliness and some breakouts too. Real combination skin havers.

(Isn't it interesting how "skin type" can be a part of identity, especially for those of us who are really into performing/doing femininity? It seems to be correlated to gender identity. It's not, "My skin feels a little dry lately," so much as, "I am now the type of person who has dry skin." Does that make sense to anyone but me?)

What do you think? (or: ethics and affordability)

So, I recently rewarded myself for finishing a major project by buying a shitload of jewelry from Forever 21. Ugh, I know. They are an evil company for a variety of reasons. But I wanted a big reward, and I got a huge box of really cute stuff for reasonable cost.

Anyway, I kind of want to take photos of them to show you, because I think I did a really good job picking things that look quality. But I feel a little weird linking to them, because of said evilness.

How evil do you think F21 is and what would you think of a post like that? 

This was partially inspired by a necklace I had seen on on blogs that costs $30-35 . . . but when I saw it in person, it looked shittier and cheaper than comparable things from F21 and cost more than 3x as much.

Do you think the jewelry you get places like Bauble Bar or other online shops is manufactured in a more ethical manner than the stuff from F21, or are they just marking it up more? I have sometimes seen items that look identical and are made from the same materials sold by F21 and for 6-7 times the price elsewhere.

So I guess my two questions are the following:

1) How gross do you feel about Forever 21 (in comparison to other sources of cheap accessories)?

2) How gross would you feel if I posted photos/links to items they sell?

Are you getting enough protection from your spray-on sunscreen?

boopmynose asked:

Thinking out loud here - I'm curious as to spray on sunscreens and their effectivness. I usually keep a range of sunscreens on hand year round (I come from a moley family) and when I'm running errands I lean towards the sprays. I walk/use buses so its easy for me to just spray myself down till I look like a basted turkey fairly quickly instead of worrying about lotions.

Wonder if the measurements equal the same, like I was just spraying into a teaspoon size. Or if more is required. Guess I know what I'm looking up online later today.

Addendum to yesterday's perfect sunscreen post (yes, it mattifies)

Harley Quinn asked on yesterday's sunscreen post: How mattifying is it?

I don't remember ever having problems with shininess when I used this, but today I decided to put some on at about 4 pm when I was already a little oily from just sitting around all day with my skin doing what it does. Not only did it not make my face look any greasier, it got rid of most of the shine that was there. That makes sense, since it has a silicone base, which is what a lot of mattifying primers are made of, though this is a thin liquid rather than a gel.

The silicone is also one of the things that makes it so wonderful to apply. I can just slide it over my whole face in a matter of seconds. It's slippery, and that makes putting on sunscreen so much less of a chore. Impatience is basically one of the top factors in deciding whether I like something or not. This is fucking quick and easy.

I swear I don't work for a sunscreen company or anything. I just really like this shit.

ETA: The mattifying effect didn't last more than a few hours on my oilyish skin without any powder or anything else on top of it. It went back to normal eventually. But that isn't its primary function, of course.

Do you know of a cheap dupe for Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer?

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link.

I got a sample of this stuff from Sephora recently, not expecting much from it, but I was really impressed. Damn! I hate it when I like expensive shit. But this really makes lip gloss work better: it makes it more pigmented/brighter/darker, and it sticks and lasts significantly longer. It's some kind of magic. I've been looking for a cheap alternative without any luck, though it seems like such a basic product. Does anyone out there know of one? I am really reluctant to spend $20 on a full size tube of this (or anything else, really) - but I like it enough that I might have to. I want to make sure there isn't something less expensive out there first, though.

I'm thinking I might try some eyeshadow primer, though most of mine have some kind of beige or white pigment in them. I will report back if I have any luck.

Would anyone be interested in an instant coffee review?

I got a bunch of those Nescafe Memento things to review, and they are, in fact, cheap, so they'd fit the theme. But since I usually focus on makeup/skincare/etc., would reviews of other things also be of interest? Or would you just skip over it and look for more nail polish?

Please let me know in the comments!

Poll on slightly censoring Cheap as Fuck's title

I wonder if my blog's super-awesome title might be off-putting to some readers, or at least make them think twice about loading it up when certain people might glance over their shoulders. I'm not very flexible, however, so the most I'm willing to do is change "fuck" to "f*ck". Is there any use in doing that? Is it better or worse? I'm not going to stop writing "fuck" or anything else in the body of my posts - it would just be the title. What do you think?

Please vote in the poll on the upper right of the page. I'll keep it there for a week. If you have any thoughts that are not addressed by the poll options, please leave them in the comments of this post. Thanks!

Help Jen (a.k.a. bitchslap-barbie) find a foundation that works for her "weird-ass skin"!

Jen (a.k.a. bitchslap-barbie) asks:
I have a question for you. I *do* know the Monistat primer trick (screw Smashbox!), but it doesn't help me all so well due to my weird-ass skin. In summer, my face has more oil than Texas. In winter, it's so dry it visibly flakes, and I have tried everything short of dumping all my savings at a dermatologist to fix that. (Also, my skin only registers summer or winter. There is nothing else.) So getting foundation - REALLY tricky. 

I know this is a tough one. But do you or any of your lovely readers have any suggestions on foundations that will work? I'm fine with having to need two. I just wanna stop looking like a dermatological example of what NOT to do.

My response:

I have a terrible time with foundations, personally. They all look awful and cakey on me and wear off unevenly. They emphasize my fine lines and get greasy (yes, I've tried the ones designed for oily skin). Bleh. I've given up on finding something full coverage that I don't hate, which is okay with me since my skin is fairly even. I've been using the Sephora Tinted Moisturizer (which I wrote about here), and it works great for me. I apply it with a foundation brush, spreading it more or less evenly over my face, and then I sort of buff it in with some Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Loose Powder in a swirly circular motion, with a flat top brush. (Both brushes are from the this e.l.f. set which is still $3 with a $30 purchase until tomorrow, Feb. 25.) That step both makes sure the coverage is really even and gives me a matte (but not powdery) finish.

The Sephora stuff isn't cheap, but it's a really good product for oily skin, AND it's moisturizing, so maybe it would help with both of your problems. I'd recommend going to a Sephora store, if you have one nearby, and asking for a sample. They'll give you several days worth, and you can figure out that way if it does any good before you invest.

But that's the only suggestion I have, since it's the only thing I've found to work for me personally. It's not full coverage, though, so if that's important, this isn't the right option. Your face is not my face! So here's where I ask for some more help from the crowd. Anyone out there have a similar skin type to Jen's? What have you found that works? What should she avoid?

Please give your recommendations in the comments!

How Gross Am I? Or: How Long Do You Keep Makeup?

I admit that I don't follow the usual rules when it comes to discarding makeup. I tend to keep things much longer than the guidelines advise. I'm semi-convinced that most of these rules are part of a conspiracy by cosmetic companies to get you to keep buying unnecessary replacement products. I was also raised by a woman who has salad dressing from 2009 in her fridge and tries to tell me, "There's nothing wrong with it! Smell it!" So.

Help! What kind of pillow should I buy?

I realized I just paid $20 for a pillowcase (more on that later), but I always buy $6 pillows that are flat a few months later. Then I have to buy more. Not very smart.

What is your favorite brand/type? Where do you buy them? I'm not a fan of feather pillows, and I'm a side/stomach sleeper.

Has anyone tried any of Drew Barrymore's new makeup line, Flower?

It's only available at Walmart, and I live in a smug Walmart-less city, so I haven't checked it out yet. It's also available online, though. I'm particularly interested in the quadruple-milled loose powder, but I haven't seen any reviews yet (and it's sold out online). Here's a review of the cream eyeshadow, though, which sounds intriguing.

How much is shipping on Beyond the Rack generally?

 barbryallen

$10, so not cheap. Right now, if you pay shipping once, you get free shipping on all your other orders until Jan. 2. You can also google $10 credit codes, which will effectively give you free shipping on the first order.

Can anybody help?

I have a lipstick question: I'm getting married in a few weeks (commence hyperventilation) and I've yet to find a nice lipstick that won't transfer all over my fiancé's face. I'm looking for a deep velvety red that's matte (gloss+flash photography=nope). Help?

 twodoxiesandtoomanyshoes

Oh god. That’s a tough one. Have you tried the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains? Adore is a nice red. It has a bit of sheen, but maybe you could put some matte translucent powder over it to get rid of that (like the one made by Makeup Forever, which is not cheap). Because I freaked my boyfriend out by kissing him on the cheek when I was wearing that, and nothing transfered. Or test out this method: http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/07/lipstick-longevity/

I’m not really the right person to ask, because since I like my lips to feel moisturized and slick all the time, I don’t have a lot of experience with matte/longwearing lipstick. So I’ll throw this one out to the crowd. Other suggestions anybody? (Crossposted from Tumblr.)

What's your favorite concealer for occasional acne?

Here is a thank you in advance gift of a dancing bunny: