What cosmetic products do you use?

hey everyone,

I'm wondering if you use any cosmetic products, and if you do, which ones and what brands are good.

I use cleanser and moisturizor.

I use facial moisturiser intermittently, I have somewhat sensitive, combination skin, so finding the right kind of moisturiser is tricky.

As I get older, I do wish I'd started moisturising younger

I get a really blotchy back sometimes, usually during the changing of the seasons, winter into spring, autumn in to winter, so I use rice wine vinegar on my back prior to showering for a couple of weeks. It works a charm (unlike cleansers which cause irritation to my skin) especially when combined with a body moisturiser and once a week exfoliation in the shower. I can't remember where I heard the rice wine vinegar thing, but it likely saved my self esteem back in my younger years.

Apart from moisturising and the like, no cosmetics really.

Bar soap, shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste.

Sunscreen sometimes when I have to.

Used to use cheap.mousturizer and moisturising aftershave sometimes before this sticky oily ass rainy season.

Oh I forgot! I used to have a foundation and eyeshadows and liners and hair and lenses and what not but that was during my cosplay phase which I have retired now.
Those products are scattered in storage and probably all expired now lol.

Physical Sunscreen is not as fun for people of colour like myself. It shows up as a grey or white cast. I've used an expensive one too, which isn't greasy but still leaves me looking slightly paler and pinker (compared to the grey streaks of cheaper ones).

It would still not be that much of an issue if it was just that. If you're keeping facial hair, it settles into the roots of your hair making them look greyish at the bottom as well, which looks worse. So I prefer to use sunscreen when I'm shaved.

There's an option of using chemical sunscreen which doesn't leave a cast on darker skins but apparently it gets into the waterways and eventually ruins the ocean ecosystems. Chemical sunscreens can bleach coral reefs. Who wants to do that? Plus chemical sunscreen needs to be reapplied more as well from what I've heard.

Another thing is, sunscreens here in South Asia often have whitening ingredients in them (because everyone wants to be white). I don't want to bleach myself so I avoid them but that means have to use foreign imported ones which are expensive or strictly sunscreens that are by medicine companies which are somewhat thick.

Diluted antiseptic disinfectant (around 1 bottle cap full mixed into 1 litre of warm water) to combat my acne. I dab a cotton wool bud into the solution and then exfoliate the problem areas, which for me are my face, back, ass and upper arms. I do that just before I shower. It really works wonders for me, visibly clearer skin in 2-3 days. If I was having a particularly bad time with acne, then like a week maximum until it's barely noticeable at all. If you want to try this, DO NOT apply disinfectant undiluted to your skin, because it will burn.

I tend to experiment with different moisturisers and rotate, rather than using just one. However, one I like a lot and always come back to is the gradual tan moisturiser by No7. It has some protection against both UVa (aging) and UVb (sunburn). The tanning effect is VERY subtle and natural-looking, it does not look orange-y or like a bad fake tan at all, it just livens my skin up a little. I'm naturally olive-toned (albeit pale with it) and it brings that out really nice. I apply to anywhere that sees sun, so my face, lower arms and if I'm wearing shorts in summer then also my legs.

I would like to find a moisturiser for my entire body that is cost-effective. The ones I use tend to come in very small packages and aren't particularly cheap so it's not ideal. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great.

In recent years, I’ve found myself drawn to a few certain staples that I just like and think are good and so I always go back to. Working from top down;

Shampoo, I like Malin+Goetz (a brand you’ll see repeated here) Peppermint shampoo. Showering is the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning, peppermint is such a nice start of the day vibe to me. Hair styling-wise, I just either blow dry my hair or back-comb it and let it air dry. My hair is pretty fine, and it’s taken me years to realise it really doesn’t need a lot. That also lets me just wash it every other day. So I don’t buy hair products anymore.

Face, I kinda swear by L’Oréal Men Expert pure charcoal daily face wash. I used to be a bit prone to acne and breakouts and now I’m pretty reliably back down to the odd pimple now and then and my skin just looks a lot better. If you’ve got oily skin and haven’t tried it, I’d deffo recommend. Also on the face front, Malin+Goetz do an amazing mojito lip balm. If you use lip balm a lot, give it a go. It’s about £11, so it’s a bit pricey, but it’s really good.

Body wash, I love the whole Malin+Goetz range, they all smell super pretty. I’m currently using rum, but you can’t really go wrong. I keep L’Oréal men expert in my gym bag, but I don’t usually really care which one I buy. I try and keep an eye out for something with charcoal, but I’m not too fussed.

Deodorant, in the summer I use Sure. It’s super generic and dad-ish, but I genuinely think they do by far and away the best anti-perspirant and I don’t like to be a sweaty bitch. Winter time, surprise surprise, I go back to Malin+Goetz, they make a super nice eucalyptus stick deordorant, it’s just not an anti-perspirant.
Fragrance, I have a few but I switch between two main ones, the first is Next Signature. Not a very expensive one, or a very long lasting scent, but I just really like the smell. It’s a good day-to-day. Otherwise, Polo Sport red is in pretty frequent use lately too. Apart from at Christmas time, when I get into my plentiful supply of Lynx Africa that gets bought for me every year and never used apart from at Christmas as a joke.

Someone got me a Tom Dixon London hand cream, which I love, but I’m not sure I’d buy again. I like a hand cream when I’ve got it, but never think to buy them when I don’t.