Please Tell Me Your Beauty Hacks

[aloevera1]

What are you all doing to maintain or enhance your looks in a budget conscious way?

The beauty industry is vast and hugely commercialized preying on the people's desire to look great/young/appealing etc. There are virtually unlimited ways to spend money on looks starting from expensive clothes and accessories and finishing with endless cosmetic procedures (e.g. microneedling, botox, surgeries, etc.).

I am curious how many of you visit beauticians, have your nails done, go through procedures OR you developed some sort of DIY routine that helps you look the way you want to look.

Here is what I've been doing for the last 10-ish years...

- religiously applying sunscreen every time I am outside and minimizing any tanning
- using facial skin care (this varied in complexity and cost but has been mostly various creams)
- letting my hair to dry naturally, this minimizes the frizz :)
- shaping my own eyebrows
- visiting hairdresser once a year-ish.. this is admittedly the only non-mustachian expense I have
- increasing my water intake
- exercising (need to ramp this up)

In summary, I don't really have anyone working on my appearance outside of haircuts and hair colouring.

What about you?

[ptobest]

I definitely take the approach of trying to fix what goes on inside of me versus what I put on the outside of me when it comes to skincare & physical upkeep. So trying to eat a lot of fruits & veggies and eat healthy in general, having a regular exercise routine, drinking lots of water, etc.. YES to sunscreen as well. For moisturizer, there is a natural body cream I buy in bulk from someone on Etsy (though I may try to make my own in the future) along with whatever lotions people give me as gifts (I'm not too picky on this kind of thing, as long as it keeps my skin from feeling dry & isn't too greasy). I also have a light lip balm addiction, and I've started making my own at home.

For hair, several years back I bought professional hair cutting scissors off of Ebay, and have been cutting it myself since then. I am lucky in that my hair is curly, and so very forgiving in terms of trim length. I also color my hair, though more to add streaks/highlights/have fun with it. I don't care much about covering grays. This is something I do at home, bleach occasionally and color as needed. So much cheaper than a salon. I do buy nicer shampoo to ensure the color stays in as long as possible, but this I pick up in large, cheap bottles from Ross/Marshalls/etc. I did have a friend who colored my hair for a great price for awhile, but she moved to Cleveland and I've simplified my hair routine since then.

I managed to make it to my early thirties before I was informed by someone that I was "supposed" to be shaping my eyebrows. Up until that point I did nothing outside of between the brows. I obliviously thought I just happened to have fuller eyebrows than most other people. Thus entered a brief few years where I went to a brow place to get them done, after which I realized this is something I could very easily do myself, and have been doing my own since then (and with a much less aggressive approach, to minimize the effort & go back to looking more natural).

I've never gotten a mani or a pedi before (honestly the idea of strangers touching my hands or feet that long kinda weirds me out), outside of a friend or two with a gel setup. I have a small collection of nail polish which I use on occasion. I do have a small amount of makeup, which, outside of the occasional lip gloss or eyeliner, I only use when I dress up, which is rarely these days.

[spartana]

I don't have any beauty hacks as I just keep it simple - shower and wash face with a cheap bar soap (Pure and Natural), wash and condition hair, sunscreen in day time and lotion (Aveeno for body and Clean and Clear for face),  deodorant and that's it.

I don't wear any make up most days - and didn't wear any when I was working - but do when going out to something fancy but keep it light and use inexpensive brands. Basicly use 6 products (concealer, blush, lipstick, eyeliner, eyebrow pencil and mascara) from Almay. Cut my own hair (which is very long and straight), keep my nails short and don't use polish, do my own pedicures etc.  I have naturally very light blonde hair but getting some white streaks so may start coloring eventually. Very blonde eyebrows and lashes and body hair (don't really have much and quick to shave once every couple of weeks). In actually like my "Nordic space alien" eyebrows and lashes look so never have felt the need to color them.

Im an "old person" now in a long term relationship but back when I first divorced and was actively dating in my 30s and 40s I didn't do anything different then I do now. I'm also a big into working out and eat a mostly raw foods vegan diet which I think helps a lot. I Fired pretty young and have been able to really pursue athletic goals. Plus I haven't owned a car in almost 5 years so walking and biking everywhere helps!

[GuitarStv]

Regular exercise, clean diet, and sunscreen.  Those are the big ones.

[JupiterGreen]

All of the things others have said. As far as products I swear by CeraVe, I use the moisturizer with sunscreen. There is a tinted version that is zinc sunscreen that I highly recommend.

[Shamantha]

I spend a bit more on face cream and make-up because I have sensitive dry skin, and for me it is important it is cruelty free. On the other hand I have saved lots over the years by other means. I am colouring and cutting my own long hair, which has a bit of curl so quite forgiving. Always leave it to air dry. I did buy quite expensive scissors which already lasted me 10+ years. I do my own waxing, as well as my own gel-polish manicure and pedicure (with UV light). I have a small home gym and walk quite a bit (12.000 steps a day). Healthy home cooked meals and lots of hydration. I am still the same weight as when I was 21 (now 58) and not fluctuating in weight has benefitted my skin, although wrinkles and crepey skin become unavoidable!

[wenchsenior]

Regular exercise, clean diet, and sunscreen.  Those are the big ones.

This.

[G-String]

Regular exercise, clean diet, and sunscreen.  Those are the big ones.

This. Plus I would add drink lots of water.

[StarBright]

For products I like The Ordinary. Generally excellent but drug store prices. I've heard good things about Inkey List as well, but haven't tried them because I like my routine right now.

Sunscreen daily.

I buff my nails.

A retinol product at night.

I went gray. But keeping my face looking young is important with prematurely gray hair.

Figure out your colors. Nothing makes you look as bad as unflattering colors.

I know the jury is out on collagen supplements, but I swear I look better when I'm taking them.

Buy Nothing! When folks give away skin care stuff that doesn't work for them, I tend to grab it and use it on my décolletage, arms and shoulders. Somebody was getting rid of a huge container of Ole Henriksen Truth Skin Barrier Essence. I don't use it on my face since I don't need C on my face, but I use it in my shoulders and chest at night and my derm recently commented on how good my skin on my shoulders was looking, so  /shrug?
 
I haven't found a good cheap hair product yet. My gray hair gets dry and wiry and Olaplex is the only thing I've found that helps with the old lady texture. I keep searching for a cheaper dupe but can't find it.

My current routine - which is doing wonders for my aging irish skin is:
Night: Retinol night cream (using Paula's choice right now because I got through buy nothing, but usually use ordinary .2 emulsion), and currently a retinol eye stick from peace out(which I LOVE!)
Morning: The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% followed by Alpha Arbutin w/ Hyaluronic (sp) acid  (might drop the Azelaic Acid, don't love the texture), Neutrogena Hydroboost sunscreen on my face. Aveeno Protect and Hydrate 60spf on my body.

^This combo is reaching holy grail territory for me and costs about $40 for a several month supply.

[BECABECA]

In addition to mostly eating a whole food plant based diet without processed sugars, drinking lots of water, wearing sunscreen, and getting some exercise…

I recently started sleeping on a silk pillowcase, which was recommended as a great beauty hack for smooth skin and hair in another thread on this forum.

[Morning Glory]

No makeup for me either except special occasions!  I wax unwanted facial hair about every 2 weeks with those plastic strip things, but I cut the larger ones into smaller pieces so a box lasts about 2 years. Saving money on actual mustache wax lol!

For hair color I use demi permanent in a shade lighter than my natural color on my roots so when it fades out the grey looks more natural.  I do that about once a month.  A tube of dye lasts about 6 months and the bottle of developer more than a year.  I avoid sulfates and silicone in my hair but can usually find cheaper brands that don't have those.  I find satin bonnets too hot in the summer so I use a thin cotton tube for my sleeping hat (these were originally sold as masks I think. The ones i have stretch out enough to cover shoulder length hair).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Time-and-Tru-Women-s-Multiwear-Headwrap-2-Pack-Heather-Grey-Black/313469509

 I am lax about sunscreen,  should probably do better there. I have started remembering to put lotion on my elbows every night but they are still really rough. I tend to forget that lotion and chapstick exist until I have some discomfort from not using them.

[LaineyAZ]

In addition to everything mentioned above, I'll chime in with some senior-age stuff:

- get a skin cancer check every year.  Even with religious use of sunscreen, I know people who get a spot of skin cancer that needed to get removed and the resulting scars aren't pretty. 

- eyebrows thin and the "tails" disappear.  I've started using a permanent makeup technician to get them etched in again.  Lasts for about 9 months- 1 year and makes a lot of difference.  Even if you're handy with an eyebrow pencil, it's amazing what a professional can do. 

- box hair color is a boost to employment if you're in the job market and age 50+ with graying hair.  Just a fact of life for many females. 

- Years ago I went to a med spa to get light brown age spots on my face and hands removed with laser treatments.  IME that's the only treatment that really removes them vs. some OTC cream-type "spot removers."  The effects do fade and retreatments are necessary, but having spot-free face and hands is worth it.

- Lastly, have the dermatologist remove keratosis or cherry angiomas from your skin also.  It's fairly inexpensive, pain-free, and another way to keep skin looking good.

Funny enough, I never did the usual daily makeup stuff like mascara, lipstick, blush or foundation.  My hair cut is short and simple so it's about $20 every 6-8 weeks at a chain salon.  (I trimmed it myself for a while during Covid but am now back to paying for cuts.)  I use a basic shampoo.

So for me the use of professionals for a few key areas has been the best use of my beauty budget and is an overall time-saver too. 

[aloevera1]

Thank you for responses everyone! I love both the diversity and the commonality of approaches in this thread :)

All of the things others have said. As far as products I swear by CeraVe, I use the moisturizer with sunscreen. There is a tinted version that is zinc sunscreen that I highly recommend.

Funny enough I literally just discovered the existence of tinted sunscreen today! This is like the answer to all (well, almost all) my prayers. These products are quite pricey but I have high hopes for CeraVe now!

I find satin bonnets too hot in the summer so I use a thin cotton tube for my sleeping hat (these were originally sold as masks I think. The ones i have stretch out enough to cover shoulder length hair).

@Morning Glory, what does sleeping hat do for you? Do you see any effect on the hair if you don't wear it? I'm genuinely curious. 

@StarBright, thanks for sharing your detailed routine! I'm wondering, at which age did you start using retinol products? The internet is very inconsistent on this topic.

[Hadilly]

I highly recommend Revitalash for regrowing brow tails. Currently on sale through the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. I tried it thinking I would return it if it didn’t work. Lo and behold it worked well. I also use Refectocil brow dye, cheap and effective.

Beyond that, sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. If you can buy La Roche-Posay in Europe, even better.

Water, sleep, retin-a, low alcohol, good diet, Botox, laser, knowing one’s best colors, good haircuts with grey hair, exercise…all that stuff helps too for sure.

[StarBright]

Thank you for responses everyone! I love both the diversity and the commonality of approaches in this thread :)

@StarBright, thanks for sharing your detailed routine! I'm wondering, at which age did you start using retinol products? The internet is very inconsistent on this topic.

Probably around 34? Started wearing sunscreen on my face pretty religiously in the late 90s so didn't use retinol until I noticed the first hint of a forehead line. The line also magically occurred after about three years of sleep deprivation when kids were born. I don't know that I would start much younger than ones 30s unless directed by a derm or unless you are religious about your sunscreen.

At 43 I still have the single forehead line and the start of some tiny crows feet around my eyes. But I'm also 60+% gray/white haired. My routine probably wouldn't help you unless you have freckled and ruddy irish skin. But I posted it because I think skin routines should be minimal and targeted to a specific problem.

I know so many younger people these days that use like 5+ products at night and then different ones in the morning and they start young. That is bonkers to me!

[JupiterGreen]

You're welcome. CeraVe has a small cult following because it is inexpensive and backed by dermatologists (or was developed with dermatologists something like that). It works amazingly well for some people and it is great for sensitive skin. If you have really light skin, you can mix the tinted with the non tinted (the SPF 30) day moisturizer (that's what I do). I do also have the more expensive CeraVe vitamin C night cream, but I don't apply it regularly so it lasts me a long time. I don't have any wrinkles (i.e. obvious visible lines that stay after I smile or frown) or age spots and I'm past the age where I should have at least some, but I think that is mostly because of my water consumption, activity level, vegetarian diet, sunscreen and probably most importantly genetics.

I am going to add one more item that I started fairly recently: HRT. If you are peri or even post menopause but under 60 in the window of 10 years since full menopause, HRT may become your best friend (all biological women should read up on it). It makes me feel so much better, my hair looks fuller, my skin looks more vibrant, my moods are brighter, the anti-women's health crowd will have to pry it from my cold dead hands. And I'm not endorsing this, but some women put the estodiol vaginal cream on their face and swear by it IDK ha ha, just putting it out there if someone wants to try it and report back. 

Thank you for responses everyone! I love both the diversity and the commonality of approaches in this thread :)

@StarBright, thanks for sharing your detailed routine! I'm wondering, at which age did you start using retinol products? The internet is very inconsistent on this topic.

Probably around 34? Started wearing sunscreen on my face pretty religiously in the late 90s so didn't use retinol until I noticed the first hint of a forehead line. The line also magically occurred after about three years of sleep deprivation when kids were born. I don't know that I would start much younger than ones 30s unless directed by a derm or unless you are religious about your sunscreen.

At 43 I still have the single forehead line and the start of some tiny crows feet around my eyes. But I'm also 60+% gray/white haired. My routine probably wouldn't help you unless you have freckled and ruddy irish skin. But I posted it because I think skin routines should be minimal and targeted to a specific problem.

I know so many younger people these days that use like 5+ products at night and then different ones in the morning and they start young. That is bonkers to me!

I have read a few articles about how the youngest generations are obsessed with not looking older, I am making a leap but I think a combination of social media and the impending environmental catastrophe in their future are partly to blame. When getting older means food and housing shortages and possibly getting swept away in a weather event, I can see them never wanting to reach an older age.

In an attempt to not leave you on that depressing thought I will end with this, I love the look of a well cared for mature face and wrinkles can add depth and indicate a life well-lived full of adventure and experiences.

[jrhampt]

In keeping with the tenets of Mustachianism, this has been optimized for time spent and ROI to cut out a lot of time consuming expensive things:

No makeup.
No manicures/pedicures.
No waxing.
No facial cleansers - washcloth w plain water.
Sleep and exercise.

Hair maybe once a year for a cut and/or highlights (embrace the grey).
At home device (Braun Silk) for hair removal - maintenance once a month or so (eliminates expensive salon waxing/hair removal stuff and haven't bought razors in over 5 years now).
Brows - neubrow serum bought once every 3 months or so to keep them nice and healthy/thick.
Aquaphor moisturizer (drugstore, inexpensive, 1 tub lasts a long time)

Two prescription strength topicals - Tretinoin (night) and Azelaic acid (morning)
Yearly mole check at dermatologist
dermatologist - recommended supplement heliocare w nicotinamide for skin/sun protection (helps avoid formation of keratosis)
Sunscreen and hats
CE Ferulic serum (go through maybe two or three bottles a year and considering cutting this out since it's expensive)

Expensive stuff - dysport (like Botox) 2-3 x per year
IPL/BBL 2 x per year to remove sun damage in the winter - this has huge results

Strangers frequently tell me how great my skin looks, so some of it must be working.

[Spiffy]

I am almost 53 and just now getting serious about taking better care of my skin, but I have used sunscreen and worn hats for decades and am blessed with "good genes", so I my face looks pretty darn good! I think a visit to a dermatologist is the best starting point. Also, if you don't mind enriching Uncle Jeff even more, many top brands of skin care products are on big sale for Prime Day. I just stocked up on
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Facial Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, and
DRMTLGY Needle-less Serum - Anti-Aging Serum for Fine Lines & Wrinkles - Niacinamide Serum with Potent Blend of Hyaluronic Acid, Peptides & Ceramides, all of which are recommended by my dermatologist.

[Morning Glory]

@aloevera1 the sleeping hat is because I have curly hair that can't be combed unless dripping wet, so reducing tangles helps to reduce unnecessary washing. I use a wide toothed comb in the shower which causes less breakage than a brush.
 
@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn. 

[StarBright]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

[Metalcat]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Yeah, creams can't do fuck all for expression lines and pillow lines.

The only way to prevent repetitive fold lines is for that skin not to be repetitively folded that way.
So for expression lines that means giving up those expressions and getting botox. Which is fine, but forehead botox stops looking good around your 40s/50s/60s because of eye sag, at a certain age, you need to use your forehead muscles more to lift your eyelids off of your eyes.

For those of us with more hooded lids, this happens earlier. I've already hit the critical point where forehead botox is starting to not look great because my eyes are getting too weighed down. So now I walk around with the "WTF?" expression all the time just to lift my eyelids off of my eyes.

Almost everyone in my family gets their eyelids done in their 50s because it starts affecting vision, so I'm starting the countdown for when I'll need to have that done.

However, I'm going to have to decide between getting just the eyelids done, or getting a forehead lift, which would be way more effective long term, look a lot better long term, and last longer. But it's a lot more invasive and about 10 times the cost.

As for pillow wrinkles, I wear a silk headband that prevents them, and I sleep on a cervical support pillow, which keeps my face from being squished at night.

[GuitarStv]

WTF is a pillow line?

[Metalcat]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

[Dicey]

The drops I use for glaucoma are said to encourage eyelash and eyebrow growth. When I do my daily drops, I apply the excess to my eyebrows. They are gradually filling in and my lashes have improved, all for no added cost. Yay?

[spartana]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Lol just wait until the election year really gets going!

I don't have that line and my forehead is very smooth.  I think it's because I've always had bangs that block my forehead from the sun. It also covers my very blonde eyebrows so I don't have to bother with darkening them unless I wear my bangs up - which is rare.

[Metalcat]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Lol just wait until the election year really gets going!

I don't have that line and my forehead is very smooth.  I think it's because I've always had bangs that block my forehead from the sun. It also covers my very blonde eyebrows so I don't have to bother with darkening them unless I wear my bangs up - which is rare.

It's an expression line, so it's all about the muscle activity. Some folks just don't have overly active forehead muscles and don't get the horizontal lines.

Sun damage causes more texture and smaller wrinkles rather than expression lines that tend to be clear, discreet lines.

This article really demonstrates the difference. This is a truck driver who had half of his face exposed to sun relentlessly and the other half was protected.

You can see the sun damage side is all textured and crinkled, like alligator texture. But he has a forehead line that goes straight across and is equal on both sides. Because that's an expression line.

He has hooded eyebrows, so he has to raise his eyebrows to see properly, which he's doing in the photo.

Understanding head and face muscle movement used to kind of be my job, so for me, it's very easy to see the difference between a facial expression wrinkle, a pillow wrinkle, and sun wrinkles

[GuitarStv]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

[Metalcat]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

You sleep face down on the floor??

How does this somehow make your floor sleeping sound even more unhinged??

[GuitarStv]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

You sleep face down on the floor??

How does this somehow make your floor sleeping sound even more unhinged??

I think from a beauty perspective this has to be the best way to do it.  Your skin is being stretched flat every night as gravity pushes your face downwards between the pillows, so no wrinkles.

[Metalcat]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

You sleep face down on the floor??

How does this somehow make your floor sleeping sound even more unhinged??

I think from a beauty perspective this has to be the best way to do it.  Your skin is being stretched flat every night as gravity pushes your face downwards between the pillows, so no wrinkles.

So you don't only sleep on the floor face down, you sleep with your head somehow suspended between two pillows??

I'm so confused.

[GuitarStv]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

You sleep face down on the floor??

How does this somehow make your floor sleeping sound even more unhinged??

I think from a beauty perspective this has to be the best way to do it.  Your skin is being stretched flat every night as gravity pushes your face downwards between the pillows, so no wrinkles.

So you don't only sleep on the floor face down, you sleep with your head somehow suspended between two pillows??

I'm so confused.

Yep.  I usually wrap my hands around two pillows and wedge my head between them so there's a small breathing channel.  Then my back is straight, neck is straight, and I can breathe all night long.  I also don't move much during the night.  (If you move a lot this might not work well for you.)  Usually I start out clasping my hands, but they loosen during the night and the pillows still keep my head from falling and starting to suffocate.

When I was a kid I was attacked by a dog who ripped several large chunks out of my back.  Because of where the wounds were, it hurt to be on my back or leaning on either side - so I ended up sleeping this way.

[Metalcat]

WTF is a pillow line?

I always use Anthony Hopkins as an example of pillow lines, see the link below, he has sharp vertical lines across the right side of his face, particularly his forehead. This is from sleeping on his side regularly and his face being squished into his pillow.

Skin wrinkles when it's held in a folded position frequently, and having a consistent side sleeping habit will etch the skin folds into deep facial wrinkles. Almost all vertical facial wrinkles are pillow wrinkles, because there are no facial expressions that cause vertical skin folds except for around the mouth.

https://www.aspiremd.ca/the-envy-pillow

Ah, I get it.  This is divine punishment because y'all don't sleep face down and wedged between two pillows on the floor as God intended.

You sleep face down on the floor??

How does this somehow make your floor sleeping sound even more unhinged??

I think from a beauty perspective this has to be the best way to do it.  Your skin is being stretched flat every night as gravity pushes your face downwards between the pillows, so no wrinkles.

So you don't only sleep on the floor face down, you sleep with your head somehow suspended between two pillows??

I'm so confused.

Yep.  I usually wrap my hands around two pillows and wedge my head between them so there's a small breathing channel.  Then my back is straight, neck is straight, and I can breathe all night long.  I also don't move much during the night.  (If you move a lot this might not work well for you.)  Usually I start out clasping my hands, but they loosen during the night and the pillows still keep my head from falling and starting to suffocate.

When I was a kid I was attacked by a dog who ripped several large chunks out of my back.  Because of where the wounds were, it hurt to be on my back or leaning on either side - so I ended up sleeping this way.

Sounds like this would squish your face quite a bit,.actually.

Granted, I have never gotten the impression that you're a terribly vain person who would engineer their sleeping habits around preventing wrinkles.

[spartana]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Lol just wait until the election year really gets going!

I don't have that line and my forehead is very smooth.  I think it's because I've always had bangs that block my forehead from the sun. It also covers my very blonde eyebrows so I don't have to bother with darkening them unless I wear my bangs up - which is rare.

It's an expression line, so it's all about the muscle activity. Some folks just don't have overly active forehead muscles and don't get the horizontal lines.

Sun damage causes more texture and smaller wrinkles rather than expression lines that tend to be clear, discreet lines.

This article really demonstrates the difference. This is a truck driver who had half of his face exposed to sun relentlessly and the other half was protected.

You can see the sun damage side is all textured and crinkled, like alligator texture. But he has a forehead line that goes straight across and is equal on both sides. Because that's an expression line.

He has hooded eyebrows, so he has to raise his eyebrows to see properly, which he's doing in the photo.

Understanding head and face muscle movement used to kind of be my job, so for me, it's very easy to see the difference between a facial expression wrinkle, a pillow wrinkle, and sun wrinkles

That makes much more sense! I guess I'm just one of those expressionless Scandinavians ;-). I don't really have any deep lines anywhere on my face but I do have fine lines (crows feet?) in the outer corners of my eyes when I smile. I have oily skin even as an old person so don't use any hydrating face creams which make me breakout and just a face lotion with salicylic acid. I'll keep my long bangs though to cover my weird blonde eyebrows (and my even weirder almond shaped hooded blue eyes with blonde lashes) so I don't scare small children lol.

[Metalcat]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Lol just wait until the election year really gets going!

I don't have that line and my forehead is very smooth.  I think it's because I've always had bangs that block my forehead from the sun. It also covers my very blonde eyebrows so I don't have to bother with darkening them unless I wear my bangs up - which is rare.

It's an expression line, so it's all about the muscle activity. Some folks just don't have overly active forehead muscles and don't get the horizontal lines.

Sun damage causes more texture and smaller wrinkles rather than expression lines that tend to be clear, discreet lines.

This article really demonstrates the difference. This is a truck driver who had half of his face exposed to sun relentlessly and the other half was protected.

You can see the sun damage side is all textured and crinkled, like alligator texture. But he has a forehead line that goes straight across and is equal on both sides. Because that's an expression line.

He has hooded eyebrows, so he has to raise his eyebrows to see properly, which he's doing in the photo.

Understanding head and face muscle movement used to kind of be my job, so for me, it's very easy to see the difference between a facial expression wrinkle, a pillow wrinkle, and sun wrinkles

That makes much more sense! I guess I'm just one of those expressionless Scandinavians ;-). I don't really have any deep lines anywhere on my face but I do have fine lines (crows feet?) in the outer corners of my eyes when I smile. I have oily skin even as an old person so don't use any hydrating face creams which make me breakout and just a face lotion with salicylic acid. I'll keep my long bangs though to cover my weird blonde eyebrows (and my even weirder almond shaped hooded blue eyes with blonde lashes) so I don't scare small children lol.

I'm Scandinavian, but I'm Danish and we're the annoyingly friendly Scandis so we raise our eyebrows a lot.

The main expression lines are:
-horizontal forehead lines from lifting eyebrows
-vertical frown lines between brows
-crows feet/smile lines from squinting, but these can also be deepened from pillow compression, so they're sometimes more pronounced on one side
-marionette lines, aka the big folds on either side of your mouth, and the parallel ones that can fold behind them
-smokers lines around the lips from puckering
-neck lines from tilting your head down, sometimes deeper on one side due to sleeping position

[spartana]

@StarBright I have that forehead line too, which seems resistant to creams and potions. The bags under my eyes went away after I quit my job though.   My hair is thicker and my nails are less fragile too, so I look younger than I did 3 years ago. I even get less heartburn.

I call it my "WTF?" line -because it is from raising my eyebrows when someone does or says something stupid. The groove is deep!

Lol just wait until the election year really gets going!

I don't have that line and my forehead is very smooth.  I think it's because I've always had bangs that block my forehead from the sun. It also covers my very blonde eyebrows so I don't have to bother with darkening them unless I wear my bangs up - which is rare.

It's an expression line, so it's all about the muscle activity. Some folks just don't have overly active forehead muscles and don't get the horizontal lines.

Sun damage causes more texture and smaller wrinkles rather than expression lines that tend to be clear, discreet lines.

This article really demonstrates the difference. This is a truck driver who had half of his face exposed to sun relentlessly and the other half was protected.

You can see the sun damage side is all textured and crinkled, like alligator texture. But he has a forehead line that goes straight across and is equal on both sides. Because that's an expression line.

He has hooded eyebrows, so he has to raise his eyebrows to see properly, which he's doing in the photo.

Understanding head and face muscle movement used to kind of be my job, so for me, it's very easy to see the difference between a facial expression wrinkle, a pillow wrinkle, and sun wrinkles

That makes much more sense! I guess I'm just one of those expressionless Scandinavians ;-). I don't really have any deep lines anywhere on my face but I do have fine lines (crows feet?) in the outer corners of my eyes when I smile. I have oily skin even as an old person so don't use any hydrating face creams which make me breakout and just a face lotion with salicylic acid. I'll keep my long bangs though to cover my weird blonde eyebrows (and my even weirder almond shaped hooded blue eyes with blonde lashes) so I don't scare small children lol.

I'm Scandinavian, but I'm Danish and we're the annoyingly friendly Scandis so we raise our eyebrows a lot.

The main expression lines are:
-horizontal forehead lines from lifting eyebrows
-vertical frown lines between brows
-crows feet/smile lines from squinting, but these can also be deepened from pillow compression, so they're sometimes more pronounced on one side
-marionette lines, aka the big folds on either side of your mouth, and the parallel ones that can fold behind them
-smokers lines around the lips from puckering
-neck lines from tilting your head down, sometimes deeper on one side due to sleeping position

My Mom's one of those Prussian Germans from the Baltic region (Dad is Swedish) so I get the extra dour gene ;-).  My sister has the forehead line and smile lines but she squints a lot so I figured it was from that. Neither have between the eye lines and, since I gave up coffee and she never drank it, no big bags under the eyes.

That's my only hack I guess but when I drank coffee (only one or 2 small cups a day) I started to get bags under my eyes. Once I stopped they went away. I don't know why but maybe coffees dehydrating effect and/or sleeping better (I'm an insomniac) but it works! Of course without coffee I'm even more dour so.....

[Metalcat]

My Mom's one of those Prussian Germans from the Baltic region (Dad is Swedish) so I get the extra dour gene ;-).  My sister has the forehead line and smile lines but she squints a lot so I figured it was from that. Neither have between the eye lines and, since I gave up coffee and she never drank it, no big bags under the eyes.

That's my only hack I guess but when I drank coffee (only one or 2 small cups a day) I started to get bags under my eyes. Once I stopped they went away. I don't know why but maybe coffees dehydrating effect and/or sleeping better (I'm an insomniac) but it works! Of course without coffee I'm even more dour so.....

Never heard the coffee-eye bags thing, so that's a new one. I'm guessing dehydration played a role there. When I gave up alcohol the level of hydration in my skin sky-rocketed, it was wild.

I would say that is probably my biggest mustachian beauty hack, not drinking alcohol. I don't drink coffee either, but I do drink tea.

[spartana]

My Mom's one of those Prussian Germans from the Baltic region (Dad is Swedish) so I get the extra dour gene ;-).  My sister has the forehead line and smile lines but she squints a lot so I figured it was from that. Neither have between the eye lines and, since I gave up coffee and she never drank it, no big bags under the eyes.

That's my only hack I guess but when I drank coffee (only one or 2 small cups a day) I started to get bags under my eyes. Once I stopped they went away. I don't know why but maybe coffees dehydrating effect and/or sleeping better (I'm an insomniac) but it works! Of course without coffee I'm even more dour so.....

Never heard the coffee-eye bags thing, so that's a new one. I'm guessing dehydration played a role there. When I gave up alcohol the level of hydration in my skin sky-rocketed, it was wild.

I would say that is probably my biggest mustachian beauty hack, not drinking alcohol. I don't drink coffee either, but I do drink tea.

I don't drink alcohol either and I think that helps (plus no drunken nights dancing on bar tops at 3 am ;-)). I never got bags when drinking black tea either (the ...um.. diuretic effect made me stop plus stained my teeth) so maybe something in black teas that reduce, or at least don't create, undereye bags.  Aren't you suppose to put wet tea bags on your eyes to reduce puffiness? I never tried that.

[aloevera1]

Discussion in this thread inspired me to try a retinol cream. Got that together with a Vitamin C cream. Will report back on the results. I decided to go with Olay for three reasons.
1) it has a decent reputation online
2) it is on the lower price point compared to other creams so I feel like if it works OK for me, I don't need to upgrade
3) there was a good sale on it

Very curious about thiis experiment. Next step would try Cera Ve again as a general moisturizer. I am constantly trying to downgrade my skin care to the point that works. :) Cera Ve is a lot cheaper than other brands I've been using.

Also....

I recently had my manicure done professionally for the first time EVER. It was for a special occasion and I will not be repeating it... However, I can easily see how people get sucked into manicure as a regular "maintenance" expense (much like haircuts and skincare). Seeing my nails done so nicely and looking "different" gave me quite a bit of high! I was just marvelling my nails for the first day.

Now I am considering learning how to DIY some of the manicure aspects. Or maybe just try to pay more attention to how my nails look. I was alwasy just trimming them short and that's about it.. I guess there is a learning curve here somewhere :)