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Vintage/Retro Cosmetic brands?

jitterbugdoll

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,042
Location
Soon to be not-so-sunny Boston
Rebecca D--I swear by Aussie Instant Freeze. It holds up wonderfully, even in wind or humidity, and it has a sort of grape smell that fades rather quickly. I've not found any product that works as well, and it costs less than $3 a bottle.

Mrs. Foss--I've seen these but not tried them. You'll have to let us know what you think if you do order them!
 

Rebecca D

One of the Regulars
Messages
190
Location
San Francisco
fortworthgal said:
I may try Tabu. I have quite a few lipsticks that are really nice red shades, but I liked the idea of the natural look Tangee.

Strange, right after I posted my last comment, my Vermont Country Store package arrived.

Contents:
2 tubes of Tabu lipstick (Bermuda Red and Granada)
2 packages of spoolies

To the absolute disgust of my coworker drag queen with whom I share a desk, I put on the lipstick in the Bermuda Red shade. Miss Thing over there thinks this lipstick is way too waxy and will make my lips shrivel up, but I’ll give it a go and let you all know how it feels after it sets. So far, it feels heavy but not gross. I bought this stuff because I heard it doesn’t smudge as much when you do some smooching, but my coworker claims that if I wear this lipstick, no one will want to kiss my nasty old shriveled lips.

I really like both of the colors; the Granada shade looking the most vintage. I’m just not sure it will go with my red hair, so I want to wait until I get home to try it.

As for the spoolies, I know you ladies put out a warning. I know they slip and don’t give great results. But I’m the kid that pushes the red button or the fire alarm; tell me not to do it, and it will make me want to even more.
 

jitterbugdoll

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,042
Location
Soon to be not-so-sunny Boston
As for the spoolies, I know you ladies put out a warning. I know they slip and don’t give great results. But I’m the kid that pushes the red button or the fire alarm; tell me not to do it, and it will make me want to even more.

I didn't have great luck with mine, but perhaps they will work for you! I do wish that Vermont Country Store would sell reproductions of the 1930s rubber curlers that I recently received from my hairdresser, though. They look a whole lot like tiny rubber perm rods, and work incredibly well. I've used them for about a week and I am a complete convert!
 

decodoll

Practically Family
Messages
816
Location
Saint Louis, MO
jitterbugdoll said:
I didn't have great luck with mine, but perhaps they will work for you! I do wish that Vermont Country Store would sell reproductions of the 1930s rubber curlers that I recently received from my hairdresser, though. They look a whole lot like tiny rubber perm rods, and work incredibly well. I've used them for about a week and I am a complete convert!

I've seen those on ebay and thought about bidding on some. Really good, huh? I'll have to bid next time I see some up for auction.
 

mysterygal

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,667
Location
Washington
Rebecca, the two hairspray brands that I use are Pantene and Sebastian...mostly Sebastian (it has a great smell, not over-powering and works great!)
 

Rebecca D

One of the Regulars
Messages
190
Location
San Francisco
Thanks! I think I used to use Sebastian but I can't remember if I liked it.

As for the Tabu lipstick, it's not that special. I'm looking at my half-eaten sandwich, and there's lipstick on the bread. I also have the ring of lipstick around my outer lip and it's worn off the inside. I thought Tabu wasn't supposed to wear off like that?

The color is ok but not spectacular - certainly no reason to stop using my MAC Russian Red.



Decodoll, those old rubber curlers are great! I used to have some but they finally fell apart.
 
Rebecca D said:
Speaking of chemical smells, what hairspray do you ladies use? Sometimes I feel like I overwhelm the poor people on the bus in the morning with my freshly sprayed hairspray. As the day goes on it fades, but I hate smelling like that in the morning. I know my Grandma and Great Grandma plastered their hair with the stuff, but I don’t remember them or their bathrooms smelling like it.

I was picking out some new hairspray a few weeks ago and was looking for a brand that I recognized as vintage. Aside from Aqua Net, wich I have heard negative comments about there was nothing so I purchased a pump bottle of Suave. I found it to be quite sticky so I got a bottle of Breck arisol when I was in the Dollar Store . I don't find that it doesn't holds really well so I think I will try the Aussie. I used to use their shampoo when I was in high school and loved the grape sent. So much for trying to sick with a vintage brand.[huh]
As far as shampoo goes nothing will get me the regular line of off Herbal Essence. :D
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,069
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
I've been using Pantene flexible hold for years -- they used to have an "unscented" version that I liked, but I haven't seen it lately. It wasn't exactly unscented in the absolute sense, but the odor wasn't as sharp as the regular kind, and I tend to prefer a neutral scent for hair stuff.

Aqua Net is the classic spray to use for '80s mall bangs. A real vintage spray is White Rain, which dates back to the early fifties -- I don't think there even *was* such a thing as hair spray much before that.
 

jitterbugdoll

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,042
Location
Soon to be not-so-sunny Boston
Aussie Instant Freeze puts Aqua Net to shame, in terms of holding power! It's not super stiff, but no other hair spray (Pantene, Sebastian, Paul Mitchell, etc.) holds the curl in my hair as well.

According to Wikipedia, hair spray was invented in 1955 by Helene Curtis; it was called "spray net." The Aqua Net brand was also launched in the early 1950s as a "salon brand", if you can believe it ;)
 

decodoll

Practically Family
Messages
816
Location
Saint Louis, MO
I'll have to give the Aussie Instant Freeze a try. So far Sebastian's "Mega Hold", not the regular or the Plus, but the "Mega" lol is the only thing I've found that really holds in my curls, but it has a really strong smell, and it leaves this pebbley texture on everything it lands on in the bathroom!
 

fortworthgal

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,646
Location
Panther City
I've been using Paves Professional Convertible-Proof hairspray, and I really like it. It holds all day but isn't horribly stiff and it doesn't make your hair look "lacquered." It doesn't have any synthetic fragrances, but it has a light odor. Kind of natural, herb-ish smelling - I call it "Aveda Light." lol
 

fortworthgal

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,646
Location
Panther City
Walgreen's was selling it, but I went last night and they had it on the clearance rack for $1.50, so I think they may not be carrying it anymore. Ulta had it last time I was there!
 

RetroMom

One of the Regulars
Messages
251
Location
Connecticut
VO5 is another hairspray that has been around for a long time. It comes in several different types, I use the extra body.

One of my favorites is John Frieda's Frizz Ease. When I have a really tight set, and I spray my hair with it, it really softens it out.
 

fortworthgal

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,646
Location
Panther City
Well, I am proud to say that I finally picked up a package of the Coty Airspun powder! I had not been able to find it, and went to Walgreen's last night knowing I had seen it there before - no luck. Went back again this evening for something else and found a few packages of it crammed in a corner by the nail files and makeup sponges. I'm so excited! (Is it silly that I'm excited over a package of drugstore face powder?) lol
 

dollfaced

Familiar Face
Messages
77
Location
orange county
Coty air spun

I don't think thats silly i love Coty Air Spun powder it smells wonderful and you can where it alone with cream underneath of course i recommend the jergens all purpose face cream with the three faces on the bootle which has beed around since the 30's or 40's maybe even longer i swear by it and recommend it as a good makeup base! I almost bought the Coty Air Spun powder in the pretty green box just because it's so adorable but they don't look as fair in color as the original boxed powders.One thing im so excited about is winning a bid on ebay for an original Coty gold metal compact with the same powder puff design on the compact as on the powder box i can't wait to fill it with my loose powder! I also have an original Coty lipstick although the lipstick inside is Mac.I Love buying old vintage makeup and filling the containers with my own cosmetics it makes you feel like you have something all your own like having you own personalized cosmetic line ;) !
 

dollfaced

Familiar Face
Messages
77
Location
orange county
coty

I..was..in..longs..drug..store..and....was..told..they...will..be..discontinuing..COTY,Airspun..face..powder..Is..that..true??????
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,069
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
They CAN'T discontinue Airspun! They CAN'T CAN'T CAN'T.

Actually, they already have at all the stores in my town. I have to drive forty miles to find a place that still carries it, and I've been stocking up just in case. They've already dropped their line of lipsticks, so I've had the feeling for a while that the powder's on borrowed time.

Maybe Vermont Country Store would pick up the rights and revive it? They'd charge ten dollars a box for it, but at least it'd still be around.
 

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