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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Cheap BUT Good Brushes

Good quality brushes do not have to be expensive. If you look around you can find really good brushes for half the price of a MAC Brush.

ECO Tools Brushes:


These are by far my favorite brushes. They are very soft, and are made of vegan synthetic bristles. The handles are much smaller, which is a good thing because you have better control. They come in sets, but some of their brushes are sold separately. The prices are also very affordable (ranging from about $6-$12). Keep in mind that synthetic bristles tend to have a longer drying time after you wash them, as opposed to natural hair bristle brushes.

Studio Tools Brushes:


These brushes are sold at Target and are very affordable. Some brushes are better than others in this line, however, overall they are soft and good quality. The stippling brush pictured above is my go to brush for putting on foundation!

Sonia Kashuk Brushes


Now these brushes are actually a little pricier than the others ones above, but are excellent quality and are more on the level of MAC quality Brushes. I prefer the ones that have a black handle as they are the more professional ones.


*Icing Brushes

Icing sells surprisingly good brushes, but I'll do a review on them later.

*ELF Brushes

The studio line for ELF has really good brushes, however it is hard to find these brushes in stores so you have to order them online. DO NOT buy the regular line of $1 brushes, they are horrible!


So there you go. One last note, Walmart also sells some good brushes but I don't personally own any so it wouldn't be fair to include them in my post.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Practically the only brushes you will ever need



Alright so in order to make this blog post shorter (I tend to ramble), I'm just going to go through all of the brushes from left to right.


Powder Brush

This brush is a staple for anyone who uses Makeup. A good powder brush is densely packed and has a long to medium handle. The bristles should also be full and fluffy. This brush is used for applying loose or compact powder all over the face, and can also be used for bronzer and blush. Some people also use this for liquid foundation, just be careful to check your face for any bristles that may have fallen out.

Angled Blush Brush

An angled brush is necessary in my opinion, in order to flawlessly apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. More importantly, this brush is necessary for contouring the face with a matte bronzer.

Foundation Brush

This is the traditional brush for liquid foundation. It should be flat and and about one inch wide. These brushes are generally made with synthetic bristles.

Duo Fiber Stippling Brush

This brush is very versatile. It can be use for applying liquid foundation, a light powder application, as well as for blush and bronzer. This brush varies in size and density, so it is up to you what kind you want. It is usually made up of goat and synthetic hair.

Angled Eye liner Brush

Using a gel liner with this brush is essential. The brush should be very thin in order to make a precise line. An angled brush can also be used to apply eyeshadow to the brows in order to fill them in; as well as for putting eyeshadow as a liner on the lids.

Flat Shader Brush

This brush is used all over the lid, and come in many sizes. it should be densly packed in order to apply a concentrated amount on the lid.

Blending Brush

This brush is used to blend out eyeshadow, so it has a nice fade onto the crease. My other favorite way to use this brush is for applying concealer under the eyes. The brush should be nice and fluffy.

Pencil Brush

Used for applying eyeshadow onto the crease as well as for smudging eyeliner. Should come to a nice point.

*Bonus

Kabuki Brush

Although not necessary, this brush is great for packing on loose powder, or for taking with you during the day for touch ups.


There you go :) I will make a blog later on about where to get these brushes.

The Importance of using an eyeshadow primer

Okay so if you are not really into makeup then the concept of an eyeshadow primer is foreign to you. Have you ever put on eyeshadow and had to do many layers because the color would not show up, and then at the end of the day the eyeshadow has creased? An eyeshadow primer is a must, especially for people with oily lids, in order to have a flawless all day wear.

There are many out on the market, expensive and cheap. My two favorite ones are expensive (but that's just me). Urban Decay's primer potion is the holy grail. They retail for $18 in a bottle, but recently they came out with a squeezey tube for $19 (might take a little while to come out in stores). The only negative about this product is that in a bottle form it's hard to get out every last bit, however this solved in the tube form (also has more product for only a $1 more). The primer potion comes in a variety of colors, from invisible to gold, and they all work just as well.



Too Faced also has a really good one which retails for $18 as well. This one is in a tube.


Now the brand NYX (sold only at Ulta and some drugstores) came out with two really good primers in white and nude. Retails for only $6.99.


NYX also sells these jumbo pencils which can be used as primers however they tend to crease, especially if you don't blend it out with your finger, so I generally use these with a primer.


Last Notes: L'Oreal sells a product called L'Oreal decrease, which is a primer. I haven't personally used it, but I've heard mixed reviews on it. If you cannot go out and buy a primer, then it's a good idea to at least put a concealer or liquid foundation over your lids. Also, MAC sells paint pots and paints which the ladies will say you can use as a primer. These are cream eye shadows, which will crease if you don't use a primer with it.


Using a primer will enhance your shadows wear and look so go try one out <3

Monday, March 14, 2011

So what foundation is good for me?

One of the most frustrating parts about makeup is finding the right foundation for your skin type and tone. There are a variety on the market, from drug store brands to high end. With some patience on your part, you will find one that is perfect for you.

One thing I always tell people is that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on makeup, HOWEVER....I will say that the best foundations are always on the pricier side. This is really up to you and your means. If you have the money to spend on a really good foundation, then I say spend it. Your face is the first thing people see when they meet you, and you don't want to have a shiny greasy looking face when they see you. I will point out a few foundations that are drug store and are pretty good, but keep in mind that these foundations are dupes for other more expensive ones.


Okay so lets talk about skin types. There are generally three main skin types: Oily, Dry, and combination. Oily skin types get greasy in many areas but mainly the t-zone, which is forehead, cheeks and nose area. Dry skin needs moisture as it will tend to have dry patches throughout the face. Combination skin leans more on the oily side, however it may have some dry areas. There is also normal skin, which has no oiliness or dryness, however this skin type is not very common (and if you have it it means you are a godess in which case any foundation would work on you.)

Let's start with Oily skin. Oily skin gets a bad rap, but if you find the right foundation it can be less of a pain to deal with. You want to get foundation that says matte, or if you are on the less oily side, semi-matte. Anything that says "dewy" you must run away from immediately. Also never buy a foundation that is oil-based, rather choose one that it water or gel based. Although it is a good idea for your foundation to have spf to protect your skin, skip those types when taking pictures as spf reflects light and can make your skin look like a disco ball.

One foundation I can really recommend for oily skin types is Lancome's TEINT IDOLE FRESH WEAR ($32). It boasts a "makeup formula that provides 18-hours of shine-free wear." I would say that the shine free aspect of 18 hrs is not true, but maybe 10 hours which is a lot longer than most foundations. It is a medium coverage and has many yellow based colors.


Another one would be Revlon's colorstay foundation for oily skin types ($12.99). This is full coverage foundation, so you have to work with it quickly to spread it evenly on the face. This foundation stays on forever and does a nice job of cutting down the shine. Of course as with any foundation you want to set this with a powder.



Last one I want to bring up is MAC studio fix fluid which is oil controlling and VERY long wearing ($26.50). This is a full coverage foundation so a little goes a long way.




Last notes: Rimmel makes a foundation that is called Stay Matte. I have heard good things about this foundation, however I have not personally tried it. Another note is about Bare Essentials. Although powder can be used to combat oil, I cannot deal with the hassle of tapping out powder and it getting everywhere so I cannot personally recommend this foundation. Also if you want to get real fancy, Makeup Forever sells a matte foundation that is spectacular (Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation), that is if you want to drop $34 on it.

Moving on...


Dry skin types need to stay away from Matte foundations, as they will enhance the dry patches of your skin. Always use an oil-based moisturizer before putting on foundation. If you like a fresh glowing look, go for dewy foundations.

I'm going to start with the most expensive option, NARS sheer glow foundation ($42). Although this is a very expensive foundation, it will leave your skin looking absolutely beautiful. Again if you have the cash I suggest you try it out.


A new one that just came out an has gotten many good reviews is L'Oreals Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation ($14.99). The texture is a moouse which would probably react well with drier skin types.



Last notes: Brands to check out for this skin type is Dior and Channel if you have mucho dinero, and Revlon (colorstay for dry skin types is also good, as well as photo ready)


And Finally combination. My favorite on right now is Bobbi Browns natural finish long lasting foundation which is semi-matte ($45). It is a medium coverage, and keeps the skin looking fresh instead of dull.


Another good one would be Lorac's Natural Performance foundation ($36). Build-able coverage and right in the middle for oil coverage and moisture.


Last notes: Combination skin really depends on how oily your skin is to your dry areas. A good idea would be to use a matte primer on areas where you have the most oil (No.7 makes a good one sold at Target). Again Colorstay is a good option, as well as MAC's studio fix fluid.



Well there you have it. I recommend going to Macys or Dillards and trying the different counters. Have the sales person apply it to half your face, then take a mirror and look at it in natural sunlight, as the lights in the store tend to distort what the foundation really looks like.


Hope this helped :)

Monday, March 7, 2011

Foundation Routine

Simple a tutorial showing you what I do every day in terms of foundation.





Products used:

Garnier Eye Roller
Clinque dramatically different moisturizing gel
No.7 Shine free primer
Clinique Line smoothing concealor
Bobbi Brown natural finish long lasting Foundation
Mark Powder Foundation
Hoola Bronzer
Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Pearl Illuminating powder
Nars Orgasm blush
Clinique blended face powder

New Mascaras Review

Hello all! So this is a quick review on the new Maybelline Mascara's that just came out :)

First let's talk about Maybelline's Falsies Mascara. It is supposed to be a volumizing and lengthening Mascara that creates a false eye lash effect. My lashes were definitely lengthened however I did not get as much volume as I was hoping. the mascara is comparable to Lancome's Hypnose mascara, as they both have a similar curved wand. Overall i really like the mascara, little to no clumping, and good length, however not at all a false lash look. I would recommend it to most anyone.




However, my favorite at the moment has to be One by One, also by Maybelline. It separates the lashes beautifully and gives them good length and subtle volume. I find myself reaching for this one a lot more, and can tell a significant difference in the appearance of my lashes.



The last review is about the very new Clinique bottom lash mascara. What can I say other than it's freaking awesome!!! It retails at $10, but keep in mind it is a very small tube. Apart from the small amount of product, I have nothing bad to say about it. The premise is that using a regular mascara wand makes it hard to properly coat the lashes on the bottom. For gals who want those sexy Kim Kardahsian bottom lashes, go out and buy this before it's sold out! (P.S. the packaging is darn cute)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Nail Art and supplies

So I did two videos showing my nail designs and the supplies I use. I got most of the supplies from various eBay auctions (which are shipped from China) for really cheap. Enjoy :)



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

My OPI collection



I just uploaded two new videos on Youtube about my OPI collection, please go check them out :)

Part 1:



Part 2: