Pampering Your Tools

Fortunately I have been kept very busy and have been getting a taste of working as a Makeup artist. At the end of each day though, I unzip my makeup rolling case to find a whole lot of stained sponges and gooey brushes. And when it has been a long day, I want to be able to get my stuff clean fast and ready to use again the next day....with as little effort as possible!

My saviors are the Beauty blendercleanser and the Kryolan brush cleaner.

The blendercleanser is a makeup sponge cleaner originally designed for the beauty blender (or that pink pointy thing sitting on top of the spout of the cleaner as pictured above). Ever since I got my own beauty blender set which included a bottle of their cleanser, I have fallen in love with it. It is easy to use because of the push-down spout mechanism. The cleansing liquid permeates through a damp sponge with ease simply because the company has adapted this design (similar to the nail polish remover holders that you might see in a professional nail salon). The liquid cleanser is gentle and by far the toughest cleanser I've come across for ridding tough stains and smells on makeup sponges. But do remember that sponges do age with use so there will come a point when no amount of cleaning will do and you simply have to toss it!

"lightly lavender-scented cleanser that’s free of dyes and skin irritants. It’s soothing soy-based, low-suds formula breaks down rapidly, making it earth-friendly and fun to use. Soy has the added benefit of being one of nature’s finest moisturizers, so by all means, clean up with class and do it often." ,beauty blender.

The Kryolan Brush Cleaner is an alcohol based cleaner for makeup brushes. It provides quick cleansing for brushes that requires at the most 15 minutes of dry time for brushes (as opposed to the overnight drying if brushes are washed with soap and water). All that is required is paper towel to wipe off the dirt with. The other ingredient in this cleanser is petroleum distillate. So while the alcohol disinfects and cleans the bristles of your brushes, the petroleum conditions them. As frequent washing of brushes can wear out the bristles, cleaning my brushes this way takes care of the bristles and they actually become smoother and much easier to work with.

Do you pamper your makeup tools? If so, how?

Website: Beauty blendercleanser, danceshopper.com
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Caress

This is the makeup brush that caresses my face every morning. Above is not a picture of mine because mine is dirty and filled with mineral foundation dust at the moment. But without a doubt, it is the best brush for applying face powders that I have come across.

This is the EcoTools Recycled Aluminum Retractable Kabuki. It is retractable and comes with a cap so that it is portable and it doesn't get crushed out of shape when I pack it into my travel bag. But this is only a bonus to the main reason that I love this brush. It is simply the softest and smoothest brush for packing on and buffing out face powders. Imagine something like an Egyptian cotton-covered pillow cushion gliding across your face.

I get an even coverage and a soft finish with my foundation every time I use this brush. And I have let my other mineral foundation brushes retire.

I love this cruelty free and environmental-conscious beauty tool. What are some of your tools of choice?

Retails for: About 10 usd
Website: http://www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_BAMBOO_Powder_Brush_p/et1214.htm
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Prime Time For Eyes

Even with knowledge and experience, sometimes we go against our best judgment. As soon as I enter into a drugstore or massive stores such as Target or Walmart, my critical thinking waits outside of the store until I'm done shopping.

Every time I go to Target, I get overwhelmed. Here in Europe making a choice for things like cereal or a drugstore foundation is simple because selection is limited compared to North America. Our stores are alot smaller in size and our isles don't go on for ages.

As much as I enjoy my shopping experience at stores such as those, I do make bad judgment calls when I feel overwhelmed. Let me bring your attention to L'oreal's HIP cream shadow paints.

I'll start by saying that I am a devoted fan of MAC's paint pots. I love their creamy textures (though they take a little practice to get the hang of) and their ability to prolong eyeshadow wear. I do not even think of putting on eyeshadow without a base of some kind because I know that without it only leads to disappointment later. The L'oreal paints score an average of 70% for 'Buy Again' on MUA. Not bad I think for a drugstore brand thus worth a try. These paints even come with their own little travel-size round crease flat brushes of fair quality and are contained in their own chic plastic boxes. The L'oreal range offers a good selection of neutral colors also; ranging from a shimmery beige (picture right) to a charcoal grey (picture left). So far so good.

But the rest leaves little to be desired. First off, they come in metal tubes which I find myself too clumsy for. Getting the right amount out each time is a trying task. The liquid that comes out of the tube's spout is not nearly as creamy as MAC paint pots. I think because of its liquidy-cream texture, the 'cream' starts off with a workable texture at the beginning but then dries unevenly as one attempts to blend it into the skin some more. After having tried different application methods including dabbing, rubbing, gliding, striping, dotting, smudging with fingers and different sized brushes, I gave up. I don't think I can bother with it again as an eyeshadow primer. However, my last resort...I think these could make fair cream liners if used with the Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush. I'll keep you posted!

L'oreal HIP cream shadow paint in Steely (above left)- a shimmery cool tone dark grey that borders on black.

L'oreal HIP cream shadow paint in Secretive (above right) - a shimmery cool tone beige that becomes slightly silver.


Website: L'oreal HIP cream shadow paints
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Fun Makeup - Peter Phillips

"My favorite part of the job is making people even more beautiful than they already are." says Peter Phillips backstage at Chanel.

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), youtube.com

drOOOOOl!

drOOOOOOl!

We have been using quite a few products from NARS cosmetics in makeup class. I'm loving them so far because they have great textures; especially the lippies which are striking in its pigment intensity. Looking forward to seeing the items from their Summer 2009 collection (they are available for sale online right now!) when they come out to the stores.

Will write reviews on them as soon as I have tried the products on a larger variety of skin tones and types!

Website: narscosmetics.com
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Growing Pains - One Story On Lashes

All the craze happening at the moment with lash growth serums has me going too. But being quite wary of risks and an unwillingness to part with a big sum had me scavenging around for alternatives. As you might know, I have issues with the lashes I was born with. The numerous times I have talked about different mascaras and my SSS (short, straight, sparse) lashes hopefully did not drive you insane.

A less intimidating option that I have found is from Japan and it is called Avancé Lash Serum EX (pictured above). This little blue glass bottle containing 7ml of clear liquid - a concoction that promises to help repair weak lashes and to encourage lashes to grow stronger and longer. This medicated version is supposedly more potent than the original, which is already a well-received lash serum in both Japan and Taiwan.

Unscrewing the cap on the bottle you will find inside a mascara wand in the clear liquid that is neither thick or thin in consistency. Noticing a slight bit of fragrance, applying the product is easy and never gave me blurred vision. The method I use to apply the product is such: 1. hold wand horizontally to lashes and wiggle the product into lashes, staying close to the roots but never in the eye. 2. hold wand vertically and apply product directly to the root using the tip of the wand. 3. ensure that all lashes (upper and lower) are well saturated but don't get any in the eye.

Result: my last 2 months using this serum is finally paying off. An accident with my metal lash curler which had ripped off a few of my lashes (an incident too traumatic to be told) made a noticeable gap on my upper lashline. However, I noticed stronger and thicker lashes (than before) grow back at 3 weeks after the incident. Now at exactly 2 months after my first application, my lashes are thicker and ever so slightly longer. My lashes feel well conditioned and I am even leaving my volumising mascara behind for the first time in my life!


Websites: Avance-cosme.co.jp
Adambeauty.com (Apprx. 18 USD/13 EUR)

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

A Small Pre-New Year's Resolution

Something has been bothering me for what seems to be ages. The makeup obsessed in me has been hoarding heaps of pigments and loose mineral powders and are now accumulating into an irritating mess.

Last week, I finally found time to make use of the empty palettes I had purchased from Coastal Scents. The point is that I would press my pigments into these empty palettes so that they will be organized and easy to travel with. The goal is to have them all finished by the new year. But pigments just seem to be appearing left and right and out of nowhere and now I think that it is an unrealistic goal.

On the day of the deed, I filled the house with the sound of Lykke Li. I rolled up my sleeves, got ready to get my hands dirty and experienced for myself the love/hate that is pressing pigments.

The process went something like this (a very brief history). Tried to find the right bowl suitable for mixing pigment & liquid, realized quickly that plastic was no good (as the mixed pigment would stick to the sides like crazy), dropped and broke a few small glass bowls.

Screamed, picked up the broken pieces of glass, vacuumed. A few deep breaths in, mixed my first batch, poured into clean metal pan. Waited for it to become dry enough to press, picked up a clean shiny coin, found a piece of cloth, made a sandwich with pigment, cloth, shiny coin and a heavy hard cover book.

Placed all my weight and pressed down on the book, peeled off cloth to take a peek and adored the pretty pattern that the British coin had left on the now pressed pigment. Let dry.

Yes, it was a frustrating process. But the process began to flow and a sort of assembly line then began to emerge. Little by little, I finished all 15 pigments! Look at them above. It may not be much looking at the palette but it is absolutely lovely to me. I have given it an appropriate name I think; Neutral Palette 1. I am so very proud because every time I take this palette out, I am overcome with relief that I no longer have to dig through piles of little pigments jars.



This particular 15-pan empty palette (7.95 USD) from Coastal Scents is not magnetized. They now have smaller, magnetized palettes that hold either 8 or 4 pigments.


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Beauty Salon Dimensions, Make-Up Studio

I visited the Beauty Salon Dimensions, a trade show for those in the beauty and cosmetics industry a few weeks back. The show was held in Utrecht, a charming part of the Netherlands known for the restaurants that line the edges of the city's main canal.

The show itself saw an enormous number of visitors and I was bowled over by the amount of exhibitors there. I saw heavy traffic especially in Make-Up Studio and Opi's show areas. All exhibitors at the show offered some sort of discounts and most offered products at almost bulk purchase prices. I should have known that I would come back with my hands full and should have brought my luggage with me to hold all the goodies I purchased.

The Make-Up Studio is a line of makeup designed for professional makeup artists by a small group of makeup artists. Their products are priced very competitvely and sold at almost half the price as MAC. Their wide variety of eye, lip and face colors as well as the huge line of brushes allow professionals to let loose and get creative with colors. The eye shadows come in vivid color choices and in very fine, blendable textures. They also come in a variety of textures such as matte, lumiere, frost, shiny, aqua, and glimmer.

If I had to mention all the products they offer to fill our makeup and skincare kits, I would run out of breath. So instead, here are pictures to demonstrate what I purchased.

20-pan Empty makeup palette, Eyeshadow refill pans, Cream Foundation Professional (in the center). I concentrated on colors that are not commonly found in drugstores and department stores. I wanted to add more matte colors to my current eyeshadow collection as well.

20 Empty makeup palette filled with eyeshadow refill pans. The purple one (the furthest on the right, second row from the top) is an Aqua shadow that is activated by water and not dry swatchable. The tropical water color in the center of the four shadows is a luminous shadow that reminds me of mineralized shadows from MAC. Its shape doesn't allow it to fit inside this flat compact but another that allows the shadow's domed shape.

A list of Make-Up Studio's international distributors can be found at: http://www.make-upstudio.nl/distributors1.html
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
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Do You Do E-Shopping?

You might find this information from the ShopSmart Magazine (Consumer Reports) handy. It is the result and summary of the screening they had conducted to compare some of the e-tailers out there.

Do any of you shop at these sites? Would you recommend any of these to your friends or to me (do any of them have international shipping)?


Best Overall Selection: Beauty.com

Shipping Free if you spend $49 or more.

Return policy 30 days on unopened products or, for certain items, if you don’t like the color. Returns cost $4.99 unless a product is damaged or incorrect or the color is wrong.

Great for Hard-to-Find Products: Beautyhabit.com

Shipping Free on orders of $100 or more; otherwise $5.95.

Return policy 14 days on most items. No returns on opened or used products.

Great for Trendy Brands: Beautyofasite.com

Shipping Free on orders over $75; otherwise $5.95 to $8.95.

Return policy 30 days. You pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged. All returns are for exchange or store credit only. There are no refunds or returns on color cosmetics.

Best Prices: Buymebeauty.com

Shipping Free on orders of $35 or more; $4.95 on orders of less than $35.

Return policy 30 days. Products must be unused and unopened, unless they are defective. You have to call or e-mail before returning products; you will also have to pay the costs of return shipping.

Great Return Policy: Cosmeticmall.com

Shipping $5.95 plus 93 cents per pound.

Return policy 30 days. You can return most products for any reason, even after they’re opened.

Great Drugstore Makeup Section: Drugstore.com

Shipping Free on your first nonprescription order of $25 or more; free on orders of $49 or more after that.

Return policy 30 days. Returns are free if a product is damaged, defective, or incorrect. Returns are free on certain products if you don’t like the color. Otherwise, products must be unopened and unused.

Great for Freebies: Sephora.com

Shipping Free on orders over $50; otherwise $5.95.

Return policy 60 days. Free return shipping. Store credit after 60 days.

Great for Organic Products: Skinbotanica.com

Shipping Free on orders over $49; otherwise $5.95.

Return policy 60 days.

Best Shipping Deal: Skin-One.com

Shipping Free.

Return policy 30 days. Product must be at least 75 percent full. You have to pay return shipping fees, and no returns are allowed of an opened product if you received a sample of it with your order.

Best Online Version of a Walk-In Store: Walgreens.com

Shipping Many items qualify for free shipping of purchases of $50 or more; otherwise $5.49 for 10 pounds or less.

Return policy 30 days.

Sad Site: BeautyDepot.com

This site didn’t have a wide selection of products. You have to buy $99 worth of stuff to get free shipping; otherwise you could end up paying $7.95 or more for UPS ground. Cosmetics (and many other products) were not returnable, and there’s no toll-free customer-service number.

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), ShopSmart November 2008 issue
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The Prayers Of SSS Lashes

Even when I have found the one mascara that answers the prayers sung by my Short, Sparse & Straight lashes, I can't help but to be lured into trying yet another mascara; especially if it came GWP.

I was wandering through the isles at Zellers when I was in Toronto and came across that wonderful line of eyeshadow quads from Revlon. I was pulled into one with shimmery lavender shades in the Lavender Meadow quad (reviewed); especially because it had a tube of Luxurious Lengths Mascara attached to it.

Revlon Luxurious Lengths Mascara

So what about the mascara? The one I have is in Blackest Black. The color that it deposits on my lashes is more of a natural black. The formula itself is not clumpy and not overly wet or thick. When dried, the formula does not flake and has even resisted moisture better than other waterproof formulas I have tried. So far, so good.

The brush, it seems, can be the Pièce de résistance for some but a deal-breaker for others. On one side of the brush, the bristles are flat (think Maybelline Lash Discovery mascara). On the other, the bristles are rounded and curved. Its doublesided-ness tackles the issue of having separate brushes for volumizing and lengthening. Not bad, except for one thing. The result is not as 'luxurious' or curvaceous as the company claims. The stiff bristles although are good for ensuring separation and no clumps, it is simply too stiff to produce any curve. Several swipes is necessary to deposit enough color to show up on the lashes. This mascara, while it may be good for those seeking natural looking results, those of us that need more help in the lash department might stick to using mascaras that address volume and length separetly.

Vic's Secret Heated Lash Curler

Rather than being an impulse purchase, this heated lash curler has been in the planning for some time.

The one that I finally decided on is actually rather inexpensive. Excluding the cost of shipping, this heated lash curler from Vic's Secret was less than an average visit at Starbucks.

The gadget comes in a handy purse-friendly format with two levels of heat settings, powered by one AAA battery. My initial try had me going about it very careful. At first I touched the heated part with my fingers and then slowly I allowed it to come near my closed eye. It isn't hot actually at the lowest setting and it only produces a slight curl that did not hold for too long. However, the highest setting (which feels warm to my lids) produced the kind of curl that I look for. The result is curls that curve naturally without that unnatural bend.

The desired result is achieved by first applying Revlon's Luxurious Lengths mascara to my lashes, waiting until the mascara is completely dried, then curl with the heated lash curler. Was I satisfied? Yes!


Revlon is available at your local drugstore and Vic's Secret is available at sasa.com.


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
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Long Awaited Sephora Stores In NL!

A quick note to share my excitement about Sephora opening 11 stores in the Netherlands! The last store that will be opening in Enschede will be complete by November 20th. I no longer have to take a 4-6 hour train ride to Luxemburg or France to indulge myself in Sephora madeness. Their nearest store is now only half an hour away! This move from Sephora will bring brands such as Benefit and Makeup Forever finally into the Netherlands.

My wish has come true!

Credit: sephora.nl

Top Find In Paris

Inside this unassuming shop, in an unlikely location in Paris, is a treasure chest of a find for makeup enthusiasts. I am not sure if this is the 'secret' of Paris that I have been searching for, but this was a definite top find for me. I have been feeling the fondness for attending makeup training grow inside me for some time now. Stepping into this store did nothing but reinforce those feelings further.

This is Paris Berlin, a professional makeup store which caters to the unique needs of a makeup artists. While they sell quite a few items that I personally cannot relate to (i.e. fake blood), it was their tables upon tables of skin-colored creams and liquids that had my attention. Testing my hand at the board of pro-quality eye shadows also had me twirling in joy. I had the feeling that there was so much to look at and I didn't have time to savor it all.

Whilst the company stocks other major brands such as Kryolan and Ben Nye, it also sells their house brand of makeup and skin products (i.e. makeup primer & demaquillant). With all the possibilities in the world of makeup available in this store, I picked up only one thing. After some time of testing the product, I will proceed with a review of my purchase shortly!

FYI: Visit the store only when they are not busy as they normally only cater to pro makeup artists.


Credit: Grayburn

Beauty Geek - SPINLASH

The geek in me has a deep fascination for electronic gadgets. My house is fitted with all sorts of these that sometimes make things a little easier for me. I was shopping around in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport (which has fantastic shopping these days by the way) and I came across a shop selling all sorts of gadgets. I laid my eyes on an alarm clock that is fitted on 2 large wheels, and it rolls around the room ringing when it is time for you to get up! I laughed out loud at it because I was imagining me chasing the alarm clock, with half-open eyes, and watching it run out of the room and down the stairs!

This brings me to another gadget pictured here called SPINLASH. You might remember that I voiced disbelieve about this in a previous post. The rotating mascara wand came packaged with it's own wand-holder, and a black mascara.

Let's compare the company's claims against my personal experience with it:

Spinlash 1 : Synthetic brush - 'glide gently and smoothly through.."

I do like mascaras with rubber brushes because they are gentler than the traditional brush on our eyes and lashes. Spinlash's brush is pretty straight all around with a slight thicker middle. The bristles are soft and glides easily through my lashes.

Spinlash 2 : 'Gentle motion of the rotating brush separates lashes while it coats, lengthens, & volumizes."

The rotation happens a lot slower than I thought it would. The fact that it is so slow made it less intimidating during my first trial. Honestly, I didn't want to like this thing. But I was amazed at how easily it combed through my lashes and caught all the little clumps my mascara had left behind. The button on its mid section of the wand controls the brush's direction of rotation. This is smart because it makes it easy to switch between both eyes.

The part of the claim where I am not so sure about is lengthening and volumizing. The mascara that comes with the wand left a rather undesirable effect for me. I normally look for length and volume from any given mascara and this mascara falls short in both categories. I imagine though if you are looking for something completely natural, this is not so bad.

How I use it
I have quite many lash combs which I never use because I find them rather intimidating (hard plastic or metal + unsteady hands near my eyes = accident waiting to happen). Instead, I opt to choose a clump-free mascara, or just ignore the clumps on my lashes (!).

This rotating wand was rather enjoyable to use because all I have to do is hold it under my lashes (which I have already applied mascara to), as it detangles away my mascara mess. I love to watch all the clumps just fall off and land on the soft rubbery brush. After every use, I wash the brush with soap and water, as I would with any lash comb.

Verdict
I love it and I would buy it as a well-performing lash comb, but not to apply mascara. However, I wished that the batteries inside the wand were replaceable. The way it is designed now, the opening to the batteries is glued shut. So after the batteries are used up, the entire wand has to be disposed.



Mascara comes in brownish black or black, both valued at 14.95 USD. More information at Spinlash.com

6 Ways For A Fresh Face

Items at our disposal to keep the heat off of our faces. These help with sweat/heat-induced makeup meltdown.


1. Start Right - Mattifying Toner
H2O+ Sea Clear Mattifying Toner

Using a mattifying toner to prep our skin not only prepares our skin for moisturizer, it also provides a matte base for anything else we will be layering on top. This one is dual-phased with AHA's (exfoliates) and mineral powders (to absorb excess oil). Comes highly recommended by a friend of mine who is a makeup artist!

2. Prepare Yourself - Suitable Primer
Boots No7 Mattifying Make-Up BaseOkay

Okay, this stuff stinks a little and its feels tacky at first. But applying a small dot of this spread over oily areas as a primer (over moisturizer) kills shine all day long! I only pull this one out on extremely warm days where I know I will need to stay looking cool.

3. A Good Finish - Setting Powder with Silica

If I still want extra oil-control after the first 2 steps, I finish off my makeup with a light dusting of a loose powder that contains silica on oilier areas.

4. Keep These Handy - Blotting Papers
Clean&Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

I don't like to be without these on me. They are blue, they are stretchy, they absorb oil well without leaving a film of powder on my face. The oily patches left on the sheet are eh hem... addictive to look at (!).

5. Don't Overdo It - Gentle Cleanser
(this picture is for my male readers so you don't feel left out!)

Cleanse your skin gently with a mild cleanser so that you don't overstimulate your oil glands. But make sure that your cleanse thoroughly because you don't want any leftover dirt to give you breakouts either!

6. Treat - Clay Masks

Burt's Bees Pore Refining Mask

I love it when companies have fun. Burt's Bees says "Your pores will thank you by vanishing [if you use this product]". It's a little cheesy but I love it! This mask has green French clay and other goodies to tighten, refine and absorb. The result is soft and no over-drying. It's good to use a clay mask once or twice a week during the summer for deep-cleansing.

Photo credits: Cool tutorial on shaving for my male audiences at menXpert.com, h2oplus.com, boots.co.uk, cleanandclear.com, burtsbees.com.

A Brush With Many Talents

There is something sweet about this. It has many talents so it is a definite multitasker. With its lacquered wooden handle and a fan that spans out to an inch-and-a-half, it begs to be held and stroked. The bristles themselves are made from the hairs of the Italian badger which gives this brush its distinctive cream with charcoal tips.


This is a pleasant brush to use. It applies and pats on setting powder, edges on contouring and lightly brushes off eyeshadow pigments that might have accidentally fallen off. All that is accomplished with its angelic light touch.

This is the Italian Badger 104 Deluxe Fan Brush from Coastal Scents. Many of you already know their online site which sells some of the most inexpensive makeup brushes on the net. So you know that this didn't cost me an arm and a leg.


Do you have a favorite makeup brush/tool? I would love to hear about it!




Photo credits: Grayburn

Beauty Tools: Fix "Disorderly Lashes"!

There never seems to be a shortage of gadgets claiming to enhance our quality of life or make life easier; especially when it comes to beauty products. I have a room full of many sensationalized gadgets that I am ashamed to admit I own.


My first reaction was of course, intrigue, when I saw the Spinlash. Like with most beauty products that I encounter, I develop almost an obsession with studying and starring at there every aspect.

This particular gadget claims to "revolve around you", as it applies mascara to your lashes. It works by rotating 360 degrees in both directions (for using on upper and lower lashes) to "declump" our "disorderly lashes". I have come across claims that this little wand has solved many clumping and separating issues commonly associated with applying mascaras. On the other hand, I also read that it is time-consuming and that the buttons 'stick' on the wand. The wand can also be used with your own brand of mascara, but it does come with a choice of black of brown mascara.

This reminds me of the rotating hair brush that we used to see on tv. I don't actually own one of those because I think it may be damaging to our hair. If any of you own one and like it though, please do share with us.

What is your opinion? Do you think that this tool will help make mascara-application easier?

Spring Cleaning - MAC & E.L.F. Quad Palettes

left MAC quad, right E.L.F. quad

With the arrival of Spring a week ago, much needed Spring cleaning in my beauty cabinet is at hand. There are piles and stacks of jars, baggies and palettes waiting to be organized, and they all have to be organized in some sensible fashion.

First off, organizing some of my MAC (M) eyeshadows. After having painstakingly de-potted my MAC eyeshadows into the MAC and E.L.F. (E) quad palettes, they are now grab-and-go ready! It is great how MAC and E.L.F. pans fit into each other's palettes. But it is even better that E's quads are cheaper than M's.

The only difference is that the M palette has an easy see-through cover and it comes in the usual sleek black packaging. Though E makes up for it by having a great mirror on the inside of the cover and a duo-ended applicator for eyes and lips.





The tray in the E palette comes off and reveals more space for a 5th pan! You could also mix and match different shapes and sizes of pans and design your own travel palettes with face powder, blush, lipstick, and eyeshadow. Just be careful when placing powdered pans together with emollient lip products as the powder will stick onto the lip product. These are great for when I travel because I can fit all the products I need into one 'day' and a 'night' palette.


Credits: Grayburn

Mineral Makeup Series - Pressing Mineral Shadows

(left to right: Cherish, Hypnotic, Rique, Champagne)

We love mineral eyeshadow for its deep pigmentation and for the range of colors they come in. The price of these good quality and highly pigmented mineral shadows can often be much lower than their pressed non-mineral counterparts. However, some of us find it intimidating to work with loose pigments because it takes a still hand and some familiarizing.

I decided to take the leap and pressed a few of my mineral shadows. I realized that the color and texture of the original shadows may be lost forever but for the sake of experimenting and future convenience, I charged ahead. The four of them are pictured in these photos and are all from Lumiere Cosmetics. Pressing shadows may or may not work with your particular type of pigments so proceed with caution and work with a little at a time. Result may vary of course but my shadows became more concentrated, creamy and vibrant after 'pressing'. This 'pressing' technique that I used actually did not require any pressing at all but you could also add the extra step of pressing them to make them more compressed. So far my shadows have not cracked nor crumbled but have made pigment shadow application more foolproof. Here are the 4-5 easy steps:



4 or 5 Easy Steps:

1. Empty pigments into a palette, pan or pot that you want your shadow to be pressed into.
2. Pour in enough rubbing alcohol to wet the pigments.
3. Stir well with a bobby pin or your tool of choice.
4. Let dry until shadows are completely dried before using (apprx. 3 hours).
5. (optional) Press pigments before they are completely dried using a sanitized coin or spoon.


Do you have any beauty DIY tips to share with us?


Credits: Grayburn

Lined Eyes (Part II)- Techniques

We have recently touched upon the different tools used for lining our eyes. Here, we will go into the different eye-lining techniques.

Techniques:

Tight-lining - For this technique, having a mirror on your table top will come in handy. It involves using a flat liner brush to push or stamp sections of lines right on your lashline. Rather than placing the line on top of your lashline as usual, find the line where your lashes sprout out from. Lift your lid up and look down at the mirror on your table to do this. This technique gives the most natural and lash-thickening line.

Waterline - This is a bit of a controversial one. Just so you know, some people don't recommend using this technique because you may risk getting an eye infection because the eye product gets very close to your eyes. Others love this method because it gives a seamless finish to your eye makeup. It is done by lining the inner rim of your lower lid. Be careful not to get any product on the inside where it touches your eyes!

In and out - Lining your eyes starting from the inside corner or from the middle of the eye outwards. Use your finger to pull lightly upwards on your upper lid to help the line go on smoothly. This is best used with liquid and cream liners because pencil liners usually have more trouble gliding along the eye.

Out and in - Lining your eyes starting from the outside and working your way inwards. This is best used with eye pencils because you work in sections until you reach the inner corner of your eye.

Connect the dots - Draw very small points along your lashline where you want to place your line. Then connect them from dot to dot to trace the shape you desire. Smooth the line over with a smudge brush to get rid of any raggedy edges.

Arabic Kohl lining method - This method takes the most practice and is probably the most uncomfortable. The kohl powder comes loose in a canister with an applicator. First you dip the applicator into the powder then close the eye you are about to line. Draw the powder along the closing of your eye (yes in between your upper and lower lid!) then blink. The powder will naturally get into your eye and cause you to blink and your eyes to water. Tidy up the smudges using your finger. This method has been used for a long time and creates a lived-in and smoldering eye. I can hardly recommend this method but I know many people who use the Guerlain Terracotta kohl liner swears by it!

Most important thing with makeup is to practice a lot and find the best technique for yourself. Don't be afraid to mix and match the techniques and tools to come up with your own method. Have fun and enjoy looking great!


Credits: adobetutorialz.com

Coastal Scents Duo Fibre Stippling Brush, Chisel Fluff/Pointed Crease Duet

A recent friendly sale at Coastal Scents has led me to a rather friendlier discovery. I said friendly because it was 20% on makeup brushes and it was only for the span of a weekend. The sale had come at the precise moment of my own growing dependence on the MAC #187 brush and the realization that I need more than one of them in my daily routine. It was also the precise moment that I realized I would be too spoiled if I had another such brush.

I am glad that some of you shared that same excitement as I had when I found out about the sale at Coastal Scents. I also saw that most of you took more advantage of it than I did! I think the time has come to have a look to see what I think of them as I have had more than enough time to give the two brushes I bought, my wear & tear tests. The two brushes I bought: Duo Fibre Stippling Brush and the Chisel Fluff/Pointed Crease Duet.

The stippling brush from Coastal Scents is pretty much the exact copy of the MAC #187 brush. It has an extremely long plastic handle and the two grooves on the metal part which fastens the brush head to the handle (as do MAC's). The hairs on both brushes have the renown softness and shape that any stippling brush should have. However, CS's version is slightly less full and more bendable than MAC's. The softness in CS's version may pose an as an obstacle when used for stippling liquid/cream products. For me, this difference is not a major hindrance and will not deter me from purchasing another one (unless much changes in the long term). There is no "stink" if you have wondered about that. The handle is perfectly steady (no wobbliness) and easy to manipulate if you don't get too close to the mirror. The only minus points are given to the shedding I experienced during my first 6 washes (so it all happened during my first week of testing).

Coastal Scents' duet eyeshadow brush is the brush I currently prefer to use to apply eyeshadows. The brush has duo-ends with one flat rounded side and the other a rounded point. The two ends are efficient and it is a quick go-to because I don't have to dig out 2 separate brushes. The rounded pointy end applies my crease colors whilst the rounded flat end smudges and blends the colors together. The bristles are certainly soft enough that they treat my sensitive eyes with respect. There has so far been no shedding and only slight mothball smell from the flat end of the brush, which I should say is diminishing over time.

If you don't already own either one of these brushes and know how little I paid for these two versatile and useful brushes, you may start to wonder yourself why you haven't already gotten your own. CS has also recently released more new makeup brushes (lots of candy pink brushes).

Both available online
Duo Fibre Stippling Brush available for 7.95
Chisel Fluff/Pointed Crease Duet retails for 3.95



Credits: Grayburn