BRUSHES

Monthly Favorites!

February 5, 2017

Just a quick post on the weekend rounding up some of my favorite products over the past few months. Some have already been reviewed, and some are recently acquired that I fell in love with.

Clockwise:

1. Dior DreamSkin Perfect Cushion Foundation – Out of all the cushion foundations I have, this one is my top HG as it just enhances the skin to perfection! Not quite a foundation, more of a skin perfector – Reviewed here.

2. Suqqu Dual Ended foundation brush – This is the latest brush released by Suqqu, and you will never go wrong with them!

3. Zovea Nude Eye Shadow Palette – Been reaching out to this affordable palette a lot for an array of beautiful neutral shades in different finishes, and it is especially great for travel. Reviewed here.

4. Chanel Le Rouge Lip Crayon – Best formulas for lip crayons ever! Reviewed here.

5. Cle De Peau Radiant Fluid Foundation – It gives a beautiful natural radiant second-skin finish that lasts the whole day. Review to come soon.

6. Sisley Double Tenseur Moisturizing Gel – My HG daytime skincare lotion as well as a makeup primer that hydrates and lifts the skin instantly. Reviewed here.

7. SK-II Genopitcs Aura Essence – A hydrating and brightening serum that gives the skin a beautiful radiance and glow. It truly works overnight as well as over the long run. Review to come soon.

8. Baby Quasar MD Plus – Can’t live without this tool and even got my mum hooked on to it. It is expensive but it’s the best beauty investment I have ever made for anti-aging treatment at home. It’s easy to use and gives a pro-salon result over a short time. Review to soon.

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Labels: BABY QUASAR • Beauty Tools • BRUSHES • CLE DE PEAU • DIOR • My Favorites • SISLEY • SKII • SKINCARE • SUQQU • ZOEVA

Chanel Les de Mini Travel Brushes 2016 Review

December 10, 2016

I have been looking for a perfect set of travel brushes for a very long time, and finally, I was able to get my hands on the uber luxurious Les Mini De Chanel Travel Brush Set 2016. Chanel only releases mini brush sets (LE) for the Holidays, and they tend to sell out fast every year. I have had travel brush sets from MAC (which I do not recommend), and this Chanel is of much better quality and feels more luxurious! This set is now sold out at most stores but you can still buy them at Chanel Online (also available here in Australia).

The mini brush set comes with a signature pouch, and decent sized Chanel mirror and a set of 5 exclusive brushes including powder, foundation, 2 eyeshadow and 1 lip brush. This set pretty much covers all the essential brushes that I need when I travel, also I probably will carry another spare blush and eyeshadow blending brush. Having this set has greatly downsized the amount of beauty items that I need to bring with me.

All 5 brushes are of superior quality and the bristles actually are of the same quality and feel as Chanel’s original sized brushes, unlike MAC where their mini brushes are made of less superior hair compared to the MAC full sized

Brush Description (from right to left as in the above pic)

1. Powder brush (natural hair) – This is one of my favorite brushes from the set. The brush is so big and full of volume for a “mini brush”. The brush is round and tapered, and the bristles feel soft and fluffy, which is good for applying loose and compact powder.

2. Foundation brush (synthetic hair) – Compared to the previous releases, this set has an exclusive foundation brush in an innovative shape that had never been seen from Chanel before. Everyone is very interested in this spiral brush. I was told by the Chanel SA that it is designed for applying makeup primer as well as the liquid foundation. Simply pour the liquid foundation/primer to the center hole of the brush, and swirl over the face for an even and flawless finish. It is an interesting design, and the finish is on par with a kabuki brush.

3. Smudge and Blending brush (natural hair) – Has a tapered dome shape, and is great for applying, blending and smudging the eye shadows. Size is similar to the Chanel brush #19 (reviewed here) and the legendary Suqqu M brush. (reviewed here).

4. Contour Eyeshadow brush (natural hair) – Similar to a pencil brush. It has a slim tapered brush head and is great for precise application and working around the corners. Can be used with powder or cream eye shadows.

5. Lip brush (synthetic hair) – It has a flat shape and the size is just perfect for a precise and controlled application.

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Labels: BRUSHES • CHANEL

ARTIS Brush Review – Oval 6 and Circle 1R Elite Mirror Finish

November 27, 2016

As a beauty blogger, I am always intrigued by new and innovative products. Since the Artis brushes look very much state of the art, and the price point is acceptable for a high-end range, I decided to give them a try. My first order consisted of two most essential brushes for me – the Oval 6 Brush as a foundation brush , and Circle 1R for eyeshadow blending. The performance of these brushes has completely blown me away and surpassed my expectations. I have a fair share in premium brushes such as Suqqu and Tom Ford, but I have never used brushes that deliver such wonderful pro results in a very easy way.

The Artis Brush comes in 4 different designs. I have them in the Elite Mirror Finish design from Net-A-Porter, which has the handle made of silver metal in mirror finish with a white rubber in the middle for easy grip. NAP also carries the brushes in an ultra glamorous gold design and the Elite Smoke design in silvery grey color. Neiman Marcus carries their own exclusive line – the Artis Fluenta that comes in a completely different handle design (with the same brush heads). At the moment Neiman Marcus is offering SPEND and RECEIVE Gift Cards up to $750 (more details at the bottom of the post) from their Cyber Monday deal with eligible beauty purchase including the Artis brush.

Each Artis brush comes in an individual box with full instructions on the back. The look of the brush is beautiful in an expensive way and futuristic. All bush is made of their patented velvet soft CosmeFibre bristles, that is revolutionary engineered fiber made for applying cosmetic and makeup products. The bristle is very fine (finer than the synthetic flat top brush) and is extremely dense and feels soft. All of their brushes can be used with products of different textures such as cream or powder based, and each brush can be used for different purposes.

The Oval 6 Brush (fluenta version here) is recommended to use with foundation, blush, bronzer and concealer. I personally think it is the most amazing for applying foundation, as it is the perfect size and shape, and it gives an airbrushed and flawless finish with all types of foundations. It has an oval design (about the same size as a conventional kabuki foundation brush) with a flat top head. Unlike any other foundation brush, this brush gives a completely streak-free finish, and in the mean time it doesn’t sheer down the coverage and opacity of the foundation as with a beauty blender or sponge. Normally it would take me at least 2 and 3 different ways to achieve the same result as with only this brush! Can’t gush enough about it.

The Oval 6 also works well with other cream-based products such as concealer or cream blush for the face. As with powder blush, it works great with a sheer blush. For a vibrant blush, it is not the most ideal tool for me as it picks up a little too much pigment due to the density of the brush.

It didn’t love using the Oval 6 for powder application as much as with cream-based products, surprisingly with the Circle 1R brush (Fluenta version here), it has once again blown me away for applying and blending powder eye shadows over the crease area. This brush has a dome tapered tip that gives a softer finish. The application is like a breeze. All you need is to dip the brush into a neutral color, and swipe it across the crease area and it gives a perfectly blended pro result! It leaves no harsh edges, no patches. Another must-have brush that I highly recommend.

The shape of the brush is quite versatile, as you can use it for the eyes for either blending or shading, and it is even ideal as lip and concealer brush.

Bottom Line: Pure love. I love them so much so I have bought several more brushes from the range. Will be reviewing them in the near future. My friends have been asking me what Artis brush should they get, and I highly recommend to them the 5 brush set because they are of better value and they will not let you down. If you really just want to get one or two brushes, then 6 and 1R are the most versatile from the range in my opinion.

Here is the Cyber Monday Deal from Neiman Marcus

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Labels: ARTIS BRUSH • BRUSHES

My 6 Best Eye Shadow Blending Brushes

September 11, 2016

I love doing top 5 (or more) picks posts, and today I am sharing some of my ultimate favorite eye shadow blending brushes. If you ask me to pick only a few favorite lip colors, it will be nearly mission impossible, but with brushes it’s a relative easy job as I tend to reach out for these brushes all the time, and I just know that my makeup routine will not be the same without them! They are suitable for all budgets, ranging from the most premium high end such as Suqqu, to the very affordable brand from the rising star Zoeva.

From left to right:

Suqqu M, Chanel Large Tapered Brush #19, Tom Ford Blend Brush, MAC 217, ZOEVA 227, Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush

All of these brushes are of very high quality, even though they are priced differently because of the type and source of bristles, where they were made and the packaging along with the brand name. However in terms of usability, they all stand the test of time and will last you at least 10 years of use. I have had each of them for a very long time, and none of them shed hair, change shape or fall apart.

MAC 217 – Using the MAC 217 as the standard blending brush. Needless for me to say how useful this brush is for eye shadow application, and you can find my detailed review for MAC brushes in this post.

ZOEVA 227 Soft Definer – If you love the MAC 217, you will love this ZOEVA brush made with goat hair which pretty much feels and works the same. The hair softness is similar, with an oval shape, but a tad more flat than 217 which is great for working the color into the crease. I love ZOEVA brushes in general which I have hauled a lot lately – they are affordable with a big selection, and I find that the quality is on par with MAC. Each brush comes in an individual zip bag.

Edwass Bess Luxury Eye Brush (available here in Australia) – This is the star product from his line. I have had this brush for more than 5 years. It boasts the same dome shape as the MAC 217, but slightly larger and feels softer and more dense against the skin. It is a powerful blending brush that gives lots of resilience so it blends eye shadow effortlessly. I normally like to use this brush for applying a neutral color over the entire eye crease area, and it only takes 1 to 2 strokes for the color to distribute evenly and seamlessly.

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Blend Brush (bought here in Australia) – The ultimate luxury eye shadow blending brush you could ever find, as the packaging and the handle feels so luxurious and precious that makes you not want to ever use it! Once you overcome the ‘obstacle’, you will find this is such a practical blending brush. The bristle is made of premium super soft goat hair, and it is all hand made in Japan. It is about the same size as MAC217, but the head is more tapered for a more precise application. It’s particularly great for blending the color just along the crease, and blending multiple colors.

Chanel Large Tapered Blending Brush (exclusive to Chanel.com only) This is best-seller out of the entire Chanel brushes collection. I was actually on the wait list for a while until it became available again. All Chanel brushes have black bristles, except for this exclusive edition with white bristles which makes me adore it even more! It’s made of goat hair, and is made in France. It’s a cute and ‘chubby’ blending brush compared to the MAC 217. The brush head is more rounder and dense with shorter hair, and it picks up lots of pigments which works perfectly with eye shadows that do not have intense color payoff. If you always want a brush that is tad smaller than MAC217, then this is the one to look out for.

SUQQU Brush M – Last but not least, leaving the best at the end. The Suqqu is the crème de la crème, as it has the softest squirrel hair that feels non scratchy even on the most sensitive skin. It is a smaller blending brush (same size as the Chanel) with a tapered end. The ultra fine and silky soft bristles deposit the pigments softly on the skin, so it is the best for applying dark colored eye shadows to create perfect shade gradation, as well as allowing for precise application around the eye corners. I have a post for the entire Suqqu brushes.

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Labels: Beauty Tools • BRUSHES • EDWARD BESS • MAC • My Favorites • SUQQU • Tom Ford • ZOEVA

Makeup Talk – The MAC brushes you need in your life

April 3, 2016

This post is getting back to square one – talking about the very basic and essential makeup brushes that everyone needs in their makeup kit. I have been blogging for years, and I hardly get a chance to share my thoughts on the essential products, and introducing them to girls who just started their venture into the fancy makeup world which can get confusing. I am a makeup brushes collector who started collecting brushes from the mainstream brands, and later advanced into more premium brands. Not everyone is willing to buy brushes from the very exclusive brands such as Suqqu and Chikuhodo, and this post is inspired by my most frequently asked question from my girlfriends “What MAC brushes should I invest in”.

Why starting with MAC..? Perhaps it’s to do with their successful brand image and a lot of their products truly stand the test of time. I have had some MAC brushes for more than 10 years and they are still in good condition. Though I am having a lot more options these days , the MAC brushes in this post are still the most used and practical, and I highly recommend them in a heartbeat to everyone.

Starting with Eye makeup brushes. MAC offers an abundance of options for eye makeup brushes – some are nice to have, and some are absolute essentials in my opinion. I have lots of them, and the must-haves for me are:

1. MAC 217 Blending brush – If you can only have one blending brush, make it this one! I have 3 of them – one for blending powder eye shadows, one for applying cream eye shadows, and one as a stand-by! Perfect size for blending color across the eye lid, and it’s soft but not super soft so it picks up pigments easily and does a good job for blending with some degree of resistance.

2. MAC 224 Blending Tapered brush – Bigger, less dense and more fluffy than 217. This brush picks up less pigments, and it is great for applying a sheer wash of color. I mainly use it for applying shading color to the eye socket area all the way to the upper nose bridge for contouring. Very easy to use and it’s fool proof!

3. MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending brush: The 3rd blending brush you need is the MAC 226. It’s slightly slimmer, smaller, more dense than 217, and it has a more tapered pointy end which gives you better precision control. Great for blending the colors in the crease area.

4. MAC 219 Pencil brush: Pencil brush is for drawing lines then smudging it for a softer blended finish. This is a firm and dense brush so it picks up lots of pigments, and the pencil shaped tip allows precise application around the eye corners and along lash lines. Absolutely must have if you like to smudge a soft wash of color along the lower lash line.

5. MAC 227 Large Fluff brush: Last but not least for blending, the MAC 227 is magical! It’s a big, fat and round-shaped brush that is the best brush for softening any harsh lines. All you need is to dab a beige color and blend it under the brows for a cleaner eye makeup look.

6. MAC 239 Eye Shader brush: Having a couple of shader brushes is also essential, and you can’t miss MAC 239. Perfectly designed for laying down the shadows on the lid and prevents fall out to build a more intense finish.

7. MAC 242 Shade brush: Designed for laying cream based color. It’s made of synthetic fiber, quite soft and very flat, and I like to use it for packing on the colors on to the eye lids, or drawing lines using the tips. It can also be doubled as a concealer brush over smaller areas. MAC also have the bigger sister version 252 which is more ideal for applying concealers than eye shadows.

Face Brushes – I have less recommendations for the MAC face brushes than their eyes. Simply because I think there are much better options from other brands for face brushes, so I have only picked a few that I absolutely love.

MAC 168 Large Angled Contour brush: If I could only have one MAC face brush, it would be the 168! I have had this one for more than 10 years and it is being used on a very frequent basis, and the condition is still excellent! It’s very soft, doesn’t shed, and it’s a versatile brush as it can be used for applying blushes, as well as for buffing highlighting/shading colors for contouring purposes with the slanted angle design.

MAC 129 Powder and Blush brush: A good and basic design for a dome shaped blush brush. It has the right size and shape for multiple ways of application for the cheeks, as you can use it in a swiping motion, or pat it and swirl it for a wash of color effect. The full rounded shape gives an even and smooth finish. Not the softest brush, but it means it will pick up the pigments from even the most sheer blushes.

MAC 130 Short Duo Fiber brush: Stippling brushes are great for buffing face colors into the skin in a natural effect, and it works well with both powder and cream products. I love the size of 130 and the flat-top design, as it is perfect for blending concealers for under the eyes areas, or applying highlighters over the T-zone, and applying cream blushes over the cheeks!

MAC 159 DuoFiber brush: Another super versatile brush. The paddled-shaped brush is great for applying foundations and concealers for a natural finish. Also works well for applying a sheer wash of powder and cream blushes. Overall you can pretty much do your whole face with this brush! Experience slight shedding during the first few washes.

In Australia, the MAC Brushes are available here online.

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Labels: BRUSHES • MAC

Holiday Wishlist – Beauty

November 11, 2015

I always get really excited during the months leading to the Holidays, as there are so many beautiful makeup releases and gift packs during this time of the year. I have been devouring online as well as hauling here and there at the stores over the past weeks, and here is the wishlist I came up that will put a big smile on every girl’s face!

1. Suqqu LE Christmas Kits – This holiday season Suqqu has released two limited edition kits – each kit includes an eye shadow palette, a gel eyeliner pencil and a 50ml makeup remover in a lovely tweed pouch. As usual they are selling out extremely fast, and I have purchased both sets (this and this) as I love the design this year. Along with the Christmas Kits, Suqqu also released the Murasaki Dahlia set (sold out within minutes), and a glamorous Kimono set.

2. Giorgio Armani has just released a set of new premium makeup brushes that are hand-crafted in Japan – now available in the US and UK. It is interesting to see how these brushes are made by the Japanese artisan in this video. I absolutely can’t wait to try them out once they become available in Australia! Another palette that I am highly anticipating is the Giorgio Armani Luxe is More Palette.

3. Guerlian Winter Fairy Tale Holiday 2015 Collection – needless for me to say how crazy this collection is. The must-have products are the LE Meteorites Pearls and the Rouge G Collector Lip Color which have probably been all sold out worldwide. If you are interested in Australia, the Meteorites Pearls are on back order for a limited number at the David Jones Sydney store.

4. The iconic Burberry Military Red lip color now comes in a limited edition gold packaging. Also loving the new Eye Color Cream in festive gold.

5. The highly coveted Charlotte Tilbury Life Changing Lash Curler can now be purchased individually! On Nordstrom in the US.

6. Head over heels with this new Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color range (available here in Australia) – love the colors and the highly intense and moisturizing formula of this new range

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Labels: BRUSHES • Giorgio Armani • Holiday 2015 Collection • SHOP • SUQQU

How To Clean Makeup Brushes like a Pro

November 2, 2015

One of my most frequently asked questions is how do I clean my makeup brushes, and I’ve finally decided to put together this big post about everything I do to keep my beloved brushes in their pristine condition.

There is no such one product that fits all. I use different types of brush cleaners based on the brush functions, types and colors. I don’t always go for ‘professional brush cleaners’, and I don’t mind using shampoos to clean the brushes that are made of natural hair. At the end of the day if this shampoo is good enough for my own hair, it is also good enough for a brush!

When to clean your brushes and how often

Ideally, it would be good if you can clean/wash your brushes once a week. If you don’t have the time, another good indication is that when you find the bristles of your brushes are no longer as soft as they originally are, or you notice your makeup has an oily film on top that hardens the powder, which is normally due to the grease from your brushes being transferred to the powder.

Tools

I’ve only recently started washing my brushes with the Sigma Brush Cleaning Glove, and I love it to bits! It has 2 designs – one side for cleaning the face brush, and the other side for cleaning eye makeup brushes. The glove is made of soft silicone, and each side has different patterns and textures for different uses. It is definitely a very useful tool for a deeper and effective clean, and most importantly, it cuts the washing time in half!

There are a lot of rinse-free brush cleaners in the market that allows you to clean your brushes on the go. It is very convenient to use, and is recommended to be used to clean the brush after each use. I normally spray some on to a paper towel (cotton pad and tissue are not as good as they can become fluffy) and swirl the brushes multiple times till the colors are removed. If you have brushes made of white hair, this is a very important cleaning job to keep the bristles white for as long as its possible. Otherwise the pigments will stain the white hair if the color is not removed immediately. My picks are the MAC Brush Cleaner, Shu Uemura Brush Cleaner, and the very affordable cleaner from Daiso. They all contain a bit of alcohol so they also help to disinfect the brushes.

Foundation Brush

Foundation and concealer brushes take the longest time to clean in my opinion. They are normally made of synthetic hair, and there is always a lot of build up over time. I like to use a bit of makeup oil just to dissolve the grease in the first wash, and followed up by a shampoo for a thorough wash. My current favorite is the QV gentle shampoo or ECO Store Baby Shampoo to wash synthetic hair brush – they are gentle, chemical free and forms a rich lather which is great for washing the dense brushes and removing oily makeup products from the bristles.

Natural Black Hair brush

I have invested in a lot of premium brushes such as the Suqqus, Tom Fords, CHIKUHODOS etc . Since they are all made of premium natural hair, I like to use an organic animal shampoo to wash these brushes. My current favorite is the John Masters Organic Pet Shampoo; other pick is the Aesop. They are all made of 100% organic natural ingredients so they are safe to use on expensive brushes. They also contain some conditioning agents which are great for keeping the bristles soft, glossy and protected.

Natural White Hair brush

As mentioned above, I always use a rinse free brush cleaner to remove the color pigments after each use, and every few weeks I wash them with an organic shampoo. If you want to make the white hair even whiter and cleaner, or if there is any tough stain to remove. I have a great tip from the MAC MU – the SARD Wonder Soap literally gets rid of everything and makes the hair incredibly clean and whiter. However it does tend to dry out the hair a little, so I suggest to apply a little bit of lightweight conditioner for another rinse.

Sponges

Sponges and powder puffs should be washed more frequently than brushes. My everyday sponges include the Beauty Blenders and the Shu Uemera Sponge (can’t live without them!). I always wash them with the Beauty blender Cleanser which is made of all natural ingredients. Recently I discovered a very cheap makeup sponge cleaner by Daiso Makeup Sponges Detergent.

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Labels: Beauty Tools • BRUSHES • JOHN MASTERS • MAC • Shu Uemura • SIGMA

Tom Ford Flawless Powder Foundation Review and Swatch

October 19, 2015

Compact foundation is one makeup item to splurge on as the high end brands are far more superior than the drugstores. Whether you wear it as a full foundation or simply for makeup retouching, the new Tom Ford Flawless Powder Foundation ticks all the criteria for probably the best you can get in the market now.

It comes in Tom Ford’s signature ultra luxury case. The enclosed sponge has two different textures – the smooth side for a sheer application, and the velvety side for a fuller coverage application.

Texture and Finish

I was blown away the first moment I felt the product at the counter – it has the silkiest, most finely milled powder texture. The powder foundation blends in to the skin seamlessly, and applies evenly with no creasing nor patches. The coverage is equivalent to a sheer-medium foundation. If you apply the powder foundation with the enclosed sponge, or a fluffy powder brush, it sets even more natural than a normal liquid foundation. The finish is a clean and poreless version of ‘your-skin-but-better’ and semi matte that lets your own skin’s radiance through. For a fuller coverage, I prefer to apply it with a kabuki brush (or a flat top brush) that would cover most of the mild imperfections. The finish is flawless and porcelain-like in a natural way but not cakey and heavy.

Shade Cream

Lasting Power

As the weather is getting hotter in Australia now, I particularly love wearing this foundation as it is more mattifying than my other foundations. Lasting power is about 6-8 hours on me with very little oil coming through at the end of the day for my dry skin. It also doesn’t oxidize, crease nor settle into the pores throughout the day. For makeup retouching, the powder foundation also applies well on top of your existing makeup. If you have cream based products underneath, I would wait till it dries then apply the powder foundation on top. Otherwise they will not blend well.

Shade Reference

I am between NC15-NC20, and I bought the Tom Ford Powder foundation in shade Cream which matches me perfectly. I pulled out some other powder foundations including the YSL Touche Eclat Powder Foundation B10 (reviewed here), Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Powder Foundation B10, Tom Ford finish powder in Ivory Fawn (reviewed here) for comparisons.