January Favorites⎪Makeup Highlights

It's a little late, so even though I'm posting this as "January Favorites", it's more like makeup that I've been enjoying recently.

I kept the usual ones out of this post because I mention them all the time, products like Estee Lauder Maximum Cover foundation or my Hourglass Arch Brow Pencil. I wanted to add new favorites and products I haven't mentioned in awhile.

Products I've been loving for a long time but haven't mentioned recently: Perfekt Brow Perfection Gel. I love this stuff. Another long time favorite is the Nars lipstick in the shade Honolulu Honey. It really is a beautiful peach nude that works well with my skin tone. (See the swatch here) Love, love it! And finally, this product isn't "new" in that I've already featured it on my blog here but it is fairly a new discovery so I thought I'd best mention it. It is the BeautyBlender makeup applicator.

As for new products, I have quite a few - ones I have never mentioned on my blog before.

You know I've been obsessed with primers right? I mean just the past year, I've used three different kinds of primers for the face. And even still, if I hear about a good primer, I am willing to try it. They make all the difference in the world when it comes to how you look throughout the day. This really cute packaged primer called Egg Pore smooth balm from TonyMoly is a pretty darn good primer! It is meant to be used where you are oily and where your pores are visible. It has a tightening effect because of the egg that they use. It also contains other ingredients that helps clear the skin as well as keeping the makeup on. The egg and camellia extracts controls sebum and oil production. Because it is a balm type, it is amazing in smoothing over bumps, pores, and wrinkles! Above all else, it smooths the face and keeps makeup lasting long and that's what makes it pretty amazing. You can get this on Amazon.

Another new product that I've been in love with is Chanel's "Inimitable Waterproof" mascara. Oh goodness, where do I begin with this mascara? I guess I'll begin by saying that I love that it keeps my curls on... all day. I have thick straight lashes. I don't even expect my eyelashes to curl, let alone, stay curled. The last time a mascara kept my curls was the ByTerry mascara that they stopped selling. After that one exorbitant priced mascara, I went back to be okay with straight lashes. But then, I discovered this and just was amazed.  Read the review here.

A lip product that I'll do a separate post about is the HolikaHolika Waterproof Tint Stick. This thing is something I've never tried before - a tint that takes things to another level. Really. You'll have to take my word for it until I write an in-depth review because... it's that good.

Finally, an eye palette that I love because of its versatile use is the Pony x Memebox Palette 1. I love that some of the shades can be used for contouring and even brows. You can create so many looks with this one palette. You can read more about it here.

Leave a Comment beautyblender, chanel, holikaholika, honolulu honey, korean makeup, mascara, Nars, perfekt, Pony, primer, tonymoly

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Makeup Tools⎪BeautyBlender Review

There are some products you put away because it doesn't work out the first time, but then for some reason you pick it up again and find that it works miraculously! That was the case with this small makeup applicator - the famous BeautyBlender.
I'll tell you why I love this thing, what I don't like about it, and how I use it to make it work for me.



How to Use: It's pretty simple. When you first buy it, it is literally one third the size of what you see in these pictures. You kind of pump it under running water, and it expands. After that, you can squeeze the excess water and then go straight to applying makeup.

How to Cleanse: This is where I found it so hard to keep using this the first time around. I felt like it was so hard to completely wash this clean because it kept soaking up the soap and foaming up more and more. But with the Dr. Bronner's cleansers, I just rub and pump until I find that the visible signs of makeup are gone. It might take more than a single rinse to get all the soap out. It takes me about five pumps and squeezes to make sure that all the cleansing foam is removed. (Beauty blender do their own cleansers, but I find that what you use for makeup brushes also works well with this sponge)

What I love about it:

• Great when applying heavy coverage foundations, something like my all-time favorite Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation 
• When using foundations that are high in coverage with a more matte/velvet finish, this applicator makes your skin look more bouncy so you don't look too dry
• You know how annoying it is to wait for your brushes to dry after cleansing? Well, I love that you're supposed to use this damp so right after you cleanse it, you can go straight into applying makeup with it! 

What I don't like so much about this:

• Not a lot, I have to say. But I do find that I use a bit more product than I would if I used a brush. 
• I don't recommend using this with really watery foundations, but that's just my preference.
• Not the best kind of shape to place it anywhere on your vanity. I find it rolling around everywhere. 
• The pink coloring still comes out every time I cleanse.

This is definitely coming out in my January favorites! 

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BRUSH CLEANING ROUTINE!

I have long used the BlenderCleanser to clean my makeup brushes. However, it is a bit pricey and although it doesn't say so specifically, I thought it would also help kill bacteria as it cleanses. Recently, I've seen a few beauty bloggers talk about using the Dr. Bronner soaps to clean their makeup brushes. They are significantly cheaper than the BlenderCleanser, and because they are known to be this "magical" soap for anything and everything, even the face, I thought it would be more effective in killing bacteria. For all those who aren't diligent about cleaning your brushes, oh please do! Just think about how much bacteria is infesting the inside bristles, and how you would be transferring them from face to product, back and forth back and forth! Yucky! So, I'm all about getting them clean for both 1) clean skin, and 2) better makeup application and finish!

I bought the purple/Lavender Dr. Bronner soap, in their largest size. It was only $18, which is also the price of the regular BlenderCleanser size. That cleanser did last me about a year and a bit more, so I won't complain. But hey, look at this size! It'll last forever :)

I did my first cleanup today using the Dr. Bronner soap. It is indeed very effective in taking the crusted makeup off (ew...) and you do need a small amount.

What I like to do for foundation brushes, since those are the brushes I use the most and would probably have the most product in them, I take an empty plastic cup and fill it 1/4 with a few drops of the cleanser and water, mixed together. Then, I soak in the brushes for a minute or two. While those are soaked in, I go in to clean the easier ones-- smaller brushes.

For the smaller and easier brushes I use either a small plastic plate or a plastic cup again. I do the same. Mix cleanser and water together. Then, I swirl several all at once in the cup/plate. You can see it all foam up and the color coming out. Depending on how much product is in the brush, sometimes you'll need to do just one time or two. After I do the "cleansing" process, I go on to rinsing them.

Again, under lukewarm water, I rinse off each brush quickly but efficiently. Rinsing is so important, for obvious reasons so I make sure that even when I swirl the brushes in a cup full of just water, there is no foam or extra color coming off! If it still foams in just water, you know you haven't rinsed fully enough!

Then I go back to the harder brushes and do the routine maybe two times, until I peek inside the deep ends of the brushes and see they are all CLEAN. They need to look new and fully without product. This cleanser it good at it, but make sure you do them thoroughly.

I once used a brush cleanser from Sephora and goodness! No matter how many times I swirled and swirled and swirled, the products in the deep inside bristles would NOT come off! So, I know to get effective makeup brush cleansers now. BlenderCleanser really was good, but the more affordable option seemed to be this Dr. Bronner one! Besides, the BlenderCleanser was mainly made for their sponges, although they do say you can use it for both sponges and brushes!

To dry: I lay them so that it doesn't become flat on only one side. Then, (though not shown in pictures) I lay a long sheet of toilet paper on top of the clean brushes so that dust won't settle on the wet brushes and also so that the cheaper brushes that have its bristles sticking out can lay flat but without making the whole thing brush bend downward!

Leave a Comment beautyblender, blendercleanser, brushes, cleanser, dr.bronner

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Wishlist #1

Christmas is approaching and I've grown quite a list of beauty products I am repeatedly tempted to buy. I actually have more bits and pieces, but I shall hold them back. Most of these are affordable (I am pressuring you guys ** friends and family** to get me these) and nothing too difficult to buy. Now, of course, if I were to buy them all in one buy, this would be wholly excessive. Nonetheless, I would if I could. I absolutely love these products and I would love love to try them all!

1. Laura Mercier 'Ambre Vanillè' Soufflé Body Crème
  
2. Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation
 
3. Nars Contour Powder in Laguna (or Casino)            
4. Ciate Velvet Manicure - Berry Poncho' Set
     
5. Bobbi Brown 'Choose Your Black' Long Wear Eye Pencil
          
6. Laura Mercier 'Mosaic' Shimmer Bloc            
7. Nars Blush "Desire"

8. CAUDALÍE 'Indulgent' Body Set ($45 Value) for $28
     
9. Dior 'Diorskin Nude' Natural Glow Sculpting Powder (BEIGE PRALINE 020)

10. Dior 'Diorskin' Ultra Shimmering Allover Face Powder (Amber Diamond)

11. diptyque 'The Art of Body Care' Set

12. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish SPF 15 Foundation

13. BeautyBlender Sponge

14. Dior '5 Couleurs Iridescent' Eyeshadow Palette
15. Laura Mercier 'Fresh Fig' Eau Gourmande
16. NARS 'Andy Warhol' Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner

What are some products on your wishlist? :)

Leave a Comment beautyblender, bobbi brown, caudalie, ciate, dior, dior beauty, diptyque, fragrance, laura mercier, Nars, wishlist

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Review⎪Blendercleanser for Makeup Brushes

For the May 2012 "Gossip Girl" Special Birchbox, I received a blendercleanser deluxe sample in my box. I wasn't all too pleased with the box, hence I unsubscribed. But for what I paid, I thought I'd give each product a try. I recently tried the blendercleanser makeup brush/sponge cleanser to clean my makeup brushes. I know this product was specially made for their beautyblender makeup sponges, but since I don't own any and they say it's good for makeup brushes as well, I thought I'd give it a go.

I usually use Sephora's brush shampoos to clean my makeup, and I was never entirely happy with the results. But I simply thought it was just "how things were". However, when I tried cleaning my brushes with this new product a few days, I realized it wasn't "how things were" but simply the fault of the product I was using!

This brush shampoo seriously does the job so well! It's also lightly scented so it does give a bit of treatment to the entire process. I'm thinking their website would a better job in describing what the product is like so here it is:

Blendercleanser is a 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.

I've loved how quickly the makeup is removed from the brushes, and how thoroughly it does the job! I used to dread cleaning my brushes because it would take about 30 rinses to get the soap and content out. This is quick and easy, and even after the cleaning-- I can safely say that the brushes are non-irritant and you don't have to worry about the product of the cleanser potentially irritating the skin! (P.S. I have sensitive skin!)

Loved it so much, I went and got the full size... I think... (180ml) and will use this to clean all my makeup brushes now on!

xx

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