Hey guys! Today I'm posting a video tutorial of this earthy, brown with a pop of color look I did using my Nuance palettes. Hope you enjoy! (Skip to 1:18 for tutorial.)
Products Used:
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer - 3
MAC MSF Natural - Medium Plus
Nuance Eye Quad - Smokey
Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara- Black
Stila Blockbuster Palette - peachy blush
Nuance Lip Quad - Warm
Tools Used:
Stila Brush #30
Sonia Kashuk Travel Brush
MAC 217 Brush
ecoTools Powder Brush
All for now! How do you incorporate color into your look?
Love, Val
Showing posts with label brushes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brushes. Show all posts
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Natural, Cruelty Free Drugstore Goodies!
...What could be better?
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| Yes To Cucumbers Facial Towelettes, EcoTools Bamboo Powder Brush |
The title, explained -
Natural: The Yes to Cucumbers wipes are 98% natural; the EcoTools powder brush is from natural and recycled materials.
Natural: The Yes to Cucumbers wipes are 98% natural; the EcoTools powder brush is from natural and recycled materials.
Cruelty Free: I don't think many of you know this, but I've been only buying cruelty free makeup, hair products, and body products (working on skin care and tools) since around the start of 2011. Neither of these products was tested on animals, and the brush contains no animal hair.
Drugstore: I picked them up at Walgreens!
I hope you enjoyed this quick lil' post! Any interest in a review of either product?
Love, Val
Saturday, June 18, 2011
My 3 Essential Brushes
Hey guys! So lately, I've been realizing that I reach for the same brushes over and over again: my Sigma F80 for face, my MAC 168 for cheeks, and my MAC 217 for the eyes. Here I'll give you a review and overview of each brush!
Sigma F80 Brush
Design: Flat-topped, synthetic bristles densely packed in a circle.
What it does: Perfectly blends out concealer, applies foundation or tinted moisturizer, or applies cream blush.
Why I love it: It cuts down so much time in my getting-ready routine! I especially love it for blending out concealer - the finish is flawless without losing coverage. See my review.
MAC 168
Design: Softly angled, super soft natural bristles; just enough pressure to pick up blush.
What it does: Beautifully applies bronzer as a contour, blush, and highlights! It's versatile too - turn it on its side for a thinner line, or use it wider to cover the apples of the cheeks. (See my 168 tutorial here!)
Why I love it: It's so convenient to have one brush for every cheek product!
MAC 217
Design: Domed, flexible bristles in an ellipse shape.
What it does: Easily creates an eye look! Can be used in the crease, on the lid, for blending, highlighting, or even under the eye.
Why I love it: Again, convenience wins out here! The quality is outstanding as well.
All for now! What are your favorite brushes??
Love, Val
I received the Sigma brush for review; I am not being compensated, nor am I affiliated with Sigma.
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| top to bottom - F80, 168, 217 |
Sigma F80 Brush
Design: Flat-topped, synthetic bristles densely packed in a circle.
What it does: Perfectly blends out concealer, applies foundation or tinted moisturizer, or applies cream blush.
Why I love it: It cuts down so much time in my getting-ready routine! I especially love it for blending out concealer - the finish is flawless without losing coverage. See my review.
MAC 168
Design: Softly angled, super soft natural bristles; just enough pressure to pick up blush.
What it does: Beautifully applies bronzer as a contour, blush, and highlights! It's versatile too - turn it on its side for a thinner line, or use it wider to cover the apples of the cheeks. (See my 168 tutorial here!)
Why I love it: It's so convenient to have one brush for every cheek product!
MAC 217
Design: Domed, flexible bristles in an ellipse shape.
What it does: Easily creates an eye look! Can be used in the crease, on the lid, for blending, highlighting, or even under the eye.
Why I love it: Again, convenience wins out here! The quality is outstanding as well.
All for now! What are your favorite brushes??
Love, Val
I received the Sigma brush for review; I am not being compensated, nor am I affiliated with Sigma.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Review: Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki
So a couple weeks ago Sigma sent me their Sigmax Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki. After testing it out for a while - I've used it for foundation, bronzer, and blush! - I've compiled a review for you all. Enjoy!
Basics
This brush is from Sigma's "Sigmax" collection, meaning it is dense and synthetic. These brushes were made to be used for high definition makeup and flawless application of liquid, powder, or cream products.
Design
Unlike most kabukis, this brush has a handle. The bristles are short, very dense, and firm but flexible. This makes the brush excellent for stippling or buffing. Also, the bristles are super soft, a total plus in my opinion!
Washing
This brush washes quite easily. Wash it as soon as you get it to eliminate shedding (I haven't experienced any after the first wash.) Using the white bristles on makeup will leave them stained, but it's easy to fix. Just buff it into a towel with brush shampoo and water, and your brush will have white tips again.
Application
Foundation - This brush is excellent for liquid foundation. I've found it makes application a lot quicker than a typical "flat" foundation brush. Simply distribute the foundation, then buff or stipple your way to a clearer complexion. (I haven't tried it with cream foundation, and the brush is too dense/small for powder foundations, which work better with fluffy brushes.)
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| stippled foundation onto a mirror using F80 |
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| buffing foundation onto a mirror using F80 |
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| what a flat foundation brush does |
Cream Blush - I'm so glad to have finally found a brush for my cream blushes! Pick up some blush, apply it to your cheeks, and blend well. Be sure to spread the blush well; the brush doesn't cover a whole cheek.
Powder Blush - This isn't the best for most powder brushes; the firm bristles pick up a lot of product instantly, so you'll likely end up with "clown cheeks!" If you are very cautious it can work, but I'd recommend a fluffier brush instead.
Bronzer - For dramatic, chiseled cheeks, this brush is great. Try using the brush with bronzer around the borders of your face (hairline, temples, cheekbones, jawline). With a lighter hand, you can achieve "everyday" contouring as well. However, this brush cannot replace a fluffy powder brush for lightly sunkissed cheeks.
Overall
This is a great addition to any brush collection. If you're looking for a way to 1) apply your liquid foundation, 2) apply your cream blush, or 3) chisel out your face with bronzer, this is the brush for you!
Where to Buy
Purchase this brush for $16 at Sigma's website. They ship internationally!
Love, Val
This brush was sent to me for free from Sigma. I am not being paid to do this review. All opinions and words are my own.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
How To: Highlight, Blush, and Contour
Enter my giveaway if you haven't already!
Hello readers! I hope your summer is going well. So today I have a bit of a tutorial for you all on cheek makeup - highlight, blush, and contour. You can do all three things with an angled blush brush; I use the MAC 168, but Sigma, Essence of Beauty, and Sephora carry angled blush brushes too. I only got the brush in the first place because I knew if I was going to invest in a MAC brush, it needed to be multifunctional, and the 168 seemed like the best choice. (If you don't own an angled blush brush, any ordinary blush brush will do.) So without further ado - the tutorial!
1) Contour. Find the hollow of your cheek (the slightly concave area next to your ear) and follow it for about two inches. (If you have no hollow just follow the line from the top of your ear to your mouth.) This is the line you'll want to contour along. Dip your angled brush into a matte bronzer a few shades darker than your skintone - I used Benefit Hoola - and contour along that line. Use your fingers to blend until the line appears natural when in full view. Your face will now appear slimmer and better structured - the contour gives the illusion that your cheekbone is casting a shadow. Cool, huh?
2) Blush. Clean your brush on a paper towel and this time dip it into the blush of your choice (I used Benefit Coralista). Smile to find the apples of your cheeks, and using short downward strokes apply the blush all along your apples and up to your temples. Be sure not to put the blush too high and blend with your fingers if necessary. This will bring a dose of color to your cheeks.
3) Highlight. Clean your brush again, but now select a highlight color. For light skin tones, I'd recommend a pink-toned highlight; for medium skin, more of a champagne color; and for darker skin, a golden highlight. I like Naked Lunch eyeshadow by MAC. Pick up some product again and sweep it across your cheekbones at a 45 degree angle, right on top of the blush. This will add a healthy glow to your face.
Done!
Hope you liked the tutorial! I've been loving putting emphasis on cheek makeup lately and hope you try it out.
Love, Val
Hello readers! I hope your summer is going well. So today I have a bit of a tutorial for you all on cheek makeup - highlight, blush, and contour. You can do all three things with an angled blush brush; I use the MAC 168, but Sigma, Essence of Beauty, and Sephora carry angled blush brushes too. I only got the brush in the first place because I knew if I was going to invest in a MAC brush, it needed to be multifunctional, and the 168 seemed like the best choice. (If you don't own an angled blush brush, any ordinary blush brush will do.) So without further ado - the tutorial!
1) Contour. Find the hollow of your cheek (the slightly concave area next to your ear) and follow it for about two inches. (If you have no hollow just follow the line from the top of your ear to your mouth.) This is the line you'll want to contour along. Dip your angled brush into a matte bronzer a few shades darker than your skintone - I used Benefit Hoola - and contour along that line. Use your fingers to blend until the line appears natural when in full view. Your face will now appear slimmer and better structured - the contour gives the illusion that your cheekbone is casting a shadow. Cool, huh?
2) Blush. Clean your brush on a paper towel and this time dip it into the blush of your choice (I used Benefit Coralista). Smile to find the apples of your cheeks, and using short downward strokes apply the blush all along your apples and up to your temples. Be sure not to put the blush too high and blend with your fingers if necessary. This will bring a dose of color to your cheeks.
3) Highlight. Clean your brush again, but now select a highlight color. For light skin tones, I'd recommend a pink-toned highlight; for medium skin, more of a champagne color; and for darker skin, a golden highlight. I like Naked Lunch eyeshadow by MAC. Pick up some product again and sweep it across your cheekbones at a 45 degree angle, right on top of the blush. This will add a healthy glow to your face.
Done!
Hope you liked the tutorial! I've been loving putting emphasis on cheek makeup lately and hope you try it out.
Love, Val
Sunday, July 11, 2010
How To: DIY Makeup Brush Holders!
Enter my giveaway if you haven't already!
Hello blogging world! Sorry it has been so ridiculously long since I've posted. Eleven days, to be precise. And I feel awful about it. But... (excuse time) I was on a week long vacation in Vancouver, which has the best shopping by the way!
So I'm back, and I hope to cram in a bunch of posts before my next vacation in a couple weeks!
Now on to the topic at hand... how to make your own makeup brush holder. Now, I've wanted a brush holder for ever, as my brushes were taking up space where makeup should've been. A trip to Sephora inspired this post, because they store their brushes so fabulously in clear containers with clear beads to hold the brushes in place. Well, in the dollar section at Target today I found some cute little pails that looked appropriately brush-sized, causing me to look for something to fill them with. I found some small stones called 'vase filler' which work amazingly. Now the rambling ends and the how-to begins!
1) Materials. First you'll need a container (I have two, one for face brushes and one for eye, but it's up to you). Try Target or office supply stores; anything from pencil holders to small vases will do. Just make sure your container is tall enough to support your brushes. Next, you'll need something to fill the container with; I'd recommend looking for 'vase filler' (available at Target and craft stores), which varies from rocks like mine to marbles and beads. You can choose from a variety of colors and styles, but I'd recommend relatively small beads for more comfortable brush storage.
2) Fill your container. Put the filler into your container, filling about three-fourths or four-fifths of the way.
3) Put your brushes inside and you're all set! It's that easy! You now have a cute brush holder. :)
Hope you enjoyed and are having amazing summers! Leave any requests you can think of. Also, thanks to all my followers, new and old, as well as everyone who's commented on my posts! Your support keeps me going and gives me a smile every time. :)
Love, Val
Hello blogging world! Sorry it has been so ridiculously long since I've posted. Eleven days, to be precise. And I feel awful about it. But... (excuse time) I was on a week long vacation in Vancouver, which has the best shopping by the way!
So I'm back, and I hope to cram in a bunch of posts before my next vacation in a couple weeks!
Now on to the topic at hand... how to make your own makeup brush holder. Now, I've wanted a brush holder for ever, as my brushes were taking up space where makeup should've been. A trip to Sephora inspired this post, because they store their brushes so fabulously in clear containers with clear beads to hold the brushes in place. Well, in the dollar section at Target today I found some cute little pails that looked appropriately brush-sized, causing me to look for something to fill them with. I found some small stones called 'vase filler' which work amazingly. Now the rambling ends and the how-to begins!
2) Fill your container. Put the filler into your container, filling about three-fourths or four-fifths of the way.
3) Put your brushes inside and you're all set! It's that easy! You now have a cute brush holder. :)
Hope you enjoyed and are having amazing summers! Leave any requests you can think of. Also, thanks to all my followers, new and old, as well as everyone who's commented on my posts! Your support keeps me going and gives me a smile every time. :)
Love, Val
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Makeup Haul!
Hey all! So a couple weeks ago I placed some makeup orders at Amazon and Dulce Cosmetics (a very inexpensive brand recommended here), and now that I've had some time to test them out I'm doing a haul! Enjoy!
From left to right, top to bottom: boi-ing concealer, baked powder, muffin cake blusher, baked blusher, essential eye brush kit, brilliant fusion palette, eyeshadow trio, duo lip gloss and liner, and liquid eyeliner pen.
1) First is Boi-ing Concealer by Benefit in 02. I bought this concealer because I'd gotten a sample of it before and LOVED it! Boi-ing is a cream concealer that is great for undereye circles, redness, and blemishes. When I use this I skip the foundation.
2) Next, Dulce Cosmetics baked powder in 02, a sheer, marbleized powder that instantly mattifies my skin. I like to buff it in with a powder brush.
3) Now Muffin Cake blusher by Dulce Cosmetics in 04. This is a really pretty blusher, marbleized between light gold and pink, and it shows up as a nice peachy flush.
4) This is Dulce Cosmetics' metallic blusher in 04, but I like using it as a bronzer! This is great for that shimmering, summer glow.
5) Now for a change of pace, some brushes! This cute Sonia Kashuk essential eye kit comes with five eyeshadow brushes: a large eye shadow brush, an angled bush, a sponge applicator, a crease brush, and a smudge brush. While shorter than I expected, these brushes do the job much better than what I previously used (the applicators shadows come with or my fingers)!
6) Possibly my favorite purchase, Dulce Cosmetics' brilliant fusion eyeshadow palette in 02 is a gorgeous mix of pigmented shimmering neutrals, perfect for an everyday or formal eye.
7) Now another eyeshadow by Dulce Cosmetics, their Viva Trilogy trio in 05. I bought this shadow on a whim, and I'm glad I did, because the shimmery red, brown, and pink are great for a glam party eye!
8) Next, Dulce Cosmetics' duo lip gloss and liner in 05. While the lip gloss is pretty standard, I do like the frosty pink color, and the brown liner it comes with is actually really nice as a casual eyeliner.
9) Finally, PenAbsolute liquid eyeliner by Dulce Cosmetics. This is my first liquid eyeliner ever, and I was surprised at how easy it is to get a nice, thin line. The pen applicator is definitely a plus for us eyeliner beginners!
That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed the haul, and check out some more photos after the jump!
Love, Val
1) First is Boi-ing Concealer by Benefit in 02. I bought this concealer because I'd gotten a sample of it before and LOVED it! Boi-ing is a cream concealer that is great for undereye circles, redness, and blemishes. When I use this I skip the foundation.
2) Next, Dulce Cosmetics baked powder in 02, a sheer, marbleized powder that instantly mattifies my skin. I like to buff it in with a powder brush.
3) Now Muffin Cake blusher by Dulce Cosmetics in 04. This is a really pretty blusher, marbleized between light gold and pink, and it shows up as a nice peachy flush.
4) This is Dulce Cosmetics' metallic blusher in 04, but I like using it as a bronzer! This is great for that shimmering, summer glow.
5) Now for a change of pace, some brushes! This cute Sonia Kashuk essential eye kit comes with five eyeshadow brushes: a large eye shadow brush, an angled bush, a sponge applicator, a crease brush, and a smudge brush. While shorter than I expected, these brushes do the job much better than what I previously used (the applicators shadows come with or my fingers)!
6) Possibly my favorite purchase, Dulce Cosmetics' brilliant fusion eyeshadow palette in 02 is a gorgeous mix of pigmented shimmering neutrals, perfect for an everyday or formal eye.
7) Now another eyeshadow by Dulce Cosmetics, their Viva Trilogy trio in 05. I bought this shadow on a whim, and I'm glad I did, because the shimmery red, brown, and pink are great for a glam party eye!
8) Next, Dulce Cosmetics' duo lip gloss and liner in 05. While the lip gloss is pretty standard, I do like the frosty pink color, and the brown liner it comes with is actually really nice as a casual eyeliner.
9) Finally, PenAbsolute liquid eyeliner by Dulce Cosmetics. This is my first liquid eyeliner ever, and I was surprised at how easy it is to get a nice, thin line. The pen applicator is definitely a plus for us eyeliner beginners!
That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed the haul, and check out some more photos after the jump!
Love, Val
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