Brushes etc.

The Makeup Brush Collective Part 2 : Brushes I use for Eye Makeup

January 11, 2017 Paris B 10 Comments

We follow on from Part 1 of the Brush Collective (where I showed you my preferred brushes for face makeup) and head to the brushes I use for eye makeup. This is rather lengthy, as there is a lot for me to show you! Not because I’m showing off, but because I use different types of brushes for different applications and there are different brushes in each category.

I was never good at applying eye makeup. I actually started out using my fingers (which I still use in a pinch especially with cream eyeshadow sticks). Over the years however, with a lot of experimentation, I’d worked out the type of brushes I liked to use for a specific purpose, simply to make my life easier. I’m no professional makeup artist and I’m not even very good at doing eye makeup, so if you’re just like me, then these suggestions may help you get that one step closer to better looking eyeshadow application 🙂

The Makeup Brush Collective Part 1 : Brushes I use for the face – Liquid Foundation and Powder

January 9, 2017 Paris B 22 Comments

I received some eagle-eyed queries not long ago about makeup brushes and why I’d stopped writing about them. Well, it’s not for want of owning them. I am still mad about my makeup brushes, in particular Japanese made natural hair brushes, but I’ve reached my optimum satisfaction point – anything after this would be diminishing utility <- economics! argh! LOL

So, I’ve stopped buying and ogling the beautifully crafted Japanese makeup brushes (my wallet thanks me profusely), and am quite content with what I own. Also, I own A LOT. It’s embarrassing for someone who isn’t even a makeup artist, nor wears that much makeup daily. So, instead of pulling them out one by one to feature here on the blog, I’m going to talk about makeup brushes as a collective.

For this week, I’ll be featuring makeup brushes I use most often for face, eyes and cheeks. I’ll show you the type of brush, so you can find other options out there if you like, to see if the type of brush suits your makeup style. I’ll also tell you in gist how I work with these makeup brushes and why I use them and why I like them, if course.

We’ll kick off with makeup brushes for the face and lest I’m left to do all the talking, please let me know what your favourites are in this category too! 🙂

Contemplating if the Real Techniques Bold Metals brushes are Essentials or just hype

February 15, 2016 Paris B 12 Comments

Real Techniques makeup brushes are among the most popular brushes among beauty buffs, primarily because they are affordable and more importantly, function very well. While I don’t own nor use any of their eye brushes, I do enjoy using their face brushes for blush and foundation. They’re soft and dense and do a good job, while being fairly easy on the pocket.

I suppose it was a matter of time before a new luxe line appeared. I remember the buzz when the new Real Techniques Bold Metals range of brushes was launched. They were pretty to look at, but much to everyone’s surprise, not light on the pocket. That resulted in a rather polarised opinion on these brushes.

While some loved them, and how pretty they looked, others felt that they weren’t up to mark and were too expensive.

I was curious about them for a while, but as with everything from Real Techniques, I had to wait until they were available on iHerb before I would buy, as I’ve found them to be more affordable than buying locally. I believe I might have gotten them when iHerb has their regular discounts on beauty products, but I can’t remember for sure, because it was a while ago. I do remember that I got free shipping by regular post, which takes up to a month to arrive to me in Kuala Lumpur from the USA, but I’m usually not fussed because regular airmail post usually escapes Customs’ scrutiny, unlike the faster DHL option, and that is more important to me. Besides, I was in no hurry. They were brushes – I have drawers full of brushes! LOL 😛

I happened to come across the Real Techniques Bold Metals Essentials collection, which is a set of 3 brushes – #103 Angled Powder brush, #200 Oval Shadow brush and #300 Tapered Blush brush. I thought it would be a good way to test out the brushes from this collection, and to see if they were worth spending money on. So, are they? 😀

When brushes need cleaning, do I turn to the Real Techniques Deep Cleansing Gel?

January 25, 2016 Paris B 35 Comments

Brush cleaning has to be up there among most makeup users/enthusiasts most loathed tasks. So often, I come across people moaning or complaing about having to wash their makeup brushes, even though we all know we have to do it, as it will get grimy with use, and that’s really crappy for our skin (breakout city!)

Personally, I don’t mind washing my brushes. I use them, I wash them. It’s like taking a shower, or doing my laundry. Sure, I hate ironing, but I do my laundry without moaning because I need clean clothes. So, I don’t quite get the loathing for brush-washing. Don’t like to wash your brushes? Don’t use them. Hands work just fine. Want to use brushes, then don’t moan about washing them.

But there are things that help us get the job done more quickly and efficiently. Stuff you can find at Daiso work just as well as mitts or palettes said to help you wash your brushes better. Ditto brush cleansers. You can get the stuff that squirts alcohol on your brushes so you don’t actually have to take your brushes to the sink, or you can clean them properly with a proper cleanser.

On one of my iHerb sojourns, I picked up a bottle of the new Real Techniques Deep Cleansing Gel. For some reason, it intrigued me. I figured this. If Real Techniques makes those affordable and pretty decent makeup brushes, they should know their way around brush cleansers, right? After all, Samantha Chapman is a makeup artist and she has to wash her brushes, I’m sure.

Well, let’s just say that although this is just US$9 (RM40), you’re better off saving that money, or putting it towards a breakfast and coffee at a hipster joint, or something just as frivolous, because I think this is meh; and I can tell you 4 alternatives that do the job better, and cost less.

Brushes etc.

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