Show and Tell | Makeup Brushes

This is not my entire collection of makeup brushes, but these are the brushes I keep where I do my makeup and I rotate between most of them. Some of these brushes I use every day and others I use only when I need them.

My beautyblender is what I use to apply my foundation and setting powder, so I'm going to consider these like a brush. I haven't used a brush to apply foundation in about a year and I don't think I'm going back.

My NARS Ita brush is one of those brushes that doesn't get used often. Sometimes I wonder if it was a mistake to purchase this brush, but I do use it when I feel like contouring. The only problem is that I don't have a specific contour powder that I like on myself, so I end up just bronzing instead.

The MAC 109 was a brush that I never used after buying it because I didn't like it. I bought it in conjunction with something else, so I was mad that I didn't care for it. Then, I decided I was going to use it for highlighter since it was a good size. After a bit, I found a better brush to highlight with and it fell to the wayside again. Something made me pick it up to use with bronzer instead of contour and I've been using it every day since.

This angled brush is what I use for a more contoured look with bronzer. Lately I've been favoring my 109 for any type of bronzing, so I haven't been using this as much. I think I may try applying blush with it because I see that on youtube.

I used to just apply powder with my Real Techniques Large Powder brush, but lately I've been using it to blend out my blush and bronzer. The shape really allows everything to be blended out nicely.

The Sigma f30 Large Powder used to be when I used for blended out, so I decided it deserved to be mentioned. I haven't reached for this lately, mainly because sometimes it sheds little black hairs on my face that I are difficult to get off. 

I only use the Bobbi Brown Face Blender brush when I my blush or bronzer is way too heavy handed or dark and I need to blend it out without my entire face looking streaky. This is a denser brush than The Sigma or Real Techniques, which is better for blending away than diffusing the color. 

I have two Sigma f50 stippling brushes, which are both used for blush. There's really no rhyme or reason as to which one is used, although I tend to use the black handled one in my NARS palette because the brush is a little smaller and works better in those pans. 

I use my Real Techniques setting brush to highlight and I prefer to use it that way than setting my undereye concealer. I find that the brush even diffuses Mary Lou-Manizer, which is my heaviest highlighter. 

What's In My Bag | Christmas Vacation | Makeup

Here's the makeup portion of my bag from my Christmas trip. Obviously this is more exciting than skincare, so I will go into slightly more detail even though I'm sure I've talked about most of these things at least once.

I've talked about everything in this picture. The Smashbox primer is the only thing I use under my makeup. Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer is in my favorites post every month, along with my MAC Face and Body Foundation. I haven't needed to use my Innisfree concealer stick lately, but I took it with me just in case. My Beauty Blenders are the only way I apply my foundation and concealer. Both these MAC powders are pretty much my holy grail powders - the studio sculpt and mineralize skinfinish natural. 

I rarely talk about the brushes that I use on a day to day basis. I use a mix of Sigma, MAC, and Real Techniques brushes for daily makeup. I use a bronzer/contour brush, a blush brush, a highlighting brush, and brush to blend my blush and contour out, and a powder brush to set my makeup.

 
I brought my favorite mascara and eyeliner at the moment, the Make Up For Ever Smokey Extravagant mascara and the Noir black eyeliner. I've been loving my Shiseido lash curler and Inglot Pearl 450 for my brows. I also have my MAC brow brush that I use with that color.

I took along mainly nude lipsticks because I didn't want to have pink and red while in a casual family setting. I wore all five of them, two of them are Tarte, two are NYX, and the last is the Make Up For Ever lipstick from the birthday set from Sephora.

I didn't want to have to think about my blush colors, so I just brought along two NARS cheek palettes. I figured there was plenty of color choices between the two of these so that I could have some variety without going nuts over 25 different blushes. I also forgot to add my Innisfree powder in my last picture, so here it is.

And then I also forgot about these because they were hanging out in my purse. I've been loving this NYX Butter Lip Balm, so I had to pack that. I've been back and forth with my Supergoop! CC Cream. I really like it for light days, but I think I'll really start wearing the hell out of it once warmer weather hits.

Recent Collective Haul - October/November

I have some things that I've purchased over the last month or so that have collected enough to do a haul post. I just want to preface this post by saying that I definitely went overboard with the NARS blush palettes. I set out to purchase one of the past three, the one pictured here, and the brand new one, also pictured here. But I did end up buying the other two past palettes because I got them for a good deal on facebook. Those aren't pictured because I think I'll do just a post comparing all my NARS blush palettes and I had already taken the pictures for this post.

I'm also probably not going to go into great detail because a few things are going to be included in my favorites post and I'm planning on doing a hauled it but how was it? type post.

I've been blush crazy lately, so that's why all the blush. These are also the last two bronzers that I plan on buying, because unlike blush, they're all pretty much the same. I found that the Estée Lauder one is a bit too dark and orange toned for the winter, so that is getting pushed aside. The Vincent Longo bronzer is perfect for the winter because it isn't too dark and bronze, which is what I'm looking for.

This is the NARS blush palette from Nordstrom, the Joie De Vivre limited edition from a couple years back. I originally wanted the Guy Bourdin one more, last year's release, but found this one first. I will seriously never need to buy a full size NARS blush or bronzer with all these palettes.

These are my Tarte blushes in Fearless, the purple one, and Achiote, the top one. I haven't really worn Fearless because it's so dark. Maybe soon!

I got these two Sigma brushes for a fantastic deal on facebook. I rotate my F50 blush brushes now and I really like this F30 powder brush to blend out my blush and bronzer.

I picked up two more NYX matte lipsticks in Pure Red and Whipped Caviar and got free shipping on Ulta by finally buying this Urban Decay sharpener everyone raves about.

I also bought one lipstick from MAC's holiday collection in Salon Rouge. I haven't worn it or the NYX lipsticks yet.

Everyone keeps comparing the Mario Badescu Rose Water spray to MAC Fix+, so I decided to give it a go. I haven't used a spray since the summer though, so this might sit for a while longer.

I stopped into Bath and Body Works for the first time in ages and bought these two lotions, which I've been using all month. I would consider purchasing other scents, but I have a Cocoa Pink haul to do and I bought six or seven body butters so I definitely don't need any more of those.

I bought two heads for my Clarisonic because I needed to change those out. One is for normal skin and the other is acne prone skin and I've been rotating them.

I also bought another Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle because it was half off on Ulta and I knew I'd need another one at some point.

Little Clinique haul included here. Nordstrom was doing 10% off a ton off high end brands either early November or late October and I thought that was the perfect time to buy a full size of the Moisture Surge. I should have bought that Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick I was lusting over, but that was $40 and I decided to spend wisely and get some Clinique Acne Solutions instead because my skin had been freaking out.

I still want that Shimmer Brick.

The Repairwear Laser minis were a gift with purchase and I have yet to use those.

These goodies are my latest. I talked about the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask in my favorites last month and I recently bought the scrub because I liked the mask so much.

I bought another Smashbox Photofinish Primer because I'm almost out of my mini. It was on sale for 20% during Beauty.com's friends and family sale.

I also picked up that NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette because I found it new for almost $20 off the original price on Facebook. I was going back and forth about getting it, but who was I kidding? I was going to kick myself for not getting it at $50 and wanting to pay like $80 in a few months.

Then also from Beauty.com, I finally bought the NARS Ita brush! I've wanted this for the longest time, but didn't want to pay the $50 for it. So I waited for a 20% off sale and nabbed it.

Then probably one of the most exciting things I've hauled this month: beautyblender! I've always wanted to try a Beauty Blender, but I had bought a few Real Techniques sponges that I enjoyed for a while. My last order had some really weird sponges in there though and it jacked up my makeup to the point where I spent more time fixing it then actually applying it. So I decided to spend the money on the real deal. I do prefer beautyblender to Real Techniques, but I wouldn't pay the full price! I liked getting 20% off so that they were only $23 for the pair.


Whew. That's it for now! I have a couple separate hauls I wanted to do because it's a bunch of things from one brand. I'm sure the random couple things I buy until next month will collect enough to do another post eventually. After all, cyber Monday is soon and I'd rather buy things at 20% off, especially when I'm going to buy them anyway.

September Monthly Favorites

I have no idea if this is a lot of products for the month because I've never really done a favorites post before, but these are all the things I've loved this month. There are a few more things I wanted to include, but since I just started using them within the last week or so, I didn't think it was fair. If I continue to like those things then they'll definitely be included next month.

First up, I have blushes and bronzers. 

MAC Aphrodite's Shell - I've used this bronzer almost every day this month. This was something I regretted not picking up from the Alluring Aquatic collection...and then I bought it for $10 less on a buy and sell group on facebook. This is by far one of the better bronzers that I've used and I've kind of gotten the hang of bronzing thanks to this.

MAC Sea Me, Hear Me - Once again, something I regretted not buying from Alluring Aquatic and then purchasing elsewhere. I used this the beginning of September and most of August. I love the color and sheen of this blush. It does have to share the spotlight since I have enough blushes to not use the same one every day.

MAC Pink Sprinkles - I bought this Simpsons blush after Sideshow You and ended up using it more than Sideshow You. Even though I did love both the Simpsons blushes, I feel like this one was a better color for the month. I love all my blushes, so it's hard to pick favorites since they can't all be in a post.

Estée Lauder Peach Nuance - Admittedly, I didn't use this too much this month but I love it so much. I loved it the minute I opened the package. Is love at first sight a thing for a blush? I realize I've only owned this for like, 2 weeks, so I'm completely jumping the gun on this one. But it needed to be here. Because it's fabulous.

Sigma F50 Stippling Brush - I'll be frank about this one. I got this brush for free. Sigma sent me it as a free when I ordered three eyeliners that I dislike so much and can only locate the most hated one. I don't own any other Sigma brushes, but I've always wanted to buy some. Anyway, this is the most perfect blush brush in my life. I had been using an angled blush brush, but I decided to go back to this one when using a super pigmented blush. It's great at diffusing out the color so that it's perfect. I want to buy a million or another one, but it's $26 so...no. I'll just wash this a bunch. It doesn't hold color since the hairs are so wispy.

MAC Face and Body Foundation in N1 - Let me first say this: I have not used another foundation since buying this. I've tried mixing it with other foundations and BB Creams, but I haven't used anything else. It's not heavy on the skin and it gives a nice, natural finish. Everything else I've use makes my face look like I have makeup on and it breaks up at some point during the day. I've currently been mixing in Illamasqua Skin Base, but I can't consider that I favorite since I've only used it three times. The only downside to this foundation is that I think I'm going to plow through it. It's on the watery side so I have to use a bit more to cover my face. But you get 1.7oz and the standard foundation is usually 1oz, so I think that will balance out.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser - This is the pink brightening shade. Sometimes I'll use this alone and other times I'll dab it over another under eye concealer. I don't think it really covers up, but it does a good job concealing darkness and brightening. It doesn't settle in my eye creases and if I'm feeling brave, I don't have to set it with powder. I also like the foam applicator. It's supposed to be antimicrobial and I prefer this to the brush style clicky pens. 

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - This is what foundation dreams are made of. I also have a Maybelline version of this primer, but I feel like this is just better. The Maybelline one will pill up on my skin a little bit if I use it too close to when I applied moisturizer, but this one doesn't. I'll probably buy another or a larger size when I run out, but it seems like it's going to last a long time. I just love that it makes my face feel smooth and that smoothness translates into my foundation also feeling smooth.

Tony Moly Panda's Dream Goodbye Dark Eye Corrector - This isn't a concealer, although I thought it was when I purchased it online. It's a white lotion based primer, similar to the feeling of MAC's Prep+Prime. I do like using this under my eyes for a little more slip and moisture during the under eye concealer process. I feel like my concealer holds up better when I use this.

Innisfree Mineral Stick Concealer - This is something I rediscovered when I was going through my makeup organizer. I was starting to fall in love with MAC's Studio Finish concealer when I found this and I like it better. It's a perfect match for my skin and it covers dark spots really well. It's also less messy than a liquid concealer or a cream concealer. I also love this to carve out my uneven bottom lip when I wear a dark lipstick. 

It's Skin Babyface Soft Bright Eye Stick - This is another concealer I rediscovered by accident. I was rushing to pull my Innisfree stick from the organizer I have my concealers standing it and this one came out instead. I didn't really have time to look for the other one, so I just used this. It also covers up dark spots well and I think it's neck and neck with my Innisfree one because I can also use this to brighten. It isn't straight pink like the Maybelline, but it's just pink enough to match my skin.

MAC Dirty Blonde Brow Gelcreme - This is basically the only thing that I put on my brows every day. I'll comb my brows into shape with a spoolie, apply this with light strokes with my 208 or 266, and then comb out the extra product. Sometimes I'll top this with a red powder if my hair is really bright or with a tinted brow gel if I just need a little more hold. This is excellent. I'm surprised I hated it at first, but now I'm in love.

Baviphat White Grape Lifting Yogurt Cleansing Foam - I was going through a box of skincare when I rediscovered this cleanser. I really like using this with my Clarisonic because it's nice and creamy. I'll sometimes mix this with a light salicylic cleanser, but I mostly just use it on its own. I'm sad that it's almost gone, but I have so many cleansers I need to use up that I can't repurchase right now.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - This is seriously my knight and shining armor. I just dab this on any breakouts I have at night and they're usually reduced in the morning. The only downside is that this is pink, like calamine lotion, so it's definitely not discrete at all. It also isn't a miracle worker, but it does help. 

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer - I've used this every night since getting it and I love how moisturizing it is. I'm also wondering if this is what cleared my skin up this month since I haven't really been using any acne products, but I don't think that's what the purpose of this moisturizer is.

Paintbox Soapworks Clean Slate Emulsifying Facial Scrub - I only use this in the shower a couple times a week because it's a little rough and I don't like taking it off with a washcloth because of the sugar grains. It's basically a polish for your face and it leaves my skin nice and soft after I use it. It also has really great ingredients like tea tree, and I love tea tree.

Anosa Tea Tree Herbal Toner - Speaking of tea tree, here's another. I use toner twice a day and I prefer and recommend Asian style toners. American toners are drying and strip your skin. These toners just add that little bit of extra moisture and don't dry out my skin.

Ten Products I Regret Buying

Everyone inevitably buys a few things they let sit around and collect dust. As someone who likes to try new products on a regular basis, I have plenty of things kicking around that I either regret purchasing or dutifully use and will definitely not repurchase.

These aren't in any particular order, so I'll try to follow the way they're arranged in the photo.

Kuan Yuan Lian Acne Deep Sodium Salicylic Milk - Okay, this isn't necessarily the worst thing I've ever bought, but it doesn't really work and the actual product is extremely watery. I've used more than half of this and I'm definitely not buying it again. I already have a fairly decent acne product line from Etude House that I prefer. 

MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage - I've used this plenty, but I really don't think a lotion based primer with subtle glitter is worth $30 because...THIRTY DOLLARS. Why did I buy this again? I don't even know if I want to finish it off because I'm really loving my new Smashbox primer.

Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Pack in Red Wine - I originally thought the packaging for this was cute, because it's a wine barrel. There is another type of this sleeping pack made with white wine for acne prone skin, which I'm sure I would have liked better. I bid on both through eBay and ended up with this version. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's like smearing grape jelly on your face. Do not like. Will not finish. Won't even try the white wine one, which is lotion and not a gel.

Philosophy Purity Cleanser - I bought the very small bottle of this to try out when Nordstrom was having a site wide beauty sale. So many people talk about this cleanser so I thought I'd give it a shot. It's an all right cleanser. It gets the job done, but I wouldn't be interested in a larger size. The small 3oz was $10 before my discount and the next size up is 8oz at $23! I have more than enough cleansers to last past the new year so I don't need to buy this one again.  

Lioele Water Drop Sleeping Pack - This is one of those products that will probably get used but won't be repurchased. I'm not even kidding when I say it was one of my first Korean skincare products. It was great when I bought it and the water drop effect was really cool, but it isn't as moisturizing as my other night creams. I only use this when I'm staying somewhere overnight and don't want my face to be a greasy mess when I wake up. 

Inglot Lip Palette - Don't get me wrong, I love Inglot as a brand and I also really like the lipsticks I own from them, but I seriously never use the THREE lip palettes that I own. It has nothing to do with the colors or formula, I just prefer a lipSTICK to a lip palette. I don't like using a brush and touching up lips with an entire palette is just a pain. I'm actually sad about this one because I do like the colors I own and these were pretty spendy.

Milani Shadow Eyez Pencil in Champagne Toast - I hate this. I used it once and couldn't get even color on my lid. I figured this would be more travel friendly than a pot of cream eye shadow, but it didn't work for me. The color that did get on my lid never set and I had to take it off. I like other Milani products, but I won't be trying this in any other colors.

Sigma Eyeliner in Focus - I could not get this to show up on my eye no matter what. Maybe it's because it's a lighter shade, but it swatched great on my hand. It also dragged when I tried to apply it to my lower lash line and was gone almost immediately. I have another color in this formula and I don't hate it as much as this one.

MAC Beauty Powder in Shell Pearl - I have a decent amount of MAC products, so it seems appropriate to not like them all. There's a few I've sold and plan on selling, and this is the next one in the pile. It's just not my color and it's way too shimmery for my cheeks. 

But that's only NINE, you say?

Never fear, I also regret buying pretty much every lip product I own from Covergirl and Revlon. It's honestly not that I hate these, it's just that I never wear them. I guess I hate the Covergirl ones more because they've dried out a bit and now slide out of the twisty tubes, whereas the Revlon ones don't. I've never had good luck with Covergirl products in general so this doesn't surprise me. I also don't wear lip gloss anymore, so it seems silly to own so much of it. I think since I only wear lipstick when I'm working that I'll try wearing lip gloss when I'm not. I just hate trashing products that I've spent money on. 

That's it. I'm sure a favorite post at the end of the month with redeem some of these brands listed here.