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.

Clinique, ACW, and Drugstore.com Haul

For the most part, this entire haul is full of things that I actually needed to buy. There are a few things that I'm still going to use but can't say that I actually need. 

I've really been favoring Clinique lately for no apparent reason. I think it's because I'm starting to get out of drugstore skin care products and more into higher end skin care. I discovered a pack of Clinique for sale in one of the facebook buy and sell groups that I joined. It was a great deal to get this all (minus the bag, but it was the only other Clinique thing that I purchased) for $36 considering that the large 1.7oz size of the Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer is $47 retail. In addition to that moisturizer, I also got 2 sample size jars of Moisture Surge, a sample jar of All About Eyes, a sample jar of Repairwear Laser Focus eye cream, a CC cream that is a little too dark, and 2 sample sizes of High Impact Mascara. 

I bought the little Clinique bag from All Cosmetics Wholesale for only $3.99 and I thought it was so cute even though summer is almost over. It holds everything I drag with me to do my makeup at work in the morning, including my brushes. I've found a replacement for my little MAC bag.

Here's the rest of my haul with the majority of the things I needed. 

I like to replace my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge every few weeks and I saved $2 by ordering them in a pair. These are what I use to apply foundation and concealer with every morning.

The Korres sample sizes were less than $4, so I decided I wanted to try them. I got the eye cream and morning cream. I like trying out new skin care products, especially more expensive ones that I can get smaller sizes in before committing. 

What I really needed was my Alpha Hydrox products. I've been using the Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Retinol Night Cream for the past couple months and I needed to replace them. 

I wanted to try out the Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff roller just because I found it for cheap and I've always wanted to try a cooling eye roller ball.

Same with the L'Oreal Age Perfect Glow Renewal. This is SPF 30 and is for face, neck, and chest. I don't know if it will replace my Neutrogena SPF lotion, but I figured it was worth a go.

I purchased both Nude Nuance and Peach Nuance blushes from Estée Lauder because I regretted not getting them from the CCO when I was there earlier this month. I was just so bummed about the lack of MAC that I really didn't look at too much. I got the replacement pans to put in a magnetic palette because only the refills were available and were only $8.99 without the case. I'm sure the blush in the casing was more expensive at the CCO and I don't really need the case.

These two Tarte boxes contain Glowlight Amazonian Clay Corrective Wand in light. I got both the pens for $1.99 so I just couldn't pass that up. I haven't used too many things from Tarte because the brand is so expensive.

Also on the concealer front, I bought the Visible Lift CC Undereye Concealer from L'Oreal in Fair. It's one of the roller ball concealers, so it's different than my other concealers.

Lastly, I bought this powder compact from a brand called Darac Beauty. This is called the Sifted Blur Complexion Perfector. It doesn't seem like Darac exists any more, so I might purchase a backup if I end up liking this powder because I may never be able to buy it again.

Here's a bonus picture of Peach Nuance. I'm so excited for this blush. There's definitely going to be reviews and comparisons of certain items in my haul and I'm sure some things will end up in my monthly favorites at some point.

What's In My Makeup Bag!

I feel like I'm one of those people who's makeup bag becomes a catch all for the crap they need to carry on a daily basis. That said, I did myself the honor of removing a few thngs that don't belong, such as my bottle opener key chain, my wine key, and a handful of Jolly Ranchers.

I don't even attempt to close my makeup bag any more, thanks to that red brush handle sticking out. On days when I drag all my face makeup to work, there's even less space and a second bag.

This is the first handful of stuff.

• Inglot Brow Powder in 561
• Inglot Eye Shadow in Matte 366
• MAC 266 brush
• MAC 208 brush
• Urban Decay mini 24/7 eyeliners in Sabbath, Perversion, and Smoke
• MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara
• MAC Prep+Prime Lip
• MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Red Chestnut

And this is the second handful of stuff. Ignore my Bud Light coozie and the other junk in the background. That definitely doesn't fit in my makeup bag.

• One Hand Washes the Other (OHWTO) perfume oil in Besos Del Sol
• Real Techniques Retractable Kabuki brush
• MAC Lipsticks in Toying Around, Speak Louder, and Lady at Play
• MAC Brow Gel Creme in Dirty Blonde
• Paintbox Soapworks Solid Scent Balm in Avast!
• Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra Moisturising Hand Therapy in Citron
• MAC Sheer Select Powder in NC5
• Generic brow spoolie
• Missha lash curler

I guess for the most part these are the standard items in my bag. I usually switch out my perfume oil, lotion, and lipsticks. These are just the lipsticks I wore the last few days and I just took then out of my bag and added two different ones. 

I doubt she has one, but I want Jessica to post what's in her bag whenever she does start using one!