Category Archives: makeup brushes

It’s Sunday! Have you washed your brushes?

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Here are the brushes I used this week.  I actually washed and conditioned my natural hair brushes!  I hadn’t conditioned them in ages.  I used my Daiso Cleanser For Puff and Sponge on my synthetic Sigma Kabuki and concealer brushes (it’s too harsh for natural hair brushes).  I used a gentle, SLS-free shampoo and a silicone free conditioner on the natural hair brushes (rinse extremely well if you do this).  All good!  They are sticking over the ledge of the shelf over an air conditioning vent.  🙂 We are ready for next week! 

  
When was the last time you gave your brushes a little TLC? 

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How to reshape a makeup brush 

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So, yesterday, against my better judgement, I used a cleanser on my MAC 210 Precise Liner Brush that was probably too harsh.  I wanted to get out dried gel liner, so I used a cleanser I usually only use on synthetic brushes for really tough to get out emollient products (this is a natural hair brush).  Anyway, when I woke up today after letting it dry overnight, it was splayed all over the place and I was mad as hell, since this brush is new and I probably should have known better.  Anyway, I have used a method in the past for reshaping brushes with boiling water, so I thought I would give it a shot before giving up on a new brush.

I took an old beat up coffee cup (nice spoon marks there) and boiled water in the microwave.  I dipped the brush tip in for a few seconds…

 
Lifted the brush out, let it cool a couple seconds so as not to burn the crap out of myself, and re-shaped the brush tip with my fingertips.  DONE.  

  

It’s really that easy!  I’ve done this with the MAC 242 synthetic eyeshadow brush before too, I just made sure not to leave it in long enough to melt the bristles.  It works pretty well, if your brush is in a salvageable state.  Of course, sometimes you have to know when to let one go, LOL! 

FYI, you can do this with artist’s paint brushes, too! 

Hope this helps someone!  

$10 off every $50 you spend at MAC Online – perfect time for me to get a few brushes! 

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So, MAC Cosmetics just launched a new website redesign and they’re doing something they’re not at all known for – they have a coupon code going on for $10 off every $50 you spend, plus, you can chose from 3 free samples.  (Hey, with free shipping, why not make separate orders and try different samples?) I had just sold a few things on eBay and decided this was the time to replace the 210 super-extra-skinny eyeliner brush (Ok, I made up that name) and try 2 eyeshadow brushes I always wished I had – the 217 Blending Brush and the 239 Eye Shading Brush.  I picked a sample of Strobe Cream and got $10.00 off my order!


For many of you, these shadow brushes are already staples; however, I still feel I should do a review on these later.  Just feeling them in my hands, they are about 300,000 times softer than the Crown and Makeup Geek brushes I’ve been using – although we know that doesn’t necessarily mean better, so the proof will be in the test!

I had already used the 210 liner brush…for so many years, actually, that I killed it dead.  Welcome home, new 210.  Nobody makes a brush as skinny as you.  I shall never stray again!

Here’s the code!  It’s good until 11:59 on June 22.


What are your go to eye brushes?

How I learned to love the MAC 190 foundation brush

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I’m a former MAC artist…ok, that was many years ago, but I still use some brushes by MAC (as well as many by other less expensive brands).  The 190 foundation brush is a flat, paddle shaped foundation brush that has always vexed me a bit when I try to use it with liquid foundations, especially ones with a texture like Studio Fix Fluid that can be prone to streaking.


The MAC 190 foundation brush is a natural fiber brush (horse hair) and great for application of liquid and creams, but blending was where I was having a problem – this is because I was using back and forth “painting” type motions to work the product onto the skin and continued trying to blend this way.  Eventually, I became disenchanted with my somewhat streaky results and stopped using this brush altogether, which sucks, because it’s expensive ($34.00 USD).  One day I was feeling bummed out about it and started looking around YouTube for some tutorials on how to get better use from this brush.  Low and behold, Wayne Goss (I love him!) had tips including using the side/tip to stipple and pat any streaky texture away once the product is on the skin, working in small areas of the face.  This absolutely works wonderfully!  I feel like I’m having a renewed love affair with an old brush now, as I have gotten my 190 out and have been using it for days.

Awesome!


MAC 190 brush with Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in Porcelain with MAC 134 brush and Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder in Translucent

Have you rediscovered any old favorites or learned to love something you thought you didn’t like?

It’s Sunday – time to organize and clean!

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So, if I can get to it, I usually wash my brushes on Sunday (unless I haven’t used them much).  This weekend I’ve been cleaning a lot and today I rearranged my new makeup desk setup (I recently moved EVERYTHING across the room because I decided standing up is for the birds). I’m sure I will keep moving it around because I cannot seem to get good lighting even with 2 lamps and a lighted mirror.  Well…I got the cheap one…not the $200 one…ah, that’s a post for another day.

Last night as I kept dropping things while getting ready to go see Fury Road (holy shit, Kristin, you were right, OMGGGGGGG), I got sick of my desk space being taken up by my brush roll, dropping things, etc, so I went back to my cases and vase filler I put together with supplies from Michael’s.  In no time, I will be sick of dust and random cat hairs…there is no winning when it comes to brush storage.  (And yes, I’m running a brand new air purifier in here!) 

  
That’s an obscene number of brushes.  Some aren’t even shown here.  I take really great care of them, though, and most of my MAC brushes are about 13-14 years old – no lie!!  If you invest in quality brushes and care for them properly, it’s a worthwhile investment.  That’s not to say there aren’t some cheap gems out there – see that $1 ELF concealer brush?  I spot conceal with it nearly every day.  There are some Sonia Kashuk and Eco Tools brushes in there, too, along with the MAC and Sigma.  You might even spot one or two detail brushes from the art store! 

What brushes are your favorite?  Any special tips for how you store them? 

And now, your moment of fail

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I recently ordered some stuff from NYX from their Memorial Day sale.  Some sweet warehouse person saw that I ordered a black eyeshadow and threw in a freebie pencil brush – how nice!  As I was snipping off the plastic wrapper, the brush slid down in the package…


Well, it’s the thought that counts.  Sigh.

Have you ever had an un-boxing disaster?  This is not my worst one, by far.  I once stabbed a pair of scissors right through the fabric of a corset.  Luckily, it was a cheap one (giggle)!  Yes, yes, I know…each time I swear I will pay better attention!

MAKEUP BRUSH SALE – CROWN BRUSH

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Ok, before I get started, let me just say that I am in no way affiliated with Crown Brush; actually, Kristin and I aren’t sponsored by anyone and don’t get PR samples or anything.  Now, onto the excitement:  LOOK what I saw on Instagram earlier:


image from Crown Brush Instagram

Now, let me just say, many things aren’t just 40% off – a lot is 60% off!  I just got 11 individual brushes for $25.00.  Let’s put that in perspective.  My MAC powder brush was $40.00 (ok, ok, but I had my last one for over 10 years).  Now I realize Crown Brush can be hit or miss according to the grapevine, but the synthetic eye brushes I’ve gotten from Ipsy have been great, so here we go!  Let’s give it a shot.  I’ll let you know how they do.

This way to the sale!