The makeup brush guide

Hello everyone,

I have a guide post for you which is going to be all about makeup brushes, I think I want to make this a regular thing now and then talking to you about anything beauty retailed, and my guide to the perfect products for beginners etc. This one is going to be all about makeup brushes that are just perfect for you to complete a full face of makeup!

The Foundation Brush -

The foundation brush that I swear by and always have since the day I bought this is the, Real Techniques Buffing brush which you can find in the core collection set. The buffing brush has synthetic bristles which makes it perfect for building up coverage, and is great for any type of foundation from liquid to mineral, this will give you a natural look which can be builded. This makes applying foundation so quick and easy, but it doesn't take it streaky or uneven. This set is a great one but this is by far the best brush it in. (£21.99 - link)

The Makeup Sponge - 

Makeup sponges are something that I have vernally turned my nose up because it just reminds me too much of them triangle ones, that just collect all the foundation instead of applying it. But the Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge is unlike no other! This is a unique one because of the shape of it, this has a rounded which is perfect for larger areas of the face and quicker application, where I use a dabbing motion, then the tip of this is great for the smaller areas, for example under your eyes and covering imperfections and lastly you've got the flat side which is great for around your nose and eyes. This sponge is best used damp, ideally use cold water and keep squeezing out the excess water for perfect application. (£5.99 - link)

The Concealer Brush -

When it comes to concealer I chop and change between two, the first one is the Real Techniques contour brush, which you can also find in the core collection kit. This brush is perfect for around your eyes and nose especially, because of the smaller size but it's tapered and applies the product while blending it at the same time. When it comes to blemishes the Real Techniques deluxe crease brush which is available in the starter set, this is a good one as it's denser and smaller, this is great for redness around the centre of the face but is great for pin pointing concealer, this blend the concealer while applying it in specific areas. (£21.99 and £20.99 - link and link)

The Powder Brush -

I'm not too fussy when it comes to powder brushes then some people are, but the one I go back to all the time is the EcoTools powder brush, this is an affordable brush but makes applying powder quick and easy as it cover the face but isn't so big that you have no control over this. This is a soft brush and is perfect for any type of foundation from pressed to loose, it applies the powder evenly and gives a smooth finish to the skin.(£9.99 - link)

The Blusher Brush -

Finding the perfect powder brush hasn't been easy for me, until a few years ago when I came across the EcoTools Precision Blush Brush, this is the perfect size to get the product onto the brush to begin with, and fits very nicely in Benefit Boxed powder but this makes applying blush a quick process. The colour application that you can get form this brush is perfect, the unique shape is small enough to fit on the cheeks and it's oversized so it applies the product where you want it to go. Also a quick mention, when it comes to cream blush I tend to use the Real Techniques Stippling brush as it's quick to use, but it blends cream products real quickly without leaving your foundation looking streaky. (£7.99 and £11.99 - link and link)

The Contour Brush -

One of my favourite brushes of all time is the Real Techniques Sculpting brush! This brush is perfect for controlling especially because of the shape, it has a flat and wide head which makes it super easy to control and add definition to the face, it's perfect for cream and powder products! This applies the product effortlessly  as well as blending out at the same time. I have recommended this for a few friends and they are as obsessed as I am! Finding a control brush hasn't been easy because I wanted one that wouldn't apply it harsh, but one that is build able to alter the shades and this is the brush! (£9.99 - link)

The Bronzing Brush -

I don't tend to use bronzer too much but when I do the Real Techniques blush brush is perfect, simply because it's a fluffy and tapered brush which applied the bronzer in a more natural and effortless way simple because it's big enough so it's great at dispersing the bronzer making it more natural. But with the brush being tapered it allows you to apply the product then it blends at the same time, this allows you to also do your bronzer in hardly no time! (£9.99 - link)

The Highlighter Brush - 

For Cream highlighter I use the Elf Small stipple brush, as I find duo-fibre brushes best for cream products as it blends them much nicer without leaving you looking streaky and unnatural. This brush is so cheap but is amazing, this is also the perfect size and shape for highlighter and applies the products where you want it to go. Then for powder highlighter and everything in between, I use the Real Techniques duo-fibre contour brush which you can find in the duo-fibre kit, this is the perfect size for highlighter and picks up the right amount of product without looking over the top, especially when it comes to your highlighter! This blends the product and makes everything a much quicker process. (£4.50 and £23.99 - link and link)

The Eyebrow Brush -

I use a range of products for my eye brows from cream to powder and the best brush is the Anastasia Beverly Hill #12 brush, this is great for your eye brows because it's small enough for precise application, and it also comes with a spoolie at the other end! I will never look back now, and won't use any other brush when it comes to my eye brows! (£15.00 - link)

The Cream Eyeshadow Brush -

When it comes to cream eyeshadow and bases, such as Mac paint pots I use the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush which is available in the starter kit, this is the perfect brush for applying cream products as it just blends them so quick and effortlessly! Nothing looks unnatural and streaky, it makes the cream eyeshadows blend really nicely, as well as making everything look even and flawless. (£20.99 - link)

The Eyeshadow Brushes - 

When it comes to eyeshadow the best brushes I have found are the dual ended brushes from EcoTools which is called the Eye Enhancing Duo Brush Set. These two brushes (in actual fact four brushes), give you everything you need to complete an eye look it comes with a shade, define and blend and smudge! Everything you need for a daily look, these make eye shadow a lot easier to do as it helps the shades blend a lot nicer, but it applies an even wash of colour all over the eye and for the price you can't go wrong! (£6.99 - link)

The Blending Brush - 

The last brush is an eye blending brush, which is the Mac 234 this is just the perfect brush for blending eyeshadow as it is a split fibre brush, one side offers you a natural side which gives you a softer and more natural look, while the synthetic fibres gives you the option to use this side for applying colour onto the lids while giving you a perfect look. This brush is such a hand brush, because you could essentially do your whole eye look with this one brush if you was in a rush, just perfect while giving you a lot that has no harsh edges. (£21.00 - link)

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My Favourite Brow Products

Hello everyone,

I am going to talk to you about my favourite brow products, apart from Blush and Lips, brows are my favourite part of doing my makeup, simply because they make so much of a difference to any look, they are a key staple in my makeup routine. I personally think everyone should do something to their brows, wether it's just shaping or filling them in, it makes such a difference and makes everyone look a bit more out together, they stand out and change/shape your face.

Maybelline Brow Satin Brow duo (£5.99) - This is a great drugstore eye brow product and it's a very unique one. This has a pencil on one end which is perfect for shaping, then you have a sponge with brow powder on to fill in your brows. This is very good and gives natural definition to your brows, perfect for beginners who are just looking for natural definition. Link

Anastasia Brow Wiz (£15.50) - This is a very staple brow product as in pencils are the easiest to use and the most common, a lot of people may own this because it is very easy and convenient. This has a brow brush on one end to distribute the product and to blend harsh lines, this needs to be used with a light hand as pencils can come across very unnatural and harsh at times. This is a great product for travelling as well as using on the go or if your in a hurry. Link

Benefit High Brow Glow (£16.50) - This is more for the people who want the very slick and strong brows, this can be used to highlight all round the brow for definition or can be used in certain places such as under the arch of the brow for a crisp arch. This this a good product but it's not a staple for many people, I don't use this everyday but this can make a big difference. Link

Real Techniques Brow Brush (Can't but separate £20.99 for set) - Their aren't too many good brushes for a cheaper price compared to Mac etc, but Real Techniques is greta quality this brush can be very natural; because it's bigger than some brushes, meaning it looks natural as it doesn't add too much products, great with most powder products not too much cream. Link

Anastasia No 12 Brush (£15) - This is now my favourite brow brush for cream products, it adds more definition because it's smaller, this is also very precise for creams. This is a the perfect brush as well because of the brush on the end, it blends products out like no other. Link

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade (£15) - Speaking of cream products above, the reason why I brought the No 12 brush is for this product, the Dipbrow Pomade is one of my favourites! Perfect for definition, you don't need a lot of product and a little goes a long way, I would also recommend using a light hand since you don't want it too harsh. I would say for everyone to try this because it's so easy to use that it can't really go wrong. Also the best thing about this is that it lasts forever meaning you don't have to worry about it throughout the day! Link

Mac Eyeshadows (£13) - You may of heard about using eye shadows for brows, well for me the best eyeshadows for this is Mac. I have Charcoal Brown and Omega which are both Matte shadows, for your brows you want to use mattes since their not sparkly etc. These two colours are the best for brows I think and would suit any colour brows. These can also still be defining as well as natural, it just tends on how much you use etc. Link

HD Brows Palette Foxy (£19.95) - This is one product I had always walked to try as HD Brows as a brand made your brows look perfect! This is a lovely palette again for travelling, but because you have so many colours which is great if you tend to go for different looks. 

Benefit Gimme Brow (£18.50) - This is one of my favourite products again, this is a life savour when your not looking to do much with your brows, great for every day! This gives slight definition and keeps them natural. This is amazing on it's own or layered with other products such as the Mac eyeshadows. This is perfect for beginners who don't want too much product or definition. Link

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo (£17) - This is again a lovely product from Anastasia which keeps your brow natural but defined. I tend to mix the two colours together to create the perfect colour and definition. This is easy to use and great to carry with you on a daily basis. Link

Benefit Brow Zings (£24.50) - This again is another of my favourite products, this is perfect for creating definition and a precise look to your brows. I first apply the powder then go in with the wax to set them and to add more colour and definition, this is pricey but will last you ages, this is easy to use and works perfectly every time. You can also create a more natural looking by using either of the products on it's own. Link

What are your favourite brow products! I have a eyebrow routine from last year click here.

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Mac Lipstick Collection

Hello everyone,

I am finally doing my Mac lipstick collection, I have wanted to do this post for a while now, but I feel as if I have a suitable amount of lipsticks now to show you. I love mac lipsticks and in my opinion they are the best ones out their, the price of them are now £15.50, which isn't too bad for high end as some more pricer lipstick to towards the £40 mark!

I now have a total of 10 Mac lipsticks and I am not stopping their. Overall I think Mac lipsticks are one of the best interlay for their colour selection, they have every shade imaginable and every finish you would ever want. Mac have a lot of different finishes, so I thought I would explain the finishes of the lipsticks I have... (If you want to know all of the mac finishes just google it, their are a lot of blog posts about them)

Mac packaging is very nice, I love the black bullet with the simple 'Mac' on the lid, looks very expensive and luxe. It is also very hard wearing and sturdy. (10/10)

Cremesheen - Creamy lipstick, with a good amount of pigment which aren't too sheer. They also give a gloss finishes, these aren't drying.

Matte - No sheen or gloss, bold opaque lipstick, very well pigmented but can be drying, they also have a great long wearing colour.

Satin - Slightly more glossy then matte lipsticks (Semi-matte), they have a more of a non flat colour, they can also be quit drying but last a long time.

Frost - These lipsticks are sometimes very shimmery with some glitter and frost looking. They also don't tend to last too long.

Lustre - Sheer lipstick, hit of colour, moisturising but they don't last too long.

Glaze - The least pigmented formula, very easy to wear because they are natural looking, they don't tend to last too long either.

My collection:

Myth 'Light neutral nude' satin finish:

This is my newest lipstick and it is one of my favourites! I have worn this nearly every day, a really easy colour to wear, this isn't too drying just carry a lip balm with you. This is a nude lipstick but doesn't give you the concealer lips look. (9.5/10)

Velvet Teddy 'Deep tone beige' matte finish:

This is a lovely lipstick if your looking for a deeper tone nude, this is very pigmented and stays on for a good amount of time, this is drying but again lip balm is needed. I am not a fan of brown nudes a lot of the time but this one looks beautiful with every makeup look. (8/10)

Plumful 'Blossoming rose-plum' lustre finish:

One of my favourite lipsticks, if your not the biggest fan of brigh purple lipsticks give this a try and it's a tone down plum, this can be very natural and looks great during the day as well as in the evening. This can be sheer which is great for a more natural look, but you can build this up with a few coats for the colour in the bullet. This is moisturising as well, doesn't last the longest but I don't mind topping lipstick up throughout the day. (10/10)

Creme Cup 'Light blue pink' cremesheen finish:

My favourite every day lipstick and my favourite finish. This is a very wearable light pink which is a very nice pink nude, a very weasel colour and looks great on everyone. This is moisturising and stays on for a ok amount of time but needs topping up after a few hours. (10/10)

Sweetie 'Ultra-sweet pink' lustre finish:

This again is another one of my favourite lipsticks, this is a light pink with purple undertones. This is a more wearable pink compared to some, looks perfect on anyone and would looks lovely with a natural gold/brow smokey eye. This feels lovely on the lips being moisturising but again doesn't last too long, gives a lovely wash of colour to the lips. (10/10)

Peach blossom 'Frosted cool nude' cremesheen finish:

Again another favourite lipstick of mine, this is a wonderful peachy nude, looks lovely with every look and wonderful to throw on for the day, I used to wear this a lot to school as it was your lips but better and peachier. This is very moisturising but doesn't last too long. (10/10)

Pervette 'Soft bright pink with violet opalescent shimmer' glaze finish:

Honestly this is my least used mac lipstick, I hardly reach for it, this is because it looks quit shimmery and frost like. I will start to wear this more because it can look lovely on, this can be very natural with a few applications because it's sheer. (5/10)

Rebel 'Midtonal creme plum' satin finish:

As you can tell by the colour this isn't a every day colour for me as it can look over the top for a daily lipstick, never the less this is a beautiful plum which looks great built up or applied lightly, one of my favourite lipsticks. This is a great formula and looks matte but does have a slight sheen. (9/10)

Angel 'Soft pink' frost finish:

This is my least favourite finish as it looks a bit odd on my lips, but this colour doesn't look frosty on, has slight shimmer. This is a perfect every day lipstick and is one of my most worn lipsticks, this doesn't last too long on the lips but looks stunning. (9/10)

Pink Pearl Pop 'Frosted mid tonal pink' cremesheen finish:

A lipstick I haven't got enough wear out of but it's a beautiful light pink which can be built up to a brighter pink. This is a very summery colour and looks lovely on fair skin especially, very moisturising and lasts a few hours. (8/10)

Mac Lipstick wishlist:

• Blankety
• Half and Half
• Syrup
• Sushi kiss
• Faux
• Watch me simmer
• Brave
• Mehr
• Honey love
• Snob

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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Contouring and Bronzing

Hello everyone,

I have another beauty 101, I really enjoyed doing my last one because I love sharing my beauty knowledge with you. I am going to do this one of contouring and bronzing, everything from the products to the tools. I am also going to one of these 101's on highlighting because they comes into contouring a lot. Just for reference I am a NC15 from Mac.

Contouring is when your bring out and essentially hiding your features. This is a very clever art of defining the places you want to essencuate, when your contouring your making 'shadows' to define or create cheek bones for example. Bronzing is as simple as adding colour to your face, this is mainly to make you look more bronzed and to give you that healthy glow.

Link

The image above shows where are the best places to contour and highlight. You should start off by doing the 'fish face' this is where you suck in your cheeks, this reveals where your cheek bones our, you should then contour in that area. Also on your temples, cheek bones and jaw line are in a 3 sort of shape, this is the main places to contour. Going down the sides of the nose gives the illusion of a thinner nose, contouring your cheek bones gives you well defined cheek bones, also contour above and below your collar bones, can give the illusion of collar bones. Also you need to contour around your hair line to make your face match your head basically. Lastly contour down your neck just makes your face match the rest of you body, without leaving any harsh lines. 

The Products

Starting off with my all time favourite product for contouring, I use the Benefit Hoola Boxed Powder, this is a matte bronze colour, this is perfect for getting a defined but not muddy definition to the face. The best thing about this product is that you only need a little bit, but it's very build able.

My other high end favouirte, the one everyone knows which is Nars Laguna Bronzer. This is a tiny bit deeper in colour then the Benefit one, but it works nicely for pale skin. With this I reccomend to go much lighter with this, a duo fiber brush would be perfect with this.

A drugstore classic which is the Bourjois Bronzing Power, this smells amazing (Like chocolate if you can't already guess. Colour wise this is a tiny bit more 'muddy' but very wearable, this isn't the best for really pale skin, but you need to build this up more because the pigment isn't very strong. I would use this more for bronzing the face because of the colour, this would give pale skin people more of a natural glow rather than a defined contour.

Something different, which is a loose powder. Bare Minerals are known for their loose, mineral products this is the power in warmth. This is very dark compared to others I have mentioned, this is more pigmented aswell a little goes a very long way. This is more of a bronzer because it is too dark of a contour for me.

Another drugstore cult favouirte is the Sleek Face Contour kit, I have the shade light for obvious reasons. This is a lovely colour for contouring, one of the best contour products on the high street market. The colour is perfect because this kit comes in light, medium and dark. This is like the Nars Laguna were you need a light hand.

Something quite different than all the others, and the cheapest of the bunch. The ELF Golden bronzer is more for the people how like a little shimmer to their bronzer. This looks lovely for bronzing very lightly, but also very nice as a highlight.

Swatches 

Left to right - ELF Golden Bronzer, Nars Laguna, Bourjois Bronzing Powder, Sleek Face contour kit, Hoola Bronzer and Bare Minerals powder (Warmth).

Contouring and Bronzing tools

Contouring - For contouring I love a very precise brush, something that is going to place it where it needs to go. The Real Techniques contour brush is perfect for this, small enough to fit in the hollows of you cheeks and around your nose. Then I also prefer something that is duo fiber, the Real  Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush is great because it doesn't apply too much product, but it's small enough for a contour.

Bronzing - When I am bronzing I prefer something that is much bigger to fit around the face. the Real Techniques Blush brush is very nice because the point applys the product, and the outside blends it very nice. The other one is the Bare Minerals Flawless Face Brush, this just applys product very nicely and just the right amount.

What are your favourite bronzing and contouring products? Comment below

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101// Dealing with oily skin

Hello everyone,

I wanted to talk to you all about having oily skin, I am going to show you some products I love that helps keeping your oily skin at bay. I am going to include some tips aswell.

Moisturise// Having oily skin means that your skin produces more oils, but you still need to moisturise to keep your skin not being dry. But you don't want a moisturiser that is going to make you more oily, so try not to go for a hydrating one as much because during the day you could have an oil build up, this won't be the best for a blemish free face. I love the Nivea Day Moisturiser. But if you look at most brands they will do a formula for your skin type I know Nivea do, also Simple do aswell.

Prime// Using primer is so important even if you don't have oily skin, but you can find a primer tailored to certain skin types. I have this one from NYX, this is called The Shine Killer, they also do other for large pores etc. But Smashbox also do a lot of primers for certain skin types, and they are great. The idea of a primer is so pro long your makeup and especially your foundation, but certain primers can also have benefits like this one eliminates the look of oil and shine on the face.

Tip 1 - Keeping your foundation on for longer// Their is a tip I have learnt from Gossmakeupartist on youtube. And that is to prime your skin like usual, but before you apply any face makeup, sweep a loose powder (I use the Rimmel Match Perfection loose powder) over first then apply your face makeup. This keeps your foundation on for longer and keeps your face looking less oily during the dace. Great if you have oily skin, but if you have combination skin make sure you only apply it in your oily places on your face.

Foundation// Finding a foundation specific for your skin type is so important, you don't want a dewy foundation for oily skin, because it's not going to mix well for you. But for foundation, I use the Mac Studio Fix Fluid in NC15. If you ask a makeup counter they can reccomend you a foundation for your skin type. Then if you want a lighter coverage, I use the Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream for oily skin, in the shade light. This is great for oily skin because it really helps, I have brought lots of these in the past and it always works. Also if you are looking at a foundation that doesn't have a specific skin type look for a oil-free/non-greasy foundation, but remember you can always powder if you want to try something different.

Powder// After my foundation and concealer I use a powder. Their are lots to chose from, but any powder is going to keep you matte looking so you can really try anyone that takes your fancy. But I like the Rimmel Match Perfection because it is very fine, I apply this with a duo fiber brush for a less powdered look. But some other powders I really like are the Rimmel Stay Matte, Soap and Glory One Heck Of A Blot, Mac's Studio Fix powder aswell as the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil. Powder has a lot of benefits for your makeup but the main two are keeping you matte, aswell as setting your foundation and powder in place so it doesn't move around. 

Tip 2 - Keeping powder on you// Through out the day especially at school, I carry some powder with me and a powder brush. This is great if your looking a bit oily through out the day aswell as just keeping everything in place. I would take a powder that isn't loose, and has a mirror. This is why the Soap and Glory one heck of a blot is perfect at mattifying and it also has a mirror.

Powders not Creams// A down side about having oily skin is that you can't use cream products to your advantage. Especially when it comes to highlighter, blush and bronzer some of the best products now are creams. If you are going for a cream product the best is to get something with a cream to powder formula, this means it's actually a cream but it dries as a powder finish. Some cream products are like the YSL Touche Eclat, Max Factor Cream Blushes and the Bourjois Bronzing Primer. But their are powder alternatives like the Mac Mineralize Skin finishes in Soft and Gentle, Nars Laguna Bronzer and Benefit boxed powders. 

Setting Sprays// If your going for some cream products this is perfect for you, I have been using setting sprays quite a lot, for example the Urban Decay De-Slick setting spray and the NYX Matte Finish setting spray. This are perfect to use after applying foundation/setting your makeup with powder, then at the end after you have applied all your makeup. But setting sprays are the best because they have lots of benefits, they are to keep you matte/dewy looking depending on what one you get, to make powders not look so powder like and making makeup last longer. 

Other tips for dealing oily skin//

Tip 3 - You should stick to a skin care routine that helps, go for oil free products or things to help with oily skin. Also you want to do this when you brush your teeth so morning and night, also before your makeup. Don't forget the bare basics - Cleanser, Face Wash and Moisturiser. 

Tip 4 - Being prepared, like when it's the time of the month your always prepared. Well having oily skin you need to be prepared like bringing powder with you or maybe even blotting sheets.

Tip 5 - Face masks are great, try and use one every week that helps with oily skin. Either pick a clay/mud mask or something that helps with oily/shiny skin. Also face masks feel like a treat every week.

What's your skin type, and your favourite products for dealing with it? Comment below

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