Top Ten Brushes for My Makeup Bag

I got a request off of one of my lovely friends, Rachel, to do a blogpost on my top ten favourite, can't live without, makeup brushes of all time, so here it is guys.

#1 Crown Brushes C427, Tapered Duo Fibre Blush Brush. €12.65

I love using this brush to apply foundation. You can use a standard Foundation Duo Fibre Brush to do this but I prefer the shape and size of this particular one. It is domed in shape and a smaller size than the normal version, perfect to get into all areas around the face. Blends the product perfectly and quickly. This brush can also be used to apply powder, contour, blusher, highlight or bronzer.

#2 Sigma F25, Tapered Face Brush. €21.20

This brush is excellent for applying powder, loose or pressed, to the face. It has a tapered finish so it is very easy to apply powder to the outskirts of the face, but also the perfect shape for under the eyes. It can also be used to apply Bronzer.

#3 Sigma F40, Large Angled Contour Brush. €13.89

This brush is my favourite to apply a good contour to the face. Simple to use and the goat hair does not pick up too much product so it is almost impossible to over do on your sculpting.

#4 Sigma F35, Tapered Highlighter Brush. €15.35

There is nothing about this brush I do not love. There are many uses for this brush. It is the perfect size and shape to contour, highlight, apply blusher or even apply a small amount of powder under the eyes to prevent your foundation from creasing.

 

#5 Inglot 31T, Gel Eyeliner Brush. €12

This brush is my Holy Grail when it comes to eyebrows. I use a gel eyeliner to fill in my eyebrows and I find this brush perfect for the task. It can also be used to apply gel eyeliner. I wouldn't reccommend this brush to be used with shadows as it is made from Taklon. Because of this, it may cause downfall from any powder based products. The only downfall on this brush is it does tend to fray, meaning you may need to purchase a new one every few months.

#6 Sigma E35, Tapered Blending Brush. €10.23

If your looking for a good brush to blend out any stubborn edges, this is the one for you. Slightly stiffer than your average blender, it helps to blend out colour on the eyes effortlessly. I would not reccommend to apply the product directly with this brush as you may not have control on where the shadow goes. Instead, apply with a smaller brush and use the E35 clean to blend.

#7 Crown C250-0, Mini Liner Brush. €2.04

Other than being the cheapest brush, on the planet, this brush is so teeny it is perfect to apply the perfect flick eyeliner. You really can't go wrong.

#8 Inglot 9S, Flat Eyeshadow Brush. €16

This is my go-to brush for packing on colour to the lid or the brow bone. Because it is slightly stiff in texture, it holds product great and does not cause downfall. This brush can also be used for concealer.

#9 MAC 217, Eyeshadow Blending Brush. €17.55

The 217 is an essential brush to any person who even looks at makeup. You can use it to not only apply product, but also to blend a product out. Only downfall, the price and the longevity. For the price of this brush, you would expect it to last well and clean well, however, it doesn't.  The individual hairs in this brush tend to snap and stain very easily. The Crown C433, Pro Blending Fluff Brush is almost an exact duplicate, without the problems and for a fraction of the price at €7.34. This brush is also great for applying concealer.

(The top brush is Crown C433 and the bottom is MAC 217).

#10 Charles H.Fox 1/4 81460/02

I'm not sure of a price on this brush as I received it as part of my kit in college and it's as if it doesn't exist online. However a precise lip brush is essential to any person who wears lipstick. To get the perfect pout you need to apply your lipstick with a brush. A good duplicate of this brush is the Inglot Lip Brush with the Silver Lid. It prices in at around €18.

I may be cheating a little here as I did say the 'Top Ten' fave brushes, but technically this is not a brush. My major beauty essential for applying makeup is the Beauty Blender, be it the original or a dupe. Simply run it under water, squeeze out the excess water and stipple your foundation onto the skin. The pointed shape at the tip of the sponge, the moist consistency with the water, mixed with your foundation, creates almost a flawless finish on ANY skin. It blends your base out perfectly and prevents the skin from appearing cakey, even when using a full coverage foundation. 

I use the ModelsOwn Beauty Blender. Two sponges for €12 available in Boots.

Hope this helps guys

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Love Jen xxx

Sun-Rays and Ritches

This summer has been a bit all over the place here in Ireland. Rain to start off with! No surprise there, and then into a scorching heat wave, and then greeted with tropical storms, we don't no weather to pack our RayBans or our brollies into that all in one handbag!!

Well I've prepared my favourite makeup products for this summer to keep your complexion covered in the rain or dewy in those rays of sunshine!!

FACE:

This spring/summer I have started to use the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in the shade 210. I am usually used to a full coverage finish from Revlon Colourstay Foundation but thought a lighter finish would be nicer for the warmer months. Being a medium coverage, this foundation can be worn quite sheer or build up to a medium-full coverage so can suit for any surprises Mother Nature has in store for us. I found the colour selection in this range to be very yellow. Even the pink shades are still on the yellow side of the scales. So if you are a yellow toned beauty or love your tan to be straight from a bottle, this should be perfect for you! However porcelain or very pink toned ladies might want to steer clear!!

As I've opted for a lighter coverage foundation, I need a bit of concealer for those problematic areas such as under the eyes and around the nose. My choice of concealers is the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20 (around 2 shades lighter than the 210 foundation from Maybeline). This concealer is of a fuller coverage so I apply it with a damp beauty blender to make it look more natural and blended.

Blusher, I think, is a must have for these summer days. A little flush of colour on the cheeks just brings that little bit of brightness to your face, honestly, it makes a world of difference! I just couldn't choose one colour to stick to, so I have my three favourite shades that I've been addicted to the past couple of months. Peaches, a beautiful orange toned coral colour, Fleur Power, a soft pink with a hint of peach, and Pink Swoon, a soft candy pink, all from MAC. They will change your life.......well, your face!!

One thing that is vital to give you the perfect glow is the highlighter!! Now before I go on, I must admit, I used to HATE highlighter on my face! The thoughts of it would send shivers down my spine! I would absolutely love it on other people and pile it on all of my clients but thought it looked like I was covered in sweat!! I am a changed woman! MAC Highlighter in Soft and Gentle is the most stunning soft, golden highlight that catches the light beautifully making your features stand out MILES!!

And finally, probably THE most important makeup item for the summer months is the Bronzer. To put over the foundation to warm up those cheeks, to put underneath the cheeks to contour beautiful shapes into the face or to wear with no makeup underneath just to give the face a bit of warmth when it's too hot to wear a full face of warpaint. I love MAC Bronzing Powder in Deep Dark for when I want a small bit of a glow to the skin or INGLOTs Face Powder in the number 31 if I want a matte finish.

Your face is now sorted for those unpredictable summer days, rain, sun or snow. Let me know if you have any questions.

Jx

Application of Product

Your application of makeup is an extremely crucial step in achieving that flawless, professional look.

1. Many people use their fingers to apply their foundation. This method may seem like the best option to some but it is not recommended as you end up pushing half of your product into your fingertips, therefore using up to double the amount necessary. You also are doing a rub on-rub off method as not all of the product is being transferred onto the face, again a waste of foundation!
Your fingertips are naturally very oily. As the hands are being constantly used throughout the day, the body develops oils to protect the skin, by applying your makeup with your fingers, you are transferring these oils onto the face which can result in an unnecessary breakout.
Not only breakouts, but these oils can also prevent your foundation from setting properly, so your foundation can separate and move on the face throughout the day giving you a patchy look to your makeup.

2. Application of foundation using a sponge is another method I would never recommend. If using a sponge to apply makeup to your own face (never use the same sponge on different people without cleaning and sterilising it first) you should be changing it at least once a week. Most people don't do this!
A makeup sponge is a perfect place for bacteria to grow and to multiply. By using the sponge, you are then transferring this bacteria onto your face which will almost definitely cause breakouts!
Another negative to using a sponge is that it absorbs a lot of your product. It essentially drinks your foundation so you will find yourself working your way through your bottle very quickly.
When applying foundation with a sponge, you drag the skin and any foundation on it, therefore, again achieving the rub on-rub off method.

There is a sponge I would recommend, the infamous beauty blender. This sponge is a 3D teardrop shape and can apply foundation flawlessly. You first dampen the sponge and squeeze out any excess water. You then stipple the product onto the skin using the beauty blender to achieve that flawless base. I would definitely recommend washing this sponge after every use (especially if using it on other people). I'm not sure if it is the density, shape or texture of this certain sponge which makes it so good, but it gets a definite thumbs up from me!
I recommend MAC Beauty Blender €18/€19, Models Own do two for around €12 or for the tighter budgets, H&M do a version for around €4.

And so this leaves me to the brushes:
3. The flat foundation brush comes in all shapes and sizes. On clients, I use this brush to firstly apply their primer and then to apply a first layer of foundation, I then apply a fine second layer using a stipple brush which I will explain further on.
I find the flat foundation brush easy to use on clients as it can be easily directed into small areas of the face.
I however don't like to use this brush to apply my own foundation. I find it hard to build up the coverage of a foundation with this brush alone and unwanted lines can be easily overlooked as they are harder to blend out.
A definite plus to this brush is whatever product you put on this brush, around 98% of the foundation is transferred onto the face. The brush does not absorb the product and is so simple to spot clean or deep cleanse. They also last you years if you invest in a good one!
I love the MAC 190 €32 or Sigma F60 €11.

4. Last but not least is the stipple brush. You can get these in different bristle lengths, shapes and hair types.
What makes these brushes so unique is the blend of synthetic(longer bristles, usually white) and real hair(usually black). This blend of different bristles helps to push the product right into the skin, making the foundation not only last longer but also helps you achieve a flawless looking complexion that appears smoother.
Due to the shape of the brush, the individual hairs do all the work for you. They not only push the product into the skin but they blend out the product effortlessly, leaving you line free! You can also build up the coverage by pushing the brush onto the skin, it can build up beautifully!
This brush, like the flat foundation brush, transfers most of the product onto the face. Not only does the makeup last longer on your face, but you will find you will get longer out of your bottle too!
I would definitely recommend the Sigma F15 Duo Fibre Blusher Brush to apply foundation as I love the size and the dome shape to the brush, €14.

Try it out guys and see if you see a difference in your makeup!!

Jx