Review | Makeup Revolution Ultra Metals | Ultra Flat Contour Brush & Ultra Contour Foundation Brush

Makeup Revolution are seriously upping their game with many new releases lately; and as it happens (!), I made an order to get some of their new stuff, including two brushes from their new Ultra Metals range, which is clearly meant to be a dupe to Real Techniques Bold Metals collection.

I settled on the Ultra Flat Contour Brush and the Ultra Contour Foundation Brush as these two are the ones that intrigued me the most from the Real Techniques range but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to spend more than £20 on a single brush. The Makeup Revolution brushes I have here retail for £9.99 each so less than half the price of the RT ones.

The brushes are really pretty to look at with their rose gold handles and pristine white synthetic hairs. The only set-back with the handles is that every finger-print shows so I constantly wipe them away (yes I am OCD like that). I do like the transparent box with rose gold details they come in, but would have appreciated if they included a brush guard as well to protect the bristles while travelling. They also come with a plastic stand inside the box.

Ultra Contour Foundation Brush

This brush has probably the strangest shape I have ever seen - it's like a pyramid with a tapered end, where the flat side is meant to allow application of foundation over a large area whilst the angled edges enable precise application around the eyes and nose area.

The brush is not really heavy at all and I like the flat side of it which prevents the brush from rolling over my dressing table if I happen to rest it there. The brand logo is imprinted on the ferrule and I like that because it won't wash away.

The bristles are quite dense but very flexible and I like that for an initial application of the product but I prefer a stiffer brush or sponge for buffing out the foundation.

As for washing, I have washed this brush a few times and haven't had any issues with the hairs shedding or retaining foundation stains. Also, drying time is quite comparable to other brushes I have.

Ultra Flat Contour Brush

The next brush I have is meant for contouring and highlighting. Like the foundation brush, it has the brand logo imprinted on the ferrule but I think I like the weight of this one better - it just makes it feel like it is more expensive than it actually is.

The bristles on this brush are much shorter and denser to allow a better coverage in one application. Although it is called a 'flat' contour brush, the bristles are cut at a slight angle. Since it is so dense, I prefer to use this brush with powders rather than with cream products. Although it is denser, this brush doesn't take longer than the foundation brush to dry after washing and again, I haven't had issues with shedding or staining of the bristles. I like to use this brush with bronzers from the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour palette.

I think that these brushes do a very good job at what they are intended for and I would definitely recommend them. You can buy them from the Makeup Revolution website at £9.99/€14.06 each.

Review | KIKO Milano Brush Cleanser

It's been quite some time since I last posted a review or a blog post for that matter and so after sorting through some new products that I got lately, I better get back on track with reviews.

 

In last month's collective haul post, I have posted a picture of all the stuff I got from KIKO Milano as soon as I got to know they ship to Malta. I have been meaning to try the brand for a long time but I only became aware that they ship outside Italy last month. Following the post, I got a few requests to let you know what I think about the Brush Cleanser. And well, here is a full review!

 

The KIKO Brush Cleanser comes in a 50ml spray bottle format, all packaged in a small black box. The size is very convenient to carry around in your case if your doing makeup on other people and need to quick-clean your brushes in between clients but it's not exactly cheap at €5.90 so you might want to keep that in mind. One thing to note about the bottle is that it is leak-proof.

 

The cleanser has a floral smell that albeit is not overpowering and fades away quickly. Moreover, the spray nozzle delivers a nice, even mist so you don't have to worry about wasting your product.

 

I like to use this to clean my brushes in between makeup applications mostly and I'm really fond of how deep cleaning it is. It removes almost all traces of makeup from the brush bristles and since the spray dries fairly quickly, the brush will be ready for use within seconds.

 

It is recommended that you spray the cleanser directly onto the brush then wipe the bristles on a tissue paper or towel. I prefer to spray the product on the towel and then gently swirl the brush in it to take away the makeup residue.

 

I definitely like this Brush Cleanser and highly recommend it to makeup artists and ladies in general who like something gentle yet deep cleaning for their brushes. After all, clean brushes mean less breakouts on your skin!

Review: E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush & Small Stipple Brush

I was requested to review the E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush and the new Small Stipple Brush when I showed them in a haul post.  So, after testing them thoroughly, here is the much awaited review!

Being part of the studio line, the stipple brushes come in a plastic pouch with a silver carton bearing the brush name on the front and description as well as care instructions on the back.  The brushes have black handles and ferrules and their name is also engraved in white paint on the handles. The Small Stipple Brush is slightly longer and it is about half the diameter of the regular Stipple Brush. Only the larger brush comes with a bristle guard. The brushes are both flat-topped.

Speaking of bristles, both brushes have taklon bristles that can be used with both wet and dry and make-up formulas. There are two types of bristles, the short black ones and the longer white ones. Different sized bristles are what makes stipple brushes ideal for creating an airbrushed look and these two particular ones are also good at building up coverage as required.

I prefer to use these stipple brushes with liquid products for a more flawless application.  I reserve the bigger one for foundation and the smaller one for mousse blush as it gives a more natural finish to the make-up.

The brushes are very soft and even after washing, they retain their shape and softness. I have never noticed any shedding and the black bristles do not bleed. Moreover, the white bristles do not retain any colour from make-up products after washing.

I would recommend these brushes are a cheaper alternative to other brands' higher priced stipple brushes and you can get them from the E.L.F. Cosmetics websites at just £3.75 each.   

Review: Born Pretty Store Retractable Powder Brush

You might be aware that BornPrettyStore.com not only sells nail art supplies, but also a large variety of beauty and lifestyle products, amongst which are make-up brushes.  I was given the opportunity to try out one of their retractable powder brushes and I chose this black one with butterfly and flower motifs.

The outer packaging is very cute indeed but it is also practical as you get a metallic barrel which covers the bristles for easier closure and the cap closes tightly as well.  The only thing I don't like about the brush is the smell that the bristles give off when you open the brush for the first time but it goes away after washing.  Other than that, the bristles are very soft and I haven't experienced any shedding or bleeding to date. As for drying time, I left it to dry over-night and in the morning it was ready to be used!

The brush has come at a right time as I am trying to use up my mineral powder foundation and this brush is by far the best one I have tried to apply such a product (although kabuki brushes are the best to apply powder products, I am not a big fan of them because of their small handle). The reason why I like this brush so much is that the bristles are not stiff dense and while they pick up the product effectively, I can buff the powder foundation and other powder products over my face effortlessly for a nice and natural look.  Moreover, this brush is best used with mineral products as the bristles are made out of natural hair.  

The brush is conveniently sized to carry with you while travelling and being retractable, you don't have to fear that your bag insides are going to end up with foundation or blusher smeared all over them.

This brush retails for $6.53 from BornPrettyStore.com and shipping is free on all orders worldwide. You can get yours at 10% off be entering the code EBABK31 at checkout.

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Mid-Week Beauty Masterclass: Taking Care of Your Make-Up Brushes and Tools

Good morning everyone!! Today we will be taking a look at how to care for your make-up brushes and tools to make the utmost of them.  I will be sharing with you how I store and care for mine including cleaning routine etc... I hope you find this post helpful!  For a general idea of brushes and what are their best uses, please click here.

Storage

Let's start with storage... I always store my clean brushes in their brush roll and with the dust cover on.  When dirty, I like to keep them in a little pot I have on my vanity shelf but I still like to keep their dust cover on to prevent dust from adhering to the bristles.  When travelling, I suggest you take your brushes with the dust covers and put them in a case so that they won't get damaged.

All my brushes in their brush roll (top) and the pot I keep them in when dirty

Cleaning

I thoroughly clean my brushes once a week with Brush Shampoo while in between uses, I keep them as clean as possible by wiping them on a cloth dampened with a little Brush Cleaner.  Here are a few tis to bear in mind when washing your brushes to avoid them shedding hairs and coming off:

1. Always wash your brushes in lukewarm water and keep the bristles facing down so that the soap solution won't go into the ferrule and dissolve the glue in there.

2. Gently squeeze the wet bristles in a clean towel to absorb as much water as possible and hence cut down on drying time.

3. Leave the brushes to dry in a horizontal position so as to protect the glue inside the ferrule.

4. Make sure you rinse all the soap thoroughly from the bristles so as to prevent bacteria from flourishing in your brushes.  Also, never store away your brushes while still damp as this also creates the perfect environment for bacteria to breed. 

5. Here's a little tip to save water and brush shampoo... clean your brushes with some brush cleaner first to remove as much product as possible.  This will in turn lead to less rinsing time (hence saving water) and less use of shampoo (saving on it and ensuring you remove it all!).

6. To clean brushes used for foundation, cream eyeliners, lipstick and other creamy products, if shampoo is not enough, simply pour a little baby oil in the palm of your dry hands and dip the brushes into it.  The oil will lift the product in no time and you can then wash your brushes like all others.  I use this method for lip brushes, cream eyeliner brushes and concealer brushes and I can confirm it totally works!

Taking Care of other tools

Some people prefer to use make-up sponges and puffs over brushes to apply certain products.  If you are one of these people, make sure you replace your sponges every so often as these tend to house a lot of bacteria. You can use the same cleaning routine as for brushes to clean them but always remember to replace them frequently.

Eyelash curlers and tweezers are also two of the most widely used tools in the make-up routine of many women.  May sure you clean yours thoroughly to avoid any nasty eye infections and always store them back in their pouches.

Finally, sharpeners have to be cleaned thoroughly with a little antiseptic spray to remove all left-over traces of other colours and prevent contaminating your pencils with bacteria.  For this reason, it is best if you clean your sharpeners both before and after use.

I hope you found this post useful ladies and if you have any more tips on how you take care of your brushes/tools, do post them in the comments below :)

Review: Avon Retractable Lip Brush

Hey guys! Here's a quick review for today as I'm a bit busy with assignments and my dissertation...

As you can tell from the title, I'm going to review the Avon Retractable Lip Brush which I've had for a while now.  I got mine from ebay and since I bought it from a seller in the UK, it only took 5 or 6 days to get here.  However, I cannot remember how much I paid for it but it wasn't expensive at all.

The brush comes with a little transparent plastic pocket that says 'AVON' and it looks really sleek and feels sturdy:

I bought this brush as I was looking for a good lip brush with a cap that I can carry with me to touch up my lips without worrying about the potential mess in my bag.

What I like about this brush apart from the size of it (both in terms of packaging as well the bristles, which are the perfect size) is the fact that it is retractable, therefore you really do not have to worry should the cap come off in your bag as you won't have lipstick smeared on the insides.  Having said that, I'm pretty sure the cap won't come off as it closes really tightly.  Anyhow, there's a little sphere at the base of the brush which is pushed by inserting the bottom part into the cap (as there is another little sphere in the cap) and in turn, the brush is revealed and ready for use!  Here are some pictures to show you what I mean:

The bottom of the bush and the inside of the cap

The actual brush bristles

I have used this brush multiple times and washed it and up till now, I have never experienced any shedding whatsoever and also, the bristles are easy to clean and get all the product off them in next to no time!

I definitely recommend this brush to anyone looking for a good, bag-friendly lip brush so if you ever come across it, just grab it!

New Year, New Series! Mid-Week Beauty Master-class!

Good morning ladies :) Hope you are now all cured from the festive hangovers and fully geared up for the New Year!

I decided to start this series dealing with make-up application and skin basics I feel everyone needs to know in order to make the best out of make-up. Therefore it will resemble a Make-up  one on one.  I have already written a few general posts which you might want to refer to so as the first post of the series, I am going to link all these posts here for easier referral. 

To know more about what the skin is and it's various functions, click here; you might also want to check out my face cleansing routine here.  However, always adapt this routine to your skin needs.  To know what your skin type is, check out this post! You can also find more tips for clear skin here.

The colour wheel is an indispensable tool when deciding which colours to use so be sure to have a look at it here.  This other post deals with all the basic make-up tools everyone should have.

Another post I had posted on this blog which is worth a read deals with eyebrow shaping. Click here for more.

I hope you will all enjoy this series and please do not hesitate to send me your requests about what you would  like to see here :)


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Top-Ten Tuesdays ~ Make-up Brushes

Hello ladies! Sorry today's post is a bit late as opposed to the others, but this morning, I went along with my father and brother to a crib exhibition as a friend of ours has submitted his creation for the competition and then we went to Mdina (if you happen to visit Malta, make sure to check out this place - it used to be our country's capital city).  Anyways, today I decided to share my Top-Ten make-up brushes with you.  I only use brushes to apply my make-up with. I never use sponges and very rarely use my fingers.

10. Fraulein 38 Fan Brush

9. Avon Retractable Lip Brush

8. Concealer Brush that came with an imperfection-masking concealer that Mum bought but for some reason never used (lol!)

7. Fraulein 38 Eyebrow Wand

6. Fraulein 38 Eyebrow and Lash Comb

5. Fraulein 38 Eyeshadow C Brush

4. Fraulein 38 Contouring Brush

3. Fraulein 38 Face Brush

2. e.l.f. Professional Blending Eye Brush

1. e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush

You can find a review on the Fraulein 38 brushes here.

Which are your favourite brushes ladies?

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Monthly Favourites: October 2010

Another month, another monthly favourites post! Here are my favourites for this month:

e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush ~ I'm so glad I got this brush! The hype and raves about it are all true! If you don't own one, go get one here asap! Thorough review coming up soon.

e.l.f. Professional Blending Eye Brush ~ another brush which I really am head over heels on. I love how it blends eyeshadows for a smoother finish.

Cover Girl Eye Enhancers Trio in Cafe au' Lait ~ I've had this for years (!) and it is still my favourite neutral eyeshadow trio. I use it both for day and night looks. 

E45 Cream ~ a life-saver (read hand and skin saver). It saves my skin from getting all dry and chapped in the winter and also doubles up as a nice hand cream for me to use when I remove the latex gloves I have to wear at hospital. Definitely a must-have!

e.l.f. Mineral Blemish Kit ~ recently I was getting bad pimples on my face, and this kit really helped reduce the redness and puffiness from them. I also slept in it and it works wonders.

e.l.f. Nail Polish in Cranberry ~ my new favourite shade of red! Not too light, not too dark, and with a hint of shimmer... very sophisticated and chic looking nails in an instant!

Revlon ColorStay Makeup in 180 Sand Beige ~ very good coverage for those bad skin days!

e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Midnight ~ the best cream eyeliner I have ever tried! Stays put all day long and can only be removed by a make-up remover! Well-worth it (apart from a being a bargain)!

e.l.f Liquid Eyeliner in Stardust ~ just what you need to add a touch of glitter onto your eyes for the ultimate party look. Perfect for the upcoming festive season.

Vaseline/The Body Shop Born Lippy in Passion Berry ~ my fave combo for ultimate lip protection against wind and havoc-wreaking weather.

What are your October favourites ladies? Product reviews coming up soon ;)

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Review: e.l.f. Studio Brush Shampoo

I wanted to try e.l.f.'s brush shampoo ever since I got their Daily Brush Cleaner in one of my earlier orders and so, in my last order, I decided to get it. I had like almost a week to play with it and now, here's the review!

The first thing that I noticed and I wasn't that happy about, is the size of the bottle. I mean, compare it to the Daily Brush Cleaner, they are both the same price (€4.00) and for the latter, you get more than double the volume of the shampoo! For reference, you get 120ml for the Brush Shampoo and 250ml for the Daily Brush Cleaner, so please elf, it would be nice if you got this in a larger format :)

Now for the pros, which I gladly say, outweigh the cons (or should that be one, single con??).

I used this brush shampoo twice to clean all my used make up brushes, including the bigger powder, blusher and contouring brushes and I have only gone through a small amount! I learned that a little goes a long way with this shampoo as it produces a nice, foamy lather even with just a drop! Bonus points to the see-through bottle as well as for the dispenser. When I saw this on the site, I thought it had a cap which you unscrew and pour the product out and hence I was a bit skeptical in the sense that it's not really economical to have a dispenser like that; but when I took it out of the box it comes supplied in, I saw it has one of those caps where you press one side to click it open and there's a small hole through which you get the product out.

At this point, some might argue it works just like regular shampoos. Fair enough! I thought that too, but after seeing how much more product was coming out of my brushes with less amount of shampoo and the fresh, anti-bacterial smell my brushes had after washing, I changed my mind. Also, the bristles were all left very soft, pretty much like the first time I got the brushes.

With regards to smell, the shampoo doesn't contain alcohol and so it doesn't impart the same strong smell as the Brush Cleaner does. However, it still has a similar lovely smell, only not as strong.

Would I buy this again? I'm not sure, honestly. I am trying to see how long I can stretch it for and then maybe I decide in the affirmative. The only this that holds me back is the size whilst performance is really good, so probably it will be a yes; only time will tell!

Have you tried the Brush Shampoo or Daily Brush Cleaner ladies? What did you think of them? Would you re-purchase them?

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Review: Nail Art Brushes

As most of you know, I am a tad (read overly) obsessed with everything that has to do with nails and nail art so last year, around Christmas time, I decided to buy myself a gift. I bought a 16 piece set of nail art brushes off ebay for around €5! I took my time to search the site for the perfect set and this was the one that caught my eye:

16 very professional-looking brushes for a mere €5. Before, I start the short review, let me tell you a little story about these brushes...

As I said earlier, I purchased these brushes around Christmas time and since they had to come from Hong Kong, I expected they would take long. However, after a month and a half waiting for them, they still didn't show up so I emailed the seller with the problem. They immediately sent out a replacement set but after two days from me sending them the email, I received my first set. Again, I emailed the seller and told him that I received the first set and asked him how I could send the replacement back. He replied shortly afterwards with a very nice response indeed. he told me to keep the replacement setas a gift at no extra cost! And I ended up with two brush sets:

Now, let me start with the review.

As you can see, the brushes come in a handy plastic pocket and each one of them has its protective sleeve (hard plastic) except for the marbelling brush (fan-shaped). I like the white handles of the brushes as the colour gives off an air of cleanliness.

These are all the brushes that the set is composed of:

I really like using these brushes when I am doing free-hand nail art as they are very ergonomic and give me total control over the design. They don't need a lot of time to clean as well... just a wipe with some nail polish remover and I'm done.

The bristles are not that soft for most of the brushes, especially the stripers. Their bristles seem to be like glued together but I guess that's to help achieve a perfect line without any bristles straying.

Overall, I'm really pleased with my purchase and at such a price, it is proof that you don't necessarily need to spend a lot of money for a product to be of good quality!

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Review: e.l.f. Professional Smudge Eye Sponge

In my very first order from e.l.f. cosmetics I bought a smudge sponge to blend pencil eyeliners because I thought it's better than a bristled brush I had been using.

I was using a small blending brush from my Fraulein 38 brush set. It is a very good brush but due to the bristles the blending was a bit tricky to achieve so I bought the e.l.f. Professional Smudge Eye Sponge. This is what both brushes look like:

The Smudge Eye Sponge is in fact a small, round sponge and gives excellent results. The handle is very ergonomic and I can use it in different angles very easily. I like the fact that the sponge is round and smallish because I can achieve good blending and fine detailing with my eye make-up.

It comes supplied in a handy plastic, transparent pocket (I now use to store my nail files) but I keep it with my other Fraulein 38 brushes.

The sponge is easy to clean... just like bristle brushes and doesn't take too long to dry.

This Smudge Eye Sponge retails at £1.50 and you can get it online from e.l.f. cosmetic's website (link further up).

Lara xoxo