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Category Archives: Tools & Brushes
MAC Packed to Go Shape & Perfect Makeup Brush Kit
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I’m on a bit of a mission to sort out my makeup collection at the moment, and one of my resolutions was to buy some new makeup brushes. My current brush collection is… well, the less said about that, the better, to be honest: I’m very guilty of using brushes until they’re way past their best, and although I did replace a few of them last year, the relatively high cost stopped me buying more. Faced with the choice between a new lipstick or mascara and a new blusher brush, I’ll always go for the makeup itself, but this month I decided it was high time to make a more sensible investment!
Luckily for me, this decision coincided with me discovering MAC’s ‘Packed to Go’ collections. As the name suggests, these are really intended as travel kits, and you can buy everything from eyeshadows and liners to lipsticks and powdered, all packed in a little travel pouch, ready to be slipped into your suitcase. I, however, was most interested in the two brush sets which are available as part of the Packed to Go collection, and although I’m not planning on travelling anywhere (more’s the pity), I figured they’d be a good way to stock up on some new brushes without spending too much money.
I chose the ‘Shape and Perfect’ collection, which is £39.50. For that, you get five brushes, complete with case:
The brushes included are:
L-R:
219SE – pencil brush
275SE – medium angled shading brush
187SE – duo fibre brush
212SE – flat definer brush
168SE – angled contour brush
These are all short-handled versions of their regular-sized counterparts. I was actually expecting them to be smaller than they are, so was pleasantly surprised by their size. (Not that smaller handles would have bothered me, mind you: I’d rather pay less for a “travel-sized” brush than pay more for a “regular” one) Here’s a photo of them with my hand for context:
I haven’t used these yet because they just arrived today, but so far I think they were a pretty good deal, and I’ll probably buy the other brush set in this collection – the Define & Blend brushes if it’s still available next month.
These are available from the MAC website: click here to visit it!
Dollface Reviews: GOSH large powder brush
I’m sure I don’t need to point out to regular readers that I’ve been on a bit of a GOSH kick lately. I’ve had a lot of luck with the brand, which I think is, in many cases, a good mid-price alternative to some of the higher end brands I might otherwise be tempted by.
My last GOSH purchase was the Velvet Touch Foundation Primer, and as it was positioned right next to the makeup brushes on the stand, I was reminded of my promise to myself to start replacing my brushes, buying a new one every month. A powder brush was next on my list, so I picked up the GOSH large powder brush, and, giving the matter very little thought (I do that sometimes. I don’t recommend it.) threw it into my basket.
Once I got it home, my initial impressions were pretty good. It had only cost me £9.99, and although the bristles are synthetic, they’re soft, supple, pick up a nice amount of powder, and allow me to buff it into my skin without any issues. Fast forward a couple of weeks, however, and I was starting to feel a little less impressed. The bristles are still soft and lovely, but they’ve also started to shed. Every time I’ve used the brush for the past week, I’ve been left with a bristle or two on my face (lovely!) – it’s not shedding a huge amount, and it hasn’t become a big deal, but each time I use it, I’m reminded that, yes, it was a relatively cheap brush, and that I may want to be less of a cheapskate about it next time.
Still, this is far from the worst powder brush I’ve used either, and if you only want to spend £10, it could be worth a go – just be prepared to pick the odd bristle off your face when you use it!
(Click here to buy it)
Dollface Reviews: Boots No. 7 Foundation Brush
My makeup brushes are all badly in need of replacing, and rather than remortgaging my house to buy a completely new set all at the same time (OK, so I’m exaggerating here, but only a little bit…) I’ve decided to try and limit myself to one per month for as long as it takes to get through them all.
Because I can be a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to things like this, though, rather than following my instincts straight to MAC, I decided to have a quick look around the Boots website while I was re-ordering my eye-makeup remover and conditioner this month, and discovered this Boots No. 7 Foundation Brush. At just £11 this definitely isn’t the most expensive foundation brush out there, but it isn’t the cheapest, either. I’ve come to associate the No. 7 brand with good quality, though, so I decided to take a chance on it, and I’m really glad I did, because I actually think I got a bit of a bargain here.
The bristles are lovely and soft, and haven’t shed a single hair since I got this. It picks up just the right amount of foundation, and lets me buff it onto my skin, without any brush marks, and although it’s soft, it’s not so soft that it’s unusable. I tend to use my fingers to apply foundation more often than not, but since I’ve had this, I’ve found myself reaching for it every time, and it’s helping me rediscover the benefits of using a decent brush to apply liquid foundation, so I’m pretty pleased with it, and may check out some of the other brushes from this range next month, when I’m ready to buy another. Now I just need to decide which of my existing brushes is most in need of replacing…
If you want to check this one out for yourself, meanwhile, click here to order it from Boots.
Tweezerman Betsey Johnson Slant Tweezer Collection
I’m a huge Tweezerman fan, and they’re one of those brands I genuinely don’t begrudge paying a little extra for: when you have a mono-brow like mine, trust me, you’ll pay whatever it takes to keep it under control. I wouldn’t normally pay extra, however, for a limited edition set of tweezers, or a set created by a fashion designer, but as the tweezers in the brands new Betsey Johnson collection don’t cost any more than a regular pair of Tweezerman’s slant tweezers, I could easily be persuaded if I was in the market for a new set (which I almost always am). What can I say, I love me some Betsey!
My own preference is for Tweezerman’s point tweezers, but the slant versions are great, too. These ones are available in three different designs, and retail for $25 at Sephora. Click here to choose yours!
La-Tweez pro illuminating tweezers
As my fellow unibrow owners will understand, you need a lot of light to keep the beast under control – in fact, many’s the time I’ve found myself pressed up against a window, or balancing on a chair to get closer to the electric light, just so I can make sure I’ve caught every last straggler. It’s not always an easy task, so these illuminated tweezers by La Tweez look like the kind of thing that could really help a girl out.
This is another one of those “so simple it’s amazing everyone isn’t doing it” ideas. The tweezers come with an ultra-bright LED light in the centre of them, which will illuminate the brow and allow to to identify every last offending hair. They also come with a case which has a magnifying mirror built-in to make it even easier, and if, like me, you’re prone to leaving electrical items switched on until the battery dies, don’t worry – these automatically switch off after seven minutes to keep the battery alive.
These cost £15, come in black, white and hot pink and are available at Boots, John Lewis, House of Fraser, Lakeland and www.victoriahealth.com.
Bye-bye unibrow!
Lancome Deluxe Brush Set
I badly need to replace some of my makeup brushes at the moment, and even although I know I’ll probably bow to the inevitable and get new ones from MAC, I’m still having fun looking at some of the other options out there. I was particularly drawn to this little set from Lancome: obviously the purple bristles won’t make the application any smoother, but they do make the brushes look cute, as does the little bejeweled wallet they come in. Inside the wallet you’ll find:
Foundation Brush #2
Powder Brush #1
Precision Shadow Brush #12
Dual Ended Brush #18
Blending Shadow Brush #17
I haven’t tried these, so can’t say what they’re like to use, only what they’re like to look at! If you’d like to try them out for yourself, the full set costs $59 and is available at Neiman Marcus.
Avon 3-in-one sharpner for eyeliner and lip pencils
My makeup routine is such that I get through a lot of eyeliner. Also lip-liner. Oh, and my Urban Decay concealer is in a pencil, too.
Needless to say, then, my makeup box is full of sharpeners for all these pencils. And you know what? I NEVER seem to have one that’s the right size. My pencils vary in size from slim to huge, and I seem to have acquired a small selection that don’t fit ANY of the sharpeners I own, which is why I’m thinking of ordering this 3-in-one sharpener from Avon.
As you can tell from the name, this gives you three different sizes: yes, I know it looks like there’s only two holes in it, but the larger one contains a removable insert that you can pull out to make it bigger. Sounds like a good idea, especially when it only costs $2.99. Now to see if it’s available on the UK website…
Temptu AIRbrush Makeup System, for a totally flawless face
How much would you be willing to pay for a totally flawless face?
Without thinking too much about that question, I guess my answer would’ve been “a lot”. But when I saw that the Temptu Airbrush Makeup System, which promises to give you just that flawless finish, costs $250 at Sephora, I have to admit, I did baulk at the price.
“$250?” I thought. “Oh, hell to the no!”
Then I read the reviews. Hmm. Although it’s fairly new in stock, so far almost everyone who’s tried it has given it five stars, and raved about how utterly fantastic it is. Could it be worth shelling out on after all? Well, the product description certainly makes it sound like it might be. This is, quite literally, an “airbrush system which allows you to spray on your makeup (foundation, blusher, shadow) for a flawless, “airbrushed” finish. The downside, if it can be called that, is that you have to use Temptu cosmetics with it: they’re designed to slot into the machine, and be gently sprayed over the face. It sounds a little daunting, but it does come with an instruction manual, plus a DVD showing you exactly how to use it.
The advantages, of course, are that flawless finish, which I’m sure most of us would love to have. Would you be willing to buy this in order to get it, though? The jury’s still out for me, but if you’re already convinced, you can buy from www.sephora.com. ARE you convinced, though?
Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray for clean cosmetic brushes
How often do you clean your makeup brushes?
Let me be the first to answer that with "Not nearly as often as I should." Ahem.
When I do clean them, though, I generally just use good ol' soap and water, which gets the brushes clean, but does mean that they end up lying around the bathroom for hours drying off.
This Brush Cleaning Spray from Bobbi Brown is quick drying and easy to use, and while it's not supposed to be a substitute for a proper "shampoo", it should keep things looking and feeling fresh. Or so they say, anyway. What do people think about things like this? Do you think a special cleaner for your makeup brushes is necessary, or do soap and water do the job?
BUY: Bobbi Brown brush cleaning spray, $22
Cowshed Baby Cow Floyd The Sponge
So, I like cows. No, I don't really know why, I just do. I like cow print, too. And I also like Floyd the cow. Floyd is actually a sponge. And, OK, he was designed with babies in mind, but I can see no reason whatsoever that Floyd here shouldn't also be used by us Dollfaces, when we want something super-soft and squishy to clean our faces with. Something that maybe looks a bit like a cow, say.
Floyd costs £7.79, and you can buy him here.
