Bobbi Brown: Make Up Brushes Full Set

I had been thinking for a while that Ive wanted to invest in some really good make up brushes. I usually pick up some as I tend to need them, like a new foundation brush every so often, blusher brush every few months, the odd eye shadow brush here and there. But this time I did things a little differently, I bought a whole 24 piece brush set. I have used MAC brushes in the past, and I'm not saying they are bad because let's face it they're not but I wanted to try a brush that I hadn't used before and I have only heard great things about Bobbi Brown. I have to say I'm a bit biased because I bought the Bobbi Brown Make Up Manual about a year ago, so I've been wanted to try the actual brushes for these specific looks. I know I gave in.... 

For me, a good brush brand has always been determined on the basis of how good the foundation brush is, simple but true. Some brushes just don't blend the foundation on my face (not that I'm using a lot of foundation by any means). With my skin being dry/combination, I use a an oil free foundation mostly and I like one that gives a light matte finish which requires a make up which sets properly, which just can't be achieved with a bad brush. My personal view is whatever the cost, I'll pay it if the job is done right! 

When my brushes arrived, naturally I was really excited to get going and try them out. I'm a big fan of BB cream and always try and put this on before my foundation, I tested out the Bobbi Brown foundation brush for this, and I was really, really happy with the result. The brush is also quite strong so it can hold the harsh blending against my skin which can often be the case when applying. For my actual day time foundation I use my Chanel #6 foundation brush still, as much as I'm loving my Bobbi Brown brushes I can't bear to stop using this one. It's the best one I've ever used because my make up sits perfectly on my my face after I use it and after I wash it, it doesn't feel out of place or clumpy which can often happen. 

Other than the one exception of using my Chanel brush, I've been using my Bobbi Brown brushes and I'm so pleased with them. I just think that it's important to point  out that I have not been asked to review these brushes by any company, I just really enjoy using them. I'm also the type of person who will use a different brush for everything. Yes, I'm that annoying person! But since I first started to really become interested in the different angles of applying make up I have become fascinated on how much better my overall look is because I've used a brush, and properly also. It is really important to learn how to apply properly. 

Another result of this investment, I went away and bought a new Urban Decay Naked palette, it's the only real way to experiment right? Well, this palette is just simply stunning anyway and I'm sure most of you are all too aware of beautifully easy it is to blend the rich tones. I have a few of my favourite combination which I will put together in a blog post soon. 

Naturally enough I am now all about taking care of my brushes |(I'm afraid to admit that this wasn't always the way). I try my very hardest to clean my brushes at least once a week and I've noticed that it makes me make up appear much better as a result, mainly due to the fact clumps of old make up is now gone from the brush. I'm aware this is common sense to most people but honestly, cleaning brushes regularly is such a new craze for me and I'm loving the results. The product that has been highly recommended to me over the years is MAC Brush Cleaner. I'm still discovering the best method; at the moment I'm mixing with water and rinsing the brushes through. It does give a deep clean but I would love to know if anyone has other tips or tricks for cleaning brushes. 

Another exploration for me with my new brushes is I'm experimenting more with eye make up as I previously mentioned. So I picked up a new Urban Decay Naked 2Palette, which is mainly made up of dusty tones of brown, gold, deep lilac, blending beautifully together to give a wide variety of overall looks. 

Have you tried the Bobbi Brown brushes? What are your thoughts? 

Love C X 

The Beauty Shift

Every so often a beauty trend comes along that revolutionizes the way we look at make up. In recent years the craze has seen everything from the smoky eye, to contouring to the comeback of the statement lip. The one fundamental aspect that we all crave for is a look that fits us! Personally, I believed for years that this could be found in the form of the perfect foundation. For years I tried and tested them all, Revlon, Rimmel, MAC, Clinique,  Max Factor, Laura Mercier, the list goes on, and although I did find a foundation that does exactly what I need it to do I still seem to crave that "natural" element to my look. Cakey make up is something that I think every female dreads, so how do we avoid this if we are a fan of a heavy foundation?

Until recently I believed that I would never truly be able to answer this question truthfully, but that was before I welcomed BB cream into my life. My first encounter was the battling question of; BB VS CC? How can one possibly understand which is going to work best for what we are looking for without testing both? And the answer is you can't. My initial understanding was that CC was going to be my obvious winner, as someone who has suffered with skin blemishes my whole life this seemed like my answer. So I tried No17 CC cream and the results were incredible, for awhile. I suppose my positive reaction mainly develops from my scepticism from the beginning, I genuinely believed that this was not going to work and a waste of money but I'm a sucker for a beauty craze. This product works wonders for those who do not want to apply make up and are looking for light coverage, but this isn't want I want. This product is too light to wear alone but too heavy to act with foundation. So this brings me to re-examine how I shop for BB/CC creams; Can it work with my existing beauty routine?

My next route lead me to a MAC counter. With a few friends who work for the brand I decided to give it a go, already a fan of their lip, eye and powder products I was willing to give it a go. So I purchased the BB compact cream and began to test it. I applied under my foundation and it worked relatively well. It was light enough to work under my foundation and gave me more coverage than my concealer was offering so it seemed like all was well. After time the product just seemed to be drying up my skin which was the tell tale sign that it had to go. Now I suppose at this stage you are probably wondering why I wouldn't just ditch the foundation but for me this probably boils down to an insecurity. As I have previously stated in my posts, foundation is my friend! Again, it has to work with my existing beauty routine.

For those of you who don't know my foundation is Clinique, Stay Matte. I wrote a review on my love for the product here. So I just went to a Clinique counter and asked the question that I probably should have asked at the beginning, what is the best cream to work with this foundation? Naturally, she was going to say a Clinique product, which I had already prepared myself for and was okay with. I just wanted the right product that was going to do what I wanted it to. After explaining what I wanted from the product and the results I was looking for she suggested that BB cream was best, and this was what I went for. I've been using Clinique BB for two weeks now and honestly, I am really happy with it and the effects it has on my skin. The "Naked Face" trend seems like it's here to stay so why not discover a product which can not only achieve the look but gives you confidence also.

Love C X 

Define Yourself

Make up is something every female has an interest in, even if it is just to some little degree. For me the fascination has always been how to achieve certain looks. My face is round and I have always thought this has made my face seem fatter in photos than it does in person and it was later in life that I learnt about the art of contouring your face. When I came across the image below on pinterest I knew I had to share it. It all starts with the shaping of your face, which seems self explanaotry but it really took me years to realise what shape my face was! After years of debaiting with myslef and my friends it was settled, I had a round face. I found this image very helpful as not only does it make you realise that different shape faces should be applying their brozer in specific areas but it also tells you wear you should be applying the product. Personally I am a fan of bronzer to define the areas of my gace but I know some of you may be a fan of blusher, so I popped a blusher applying sample below also. 

For anyone who is insecure about their nose at all I stumbled across this image which I really think will serve very useful. I sometimes feel insecure about my nose which I think everybody does at some point in their life but this shows that it is nothing that a little make up can fix!! 

If I come across any other useful beauty cheat sheets Il make sure to pop them here. 

Love C X 

Electric Bloom

Seeing as I recently spoke about what trends are being seen at this summers hottest festivals, it only seems appropriate to talk about how to add some festival fever to your face.  Although slumming it in a cheap tent is all part of the experience, it  is essential for every girl to maintain a fresh glow, it is completely expected at festivals to  break the boundaries with your make up.  Personally I enjoy adding a unique design on the face, particularly around the eye area as this is something that cannot be done everyday and it allows me to be a complete hippy in fields for a few days. But other looks which I will be trying out this summer include this two-tone lip . 

As soon as I saw this photo on Pinterest I knew this was something i was going to have to try. it seems relatively easy, simple but effective. To begin this look, and with all looks including a strong lip, I would first prepare the lips for the product which is just as important as the lip stick itself. Primers are an excellent product for ensuring that the lip colour will stay and that it will also last longer. Personally, I use MAC Prep & Prime fro Lips. I cannot apply any lip colour without using this primer and highly recommend this brand for a true performance of how primers should work. Following this a lip brush is always needed to ensure perfection when applying the lip colour. Again for me I use Mac's 318 retractable lip brush which works perfectly every time. A steady hand is required. Also, while at festivals it is imperative to go a little crazy and do something outside your comfort zone. My comfort zone is red when it comes to shades! Therefore this summer I am going bold with neon pink, I went through a serious MAC phase a few months ago so most of my products in my beauty bag are this brand so the colours I am recommending are MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme. It really does what it says on the box, and stays on ..... for ages! Especially at a three day event you are going to need something that will go the distance so investing in a long lasting product is worth every penny spent. I would find a shade that suits your skin tone (never be afraid to ask for counter assistance, its what they are paid to do) and get either a shade lighter or a shade darker. Grab your lip brush and gently apply the darker shade onto the brush. Whatever shape you decide to create with the products, start to outline on the lip with this design. Practice before you head away for the weekend to avoid wasting time on the first day trying different designs or shades! Also practicing will help you decide on which shade should be placed where on the lip. This look is definitely original and I do not think many girls will think of this so make sure to try this look before someone else does.  

Cheeks are also a great area to decorate when getting involved in all the festivities. I enjoy the simplicity of just simple little black hearts on cheeks and so easily done. Start by picking up/ grabbing you liquid eye liner (I would recommend the liner stick rather than pot liner as it will be easier to apply). Liquid liner will also stay on the face longer as pencil can fade away really easily, and I would use Rimmels black liner. if you already have pot eye liner, never fear! This will work just as well as the stick, it will just require the assistance of an eyeliner brush for precision. Bobbi Brown have a fantastic eye liner brush and its also award winning so you know your in safe hands. To complete this look I would apply a strong eye with the addition of more liquid eye liner above the lid of the eye and and black pencil liner on the bottom and keeping the lips nude.A great mascara to use is Benefits Bad Gal Waterproof mascara. This will allow the lashes to stand out from the large crowd and get noticed!  This will complete the look of the festival reveler. 

Enjoy the festivals guys, Love C X