10 Makeup Brushes You Actually Need

A common question I get is what makeup brushes should I be using; there are so many.  And more so do I need all of them? 

To start with, investing and using makeup brushes is a must. Not only can it make a big difference in the final result, but makeup brushes can help you save money in the long run.  Yes, I said to save money, as when you use makeup brushes you end up using less product. Hence your makeup will go further. 

I Purchased These Beauty Lally Brushes At A Discount In Exchange For A Review

With that being said, it is not necessary to have every makeup brush in your makeup arsenal.  I know there are so many to choose from, so starting off with a smaller set that will help you accomplish your makeup needs is important! Similar to a painter, the perfect makeup strokes can’t be achieved without the right brushes.

Although there are so many brands and brushes to pick from, they all have a purpose.  Today I’m going to be referencing a 10-piece brush set from Beauty Lally.

This makeup brush set is perfect for those that are just starting out, as it has everything you need all in one. Starting with the container, this beauty works great to place on your makeup vanity.  The black vinyl case also will help to keep your brushes clean and protected all in one place, and it works perfectly for traveling! It even comes with a compact mirror, making this a one-stop beauty buy!

So without further ado, the top 10 brushes every woman should have!

Brushes For Your Face

The first weapon in your beauty arsenal is good foundation brush. The "Makeup brush" as Beauty Lally calls it, is ideal for applying liquid and cream foundations.  Using this brush will help you to build your desired coverage more quickly.

But before you start to use this brush you want to make sure that you have prepped your face first, by applying a makeup primer.  Otherwise, your foundation will sit in your wrinkles, dried skin, etc., and looked caked on.  Hence, highlighting the area you are trying to hide.

Next up is a Flat Foundation Brush. No more streaky foundation with this brush, as it is going to give you a more even, smoother finish.  It is great with both liquid and cream, leaving you with a high definition finish.

How to use: I like to start in the middle of my face and move my way towards my hair line, applying is a circular motion or a stippling approach.

Concealer Baby:  Got blemishes, under eye circles or skin imperfections?  Then this brush is the one that can help to conceal those.

How To Use:  I feel this is one of the most valuable tips to mention as applying your concealer incorrectly in your under eye area,  can do the opposite by drawing attention to your imperfections.

1. You want to dip your Beauty Lally concealer brush into your product and apply in a triangle, do not apply in a circle, as it needs to extend below the dark area. The triangle approach works, trust me! It brightens your look, allowing you to lighten the most shaded area, giving you an instant lift appearance.  It also will eliminate that caked on look that emphasizes a defined line; the goal is to have it disappear.
1. Starting at the inner corner, near the nose and extend outwards in a v to the cheek area and back up to the outer area of the eye. (See image below for this approach)
2. Blend well so there is not a distinct change in tone between the concealer and your skin.
3. You may need to apply an additional layer of coverage, but be careful not to overdo it.  You can create false wrinkles (yuck, who wants those), and or show your other flaws. The goal is to have a flawless look, so don’t rush.

Powder Brush:  The soft round head to this powder brush is the perfect for both loose and pressed.  And when it comes to pressed powders THROW AWAY THE PUFF that came with it as you do not want to be using these.  Instead, you want to dip your Beauty Lally powder brush into your powder making sure to tap off the excess before using in sweeping motions for a perfect application. There are a few options as to where to apply, for a more natural look only apply in your T-zone area or if you’re like me and like to set your foundation, use it everywhere. 

Blush & Bronzer Brush:  This fluffy angled brush will help you with high precision when it comes to applying your blush. Blush can either make or break a look. Do it wrong and you could look like bozo the clown, but if you do it right, you’ll be the hit...of the night!

How To Apply Your Blush:  Once you've determined your blush pigment, you can now define the color on your cheeks making your cheekbones pop, and showing off your beautiful features.  Simply smile and with the makeup blush brush, apply to the apples of your cheek. Sweep it in an upward motion towards your temples.

If you want to contour, this brush is also fantastic for applying your bronzer

Where & How To Apply For Contouring

• Apply under your cheek bones first.  The best way to locate this area is to suck in your cheeks, then apply bronzer to the reseeding area (parallel to your jaw line). It is important to blend well, so you don’t see the line of makeup.
• Bring the color to your hairline and edge it out there. 
• Smile! Yes, I said smile, when you do this, you will be able to add some color to the corner part of your cheekbones nearest your nose & lips. This will help minimize this area as well, allowing for that great cheek pop.  

Finish this look by applying some highlights above your blush by using an illuminator with the SHIMMER BRUSH.   You can also use this brush to apply the illuminator to the bridge of your nose, forehead area between the eyes, and the chin to give your skin a glow.

Eye Shadow Brushes

Choosing the right eye shadow brushes can also make a big difference between a great smoky eye, and a disastrous, “you got beat up look”. While there are tons of eye shadow brushes, the following two brushes are the most widely used eye brushes in the industry.

Eye Shadow Brush: This flat, stiffer brush has multiple uses...

• Great at picking up pigment and can be used to apply an all over eye shadow.
• Use it to apply a base eye shadow color.
• Use it to apply a highlighter.
• Overall this brush helps for a smoother finish.

Eye Shadow Blur Blush: This brush is more of a fluffy brush and is superb for blending! The bristles on this brush are densely packed, allowing you to pick up a lot of colors.  This brush also is good for applying shadow to the crease of your eye, shading, or to even use to highlight the brow bone

How To Use: Dip the tip of this brush into your favorite eye shadow (make sure to tap off any excess).  Then you want to apply the shadow in a windshield wiper motion starting from the outer edge of your eye and blending into the crease.

Bow To The Brow, Eyebrow Brush: A great frame can take an ordinary picture to a different level.  I view your eyebrows as such. Your eyebrows form a frame around your eyes taking them from Plain Jane to Glamorous Brow in 3 easy steps.  These "steps" are called eyebrow mapping (a method to defining the perfect shape of your eyebrows, by determining where your brow starts and where it ends).  There are 3 points to this map when all connected will form a V-shaped arch (with softer angles) for the perfect brow.  

How To Create: 

Point 1: 

• Start with the corner of your eye, closest to the nose to measure the starting point of your eyebrow.  
• Dip your Beauty Lally eyebrow brush into your brow powder or gel. 
• Place the brush vertically from the inner corner of your nose to the inner corner of your eye.
• Place a vertical line here indicating the start of your eyebrow. 

Point 2:
The Arch: Align the brush horizontally from the tip of your nose to the outside center of your pupil or the middle of your brow bone, place a dot. This is the arch & the highest point of your eyebrow, so keep this in mind when placing the dot.

Point 3:
The End: Align the brush from the outer corner of your nostril to the corner of your brow to place your final mark.

Once you have completed, you want to connect the dots or lines and fill in the brow with tiny strokes; think of little hairs and blend.

Liptastic Lips: The last brush in the Beauty Lally brush set is the lip brush, which is ideal for spreading the pigment more evenly, or for filling in the lips with expert precision.  Additionally, for a perfect pout try some of these tips…

• For a pouty lip: Apply a shimmery gloss to the center of your mouth.
• For fuller lips: Use a flesh-colored lip liner to extend your lip line.
• Cupid's bow: Another tip for fuller lips is to add some highlighter to the Cupid’s bow (this is the double curve of the upper lip).  The highlighter will draw attention to your mouth, giving you a better shape as well.

So as you can see beauties, you don't have to have a ton of makeup brushes or lots of money to look BEAUTYful. As the 10-piece brush set from Beauty Lally can be yours for only $25! 

Top 6 Ways to Reduce Wrinkles: The Ultimate Guide and Solvadern Stemuderm Review

Getting older can have some downsides like gray hair and wrinkles.  While some may say that wrinkles merely indicate where smiles have been or wisdom, I’d rather be without them, wouldn’t you? 

Although we can’t actually stop the aging process, there are some things we can do to delay skin aging. So, if you want to see how you can help to minimize your skin's damage and wrinkles, continue reading!

 

Top 6 Ways to Reduce Wrinkles: The Ultimate Guide and Solvadern Stemuderm Review.

For this post, I have partnered up with Solvaderm Skincare.  They focus on innovative skincare treatments designed to minimize the appearance of premature skin aging, skin damage and hyperpigmentation.  

Over the years, we are exposed to sun, lifestyle habits, pollution, and other factors that contribute to aging skin. As we get older, our skin becomes thinner, and we start to lose collagen and tone, resulting in those unwanted fine lines and wrinkles! So to help put your skin on the right path, we have come up with the top 6 ways to help you fight the wrinkle battle!

Topical Treatment:  Studies show that a product with essential ingredients like antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and peptide complexes can have a big impact on aging skin.  

There is tons of money being spent daily on skincare products, the issues is do they work and which one do we choose?  Well this is where the Solvaderm Skincare line comes into play with their Stemuderm.   I was fortunate to be able to try this product out for a few days and have enjoyed it thus far. 

This skincare line has many of the key ingredients you need that can delay skin aging and encourage regeneration and repair.  Additionally, there is an advanced blend of moisturizers that help to quench and soften the skin while providing a plumping effect to fill in surface irregularities.  And if that wasn’t enough they have taken it a step further to optimize the production of skin-restructuring compounds in the deeper dermal layer. Move over wrinkles…YOU HAVE MET YOUR MATCH!

 

 

Use A Moisturizer With An SPF Daily.

Moisture is vital to properly restoring hydration balance to the skin's surface. Proper hydration improves firmness and revitalizes tone and texture.   Furthermore, if you get a moisturizer with an SPF, you will save yourself time and money!   For an extra boost, you can add it via your makeup too, so keep your eyes open for a tinted moisturizer and a BB cream. A great moisturizer will help to plump up your fine lines and more, so never leave home without it!

 

Correctly Applying Your Skincare Product Is Also Essential.  

There are so many wrinkle and line formations on our face, so attention to detail is essential.  When it comes to applying your skincare product, you want to use a circular motion focusing on the lines and wrinkled area.  AVOID pulling and tugging on the skin.  Your topical treatment, like the Stemuderm along with your moisturizer, should be applied each morning and before bed each night to protect, nourish and maintain hydration.

 

Exfoliation...

Proper exfoliation removes dead skin build up and stimulates cellular turnover while making your skin look brightly polished and radiant.  If you don’t find a product to help remove the dead skin your face will start looking dull, dry and OLD!

 

Your Diet Effects Your Skin.

In addition to selecting great products like the ones from Solvaderm Skincare, you need to make sure that you are watching what you eat. First you want to avoid highly processed and preserved foods.   Secondly, you want to choose foods that are packed with nutrients that can help reduce wrinkles while fighting other damage caused by free radicals. Foods like avocado, salmon, blueberries, green tea, and buckwheat just to name a few are great to add to your diet.

 

Reduce Wrinkles By Sleeping On Your Back. 

Lastly, sleeping on your back can help you to reduce wrinkle formation according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).  They also caution against certain sleeping positions, like sleeping on your side, which can cause cheek wrinkles. Or sleeping face down as this can create wrinkles on your forehead and cheeks.

Overall my experience with Solvadern's Stemuderm has been great. If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I am a big proponent when it comes to skincare products.  One thing that stood out with the Stemuderm was it gave the texture of my skin a radiant, refreshed look. I will most certainly be adding it to my skincare regimen!

So there you have it beauties, an approach to skincare that combines a quality skincare product, proper diet and a daily routine dedicated to improving and preserving one’s skin health! Enabling you to slow down the appearance of creases and wrinkles.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation.
I received the Solvadern Stemuderm for my own use.  All opinions and experiences are my own.

The Secret Weapon To Making Your Makeup Last Longer

 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of  The Wilkes Group.

Views expressed were not influenced in anyway.

If you are a makeup junkie like myself, the costs can sure add up. But no matter what the product,  I am always trying to get the most of out of it.   And today I am here to share with you one of my secret weapons.

So, if you want to be able to get an airbrushed makeup look, increase the longevity of your makeup, minimize pores, achieve a bolder intense eyeshadow look, all while saving money.  Then continue reading.

What is my secret weapon? It is Makeup Setting Spray. I’ve been using these Facial Spray/setting sprays for years.  And this is why I was so excited when I was asked to review Evian® Facial Spray, by the Wilkes Group.

Now don’t let the name fool you. While setting sprays do help to set your makeup like hairspray does your hair, it also has many other uses. And this is why I call it my secret beauty weapon! Now before I get into the insider's tricks, I wanted to let you know about Evian® Facial Spray.

About the Product:
Evian® Facial Spray contains a pure, soft, natural mineral water with a unique mineral balance, and a neutral 7.2pH. These properties are why the spray is extremely compatible with the human body. Evian® Facial Spray is suited to all skin types, even if you have sensitive skin.

The Packaging:
Normally, I don’t feel the need to make mention of the packaging, but with this product I think it is essential.  This bad boy came in real handy with a recent trip of mine as the canister is leak proof and ideal to fit right in your travel bag.  Also, unlike many other sprays, Evian® Spray is sealed at the source.  Hence, no unwanted bacteria and contaminants that may irritate the skin or cause breakouts.

Lastly, Evian® is powered by pure nitrogen into millions of tiny micro-droplets. These micro-droplets are the driving force that enable Evian® water spray to be absorbed by the skin. Nitrogen comprises 80% of each breath we take, so there is no effect on the ozone layer.

 Without further ado... 

the tricks to making your makeup last longer

Primer: Primer is essential. If you don't start off right, none of these other tips will matter. Without it your makeup will sit in your pores, create false wrinkles while leaving a dull appearance, period! On the other hand, when you do use a primer, you'll find that your makeup will have a much smoother finish while minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Airbrush Makeup Application:  The Evian® Spray is great for creating that instant airbrushed
look.  I used it on my Beauty Blender, when I was applying my foundation. Doing it this way prevents your makeup from settling into fines lines, giving you a flawless, dewy glow all day long.  Simply wet your Beauty Blender with The Evian® Spray, dip it into your makeup of choice and bounce or as they call it in the makeup world, stipple it against your face.  Doing it this way will help to prevent makeup lines, leaving you with a seamless, airbrushed movie star look.

Bright Vibrant Eyeshadow: My best tip to creating intense colors is misting my eyeshadow brush with the setting spray. You want the brush to be slightly damp, but not too wet, or it won’t work.  I then dip the brush into the eyeshadow and apply it to my primed eye.  Doing this is a great way to make your eyeshadows bold and vibrant. Plus, if you are using a drugstore shadow, these sprays are that extra push you need to crafting the same pigmented looks of brand name shadows at half the price.

To Set Your Makeup:  After you’ve spent time layering, stippling, blending and more.  The last thing you want is your masterpiece to disappear in a few hours.  With a good setting spray, you will be able to keep your makeup looking fresh, with minimal touch ups. (Which means saving $$$).  How To Use The Spray? Simply hold the bottle a few inches from your face and lightly spray all over your finished makeup look in a circular motion, giving you that seamless look throughout the day.

A Little Pick Me Up:  If you find yourself being outside sweating or maybe you don’t have time to go home after work before a dinner date, no worries.  This beauty spray can give you that  instant pick me up, refreshing your makeup look, so you will only need some minimal touch-ups.

Wanna a little pick me up yourself? Well now you can as the Wilkes Group has a special offer for my readers.

;

Turning Back Time, With Valentia’s Vitamin C Skin Care Serum

Sleeping Beauty; Products That Rejuvenate Your Skin While Sleeping

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post on behalf of  EXUVIANCE® and BrandBacker.  

All views expressed are my own and were not influenced in anyway

 

It's skincare month, where I will be testing out a few different skin care products all month long.  I am very excited to share with you two new skin care products that I've been using for the past few days, from EXUVIANCE®.  If you follow my blog you know that I’m always looking for maintenance, repair and prevention skin care regimens. And when I was able to try out some products from the EXUVIANCE® line, I was thrilled.

Some Background on The Brand: The creators of EXUVIANCE®, are internationally recognized for making the breaking discovery that AHA's, (Alpha Hydrozy Acids) are beneficial in the treatments of dermatological conditions.  Furthermore, they’ve proven how effective these AHA's are in stimulating prematurely aged or damaged skin to actually rejuvenate itself.  Thereby revolutionizing the treatment of aging skin...now how cool is that?  If that wasn’t enough to make me want to try this, the two Drs. that created EXUVIANCE®  also discovered the anti-aging benefits of Glycolic Acid and created/patented the first Glycolic Peel.

Now before I go into the product, I want to let you know that I believe that every person has a different expectation & need(s) of their skin care products.  Therefore, it is important that we are focusing on products that will help our concerns instead of looking for the next big fad.

The Products I'm Testing: The NEW Exuviance Illumination Duo.  This set includes the Evening Restorative Complex, with the 100% pure active formulation of a Vitamin C+ Antiaging Booster, creating a potent antiaging cocktail that combats the visible signs of aging, while you sleep.  Well fill her up, I’m ready for this sleepytime cocktail!

Evening Restorative Complex:  This comes in 1.75 oz jar and has a clean refreshing scent, which was a nice surprise as I am not a fan of strong smelling creams. This cream contains PHA's that offer powerful anti-aging benefits without irritation as well as bionics, vitamins A, C and E.   Unlike some anti-aging products, the bionics are harmless and are natural compounds that deliver great benefits without redness, flaking and most important to me, no stinging! Lastly, this formula reduces the risk of free radical damage.

Exuviance Vitamin C+ Anti-aging Booster, 0.35 oz:  This 100% pure active vitamin C formula, comes in a powder that you have to add to the evening complex.  This booster amps up the effects of the Evening Restorative Complex helping to increase elasticity and firmness.

My Thoughts:  Although, I have only been using this product for 4 days, I can already see a difference in my skins texture and appearance, especially when I apply my makeup.  This product is supposed to improve fine lines, while leaving your skin smoother.  It has left my skin smoother, but the rest, it’s too soon to see those effects. 

How to Use This: 

1. Use daily, but apply in the evening and keep it on all night.
2. Place a small amount of the Evening Restorative Complex in the palm of your hands.
3. You then want to add up to ½ scoop of the Vitamin C+ Anti-aging Booster with the handy little scooper they provide.
4. Mix the two products together in the palm of your hand. 
5. Once mixed apply all over your clean face.
   

IMPORTANT:  When applying you want to take into consideration that you are going to be sleeping with this on your face and it could end up in your eyes.  I'm sure most are aware that you need to not apply to the eye area, but you need to make sure to stay far away from it!  I made this mistake the first night of getting a bit to close and I woke up with it in one of my eyes. So please, be cautious when applying.

Sensitivity:  The 3rd night I started to notice some sensitivity, so I drew back on the amount of Vitamin C+ that I added.  Keep in mind, you should never use more than a ½ scoop per application.

One last thing I want to suggest is to make sure you have your hair up when you go to bed.  The lotion is a bit heavy and you can feel it on your skin.  Therefore, you don’t want to make your face even greasier by adding hair to the mix and vice versa.

Over all I am pleased with the product and looking forward to my “beauty” rest!  So lovelies, please stay tuned as I will have a follow up on effectiveness of the product. In the mean time if you want to find out more about this product you can by clicking HERE.