Y'all know I love a good deal. We all know that cleaning makeup brushes is a hassle and often times gets pushed back. After researching I found the perfect duo to help quicken my brush cleaning routine. The Brush Egg is a cute way to deep clean brushes and the Master's Brush Cleaner is a convenient alternative to other solid cleansers on the market.
The Brush Egg has two surfaces for cleaning brushes. The smaller knobs are for foaming and lathering and the larger surface is for agitating bristles to release dirt. It fits perfectly in my hand, see picture below, and makes the process much easier. I love this because my hand can stay dry while cleaning the brushes. This is a great alternative to the popular Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove that cost almost $40 and the brush egg retails for about $8. Huge difference. It also comes in other cute colors.
Solid brush cleaners have been popular lately because of how long they last and ease of use. I searched for a great one that wasn't expensive like the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser that cost $20. On Amazon, I found the Master's Brush Cleaner for under $10. It has an amazing lemon scent and comes with 2.5 o.z of product (it also comes in 1 o.z and a 24 o.z tub). This cleaner was meant for paint brushes and breaks down everything even oil. It lathers really well and really deep cleans the brushes. I was very impressed at how it removed the stains from my white goat hair eyeshadow brush!
My method for cleaning brushes is simple. I wet my brush, swirl it around in the Master's Brush Cleaner, scrub it on my Brush Egg and then rinse them clean. This process takes less than 5 minutes for all of my brushes. Convenience at it's best.
I realize now that I never review mascaras. That is party because I buy one and use it exclusively until it runs out. I previously owned the Benefit They're Real [review here]and the Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express [review here]. Those were great and they have run out so I purchased the new Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara. I picked this new one up based on other blog reviews and it's gorgeous packaging. Let's get into what I think of it.
Upon opening this mascara I found the brush to be very intriguing. It has two different sides. One with longer bristles and the other with short bristles. Maybelline intended for us to use the inner curve (smaller bristles) on the lash roots and then use the longer bristles on the ends on lashes.
The formula of this mascara is very liquid-y. I hate to apply a mascara to my lashes and feel the wetness on my eyes. (pet peeve maybe?) It takes about 30 seconds to fully dry and isn't clumpy on the lashes. The brush does a great job at lengthening the lashes but not too much with adding volume, almost like individual lash extensions. I also find that is applied too much, the lashes can look spidery.
I think that this mascara will vary on personal preference. Some might love it because it makes the lashes really long and some will hate the brush and the wet formula. All in all, I will continue to use it because I'm not too picky and I love how long my lashes look with it on.
You've heard of the "lady with a million cats" right? Well I think I am turning into the "girl with a million gel nail polishes". Truth be told, I've been looking for a gel polish that can be my everyday color. I saw swatches of this one by EZ Flow, and purchased it. You all know how much I love the TruGels by EZ Flow. This shade, Extraordinary Spectacle, is a pale pink that is universally flattering. Wear time is amazing as well!
I love the texture of Wet n Wild's lipsticks. I have 2 other shades in their line and this shade, Smokin' Hot Pink is my newest. I have swatches below, and I've linked a tutorial I featured it in below. Let's get into what I think of it!
-Packaging
The packaging on these are simple. A plastic tube and a clear plastic cap. Nothing special, but I do love being able to see what shade is which.
-Texture/Formula
This lipstick has a satin/matte texture to it. It's no too dry and moisturizes the lips. I do recommend exfoliating the lips before applying it because it can settle into dry lips eww. It's very pigmented and last a good while without fading.
-Color
The shade is a deep hot pink, that is not too dramatic. I think it's a great transitioning from winter to spring shade.
I love the quality you get with Wet n Wild's lipstick for such a small price. I am looking into the other shades in this line!
This video tutorial will show you show to turn any lipstick into a matte one instantly. I love this method because it gives the lipsticks such an amazing velvety matte finish. In the video I used really simple products that I will link below. I think I'll do another post showing the other color-lipsticks in my collection with this method. Enjoy!
NARS Cosmetics is one makeup brand that is a luxury for most. While pricey, the brand creates products that are loved my many. The brand has recently come out with some amazing products and they are definitely on my wishlist. I might not be purchasing these due to their price tag, but a girl can, and will, dream!
This new foundation by NARS gives a flawless but light coverage. This formula is claimed to also last 16 hours. It is much like Armani's Maestro foundation, one of which I really wanted to try but it doesn't come in a shade for me (-_-). I currently only wear a a BB Cream because I love light coverage and looking as natural as possible so I'm really interested in this formula.
I love loose powders. This one claims to keep oiliness at bay without making your face overly matte. I love a powder that gives a great flawless yet natural finish. I'm also very impressed at how deep the powder comes. Finally us #darkgirls are being recognized!
Bronze eyeshadows are my absolute favorite to wear. Evident in my last post, here. Surabaya is one product that is way out of my budget that I would really purchase because I would surely wear the shadows everyday. The two shades are like brown sugar and gold and would highlight my skin tone perfectly.
The new Audacious lipsticks by NARS have been such a success. There are over 20 shades in every color from red to purple to nude. The two shades that I am loving are Anita & Raquel. They are two gorgeous nudes that I would get much use of. You can see great swatches of the nudes in the Audacious lipstick here.
I think this product is just genius. A lip pencil that goes on as easily as a lipstick and lasts all day. I love this deep red shade, Mysterious Red. I would also love to try out the other shades that range from pink to deep plum.
Keeping your hair smooth and straight when it is relaxed can be difficult. It is very important to wrap your hair at night. This method is known by many but can be difficult to master, so I made a video showing how to do it. Remember to wrap your hair with a smooth non-snaggy scarf to ensure no knots and tangles. I'll link what I used below the video. Happy wrapping!