Bat an Eyelash is a lifestyle blog about jewelry, makeup, belly dance, or anything else that my catch my interest.
I am a merchandiser for Chloe + Isabel. Please check out my boutique or share it with someone who may enjoy it. www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/loriannlv
Hello Lovelies! I always intend to take pics of my performance looks and then I get pressed for time and have to get my butt in gear. Sunday I performed my solo at the Las Vegas Belly Dance Intensive and I had plenty of time to get ready. I left my house with part of my makeup done. I didn't want to walk through the Flamingo Hotel & Casino with full on stage makeup. So I added more blush and did my lips once I got there.
Featuring Makeup Geek Eyeshadows. I didn't realize my brows needed so much work till I saw this picture. doh!
I didn't sit down and intentionally use only Makeup Geek Eyeshadows but it just happened that all of the colors I was looking for were MUG.
Powder: Guerlain Metorite Pressed PowderTeint Rose $56
Lips (in the video): Lip Liner MUA Red Drama $1.56
Lipstick e.l.f Studio Matte Lip Color Rich Red $3.00
The MUG shadows are great quality and a tremendous value. I purchased The Starter Kit ($49.99) when they first came out. It comes with nine pans neutral and some purples with both matte and shimmery shades. Three of the shadows I used came out of the Starter Kit. Vanilla Bean is the only one I purchased separately.
If you're interested in the whole look or my dance, check out the video (better in HD)! The LVBDI is the biggest event of the year for our belly dance community. Dancers come from all over the world for classes and performances.
Around Thanksgiving e.l.f had a 50% of sale. You had to spend $20 or $25 to qualify which is a pretty decent sized haul of e.l.f products. I needed a new bottle of the Mist & Set and the Lip Exfoliator was finally back in stock so I went in search of what else I could through in my cart. Admittedly, e.l.f. products are hit or miss but at half off their already low prices, I'm willing to take some risks.
Beauty Wedges Price $1.00 $0.50 You can always use more sponges right?
HD Blush in Headliner Price $3.00$1.50I'm a fan of cream blushes. I've never tried a straight up liquid blush before. I was intrigued.
Cuticle Pushers Price $1.00 $0.50 I've been trying to pay more attention to how my cuticles look lately.
Brush Shampoo Price $3.00 $1.50 I'm almost out of my MAC brush cleaner. I have the e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner which I kinda like so I figured I'd give this a try.
Maximum Coverage Concealer - Oil Free in Porcelain Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been really interested in finding the perfect concealer lately.
Makeup Mist & Set Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been using this for almost a year now and love it. I notice a difference when I don't use it.
Lip Exfoliator Price $3.00 $1.50 I've been dying to try this but it was always out of stock. I was so excited when I got an email letting me know it was back in stock. I just gave this a test drive and I love it. Full review to come.
Moisturizing Lip Tint SPF 8 in Berry Price $3.00 $1.50 I have this in Rose and I really like it. Good pigmentation. Long lasting. I hope this one follows suit.
Matte Lip Color in Rich Red Price $3.00 $1.50 I'm forever on the search for the perfect matte red.
I also purchased a concealer palette ($1.50) for my Mom's box of holiday goodies. Overall, I got ten items for $13.00 plus shipping. That feels like a good days work of bargain shopping to me.
I like to use a lot of cream blushes and I tend to apply them with a stipple brush. The first stipple brush I bought was the e.l.f brush a few months ago. I just got the Coastal Scents Stipple Brush in mystery box. Let's see how the stack up against each other.
Coastal Scents Stippling Brush and e.l.f Stipple Brush
Overall Design: The Coastal Scents brush is longer. I tend to hold it close to the ferrule anyway so that doesn't really make much of a difference to me. The handles are slightly rounded for grip. Winner: Tie
L to R: Coastal Scents, e.l.f.
Bristles: These are both made with synthetic bristles. The Coastal Scents brush has thinner bristles that are more densely packed. This definitely gives a more controlled application. The e.l.f bristles are a little bit stiffer and not as soft against the skin. Winner: Coastal Scents
Durability: I've had the e.l.f. brush for a few months and I use it fairly regularly. I haven't noticed any shedding and there has been minimal fraying of the bristles. Cleans easily.
e.l.f bristles
The Coastal Scents brush starting shedding immediately. I've washed it a few times and it still sheds. I find bristles stuck to my face or in my blush. There are also more bristles that are going off in their own direction. I also had a very difficult time getting this brush clean. I really had to work in the brush cleaner and let it sit to get this brush completely clean.
Coastal Scents bristles
This is only after a few weeks of off and on use. Winner: e.l.f
Price: These are both reasonably priced. Coastal Scents is $6.95 available on the Coastal Scents site. and e.l.f is $3 available on the e.l.f siteWinner: e.l.f
Overall Winner: e.l.f. This is a great brush for the price and has held up nicely. I do wish the bristles were a little bit more densely packed but I will still reach for this over the Coastal Scents brush.
I didn't get around to doing a September favorites so this is more of an September/October favorites post. I haven't been wearing a lot of different makeup the last few months. I did perform with my troupe a few times though. We danced a 1940s Golden Era Bellydance piece so I've been doing a retro look a lot which is where most of my favorite products come from.
If anyone is interested in a tutorial for this look let me know. It's pretty easy and always looks glamorous. Anyhoo, on to the October favorites!
Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Black I got this back in my July Birchbox it was one of the few items I got from Birchbox that I absolutely loved and one of the very few full sized items I ever got. Anyhoo, this is a felt tipped liner that glides on smoothly and is long lasting. It makes it really easy to achieve that winged liner look. It comes in several different colors. There's a purple I keep talking myself out of buying. It's gorgeous but I don't know when I'd ever wear it. You can buy it at Sephora or Birchbox for $15.
Ardell Wispies Love love love these falsies. They're big and dramatic but still give that soft wide-eyed look. You can find Ardells in most drugstores and Target for around $4.
Besame Crimson Rouge I got this is as a sample in my August Beauty Army kit. Besame Cosmetics is all about the vintage retro look with their products and their packaging. This cream blush is much drier than other cream blushes I've tried. It works great though. Just dab a little bit on and blend it out and you have the perfect vintage looking flush. The full size of this is $22 and you can find it at Besame Cosmetics or Beauty Army.
e.l.f. Moisturizing Lip Tint SPF8 in Rose I usually carry around a ridiculous amount of lippies in my purse. So I've been trying to use up some products and cull the herd. I rediscovered this and have been wearing it a lot. Rose is a darker pink color. I find it much more pigmented than other tinted lip moisturizers/lip balms that I've tried. Fairly well moisturizing and the color is long lasting. These are $3 on the e.l.f. website and I think you can find these in Target.
Benefit They're Real! Mascara I got this sample in my September Little Black Bag. I really didn't want to love it because the full size is $23. I have a hard time finding a mascara that doesn't give me panada eyes even though I only wear mascara on my top lashes. This mascara delivers length and stays put all day. Love it! I have about $10 worth of Birchbox points to cash in so I'll probably buy this. You can also find it pretty much everywhere... Benefit, Sephora, and Ulta.
I don't normally talk about music but the eagerly awaited new album from The 69 Eyes is finally out! The 69 Eyes are a Finnish Goth rock/metal band. The new album is so good. I've been listening to it two or three times a day. Here's the video for the single "Red." My favorite track is actually "Black." You can buy this on Amazon as a CD or download. The Itunes version features a bonus track which is a duet with Kat Von D.
When I started this blog back in January, I thought that maybe a few of my friends and family would read it. I never dreamt that so many other people would start reading it! Sometimes I don't have as much time to devote to my blog as I'd like to but it inspires me and pushes me to know there are people out there reading this and enjoying it. I love all of your comments and feedback.
In appreciation of hitting the 100+ follower mark, I'd like to send out a small thank you gift. I've chosen the e.l.f. 11 piece Studio Brush set because I think it's a good basic set of brushes. Many of these I use everyday. These are also fully synthetic and vegan friendly. The set includes: Eyeshadow "C" Brush, Small Smudge Brush, Small Angled Brush, Small Precision Brush, Contouring Brush, Concealer Brush, Blush Brush, Complexion Brush, Angled Foundation Brush, Powder Brush, and Fan Brush.
I'm also giving away my two favorite colors of the NYX Xtreme Lip Creams. My reviews of those are my most read posts. I'm giving away Buttery Nude and Absolute Red. NYX products are cruelty free.
You can read about them here and here. I know NYX isn't a brand that is easily accessible to everyone. So I wanted to spread the love.
This will be open to my international readers as well. Winner will have 48hours to respond. If a response is not received, a new winner will be chosen. I really hope one of my actual readers wins this so you will not find a "Tweet About This Giveaway" or "Blog About This" option. Of course, if you feel like sharing it you can . :)
The month of August flew by! This month I have been using some new products and some products that have been sitting in my makeup drawer neglected for awhile.
e.l.f. Kabuki Face Brush, UD 24/7 Stray Dog, MUA Heaven & Earth, Macadamia Healing Oil, e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set
e.l.f. Kabuki Face Brush This brush is so soft! I've been using it lately in place of my Estee Lauder powder brush and I love it. It's only $6 from e.l.f. I picked this up last month when they were having a sale for only $3. I'm really amazed at the quality for the price. This brush is fully synthetic and vegan.
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Stray Dog This was party of the 24/7 Travel Set in Naked. I don't believe this color is part of the permanent range. I picked the set up when it was Hautelook last time. The color is a nice taupe brown. It just happens to go perfectly with the eyeshadow combination I've been using from my MUA palette.
MUA Heaven & Earth Palette MUA is a UK drugstore brand that lots of bloggers rave about. I finally got my hands on some of their products. Here's my haul post if you missed it. Their products are well priced even with the exchange rate. I'm happy to report that they live up to the hype. This palette is pigmented with a nice texture. I've been creating some really nice smokey daytime looks. I'll try to do a full review soon.
Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment This was from my first Beauty Army. This smells amazing and leaves my hair very shiny and soft. I definitely plan on purchasing the full size version in the future.
e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set This is another of those products that I use everyday and tend to take for granted. I really notice a difference in how long my makeup lasts when I don't use it. The ingredients include aloe, green Tea, cucumber and vitamins A, C & E. There are probably better setting sprays out there but for $3 I don't think you can beat this one. It also tends to last. I've had this bottle for awhile and I'm just now getting to the halfway point..
This month I indulged and bought myself some more high end items for my birthday but other than that I haven't been buying many products this month. I've actually been using a lot of things from my subscription services and from free samples with purchase.
NARS Blush in Orgasm I have to admit this is very similar to the Milani Luminoso blush which was my favorite blush in February. I like the formula of the NARS a little better for some reason I can't really describe. It just has the feeling of a higher quality product.
AmorePacific Tinted Treatment Moisturizer I got these samples with my birthday haul. Generously sized I got multiple uses out of the first little pod I tried. Fell in love with it! The lightest color works well for me. I tried out Fair today and it's just a tad too dark. Unfortunately the full size of this product is $70! So I don't see myself buying it anytime soon. I will have to admire you from afar AmorePacific. I still have the Light-Medium and Medium samples if anyone is interested.
Bond No.9 Nuits de Noho This came in my May Sample Society Box. It smells slightly exotic and indulgent. I absolutely love it. I don't wear it everyday because I'm trying to make this sample last. I wore it recently for one of my belly dance performances just to give myself that extra boost.
StriVectin SD Intensive Concentrate for Stretch Marks & Wrinkles also from May Sample Society and the QVC Test tube. I was using this for a few weeks prior to my performance. It definitely lessened the appearance of my belly stretch marks and the scars from my recent surgery. I'm a believer.
e.l.f. Angled Blush Brush I originally bought this brush with contouring in mind but I like it for general blush application. Besides I still haven't quite figured out that whole contouring thing. The fibers are really soft and seem to pick up just the right amount of product. I just looked and didn't see these on e.l.f. Hopefully they aren't discontinued. This brush is cruelty free.
Sorry I've been neglecting my blog. I did get sucked into Diablo3 but I also really got sucked back into belly dance. I had an amazing weekend last week at a festival. I may blog about it. Would you guys be interested in a performance video?
I just got back from a four day/three night business trip to Burbank, CA. My makeup collection and skincare routine have changed drastically since I last traveled for business in September. I decided that I didn't want to deal with the hassle of checking my luggage so this was all in my carry on luggage. It was really difficult for me to decide what would stay and what would go and I was really trying to pack light.
Makeup Remover Wipes, 3-1-1 Liquids Bag, Cosmetics Bag
The makeup remover wipes and my cosmetic bag were in my carry on suitcase and I wasn't required to pull them out for inspection. I was able to fit a lot of products in my one quart sized bag for liquids. I also took a full sized bottle of contact solution which doesn't count as part of your liquids. So don't waste valuable real estate in your liquids bag on those small bottles of contact solution. In the US this is considered a medication, you have to pull it out to be scanned with the rest of your liquids but it doesn't have to be 3oz. When I left Vegas, they pulled me aside and did an additional scan on my contact solution to confirm it wasn't anything dangerous. When I went through security at Burbank, they didn't care.
Contents of my 3-1-1 liquids bag
I got all of this in my bag of liquids and had a little bit of room to spare. Oh thank you subscription services!
Crest Toothpaste
UD Lip Junkie Lip Gloss in Wallflower (free w/purchase)
This case is the one the e.l.f. 11 piece Studio Set comes in. I like it because it's super flat and fits easily in a suitcase.
Estee Lauder Powder Brush
e.l.f. Powder Brush
e.l.f.. Blush Brush
e.l.f Fan Brush
e.l.f Mineral Concealer Brush (free w/purchase)
MAC 217
MAC 239SE
e.l.f. Contour Brush
MAC 219SE
e.l.f Small Smudge Brush
Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge
So that's pretty much what I can't leave home without for a few days. I could do a nice neutral day look or a dramatic smokey eye for evening. What can't you leave home without?
I mixed up my usual makeup quite a bit in March. I've been really trying out some new products this month.
Inglot Eye Shadows In love with the smokey eye palette I put together from my Inglot Mini Haul. Cool toned grays look great with my blue eyes and cool toned fair skin.
e.l.f. Stipple Brush I've been using this for applying cream blush and I love the amount of control I have. I can go subtle or really build up layers for a bolder look. Soft synthetic bristles.
Benefit POREfessional Primer My new favorite primer. It really minimizes the appearance of pores and is long lasting. If only it were unscented it would be the best primer ever.
NYX Extreme Lip Cream in Bonfire I'm a big fan of this formula. This is a nice bright fuchsia for Spring.
NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic Applied lightly is a nice pink glow. Builds up nicely. Smooth and creamy. It lasts about eight hours before it starts to fade.
March was second month for MyGlam and the end of their probationary period with me. I've been giving all my subscription services two months before I decide whether to cancel or continue. This month there were three standard samples and a mix of three items as deluxe sample. Those were the 3Lab cleanser, Pur-lisse Lip Comfort, and Murad Absolute Bronzing Boost. I would have preferred the Pur-lisse but anything is better than the bronzing boost for me.
I had heard online that some people received bags that stunk. I thought last month's bag was stinky so I was somewhat prepared when I opened my package or so I thought..The smell was strong and noxious and somewhere between moth balls and gasoline. Maybe gasoline soaked moth balls? All of the samples inside were tainted by the smell but the bag itself was the worst! I took all the samples out and filled a bag with baking soda and left it to air out. The next day my samples had aired out enough to handle them but the bag was still awful. I couldn't get within two feet of it without being hit by the fumes. More on that later. First the samples.
Keracolor Color Enhancing Leave In Treatment"This leave-in treatment is especially designed to enhance, protect, strengthen, and hydrate all hair types." You mix the two sides together and work into damp hair. They also claim this sample will be enough for 2-4 applications. I'm pretty sure I'd get one use out of it. I haven't tried this yet. Experimenting with skincare products is one thing. I'm not so sure I want to experiment with hair color treatments. If anyone has tried this, I'd like to know how it worked for you.
Pur-lisse Pur-Protect SPF 30 Essential Daily Moisturizer " ... delivers reliable broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection plus rich hydration, thanks to a couple of exclusive complexes, vitamin E, soy protein and calming antioxidant white tea. Skin is left calm and smooth." It's a moisturizer. I was neither wowed or disappointed by it. I did get about four uses out of this. I probably could have gotten five but I was tired of dealing with the foil packet.
Murad Eye Lift Perfector "Increase your skin's firmness by 50% in as little as 15 minutes with this revolutionary product, which relies on exclusive firming and luminating complexes to address dark circles, both instantly and long-term. A subtle tint adds just the right amount of coverage. I tend to get dark circles. I used this once and didn't really notice a difference. I think I have enough left to give it another shot.
MyGlam Classic Crease Brush & Case "Hand selected by Michelle from her recent trip to Hong Kong...Freshen up your spring makeup routine with this MyGlam exclusive classic crease brush and case." This seems rather large for a crease brush. It also seems like a lower quality than even my e.l.f brushes. At first I suspected the brush case as the culprit for the horrible smell. So I threw it in the trash can beside my desk. I'm not a pink kind of girl. I think the only other pink item I own is my MAC Brush Cleaner. So no big loss. I may give this brush a good wash and see how it holds up. Mine still smells and already looks a bit frayed.
DermStore $25 Gift Card On purchases over $50. Not a gift card. A coupon code.
3Lab Perfect Cleansing Foam"Using only the highest-grade botanicals and state of the art technologies, 3LAB aims to perfect skin by firming, smoothing and evening the complexion." I tried this a few times. I liked the way my skin felt afterwards. I will have to use it more to see if it causes any issues with my skin. Do not get this anywhere near your eyes or it will sting! There are also several ingredients that are known pore clogging ingredients including the very first ingredient. So if your skin is prone to breaking out you may want to avoid this.
So back to the mystery toxic cloud. Let me start of by saying I don't have any respiratory issues nor am I overly sensitive to chemicals. But I could still sit at my desk and smell the brush holder. If I sat here too long I would start to get a headache. I finally took the trash out. My bag itself has been airing out since Monday when I unpacked it and it smells just as bad as it did when I first took it out of the bag. MyGlam's official response has been that is the glue used to construct the brushes. 1. That makes me not want to use the brush at all 2. It's my actual bag that still reeks after being out for five days. I'm not buying it. I've read about other ladies getting migraines from the smell or even those with respiratory issues needing breathing treatments. This is no exaggeration on how noxious this thing is. I couldn't get within two feet of my bag without being hit by the fumes for four days.
I was going to give MyGlam one more month because overall the samples in this month's bag are better than February's Bag even though there were no makeup samples. The longer it took my bag to air out, the more disenchanted I became. So I cancelled my account yesterday. I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. There just seems to be so much drama and disappointment surrounding this service. I hope in the future they improve on quality. Until then I have my Sample Society and Birchbox.
e.l.f. was offering a Mystery Bag on Leap day valued at $20 with any purchase of $20 or more. Even though I was technically cut off for the rest of the month of February I let this one slide. I mean it was Leap Day so really it was more like March anyway. Besides $20 of e.l.f products goes a long way! Some e.l.f products are really great finds and others are pretty much worth the $1-$3.
So first the stuff I bought:
Lip Tintin Berry $3 Contouring Blush & Bronzer Powder I don't contour or use bronzer but it's something I'm curious about. For $3 I can afford to experiment. Makeup Mist and Set $3 Can this live up to the standard set by my MAC Fix +? Nourishing Cuticle Pen My cuticles aren't as bad now that I don't work with my hands everyday but they still need some lovin'. $1
Eyebrow Lifter & Filler in Ivory/Medium I really don't pay as much attention to my brows as I should other than keeping a basic shape.$3 Studio Stipple Brush I don't have a stipple brush. $3 Mineral Angled Blush Brush No angled blush brush either. This is the big ticket item in my order...$5
Now the free stuff! So much stuff I wasn't quite sure how to arrange it to get it all in the picture.
Shimmer Palette These are all creams so you can use them on the eyes, lips or face. Retail value $3 Silver Box Duo Eyeshadow Collection Four duo eyeshadows plus a brush. These look like some good color combos.Greenish Silver/Purple. Matte brown/bronze. Shimmer Pink/Matte Light Gray. Sparkly Black/Matte Silver Gray. Retail value $5 Minty Lip Gloss In Miami. This definitely smells minty. Retail value $3 Single Eyeshadow in Butter Cream This reminds me of a color I have but I can't quite put my finger on it right now. Retail value $3 Mineral Concealer Brush Feels soft Retail value $5 Hypershine Lip Gloss in Sugar Plum Looks like a nice plum color. I'm not really into brush applicator lip glosses. Retail Value $1
So quite the mountain of stuff. I'm not even really sure where to start! e.l.f. usually has some good deals. It's worth it to sign up for their emails.
So I've been spending a lot of time at the office lately. Before spending another gorgeous Saturday in the office I decided to do something to make me feel better. If I'm going to work on Saturday, I'm going to look fabulous doing it. This is based off of Marlena at MakeUp Geek's Sexy Christmas Makeup look. It's a bit more involved than I would usually wear to the office during the week but a girl has to make herself up sometimes to feel better.
Since I've been recuperating, I haven't wanted to bother with putting my full face on. If you're on the go or just not used to wearing a lot of makeup, give a tinted moisturizer a try.
All you need is a tinted moisturizer you like and a tinted lip balm or lip gloss and you are set! You will look more polished without looking too "made up". It also doesn't require much effort. I know for us desert dwelling women, moisturizer and lip balm are a daily must have! So you're really not adding anything to your daily routine.
In addition to a lip gloss or a lip balm you can add some blush or mascara but this is completely optional. I add a little blush because I'm so pale. It's nice to get a little color back in the cheeks. If you have combination or oily skin you may want to apply powder to the T zone area.
Cover Girl Aqua Smoothers Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($6-8) In Fair to Light is extremely sheer. It works OK as a moisturizer but did not have nearly the pigmentation or the coverage I expect from a tinted moisturizer. The texture was that of a thin liquid. Bat's Rating: 4 (only because it does actually moisturize)
e.l.f Studio Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 ($3) In Porcelain Works well as a moisturizer. The coverage was fairly good. If your skin is pretty even toned this may work for you. The color of this was too dark and too yellow for me. The texture is similar to a foundation but it wears very light. Bat's Rating: 6.5
MAC Studio Tint SPF 15 ($30) In Light Works well as a moisturizer. Full coverage without feeling heavy on the skin. Texture is similar to the e.l.f.. It's firm but it applies easily. It is the most expensive but this is one of those times, I feel you get what you pay for. One tube goes a long way as well. Bat's Rating: 9
MAC Studio Tint, e.l.f Studio Tint, and CG Aqua Smoothers is the shiny line to right of the e.l.f
You can see in the above picture just how sheer the Cover Girl is. No coverage at all. It was a big disappointment.. Here I am with the MAC Studio Tint and Estee Lauder Lip Gloss in Berry.
Trying not to sneeze!
The day I shot this video I picked up Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus for $7. I love it! If you're a fan of Burt's Bees you'll like this product. It glides on smoothly and doesn't feel heavy or sticky on the lips. It lasts about two hours.
It's important to clean and condition your brushes for hygienic reasons and also to extend the life of your brushes.You should get in the habit of deep cleaning your brushes every two weeks or so to remove product build up and disinfect. I've been experimenting with a couple of different brush cleaners to find out which one is my favorite.
The brush cleaner I've been using the longest is the Mac Brush Cleaner. It comes in 7.9 oz bottle for $13.00. This cleaner works really well as a disinfectant and for deep cleaning. It cleans powder and liquid based products out of your brushes well. There is no obvious scent to it either. The only problem I have with it is that my bottle leaks. So I typically pour some product in the cap and dip my brushes in it. Instead of trying to pour it out onto my brushes. Bat's Rating: 9
The Sonia Kashuk Brush and Sponge Cleanser comes in a 5.1 oz bottle. You can find it at Target for $6.99. I've found this the cleaner works alright on brushes with powder based products on them but not so much for brushes used for lipstick or concealer. I can't really detect a smell from it. The spray bottle makes application very easy. Bat's Rating: 7.5
As a daily brush cleaner, I've been using the e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner. This comes in 8.5 oz spray bottle. It retails for $3.00. You may be able to find this at Target. They do carry the Brush Shampoo. This product is mostly designed to be used as a daily disinfectant. It does removes some product from the brush but does not fully clean. It works equally well on powder and liquid based products. There is a very pronounced scent to this product. It's a bit flowery and tropical with an underlying chemical hint. It reminds me of a beauty salon. I don't mind it too much but the scent does linger a bit. I wished it cleaned a little bit more and smelled a little bit less. Bat's Rating: 8
In my many years as a technician, one of the most valuable lessons I've learned is that the proper tools make the job go a lot easier. This is just as true when applying makeup. You may think that makeup brushes are confusing, expensive, and only for professionals but there are many good brushes out there that won't break the bank. If you try to use those little foam wands that come with some eye shadows, you won't be able to blend or precisely apply. Invest in a set of brushes to make your life easier.
The bare bones of any brush collection should be a blending or crease brush, a flat brush, and a small brush for more precise application. If you wear a lot of gel liner, you should also add a bent liner brush to your arsenal. Last but not least don't forget your brows and lashes! Add a double sided brow and lash comb and you'll be all set to really start experimenting with eye shadow.
I highly recommend the brushes from Makeup Geek. I use the Outer V ($5.99) everyday for applying shadow to the crease. I recently picked up the Crease Brush ($4.89) and it's quickly becoming a go to brush. It works well for blending the crease. It is very similar to the MAC 217 but is a little smaller (which I like) and is about a quarter of the price. These are natural fiber brushes and have held up well for me.
Bottom to Top: MUG Outer V, MUG Crease Brush
I do have a collection of MAC brushes. I only use about three of them regularly. The aforementioned MAC 217 ($22.50) is a great brush for applying color or blending. It's soft and feathery. Next is the MAC 219 ($24.50). I have a smaller holiday special edition set from a few years ago. This brush is used for a more precise application of color or blending. I use it under the brow and in the inside corner of the eye. The brush I use the most after the Outer V is the MAC 239. This is used for applying color to larger areas of the lid. It has flat rounded bristles. I've had my 219SE & 239SE for at least three years now and they are still in excellent condition. These are also natural fiber brushes.
Bottom to Top: MAC 217, MAC 219SE, MAC 239SE
Perhaps the most bang for your buck can be found in the e.l.f. Studio 11 Piece Brush Collection ($30). I just recently purchased this set and I'm in love. It's a nice mix of eye and face brushes and it comes in in a soft case for storage or travel. I'm really impressed with the Eye shadow "C" Brush. It blends like a dream. The Contour Brush is similar to the Outer V and the MAC 217 but is probably the most stiff of the three. I use the Small Precision Brush and the Small Smudge Brush frequently. They are a great size for applying or smudging eyeliner. The face brushes are super soft. I've really started to use the Fan brush quite a bit. I need to explore using the other face brushes a bit more. If you forget what a brush is for or how to use it, there's also a cheat sheet. e.l.f. products can also be found at Target. These brushes are fully synthethic so that means they are vegan friendly. If you shop soon, you can use the code: SAVE50 to get $7.50 off. That's like $2 a brush. Go do it now. Open a new tab. ;)
e.l.f. 11 Piece Studio Brush Set
Finally, if you use a lot of gel liner or are thinking about buying some gel liners, pick up the Sonia Kashuk Bent Eyeliner Brush ($5.79 at Target). The angle makes it a lot easier to apply eyeliner comfortably and precisely.
Don't forget to pick up a brush cleaner to clean and condition your brushes. I will post a review of different brush cleaners soon.
