Cosmetic Brush Sets

Australian MAC Lovers

Kevin — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:41:48 +0000

Hello Aussies, I just got an email about an unbelievable opportunity for you that I thought I would share.

Enter your email address for a chance to win a $500 gift card to spend on MAC cosmetics! Imagine winning! My husband would sigh a huge sigh of relief (so would his wallet!).

Click below for your chance to win!

I don’t know about you but this is an opportunity I don’t think I could pass by, especially since this is a limited time only promotion.

Enter above for your chance to win $500 worth of FREE MAC Makeup products!

My MAC Makeup Brushes

Kevin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:38:35 +0000

Okay, about MAC makeup brushes.. well you should definitely try one for yourself. I love MAC brushes because of the way they feel. They are made from the highest quality and are a bit expensive but worth every penny! I would start with a few basic brushes, then keep adding a couple at a time until you get all the ones you need. Be careful where you buy your MAC brushes when ordering online because you may receive a knock-off if you purchase from a unreliable source. The great things I love about MAC brushes are the bristles are very dense but also very soft. All MAC brushes are made from real hair, which makes it easier to put your makeup on smoothly and get better results. The cheap brushes that people tend to buy (or get free with makeup) feel like sandpaper and have synthetic hair that shed and make it impossible to clean. They also do not absorb the makeup pigment the same way as the natural hair ones do.

In order for the shelf life of a brush to last the brushes need to be cleaned with shampoo and a cleaner. If you can’t wash them somewhat regularly, they won’t last as long and the collected dirt can pose potential health and infection risks to you. When you buy the more expensive brands (like MAC brushes) and take care of them, they will last for years! Most of mine are around 8 years old and look and feel like they did the day I purchased them.

The feeling and quality of MAC brushes are amazing! They will hold their shape over time and feel nice against your skin.

Hacked and a nifty brush case

Kevin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:44:58 +0000

After a little time away from Cosmetic Brush Sets because of illness I came back to find that I had missed a small check box that would have prevented some (or one bad person) people from posting over 2,000 spam articles on my website! That’s ok, it only took over an hour to delete them all and sadly a bunch of my own posts were removed! Oh well.

So last month I decided to finally protect my MAC brushes (I have a large assortment of them, costing hundreds of dollars) and buy a brush set case for them. I stopped by one of the MAC stores and asked how much their case costs…. $68. Ouch! So I went to a nearby cosmetic store and bought one for $25 instead. It was a great little case that folds up and has a magnet clasp to keep it shut. If you noticed, I said “it was”.. well, I got it home only to find out that a couple of the brushes were too large to fit in it. So, back to the store and returned it. I went back to MAC just in time to find out they just got new ones for $55, which is(still more than I wanted to spend but at least all the brushes fit in correctly and I’m not going to risk damaging the bristles.

So, lesson learned: Don’t cheap out when it comes to your case. If you consider that one of my brushes cost over $150 I guess it only makes sense to buy a proper case that it will fit safely and properly into. Remember, your brushes are an investment not just a tool.

A few lessons I’ve learned previously:

If you buy cheap brushes you’re going to get cheap results.
If you buy cheap makeup your going to look cheap.
If you don’t take care of your brushes, you’re either going to get an infection or you’re just throwing your money away.
Cleaning your brushes isn’t that hard, nor is it that time consuming.

When I get a chance I’ll shoot a short video on how to clean your brushes quickly, easily, and for very little money.

Brush Manufacturing

Kevin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:13:03 +0000

If you’re looking to invest some hard earned money into some professional quality cosmetic brushes, you probably want to know how they are made and what they are made of. Here is a list of the various hairs that quality brushes are typically made of:

Goat Hair:

Goat hair is the most common fiber used for makeup brushes. The bristles are not quite as soft as squirrel and some of the other natural fibers, but they are good at holding large amounts of powder. Goat hair is a good choice for blush, bronzer and face powder brushes because you’ll get an even application and the makeup won’t get trapped in the brush.

Sable Hair:

Sable hair is soft and fine and makeup brushes made of this hair typically have pointy tips. The pointy shape and softness of sable hair makes it an ideal choice for eyeshadow and eyeliners. As with most natural fibers, the powder is easily transferred to your skin and doesn’t get left behind on the makeup brush.

Pony Hair:

Pony hair is strong and durable. It tends to have a cylindrical shape where there is a consistent thickness from root to tip. The tips tend to be less pointy than brushes made from squirrel hair. Pony hair is a versatile fiber and is good for powder, blush and eyeshadow makeup brushes.

Camel Hair:

Camel hair is a generic term used to described makeup brushes that are made with a mix of squirrel, goat or pony hair.

Squirrel Hair:

Squirrel hair is the softest natural hair type. This softness typically makes squirrel hair brushes the most luxurious and also the most expensive brushes. Similar to sable hair, the brushes are wide in the middle and have a pointed tip, which makes them ideal as blending brushes and for use on eye creases.

Squirrel Mix/Squirrel Blend:

Makeup brushes made with a mix of squirrel and other natural fibers are a more affordable alternative to pure squirrel brushes.

Synthetic:

Synthetic makeup brushes are made of nylon, which is less absorbent than natural hair fibers. Because they are less absorbent, synthetic brushes are typically used for applying liquid-based products. Synthetic brushes typically do not last as long as natural fiber brushes.

Duo Fibre: Natural/Synthetic Mix

A mix of natural and synthetic fibers is typically referred to as duo fiber brushes. This mix of fibers increases the durability, stiffness and liquid handling ability of the makeup brush. One common type of duo fiber brush is a stippling brush, which is very popular with people who want an airbrushed quality application of their liquid foundation.

Be sure to check out other Cosmetic Brush Sets.

Best Make Up Brushes

Kevin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:59:41 +0000

So you’ve found the perfect make up, but how will you apply it? Do you use the mini-brush that comes free with it? Or do you invest in a good brush?

As Bobbi Brown said (no, not the music artist), “The tools are as important as the makeup itself.” So with that being said, it is recommended that you purchase the best make up brushes within your budget. If you use the wrong brush, your make up will look clumpy and unnatural.

So what should you buy?

One of the best make up brushes that I hear recommended time and time again from MAC Cosmetics and Bobbi Brown. While these two brands are a bit more pricey than your average brush, they are also some of the best.

I asked a friend what she thought (she’s a professional makeup artist), and she sent me this:

Foundation brush: M.A.C #190, and Paula Dorf ’s to apply liquid foundation, then blend with sponge (best sponges come from Alcone in New York city)
Concealer brush: Shu Uemura #12, and Bobbi Brown Concealer brush
Camouflage brush: small one for blemishes – Kevyn Aucoin concealer
Powder Brush: to set foundation with translucent or pressed powder; Kevyn Aucoin powder brush, or Sonia Kashuk powder brush
Cheek contour brush: Trish McEvoy#14
Blush brush: Kevyn Aucoin for a round flat cut; Sonia Kashuk #2 for a tapered cut brush. Depends which angle you want to apply on
Eye brushes: M.A.C. #21 to highlight under brow bone
Eyelid application: Sonia Kashuk #9
Eye crease: M.A.C #217 (they call it a blender and would be good for both) or Kevyn Aucoin for a smaller stiffer brush-both are amazing: for precision crease work, M.A.C. #219 is superb
Eye-powder smudge brush to smudge eyeliner pencil with powder-Sonia Kashuk #5, or Trish McEvoy #41 or #6 for larger areas
Eye-inside corner of eye-to highlight with a brightening glitter or powder; I like 1/4″ Loew-Cornell #270 Maxine’s painter’s brush sold at craft stores (Michael’s)
Eye brush for liquid eyeliner-Quo eyeline brush (Shopper’s Drugmart), or or M.A.C #210
Lip brush: Simply Basic Brand retractable (under $5 at Walmart); or Bobbi Brown retractable; Kevyn Aucoin’s reaches the inner corners of the mouth best.
Brush to comb out mascara clumps: Kevyn Aucoin’s does this best
Eyebrow brush: Bobbi Brown’s brow brush. It’s nice and stiff and combs browns well.

You can find these and most other brands at super cheap prices through Amazon.

Be sure to check out other Cosmetic Brush Sets.