Cleaning your makeup brushes is essential. Brushes contain a lot of dirt, debris and bacteria. You can clean your brushes with a small amount of gentle shampoo, or use a product specifically designed to clean makeup brushes. I used to think the special products weren’t worth it. However, recently I tried a couple brands that changed my mind. These makeup brush cleansers rinse very clean and leave your brushes so fresh.
Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser
A couple months back, I received a small sample of this cleanser. Used monthly, it will keep your brushes clean and help ensure they last longer. At …read more

I will never forget the first time I actually cleaned my makeup brushes. Wondering why my skin was breaking out and all of a sudden realizing just how grungy the bristles were looking made be start to think about how I could better take care of them.
So, off to the store I went – absentmindedly picking up some makeup brush cleaner and then back home to start cleaning.
The amount of dirty blush water that flowed off the brush was incredible. And awfully gross.
After that first eye opening experience, I make a habit to clean my makeup brushes every Sunday. During …read more

I just can’t find a picture of Sonia Kashuk’s 8-piece makeup brush set in a silver brush roll that I purchased about three years ago. Since my brush set used for makeup school is locked in a room under renovation awhile ago, I still couldn’t resist not practicing my eye makeup. So, I resorted to using them again.

Beauty Gizmo proudly adds a new “regular” to the blog called, “Makeup Brush 101.”
Once or twice a week, I will be featuring a makeup brush, starting from the basics, and venturing to advanced makeup brushes later on. I hope it would help our readers learn more about brushes, what each piece is for, and how to use it.
To be honest, I’ve never been an artist, but it’s the human face that fascinates me to “paint” a masterpiece on. Even though my artistic capabilities are a bit impaired, I am studying very hard and always game to learn new things …read more

Twas a very tiring and frustrating Saturday for me as I finished my makeup class asking myself why I couldn’t bring myself to fix my sister’s eyebrows properly ( Well, call me being too harsh on myself, but I need to practice harder! ). After school, we hurried to Adora in Greenbelt 5 to check out Becca Cosmetics, who would be doing a demo on makeup application.After checking out their products ( which are so good, by the way, the powder’s so velvety smooth ), I was able to take home a precious baby -a Becca Cheeks Blush #40!

Some of my friends whom I have influenced into using mineral makeup would often complain on how messy it is to bring pots with them, open them in public restrooms, and whipping up their brush to swirl, tap, and buff.
“Sophie, isn’t there a brush that has powder in it already?”
I know Neutrogena and L’Oreal employ this strategy in the packaging of their mineral makeup, but with your chosen mineral makeup, you can now just bring a brush-and-mineral powder-in one in your purse, that is incredibly on-the-go.
Check out Sephora’s Refillable Powder Brush.

With the “synthetic makeup brushrevolution,” as animal cruelty-free, and so-called vegan brushes have surfaced, this one from Sephora ( notice on how much I dote on their makeup brushes ) has some value added, as aside from being synthetic in material ( that we are assured of softness ) , they are also anti-bacterial!
Check out the Sephora Anti Bacterial Brush Set
Each of these professional-quality brushes is treated with a non-toxic, hypoallergenic compound that attacks and destroys harmful bacteria. The soft, synthetic fibers distribute just the right amount of pigment for a perfect result every time.
Includes of this set are foundation …read more

If the renowned MAC 187 brush is heaven sent for applying loose powder, mineral finishing powder, blush, and even creme blush, then, the Lumiere Fiber Optic Angled Blush Brush is heaven sent for the blush-savvy ones who want precise application of blush on their cheeks, perhaps to contour, highlight, or just give a hint of color to the cheeks.

Mineral Primer Brush is a black goat hair brush with half moon-shaped head and small handle for perfect application of Mineral Primer to quickly maneuver the planes and contours of the face.

In my book I call this a moon brush ( heehee because it looks like half a moon! ). It’s the most compact brush that you’ll ever bring along with you when you go out, and it’s incredibly multi-purpose! The Laura Mercier Mineral Primer Brush is just so cute!
Why?
Reason number one, it’s perfect for applying powder foundation, or pressed foundation for that matter! It’s a great way to start …read more