Image: Nordstrom

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 only $12.50, it’s a great buy.

shu uemura Brush Cleaner
This cleanser works really well and quickly. The color, grime and oils are removed from your brushes in just a few seconds. It also doesn’t require rinsing (though I rinsed mine anyway). It’s priced at $13 for 4.2 oz. at Nordstrom and other stores.

Some companies also make brush cleaning spray. These sprays are designed to clean brushes quickly and more often. Bobbi Brown and Bare Escentuals, among others, make these fast-drying sprays.

I haven’t tried them yet. Have you? If so, leave your comments here and let us know how well they work.

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Makeup Brush Cleansers

Image: istockphoto

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 the week, when I am doing my makeup, I also ensure that very little product is used at a time. There is no need to load up a brush with eyeshadow, blush or bronzer if the excess is only going to cake up on the bristles and get tapped or washed away.

If you prefer to spend your money on makeup and are not interested in buying a cleaning product just for your makeup brushes, you can create your own cleaner by mixing two parts water with one part vinegar. But…I do recommend you consider one of the following products, since in my experience they do a better job thoroughly cleaning your brushes (and without the pungent vinegar smell).

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser $12.50
Cover FX Brush Cleaner $13
Smashbox Brush Cleaner $15

Sephora also makes makeup brush wipes, but I find them to be a bit less effective at thoroughly getting the dirt and bacteria out of the bristles.

First, I spray the brush with cleanser, letting it sit for a couple minutes before adding some water and gently running the brush under water. Be careful with the bristles; don’t bend them. Once the water is running clean, carefully let the excess water run off before leaving the brush on the counter with the bristles hanging over the sink. This way the brush will maintain the correct shape without being flat on one side from laying completely on the counter.

If you haven’t been cleaning your brushes, you should start to see a difference in your skin right away. Try to clean them once a week or a couples a month at minimum. Your blush, brushes and cheeks will thank you!

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Keeping Your Makeup Brushes Clean

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.

Turns out that the grip of even the travel sized Sonia Kashuk brushes are amazing. The bristles made of animal hair are simply superb and well-performing. Even a smudger brush enabled me to blend flawlessly a crease color, and I’m just amazed.

Oh, boy, I think I need to get more Sonia Kashuk brushes. They just give you a run for your money!

Image Source : http://www.amazon.com

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An Update on Sonia Kashuk Brushes

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 everyday. Makeup brushes are my latest project.

If you have any requests of what makeup brush you’d want me to review or try, you can always email me at sophia.uy at b5media dot com.

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Beauty Gizmo Presents Makeup Brush 101

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!

It has got to be the most luxurious feeling brush I’ve ever gotten for myself – it’s made of Blue Squirrel hair and feels like heaven on the skin. It lightly picks up pigment, and distributes it lightly, flawlessly, not creating any harsh lines as one applies powder blush. It “scatters” the blush in such a way that it helps in pre-blending the brush to the face already. I don’t really believe in using angled brushes because they create a “line” that we still need to blend anyway. I love this new brush of mine, ignoring the scary $61 price tag, because the moment I held it in my hands, I just could not let go! Good thing we were given a 20% discount as students, twas a great deal after all!

I’m supposed to use this for professional use, but for now, it would have to be just mine, all mine! Whoopee! Becca brushes sure are love. I’m wanting to try their other face brushes too. They’re just so good!

Image Source : http://www.beccacosmetics.com

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My Darling 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.

Take note that this isn’t confined to putting mineral foundation or mineral makeup per se, for those who just want to retouch using their favorite loose or shimmer powders, this is really compact enough to use, while going out or traveling!

Image source : Sephora.com

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Sephora 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 brush, concealer brush, powder brush, angled eyeshadow brush, eye blender brush, lip/eyeliner brush, and a brow brush/lash comb.

I know that fierce makeup lovers out there practice utmost care with their makeup brushes as they cleanse it with expensive or DIY ( whatever is deemed effective ) brush cleaners. Aside from our weekly maintenance, at least these brushes assure us that there is less chance of harboring bacteria in this set. All the best for our face.

I’d end this entry with this phrase,

“Because our makeup brushes can’t be clean enough.”

Teehee!

Image source : Sephora.com

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Because Makeup Brushes Could Not Ever, Be Clean Enough

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.

The dual fibre material is perfect for both dry and liquid makeup, and I just love the fact that it is just heavenly soft! No complaints on how it feels on my skin, how it picks up pigments, and how it works well with liquid makeup – I mean with normal animal hair, the hair would clump together and the result would be a mess -with brushes dual fibre in make, they just help liquid makeup glide flawlessly and blend well.

So, for blush addicts out there, this is definitely a must-have. I think so far, Lumiere’s the only one carrying this kind of angled brush meets MAC 187 fusion!

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Lumiere Fiber Optic Angled Blush Brush

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 the day with this!

Reason number two, it’s perfect for applying blush, that you can apply in an angular stroke to contour because of its flat shape.

Reason number three, it’s also perfect for touchups – using finishing powders.

It’s so small, but it’s a meanie! It can actually fare well as a one-brush travel face brush! It can fit the smallest purse ( but then, where’s the powder? we also need one small pot for it! ). This is one of those nice gifts that you could give to some vain girlfriends out there!

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Laura Mercier Mineral Primer Brush