Image: Sephora

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick Gift Set ($34 Now, $54 Value)
This trio of rich, full-color lipsticks is perfect for creating a hot holiday look.

I Love Sephora Brush Set ($29 Now, $120 Value)
Ideal for holiday travel, this portable set of five essentials brushes will make a great stocking stuffer.

Fresh Sugar Wish Set ($28 Now, $55 Value)
This set comes in gold cosmetics bag and will satisfy your sweet tooth with this moisturizing duo for lips and body.

Sephora Blockbuster Palette To-Go ($15 Now, $50 Value)
If you love all-in-one palettes, you’ll adore this portable one to keep looking your best on the go.

Also, use the promo code TOTE09 to get a Black Friday bonus — a free Kat Von D Tote accented with studs and sketches. It’s yours free with a $25.00 online purchase.

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Black Friday Deals at Sephora

When choosing an eyeliner, we all want something that stays in place, does not smudge or fade away and most importantly, it has to be easy to use. Not all of us have a steady hand with makeup, so most of us rely heavily on the cosmetic companies to make everything user friendly.

Image: Stila

Stila makes a great gel eyeliner called “Smudge Pot.” It’s a two-in-one, working as an eyeliner and an eye shadow. If you decide to use this product as an eyeliner, you must use a brush. I suggest Stila’s #28 double-ended brush. One side is a small thin liner tip for precision and the other side has a small round tip best for a smudging effect.

If you intend to use this product strictly as an eye liner, I also recommend using a firm small angled brush like M·A·C’s #208. This brush was designed for brows but is the perfect shape for lining the eyes. It also works well with crème based liners and eye shadows.

Image: M·A·C Cosmetics

Now that eye shadow is more commonly used for eye lining there are some challenges that accompany the new use. The main issue we face with this innovation is excess shadow falling onto our cheeks. The best way to prevent this is to tap off the excess onto a tissue before each application. Some make-up artists use other methods like placing a tissue or applying loose powder under the eye area. The powder catches the excess color which simply just has to be brushed away after.

Then there is the old reliable pencil. In theory, it’s one of the easiest application methods but to this day, some of us end up poking ourselves in the eye. So here are some tips to avoid that. You should have a mirror in front of you that you do not have to hold. Using a pencil takes full concentration and having both hands free is essential. Tilt your chin up slightly and rotate your head when needed. Hold the pencil as if you’re writing and start in the inner corner of your eye. You may want to stabilize your hand on your cheek. As you draw along the lash line slightly rotate your head. This step will help avoid the unnecessary tugging. These simple steps make application a lot easier.

Just remember tilt and rotate!

Sidory is a freelance make-up artist based out of Washington D.C. She is also a contributing beauty writer and blogger for several online fashion publications and web sites. If you think she doesn’t do enough already, she’s also the Editor in Chief of her own beauty blogzine, beautyverve.com. Somewhere in between all this, she is a mother of two girls, wife, and abstract artist. Her friends call her a workaholic; she calls herself a rock star.

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Makeup How-To: Liner Notes

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

Sephora Retractable Foundation Brush #56

Retractable Foundation Brush #56, $24. The tapered, and chiseled brush were dwesigned to fit every contour of your face.

Sephora Retractable Foundation Brush #57

Retractable Concealer Brush #57, $20. It works with all cream products for primer, eye cream and cream shadow.

Sephora Retractable Angled Eyeliner Brush #18

Retractable Angled Eyeliner Brush #18, $18. This helps create the dramatic cat-eye look.

Sephora Retractable All Over Shadow Brush #19

Retractable All Over Shadow Brush #19, $19. Use this to apply shadow on the eyelid uniformly.

(Images : Sephora)

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Sephora Retractable Brush Line

Sephora Professional Bronzer

Well actually, the bad thing about this bronzer brush is considered a good thing by other people. It’s quite big that it takes too much, on the other hand, it’s big enough to give an even application on the face. So it’s safe to say that it will be a matter of preference.

Other bad review about it is that the bristles and fibers apparently fall too easily. Another review said otherwise. When it comes to mixed reviews like this, my best suggestion to solve the problem is to try it yourself. Then only YOU can find out whether you like it or not. Find it at Sephora for $26.

(Image : Sephora)

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Sephora Professional Bronzer Brush

This Bare Escentuals Buffing Brushes The Essential Collection is in limited edition so if you haven’t bought one for yourself, now is the time to do so before it’s all gone.

The collection includes 5 custom-colored brushes :

• Handy Buki Brush
• Tapered Blush Brush
• Soft Focus Eyeshadow Brush
• Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Brush
• Precision Eyeliner Brush

Plus the very nifty and cute Escentual Brush Roll. Whether you’re a Bare Escentuals newbie or a huge fan of BE products, this Bare Escentuals Buffing Brushes The Essential Collection is definitely something to add in your own collection. $87 at Sephora.

(Image : Sephora)

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BE Buffing Brushes The Essential Collection

Ever since I’ve experienced the “greatness” of the Full Coverage Kabuki brush and  Flawless Application Face Brush that came with the kit, I haven’t looked back. The bristles are soft and so smooth when it touches the skin. Even when I’m using either MAC, L’ancome and Wet’n'Wild brands of makeup. I’m lucky enough to actually be able to alternate from these 4 brands of makeup which took me a long time of experimentation and discovery process. But yes, these 2 Bare Escentuals brushes are my sidekicks. I’ll most probably try other brands one time or another because like any makeup obsessed chick out there, once you start, you want to test everything. But I’m pretty sure these 2 will always be on my top makeup brushes list.

How about you? What are your favorite makeup brushes?

(Images : Sephora)

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Bare Escentuals Makeup Brushes

M.A.C makeup brush cleanser, $11. Disinfects and conditions the bristles while removing excess residue at the same time.

Bare Escentuals ‘Well-Cared For’ Brush Conditioning Shampoo, $14.50. Deep-conditioning shampoo specifically for Bare Escentuals brushes. It cleanses and conditions your brushes and helping them prolong the life as well. I love my Bare Escentuals brushes therefore I love this too.

Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser, $16.50. A little pat comes a long way.

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser, $12.50. For monthly cleansing to reach the highest levels of hygiene for brushes.

Smashbox Brush Cleanser, $15. A little spray can do your brushes good.

Estee Lauder Makeup Brush Cleanser, $15. It cleanses, sanitize, and condition both synthetic and natural brushes.

I hope one of these makeup brush cleanser fits your makeup brushes. If not, check out Nordstrom for other brands. Anything as long as you’re taking care of your makeup tools.

(Images : Nordstrom)

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6 Makeup Brush Cleansers

This Big Buddha Brush is Urban Decay’s answer to the kabuki brush. The big wide brush measures over 3"x2". It’s perfect for bronzing the arms and legs as well as highlighting the shoulders and décolleté. I am absolutely in love with it’s ombre style. Purple shades on the top and white at the bottom. The oblong handle makes it easy and comfortable in the grip.

How cute is this? I’d get it just because it’s purple . Joking aside, I’d love to feel the uber-smooth high-tech Taklon fiber all over my arms, legs and shoulders. Wouldn’t you? If you like bronzing your arms and legs then you must have this Urban Decay Big Buddha Brush. It’s $36 at Macy’s. 

(Image : Macy’s)

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Urban Decay Big Buddha Brush

Benefit Primpcess – Eye Primping Kit is your one-stop kit that will give you all the tools and skills you need to primp your  eyes. With all the things you need in one spot and instructions on hand, you’ll be concealing, contouring, accenting, lining, applying shadow, and brightening your eyes in no time.

This limited Eye Primping Kit comes with :

• 0.04 oz Boi-ing concealer in 02 Medium
• 0.04 Eye Bright
• 0.11 oz Creaseless Cream Shadow Liner in R.S.V.P. (sparkling champagne)
• 3 Powder Shadows (for contouring, accenting, and lining)
• 0.14 oz BADgal Lash Mascara mini mascara
• dual ended Fluff Shadow & Talent Brush
• Concealer Brush

If you’re a newcomer in the eye primping arena, this Benefit Primpcess Eye Primping Kit is a good kit to learn from. OR, give it to someone whom you know would love and appreciate it this Holidays as a gift. It’s $34 at SEPHORA.

(Image : Sephora)

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Benefit Primpcess – Eye Primping Kit