A lot of people talk about investing in makeup brushes and unless you make it habit to waste money, it only makes sense to take care of your investments. Keeping your brushes in good condition has a lot to do with routine cleaning. This keeps the bristles in good repair, which can allow a years old brush to look like new.

There are lots of options when it comes to keeping your brushes clean. The most thorough is commonly called a deep clean. This is when you literally take your brushes to the sink, and wash them like you would your own hair; wet, shampoo, condition, style/shape and dry. While this is a great way to clean your brushes, it can be very time consuming with numerous brushes. A quicker alternative is to spot clean, which you can do more frequently. You can pick up cleansers at various shops and online retailers, or you can make your own. Most people probably have these items at home already, which makes it a very affordable option. Just keep in mind that if your dish soap or shampoo/conditioner has a scent it will be on your brushes, so if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing you may want to find some non-scented ones.

Please keep in mind that the following measurements are just a rough estimate, depending on how much you want to make and the size of your bottle. I use a 250mL spray bottle and it lasts at least a month.

• ¾ cup of distilled water
• ¼ cup of isopropyl alcohol (minimum 70%)

• ½ tbsp of dish soap

• ½ tbsp of shampoo
• 1 tbsp conditioner (spray/liquid condition is best)

** alternatively you can use 1 ½ tbsp of a 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner

Everything goes into a 2 cup measuring cup, (very) gently stir everything together and then pour into your bottle.

Was heading out to see some live music this past Friday and figured I’d do something full on colour and drama. I was torn between brights and a dark smokey eye, and so I paired them together. It was the perfect time to dust off my Ben Nye palette, the colours are so remarkably pigmented and vibrant! Since the eyes were bright, slightly smokey and lashed out I went with only a contour for the cheeks and a subtle lip.

Bright Smoke

Face

• Korres Vitamin E Face Primer
• Make Up Forever HD Foundation / 153
• Maybelline Super Stay Makeup 24HR / Honey Beige
• MAC Brow / Stud
• MAC Brow Set / Clear
• MAC Powder Blush / Emote
• MAC Studio Fix / NC 42

Eyes

• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• Ben Nye Lumiére Eye Shadow / Sun Yellow, Tangerine, Azalea
• MAC Eye Shadow / Blanc Type, Arena, Poison Pen, Carbon
• Make Up For Ever Eye Shadow / no. 92
• Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner / Black Ink
• GOSH Velvet Touch Eye Liner / Black Ink
• Styli-Style Line & Seal 24 Twist for Eyes / 172 Emerald
• L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara / Carbon Black
• MAC 45 Lash

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I received a package yesterday with the empty tins I ordered online a while back.  I’ve been waiting for them eagerly, as the idea of pressing pigments has been on the ‘to do’ list for a long time.

This post is coming to you as I wait for my first four pigments to set, which shouldn’t be too much longer.  It’s been quite the experience.  It’s not difficult, but definitely requires some patience and trial by fire.  No major disasters as of yet, but I think I’m definitely going to have to pick up another palette or two.. this is actually a lot of fun.  LOL

No pigment shall be safe!

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: Carbon Black

Category: Mascara

Product Name: L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

Product Description: L’Oreal introduces Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara for bold and beautiful lashes, with dramatic volume. It’s a shade that’s black than black! Safe for sensitive eyes. Opthalmologist tested and allergy tested. Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Clump resistant. Fragrance-free. (from www.lorealparisusa.com)

Price: varies by location, check your local drugstore

Amount: 7.7mL

Packaging: A black & gold tube with a matte finish, simple but sturdy. The brush is large with traditional bristles.
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To get back on track this month’s Five Favourites will see a double feature; favourites from both December and January!

Five Favourites / December 2009

MAC Lipglass / Viva Glam V
I picked this up to pair with Viva Glam V lipstick, and I’ve found that it works well on it’s own too. It’s a really nice neutral on my skin tone, it doesn’t add much contrast but it does make my lips look polished. It’s perfect for work, I think I’ve worn it the most consistently of any of my other lipglasses.
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For this look I decided to try an experiment. I picked up a Maybelline quad at the drugstore the other day, and when I got home I realized that I could dupe it with some of my MAC eye shadows. So I put together a quad of similar colours and used Maybelline on one eye and MAC on the other eye. It’s mainly to demonstrate that using a good base and strong application techniques can have to very different products looking similar.

Amethyst Smokes Close Up Open

Can you figure out which side is which?
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It might be an understatement to say that I’ve been away for a minute.

December was a write off in terms of turning my ideas into tangible posts and videos, and January.. well January has seen me being lazy.  There are some things coming down the pipeline though; some FotD, a drugstore haul, a mascara review and hopefully a tutorial (filmed tonight!).

I also need to get around to my fellow bloggers and catch up, as well as touch base with the forums.  I’m glad I’ve got tomorrow off, I think it’s going to be a busy day!

Stay tuned.

Glitter is something that can be challenging to work with. It can be diffcult to control, too much can look a hot mess and often times juvenile on those approching and beyond thirty years. Knowing all of this had me immediately skeptical when I saw a video by Natalya of Filthy Gorgeous Makeup, but she impressed me. So much so that I used her Glitter For Grown Ups as inspiration for a night out. Thank you Natalya for such a gorgeous look and making me feel like I can do more than just admire the glitters I have!

Glitter For Grown Folk

Face

• Make Up For Ever HD Elixir
• Make Up For Ever HD Concealer / 345
• Make Up For Ever HD Foundation / 153
• MAC Brow / Stud
• MAC Eye Shadow / Mineral
• MAC Brow Set / Clear
• MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush / Otherworldly
• MAC Gel Blush / Just A Pinch
• MAC Studio Fix Powder / NC42

Eyes

• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• MAC Paint Pot / Cash Flow
• MAC Glitter / Antiqued Gold
• MAC Eye Shadow / Mineral, Honey Lust, Tete-A-Tint, Soba, Blanc Type (upper)
• Mineral, Honey Lust (lower)

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