Tuesday Tip: Brushes

I have had many readers and clients ask me what brushes are the best ones to buy...so here it is!

Brushes you need for basic everyday makeup:
Foundation Brush (unless you use your fingers or a sponge)
Powder Brush (for powder and bronzer)
Blush Brush
2 Eyeshadow Brushes (one that is densly packed for applying color, one that is fluffier to blend and apply lighter colors with)
Lip Brush (only if you use glosses in pots or want a more sheer look from your lipstick)

Brands:
If you want to invest a good amount of money:
Trish McEvoy (she's known for her brushes)
MAC (lots of choices)
Bobbi Brown (great brushes, two options for handles-long or short)
Giorgio Armani (their blender brush is the BEST foundation brush, the other brushes are comparable to other lines)

If you want a steal:
Ecotools (you can purchase at Walgreens or Ulta, sold individually or in sets and green friendly)
Sephora (you can spend a little or a lot of money here, lots of good options)

The main thing when purchasing brushes is to feel the texture of them...you want a soft brush touching your face everyday, right?! If it feels crunchy put it back on the shelf. While more expensive brushes will last longer, inexpensive ones will do the trick and last if you take care of them. Remember, you don't have to be loyal to one line when it comes to brushes unless you want all of yours to match perfectly, mine are from all different lines!

Everything You Need To Know About Concealer

Concealer is a small thing that makes a huge difference! Since I've had a few readers ask me about it I've decided to share my favorite brands and what you should look for when purchasing one here. A little concealer can cover those unwanted blemishes, cancel out redness or darkness under your eyes, and brighten your skin. If you don't use concealer I hope that this will inspire you to find one!

First, when looking for a concealer decide what your main goal is. Are you wanting to hide dark circles under your eyes, or to cover blemishes? There are two different types of concealers, so you need to get the one that will solve your main beauty delima, and then know that the one you buy can work anywhere on your face. For example if you only have an under eye concealer and a blemish shows up one day you can still use that concealer on it, and it works the other way around.

If you are looking to cover dark circles under your eyes and some redness on your face go with a creamy/liquid consistency of concealer like Trish McEvoy Correct and Brighten. I love this product, it was my lifesaver last winter when my eyes were looking dark and tired thanks to being in my mid-twenties and artic temperatures! Once I added this little treasure to my makeup collection my skin looked brighter and more even. It is limited in colors, and mine exploded last week so I'm feeling a little betrayed by Trish, but I'll get over it and will soon buy a new one! The Flawless Concealer in Trish McEvoy's line has more color options if you want to stick to that line. Two other under eye concealers that work great are: MAC Select Cover-Up or Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch. By having a liquid or creamy consistency you will not dry out your eye area.



If you are wanting to cover blemishes go with a thick concealer that has a pancake consistency (something that is solid and packed into a container). By using a thick consistency it will stay in place and adhere to the blemishes you are trying to cover so that they stay covered. Try Make Up For Ever Camouflage Cream.



A few extra tips: Remember less is more...the more concealer you cake on the more obvious your imperfections are. Take a minimalist approach and add more as needed.

Make sure your concealer matches your skin, it needs to blend in, not be lighter or darker. If you can't find one to match perfectly, go with the one that is barely lighter.

You can apply concealer with a synthetic brush or your fingers, it's up to you.

When applying concealer under your eyes bring the concealer out to the far corners of your eyes and also apply a little on the inner corners of your eyes to brighten the shadows that can happen where your nose bridge is.

Remember to use concealer after foundation- it will stay in place better and you will use less because your foundation does cover quite a bit.

In addition to concealer you can use a color corrector to cancel out discoloration on your skin. I will share more about this in a later blog.

Have fun finding a concealer, once you get a great one and see the magic that can happen with it you'll be hooked...I promise!