There are two types of beauty products I rarely buy without trying in person first: foundation and makeup brushes. I’ve read rave reviews on the Luxury Eye Brush ($40) and Face Brush ($56) on The Non-Blonde, Visionary Beauty, Blogdorf Goodman and Makeupalley, but still had to feel and test these in person before buying (even though everything else I have from EB has been purchased sight unseen). When I met Edward last month, I went to the Beverly Hills Neimans with a mental note to try three things: the eye brush, face brush and foundation. Here are my thoughts on his brushes.
Both are beautifully packaged in black boxes. The handles are both metal and the perfect size around to fit easily in the hand for convenient application. The designs are sleek and functional. The brush heads are dense but flexible. According to product info on the web, both are made of natural hairs. I’ve read reviews on other blogs that the brushes they have were made in France. Both of mine indicate that they are handcrafted in China – I know this might be a concern to many of you. I have not tested or seen the France-made brushes so I cannot compare mine. However, the ones I have are of excellent quality (ie, no shedding or color bleeding when I washed them like some brushes do, also the shape is even and well crafted).
The Luxury Eye Brush is something I think is best suited for an all over wash. Many of you probably use brushes this shape for your crease area. I have no crease so I tend to use these as a blender brush or for an all over wash of color. If you’re new to brushes and looking for something in this category, I highly recommend you get the EB over any other brush this shape. The brush is dense enough so it allows control. Some loose brushes simply don’t have enough density (enough hairs) resulting in a loose floppy type of brush that provides no control. Others are either too stiff or too soft preventing you from picking up enough product to get a decent application which may require multiple dips into your shadows and swipes on the lids to get enough to show up. I find Edward Bess’s Luxury Eye Brush to be the perfect density and texture (not too soft but not pokey) to get a good even application. Since my eye lids are smaller and do not have creases, this takes up a big chunk of my eye. It is a versatile brush though. When EB did my makeup, he used 1 brush to apply 2 colors (Mirage all over and Storm just 1/2 way up the lid). For my own personal application, I prefer to use more than 1 brush so I don’t mix colors and get them muddy, but EB’s makeup skills are far superior to mine. I look forward to more brushes from his line!
Shown next to his Dusk and Storm Eyeshadow so you can gauge the size of the head:
Compared next to other eye makeup brushes with similar shapes: L to R Edward Bess, Stila, MAC, Trish McEvoy, Stila (double ended), Laura Mercier (this is the one LM brush I actually don’t love), MAC and Chanel
The Luxury Face Brush by Edward Bess is another winner. I’ve had a number of kabuki brushes from other lines such as Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and MAC – all of which I liked but are at opposite extremes in texture. The Bobbi Brown is by far the softest and I love to use this for powder application. The Laura Mercier Face brush was too harsh of a texture for my face, it had good application for bronzer, but wasn’t my favorite.
Edward Bess’s falls right in between for softness. The best part is the handle is slightly longer which makes it easier to hold. I have super small fingers to begin with, but find the BB sometimes difficult to grasp easily. I imagine those with normal sized fingers might find it difficult to hold something that short as well. So far, I’ve only used the Luxury Face Brush with bronzer. It picks up just the right amount of product so you don’t need to tap off any excess before applying to the face.
Next to Edward Bess’s Daydream Bronzer:
Next to Bobbi Brown’s Face Brush (yes, it’s not fully cleaned, the lightness is due to powder residue):
Overall love. Spending about $100 on 2 brushes is definitely an ouch to the wallet upfront, but these two brushes are purchases I highly recommend. These are what I would call “no regrets” products.
Finding the right tools is important because good tools make all the difference for application. I have some brushes that are over 10 years old from MAC and Trish McEvoy – all of which I love. For the eye brush, I believe the EB is the best in its category for shape/size. The face brush is great as well – I have not tried kabuki brushes extensively so I can’t compare it to other brands, but I think it’s a great quality brush.
It’s that time of year when Laura Mercier releases several limited edition value sets at Nordstrom (here), Neimans (here) and Saks (here). Each store has their own special kit with exclusive items including a mix of full size products plus minis for $68. This year, the Saks Premiere Beauty Collection appealed most to me with the following items:
Brown zippered bag with a paisley lining
Full sized Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Ground Espresso
Full sized Lip Glacé in Pink Lilac (sheer milky lilac pink)
Eye Colour Duo in Dusk (shimmery pink-lilac) & Chocolate (shimmery brown)
Mini Black Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara
Double-Ended Pony Tail/Flat Eye Liner Brush
To break down the cost per full sized items: Liner $22 + Eyeshadow $22 + Lip Glacé $22 = $66. For the additional $2 you get a decent sampling of other items not to mention a nice travel brush (I’ve collected a number of mini brushes from LM sets over the years and rely on them when traveling).
I purchased this sight unseen online, mainly for the new Lip Gloss, Eyeshadow Duo & Brush. I plan on regifting the other items. I’ve had the Cake Eyeliners used on me on multiple Laura Mercier makeover events but I prefer pencil or gel liners to liquid or cake (so this item won’t be swatched). Dusk/Chocolate is a gorgeous combination – I already have Dusk in a mini sample size and like that it’s lilac and cool-toned but not too purple. I find that lilac/lavender eyeshadows can sometimes look dated.
Pink Lilac is beautiful in the tube but very sheer and practically invisible on the lips. I think it will make a good enhancing color for sheer pink and lilac colored lipsticks.
Overall a great value and nice combination of colors. I would have preferred something other than the cake liner since there is already a dark shadow (Chocolate) – like a blush or lipstick, but I know it will be easily regift-able. The lip gloss is pretty but sheer and light, perhaps it will show up better on girls with lighter lips or lighter skintones. I know I’ll get a lot of use with layering it, but I would have preferred more pigment and color. The set also comes with a mini instruction card but I found it very basic.
Have any of you checked out any of the Special Edition sets at Saks, Neimans or Nordstrom? Did any of you pick one up? Thoughts/rants/raves?
I’ve accumulated so many brushes over the years from dozens of different brands, I’m embarrassed to admit just how many I have. Finding the right tools are essential for good makeup application – I’ve played with each and every brush using them for practically every type of powder or cream, experimenting with different textured products, trying different application techniques, testing out different angles & applying different pressure. When I first started blogging I did a comprehensive post on all the brushes I own by type. I’ve linked it here Beauty Tools & Essentials: Eye Brushes for your reference.
The brushes listed below are my go-to brushes that I love so much I have multiples of these. Some have lasted me over 10 years now. I wash mine with Neutrogena’s Body Wash as needed. Probably about once every couple of weeks to once a month. Note I do not have a crease so I don’t typically use brushes specifically for the crease or outer V.
I personally prefer full sized brushes with longer handles because they are easier to hold in the hands while applying and they are easier to store. For short-handled travel brushes, I’ve accumulated a number from different sets but have never found the perfect travel brush set. I usually tend to avoid those brush sets simply because I find the quality to be poor. Laura Mercier seems to be the exception and has the best ones I’ve tried and I love her mini brushes that come with special sets or palettes.
1. Stila #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush $20 – this one has lasted me since my senior year in high school, soft but precise for layering dark shadows over a pencil or gel liner
2. Laura Mercier Smudge Brush $24 – small dense smudge brush with a fine point at the tip, good for getting into those corners or detail areas, extremely versatile for powders & creams, I like that it’s dense but soft and easy on my sensitive eyes, great for smudging liner for a soft blended look
3. Becca Brush #11 – now discontinued, similar in shape to MAC 242 – this is my perfect brush for cream eyeshadow
4. MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush $29 – soft loose and fluffy, best for a super sheer wash of color and good for blending colors
5. MAC 219 Pencil Brush $24.50 – small pointy and dense, good for a smokey eye and getting to corners for detailing along bottom lashes
6. MAC 217 Blending Brush $22.50 – one of my most favorite brushes ever, super soft and versatile, great for blending and layering, love that it’s big enough to cover a big portion of the eye but small enough to control color where you want it, definitely a must have in every collection
7. MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush $24.50 – another favorite, this is the best brush to pack on color by patting or sweeping, picks up product well and allows control depending on how much product you have on your brush and the pressure you use to apply powders on the lids, if you use it sideways (versus flat) you can use it to get a smudgey line, another great versatile brush, blends colors well
8. MAC 242 Shader Brush $24.50 – I like this for cream shadows that I don’t want all over the lid, the small size allows thicker more pigmented application, I’ve used this for smudging gel liners, it also works for powders too, but I mostly use this for creams
9. Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush $25 – no comparison for gel liners, this is the best one I’ve tried, the tiny tip allows for a precise application even for those with unsteady hands
10. Bobbi Brown Eye Liner Brush $25 – another great option for powder eye liners and precise application with one sweep, I don’t like angled liner brushes because I find the tips too wide and harsh for my eyes, this one from Bobbi Brown is stiff but gentle
11. Trish McEvoy #21 Large Laydown $53 – pricey and a total splurge but well worth the price, love this for both powders and creams
12. MAC 227 Large Fluff Brush $30 – a great all over fluff brush that is densely packed but allows for an even wash of color all over the eyes with one sweep
Perhaps it is the California girl in me that is obsessed with bronzers, but I’ve always been one who prefers to be tan rather than fair. Right now I am a Chanel Teint Innocence Shell (equivalent to what’s in between MAC NC30 and NC35, neither is an exact match for me), hardly “tan” but luckily I have bronzers to help me feel not-so-pale since I have little patience for tanning in the sun.
There are so many different effects one can achieve with bronzers. One’s skintone and skintype will also affect one’s preference for formula and finish. A bit of information about my skin & personal bronzer preferences: I have normal skin with olive tones. I get a bit oily in the T-zone only when it’s really humid. I prefer something that gives noticeable tanned look. My top 3 requirements for bronzer:
Don’t turn orangey as my skin
Don’t make me look dirty/muddy
Too much shimmer = copper bronze statue
Powder Bronzers:
Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer – Daydream $48 This is my favorite bronzer ever! Not being able to see this in person, I purchased it based on the recommendations of Leslie (see her guest review on the EB line here). Her description was right on. It’s neither shimmery nor matte but somewhere in between. It’s a goof-proof bronzer that I can never go wrong with and makes the skin glow. I like it alone or layered over a luminizer like NARS Multiples or Edward Bess’s All Over Seduction. I recently bought the other bronzer shade shade from EB, Desert Sun, and will be reviewing it soon.
Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder – Bali Brown $33 Part of her Illuminating Bronzer formula, I don’t find this one all that “illuminating” even though there are sparkles in this one. For some reason it applies more matte and I find the sparkle/shimmers don’t show up on my skin. This one is more pigmented so I have to apply it with a light hand in layers or else I get an intense brown streak across my face. I would say this gives a more earthy-brown look rather than illuminating glow.
NARS Bronzing Powder – Laguna & Irresistiblement $32 NARS Laguna has achieved cult status as the most well-known and popular bronzer. It was one of my first bronzers and I used it every single day while I was in college because I found it so versatile. It worked well alone and when layered with other blushes. Irresistiblement is the newest powder bronzer from NARS. It looks rather orange in the compact and when I saw it I immediately wrote it off. However, I saw it featured on Em from Too Much Blush and it looked so good on her pale skin I had to try it. See her review here. See it on her lovely face here. She’s done a few looks with it and her review is extremely helpful. I highly recommend searching through her archives for inspiration on how to use this. I tried this at Nordstrom and fell in love.
MAC Bronzing Powder – Golden & Bronze $22 I find these to be the most natural and sheer bronzing powders. Golden is very subtle on me because it’s close to my natural skintone (when applied) so I like to use it as a contouring powder or over powder blushes to add a bit of warmth. I’ve hit pan on this one twice. Bronze is similar just a few shades darker and warmer. These give a soft bronzed glow. I like the simple mirrored compact. If you find these too sheer, try MAC’s Refined Golden instead.
Armani Sheer Bronzer #1 & #5 $49 #1 is the most brown-based bronzer I have. Looks like it would be too brown in the compact but goes on a nice tanned bronze. I would call #5 my most glowy bronzer. It on the shimmery side but doesn’t apply frosty. It’s a warm golden bronze that makes the skin glow. Darker skinned girls will find this less dramatic and more glowy than bronzey.
Cream Bronzers:
Chanel Soleil de Tan Bronzing Makeup Base $48 This replaced the Bronze Universel de Chanel Sun Illuminator. Comes in the same tub and compact. Looks virtually identical to the original. I believe it was simply reformulated and given a new name. My favorite cream bronzer for a natural contour. The tub is huge and lasts forever. This is my second tub. Looks brown but blends out naturally.
Armani Fluid Sheer #11 $59 This is more of a peachy bronze shade. I like Fluid Sheer #3 as well but find it extremely sheer. The Fluid Sheer #11 is one of the shades that shows up better. It has enough color on me to wear alone as a blush. I apply this over powder and foundation with a foundation brush and it doesn’t cake or get greasy.
NARS Multiple – South Beach $38 Another pretty peachy-bronze shimmer. More shimmery than the Armani. I like this with a powder bronzer (like MAC Golden or Bronze) layered on top. Love how this can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. The challenge for me with this is making it last. It’s so emollient I find it hard to make last throughout the day. Still, the color is so pretty, the non-existent lasting power won’t stop me from wearing it.
MAC To the Beach Cream Bronzer – Weekend $25 I didn’t think I would like this because it looked so reddish in the container, but it works well as a subtle bronzer with warmth. Fair skinned girls will probably find this too red. If I were slightly paler this would turn orangey on me.
Discontinued Loves:
Chanel Irreelle Soleil Silky Bronzing Powder in Sierra 22 This was the best bronzer Chanel made. Then they discontinued the formula and came out with something I feel is chalky which just sits on the skin instead of blending in with it.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish – So Ceylon, Sunny by Nature, Global Glow I find these can be a bit intense so I like these with a skunk brush.
Shu Uemura Loose Powder in Luster Bronze I don’t remember which year this came out, I think back in the summer of 2005? I got this at Bergdorf Goodman when I was in New York summers ago. I use it only for special occasions because I love the color so much I’m afraid to use this up.
Tools:
I like brushes that are more on the fluffy side for bronzer to get a sheerer application. These are my most frequently used brushes. For the creams, most of the time I use my fingers but my staple is the Prescriptives Foundation brush which is no longer available. Listed left to right:
Prescriptives Foundation Brush
MAC 129 Powder/Blush Brush $34
MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush $42
MAC 138 Tapered $52
Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush $50
My Top Bronzer Picks:
Best Bronzer Hands Down – Edward Bess Daydream
Best Bronzer For the Price – MAC Golden or Bronze
Most Natural Bronzer – MAC Golden & Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base
Best Bronzer Brush – MAC 129 (because it’s the most versatile)
A Side Note: I do have a number of other bronzers from the same brands listed above and other brands like Guerlain, Laura Mercier, Le Metier de Beaute, Dolce & Gabbana, Becca and Dior. The ones listed above are just my favorites for the formula and price. Also, I just got a new computer which I am trying to get used to. You may see a slight difference in the photos from my normal posting. Please bear with me as I am trying to figure out all the new settings with a new version of photoshop as well.
A Note About These Swatches: Please take these with a grain of salt. These were swatched on a bare arm without primer or moisturizer. Bronzers apply better over foundation + powder for me, so these swatches aren’t really true to life. I put as many as I could fit on my arm. There might be a few missing. Please don’t be alarmed by the furry thing at the bottom, he’s my kitty.
I got the NARS Ita Kabuki brush as an amazing gift-with-purchase at a recent Nordstrom Trend Show Event. It’s one of the NARS Kabuki Artisan Brushes and this one has a wide flat brush with black goat hair and comes in a nice black box. I love that the brush is extremely soft and feels so smooth on the skin. The shape intrigues me as I am enamored with odd-shaped brushes – however, there’s a slight issue: I do not know how to use this.
Do any of you have it? If so, how do you use it? I know it’s meant for contouring and highlighting but I still feel clumsy swiping it. It’s so wide that it covers my entire cheek and then some. I need to go back to the NARS counter to ask them to show me how it’s to be used. If any of you own this, I’d love to hear your tips on how you use this one!
I did have the regular Ita Brush before but never used it so I ended up gifting it away to another happy home. I do have to say I’m a bit worried about how I’m going to keep the handle clean and prevent it from getting sticky.
Have you ladies ever been to a Nordstrom Trend Show? For those not familiar, call your local Nordstrom and ask! I think Nordstrom.com has a list of events per store, so you can search in advance. The events vary per store, but it seems like the Nordstroms near me typically have around 2 Trend Show Events per year. They are a store-wide event that starts early in the morning (around 8 am) for an hour presentation featuring various products, trends and models wearing the season’s current makeup trends. They have raffle giveaways, coffee, cute gift bags. All you have to do is sign up in advance and you can get your makeup done at any counter too. Most of the lines usually have some sort of promotion or gift. They can be hit or miss. And also very crowded. On more recent events, if I can’t get the first makeover opening appointment, I’ve opted to skip the show and just get my makeup done during one of the later time slots to avoid the crowds and pushing (yes, sometimes pushing).
I’ve been to about 4 in the past few years and the ones I’ve been to are really fun (although extremely packed). The gift with purchases can be a hit or miss sometimes but recently, there was an incredible promotion going on with NARS. I was so excited to get my makeup done again but unfortunately I had last minute change of plans and wasn’t able to attend. Thankfully, my sales associate was willing to do a pre-sale for me so I was still able to get the GWP. The first level GWP was with a $75 purchase and the step up (to get the multiple duo and brush) was with over $150. Definitely well worth the purchase and much better than previous GWPs at other counters which have been a mini double-sided lipgloss with a $75 purchase which I think is hardly an incentive.
Here is the GWP: Mini South Beach Multiple, Multiple Duo, Full-Sized Mindgame Lipstick, 2 Mini Lipglosses, Kabuki Ita Brush
It was really hard for me to narrow my list down to only 10 things this month! Since I’ve already featured quite a bit of the new spring 2010 items, I decided to feature 10 non-new/non-spring releases that I’m loving right now.
1. MAC Sunny By Nature Mineralized Skin Finish – I’m a sucker for bronzers and MAC MSFs and fell in love with this one when it was released last July with the Color Craft Collection. Looks dark and almost muddy in the container, but on the skin it’s a nice natural satiny bronze. I love that it’s not too shimmery (which most MSFs are). I hope MAC makes more MSFs in this kind of finish! If you missed out, check your local CCOs, I saw this along with Cheeky Bronze at my local CCO a week ago.
2. Bobbi Brown Nude Beach Metallic Eyeshadow – This was released as an exclusive with the Nordstrom Anniversary Exclusives but is also in the (X Palette). You all know I’m obsessed with neutrals, Nude Beach is a pretty shimmery, but not overly frosty, nude shimmer with great pigment and lasting power.
3. MAC Eyeshadow Brush #239 – This is hands down the best MAC eyeshadow brush I own. I think it’s a must-have for everyone. It’s so versatile and soft which makes blending a no-brainer. I have a soft spot for all of MAC’s white-haired brushes, I wish they would make more shapes and sizes.
4. Nars Ondine Eyeshadow – This is one of the few eyeshadows I have ever hit pan on (the one pictured is my second one). I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone – those who can’t pull off plummy browns will probably find this looks bruisey on their skin. I really like this though because it has a complex combination of brown, plum and gold all mixed into one shadow. Those who wanted to love MAC Starviolet but found it too purpley will like Nars Ondine. The Nars is a more wearable, more brown, more grown-up and less trendy version of the MAC.
5. Edward Bess Bare Rose Lip Gloss – Not your typical milky pink, but still light enough to give a pretty natural pink lip. If you’re a fan of Nars Chihuahua, you will definitely like the EB Bare Rose which has a fig-scent, slightly sticky texture, long lasting, and high shine.
6. Dolce & Gabbana Sparkling Lipstick – I got this from the D&G Holiday Collection from Saks NY and it’s the most unique sparkling copper/nude/gold lipstick I’ve ever seen. It’s very pigmented and frosty, so those who don’t like metallic lips, you may not like it. The frosty-factor can be toned down with a cream colored gloss though.
7. Shu Uemura P Gold 94 Glow On – This is a blush I like to use as a highlighter for cheeks and eyes. It’s a light-medium shimmery flesh-toned gold with gold flecks. I like that it’s not completely gold or yellowy. It seems more pigmented than most of Shu Uemura’s Glow On Blushes, perhaps it’s the metallic aspect that gives it more pigment.
8. Paul & Joe Caramel 04 Lipliner – This is the creamiest lipliner I’ve ever tried. It glides on more smoothly than MAC Cremestick Liners (which I love) and the Caramel is the perfect YLBB nude-pink-brown. I bought this thanks to the recommendation of Hettie from Bergdorf Goodman. Lipliners were one of the few P&J items I hadn’t tried yet, so I asked her to pick out 2 colors for me, #04 Caramel was one of them and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it.
9. Chanel Glow Glossimer – Pretty soft glowiness that’s hard to describe. It has peach and pink and bronze in it, makes my lips look full and glowing. The lasting power isn’t the best on this one, but I don’t mind reapplying it.
10. Paul & Joe Canyon 16 Face Color – Soft light pink and cool-toned shimmery highlighter. I like this for a natural angelic-pink blush. It goes on very soft and natural. It might not show up on MAC NC40s or darker though because it’s on the lighter side.
The ultimate brush splurge you can find right now is the Black Plum Deluxe Brush Collection exclusive to Neiman Marcus & Bergdorf Goodman. It retails for $250 and has 8 different full sized brushes with stunning black and chrome handles.
If you purchased each brush individually, the total retail value of all the brushes in the set is $267, so while this set isn’t exactly a steal, the quality of the set is just as good as the regular individual brushes (which I find rare among other brands) and it’s packaged in a gorgeous shiny deep plum zipped case.
(As of now, here are the prices individually: blush $50, bronzer $50, cream shadow $28, eyeshadow $28, gel liner $25, eye definer $28, eye smudge $28, eye shader $30. Ladies – correct me if I’ve miscalculated.)
Neiman Marcus is also having their InCircle event and the gift with purchase is a mini lip quad, mini lip brush and a mini clear lipgloss. InCircle Card Holders – check your mail because you may have a $50 gift card that you can use instore during the incircle event days (certain exclusions apply).
Looking for a set with brushes and color items? Check out their Black Plum Collection set that features a 9-pan palette with brushes and case. Additional photos HERE.
Eye Brush Details:
Larger Brush details:
Comparisons to my other full size individual Bobbi Brown brushes:
Overall thoughts: I have never bought a full-sized brush set because I usually find the quality to be different from the regular individual brushes. I have purchased a few mini brush sets in the past. This was definitely a must-buy for me and my sweet SA was kind enough to throw in an extra Bobbi Brown gift because she had extras from their beauty week in addition to the Incircle gift. The cream shadow brush in the set is slightly more flexible than the full sized ones I currently own, but not enough to make it significantly different. The only thing I would change is I wish she had included her new eye sweep brush in here instead of the regular eyeshadow brush.
