TOTT! ArtNet Professional Paris Brush #153!

Wanted to get slim crease detail that is blended really well? Yes? Then I recommend this brush from ArtNet Professional Paris. Brush no 153 is a small blending brush that will blend your crease detail and cut-crease really well. Because the tip is small and pointy it will not over-blend and erase the detail that you just created. The crease will look natural and well blended in seconds.

I had this brush for 2 years now and it looks and feels like new.

Here's a closer look of the brush hair.

Since I've been working with more than one face in one session, I decided to buy a new one.

But I was disappointed because the newer ones aren't like the one I purchased before. The tip is rounded unlike the one I bought first which is pointed. It still does the work but there's a risk of over-blending because the tip is not tapered to a point.

Closer look on the brushes' head/hair.

When you decide to buy one make sure to examine the brush head carefully and choose the one with hairs that are tapered to a point.

I really like this brush a lot. It's not the softest, I must say, but you can't go wrong with it. It's just sad that the new one I bought is not as pointy as the first brush.

This brush is available in Robinson's Manila and Robinson's Galleria.

Verdict: Love. Like. Nice. Skip. Drain.

It could have been love if not for the second purchase.

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Beauty Haul! From Hong Kong Trip!

During my latest trip to Hong Kong I only bought four (4) items that I will be using for my clients. These are MAC 239 brush, PALGANTONG MAKE-UP theatrical powder in Beige Ocre, DUO striplash adhesive in black and KOJI no. 100 eyelash curler.

And I am excited and I can't wait to use these on my clients and friends. Who's volunteering to test these?

MAC 239 Brush

PALGANTONG MAKE-UP Theatrical Powder in Beige Ocre

DUO Striplash Adhesive in Black

KOJI No. 100 Eyelash Curler for the lower eyelash

I still have supplies for other stuff life foundations, eyeshadows and lip colors so I decided not to buy any of those. These 4 items are the stuff that I needed for the moment that's why I bought them.

What do you think of my recent purchase?

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TOTT! Charm PRO Big Blending Brush #11!

Another brush that caught my eye is Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11. I think I already have 12 blending brushes but additional 2 won't hurt, right? Yes I bought two of these. What makes this brush very appealing to me is the hair color - which is white (just like my MAC 217 brushes). Most of my blending brushes are either black or brown (the two different ones are the stippling eye blending brush and the blending+dome eye brush that comes with Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette).

Here’s what the website tells about Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11:

Charm PRO Makeup Brushes are made from the best quality and precise craftsmanship that will ensure you professional results in your makeup application!

The CHARM PRO Blending Brush is a must-have as a blending brush, as it de nes and contours your crease, and also blends eyeshadow into a seamless gradient. Made with the right fi rmness, it gives you control while blending your eyeshadow.

I have this brush for more than a month already and I already used, cleaned and washed it a couple of times so I think I can also do a review of it now just like the Charm Pro Eye Shader Brush #7.

Front View and Top View

While most of my blending brushes are really soft Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11 is not that soft, which makes this brush unique among my blending brushes. And I like it that way.

It is not stiff but is firm enough not to over-blend eye shadow color, which really helps when I needed a blending brush to do that for me. This brush helps me achieve a certain gradient that don’t fade the color, which happens when you over-blend.

My Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11 brushes.

Among my blending brushes Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11 is the densest. It picks up color really well and helps me blend the outer V and crease area without over-blending. And since the brush is dense, I really like using it to blend concealer on the under eye area and corners of the nose.

I also like to use this brush on creamy products like the Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo.

Since this is not the softest blending brush you need to blend the eye shadow more if you want to use it that way (which I don't on this brush) since I’m using another blending brush for that purpose. Sometimes it is a bit scratchy but not to the point that it hurts the area where you use it so it is not a big deal. There are few hairs that shed but nothing sheds after two washes.

I really like the white hair.

This retails for Php 399.00 but I got it with 10% discount at The Ramp Glorietta.

Verdict: Love. Like. Nice. Skip. Drain.

I am satisfied with the 2 Charm Pro Big Blending Brush #11 brushes that I have. It picks up color really well and does not over-blend and losing all the definition of the eye shadow color. I can also use it on concealers to blend the edges and creamy eye shadows from placing wash of color as base to building the color intensity to my liking.

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TOTT! Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush #7!

I really like brushes in fact I have more than a hundred already. And when I happen to see one on the mall I just can’t help myself but try it.

One that caught my attention was the Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush #7. Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush #7 reminds me of the MAC 239 brush – the tapered-rounded shape and white colored hair look really similar to each other. So I really got excited and bought 2 instantly.

Here’s what the website tells about Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush #7:

Charm PRO Makeup Brushes are made from the best quality and precise craftsmanship that will ensure you professional results in your makeup application!

The Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush is a very dense brush that picks up substantial amount of eyeshadow and packs on vivid colors on the eyelids.

I have this brush for more than a month already and I already used, cleaned and washed it a couple of times so I think I can do a review of it now.

I really like dense brushes that pickup colors, deposit the colors well and that are soft. Charm PRO Eye Shader Brush #7 picks up color well and deposits it well on the eyelids, however, the brush is so scratchy it hurts the eye area where you put colors specially when you use it for shading to smoke-out the color.

The brush is not soft but not stiff. When you use the top-edge side of the brush to blend the outer v and crease area and deposit color on the lower lash line it scratches and pokes the area.

The one on the left sheds like crazy which does not happen with the one on the right.

I mentioned earlier that I’ve got two and one of the brushes shed like crazy which does not happen with the other brush. And it’s kind of hard to clean it.

The good thing about this brush is that it picks up color, deposit color well and minimize eye shadow fall-out so I'll only use this brush for that purpose only (I don't recommend this brush for blending and shading the lid and crease areas and placing color on the lower lash line). But I was disappointed with it because it hurts the eye unlike Charm PRO Big Blending Brush #11 (that I really like).

This retails for Php 350.00 but I got it with 10% discount at The Ramp Glorietta.

Verdict: Love. Like. Nice. Skip. Drain.

Although it delivers its promise of picking up and packing color (almost like MAC 239 and actually better than other brushes for that purpose) I just can’t stand that it scratches and pokes the area where you use it.

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TOTT! ELF Powder Brush (Flat Top)!

The best way to make foundation and makeup last is setting it with powder. And how you apply the powder is very important. Equally as important is the tool you use to apply the powder.

Other than the powder puff, which is one of the best btw, the E.L.F. Powder Brush (Flat Top) is my one to go to brush in setting foundations with powder. In fact it’s the only thing I use nowadays with my clients. The brush is so much easier to clean than the powder puff.

What I really like about this brush is the fact that it has a flat top. Its flat top is perfect in setting in the foundation. If you put the powder onto the skin using the flat top it will seal the foundation onto your skin completely (almost).

Unlike a traditional powder brush, which takes away the foundation when you swipe it onto the skin with powder, elf powder brush will not. As you tap the flat top of the brush on your skin with powder it will press the foundation making it stick with the skin even more.

 Here's what the website describe this brush:

This new anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. studio brush! Creates a professional sculpted look. Full coverage colour. Use for powder or blush for perfect contouring.

The brush is soft but sturdy enough not to give when the flat top is press onto the skin.When I set the foundation with powder I dip the brush into powder and tap off the excess. Then I tap powder using the flat top starting from the forehead going to the hairline then down to the cheek area then the outer part of the face. I tap and press as I go making sure that every part of the face that I applied with foundation was never skipped. This way the, I am confident that the foundation will not budge, will stay put and will last longer.

For demo purposes I'm using a darker foundation than my skin color to make the result more visible.

Step 01: Place enough powder on the cover of the powder container.
Step 02: Dip brush.
Step 03: Tap off the excess.
Step 04: Tap and press the flat surface of the brush onto the skin.

Easy, right? Check below photos to compare the area without and with powder.

The area we set with powder using E.L.F. powder brush looks natural and flawless.

Other that setting the foundation with powder. I also use this brush to contour the face. The side of the brush is perfect for creating that nose line and that line under the cheek to make your face look slimmer. Then I used the flat part to blend where I contour to eliminate harsh line.

I have two. One for setting the powder (taped with red-green tapes) and the other one is for contouring (taped with red-green-yellow tapes).

The brush is so easy to clean, since it is synthetic made of Taklon it also dries a lot quicker than my other synthetic brushes.

I've heard that other people also use this brush for putting foundations (liquid, cream, powder, etc.) but I haven't tried it yet since I already found other brushes perfect for that job. Some even use this brush in applying blush on the apples of the cheek. That's how versatile this brush is. And I say these reasons make this brush a keeper.

Plus the Php 249.00 price tag doesn't really hurt the pocket.

There's nothing bad that I can think of to say against this brush, really.

Verdict: Love. Like. Nice. Skip. Drain.

This brush is really nice to have and has become a 'must have' in my kit.

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