Use up Those Products!!

I wanted to share with all of you. I know this happens to me A LOT! 


I buy a product thinking I'll love it, but it doesn't work out that well and ends up being tossed to the back of a makeup drawer and never sees the light of day again!! 


Instead, I've been trying to use up those kinds of products in one way or another so my money doesn't go to waste and this is what I've come up with for three particular products.


1. Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in Medium/Deep. -- This was too moist for my oily skin and the shade oxidized horribly with my already reddish undertones.


2. Hard Candy Glamoflauge  Concealer in Medium -- This concealer is very thick and pasty, and though the color is Medium, it is still way too light for my complexion (Emphasis on WAY TOO LIGHT!)


3. CoverGirl Original Setting Powder in Translucent Honey -- I usually use this powder in the same color but in the Clean formula, not Original. Between the formulas, the color is way off. The clean formula is a light caramel shade while the Original formula is more of a tan bronze shade. I might be able to use as a bronzer, but I don't bronze my face too often.


I mixed the BB Cream and the concealer that made a nice match of my normal foundation with a just in between consistency! Though it was a little on the light side, that wasn't a problem because I used the darker powder to even out my complexion.


How do you make use of unwanted products??

May 2012 Favorites!

Favorites for the month of May; my first favorites post!


1. Hanskin Magic BB Cream 
$22.90 from NaturalRadiance.net
-gray/lilac color; perfect for the red undertones in my skin
-whitening, SPF, fights wrinkles
-Not overly greasy for my oily skin


2. CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer
-#230 $8.00 at drugstores
-brightens undereye area


3. Revlon SuperLustrous Lipstick
-Love That Pink
-$4 at Walmart


4. WetnWild Megalast Lipstick
-Don't Blink Pink
-$2 at Walmart


5. Brushes from Crown Brush (Sale/Clearance tab)

~K9 Angle 1/4 Liner $0.85
~K20 Pro Spoolie $0.79
~Disc 8 Chisel Powder $5.00
~Disc 9 Mini Blush $2.15
~K15 Lash Fan $0.85

$20 Makeup Challenge (TAG)!!

Click HERE to watch the video! ^__^




All Jordana products are $1.25 each, regardless of the item (at Savemart Stores only)


jordanacosmetics.com




Wet n Wild products can be found at all drugstores.


Crown Brush tools can be purchased online at crownbrush.us or at IMATS






RULES:


1. Prices are before sales tax (Tax doesn't count)
2. ALL items used will be counted (brushes, sponges, etc)
3. Total must amount to $20 or less
4. Be creative and have fun!


I tag Makeup by Imera and Ashley Romanian Butterfly!


Products Used:


Face:
-Jordana Creamy Liquid Foundation in Toast
-Jordana Forever Flawless Pressed Powder in Creamy Sand


Cheeks:
-Wet n Wild Megalast Lipstick in 906D (as cream blush base)
-Jordana Blush in Terra Cotta


Eyes:
-Jordana Eyeshadow in Heart of Gold and Brunette
-Wet n Wild Cream Eyeliner in Black
-Loreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara


Brows:
-Jordana shadow again in Brunette


Lips:
-Wet n Wild Lipstick in 906D


Tools:
Crown Brush (Sale tab)
-Pro Brow Spoolie
-1/4 Angle Liner
-Mini Blush

Update on Broadway Impress Press on Manicure

Hello! I did a video about some prizes I won in a Twitter giveaway and some asked how they held up so here is an update on how I liked them.


Product: Broadway Nails Impress Press on Manicure


Price: $6-$8


Available at: Most drugstores


Color Selection: More than 20 styles


Application: Match the appropriate sizes to your nails, peel off tab and apply to nails, hold for a few seconds


Supposed to last: 10 days


Lasted: 4 days


Would I repurchase? YES


***Final Thoughts***:


Although these didn't last as long as they were supposed to; they did serve their purpose. I was looking for something that was faster and easier than painting my nails. These are perfect for those moments when your nails look horrible but you need a quick manicure, like a date night or job interview. I think these would have lasted longer had I not used my hands so much. But because I clean, use harsh chemicals, and hot water, I feel the glue was loosened faster than they would have if used by someone else. 

LA Splash Cosmetics

Recently I was contacted by a company called LA Splash Cosmetics; they have provided all these products for me to review. The thoughts and opinions on these products are still my own.

The Package I received

Products Available at: LA Splash Cosmetics (online) or Duane Reade stores

Diamond Sparkle Gloss

Electric Shock

-Diamond Dust Sparkle Gloss 
Shade: Electric Shock
Price: $6.99
This gloss was extremely bright. It looked more like children's play makeup or something a drag queen would wear. The shade was not something I see myself or any other adult wearing. As far as the formula goes, it is really nice. This isn't overly sticky or runny, it just has the perfect consistency. The glitter is not obnoxious and it comes off easily with a makeup wipe. I'm sure I would have enjoyed this more in another shade.

Twilight Glitter Liner

Swatches of the gloss, liner, and shadow base

-Twilight Collection Glitter Liner
Shade: Onyx
Price: $6.99
This eye liner was a dud in my opinion. I didn't like the formula, the color, or the glitter. It was runny, smeary, and the glitter was too reflective; it made my lash line look like it was missing liner in some places because the light reflecting from the glitter. 

Shadow Base in Nude

-Enlightened Creamy Shadow Base
Shade: Nude
Price: $6.99
I liked this eye shadow base, it was creamy and smooth, it applied easily and helped shadows stick. The color was a bit off; the container read Nude but it was more of a bronze shade. This was very similar to the Maybelline eye tattoos, only the eye tattoos are a bit more shimmery. 

Shadow Duo in Egyptian Queen

Shadow Duo in Beach Babe

-Glamour Intense Pigment Eye Shadow Duo
Shades: Egyptian Queen (purple and gold) and Beach Babe (teal and pink)
Price: $5.99
These eye shadow duos were very nice. The formula is good, not chalky. The colors are beautiful. The only downside, is these wear off easily. They lasted and looked much, much better with a base underneath. However, I feel these are over priced. The shadows feel and wear exactly like Jordana shadows, only Jordana products are about $1.50 and last fine on their own, without a base. 




****Overall thoughts****: In my opinion this company has products extremely similar to Jordana Cosmetics, but I feel Jordana is cheaper and better quality.

Biore at discount stores (Big Lots)

Here in my area, there are a few discount department stores that sometimes have pretty impressive beauty/haircare/skincare selections. My favorite places to check out are:


-Big Lots
-TJ Max
-DD's Discount


If I'm lucky,  I find great finds on Benefit, Smashbox, Stila, and Urban Decay. 


Most times I still find great deals on drugstore brands (like $3 for John Frieda products that are still priced at $12 in WalMart!)


Recently I found something that I have yet to see anywhere else:


Biore Restore Skin Boosting Night Serum

This serum is contains 1.3 oz and cost about a buck.


The product is pretty thin but not runny and had a pleasant smell. Although it is light like a serum should be, I felt that this didn't absorb quickly like a serum should. 


I didn't notice any changes in my skin at all when I used this. It didn't brighten my skin, significantly hydrate it, clear my complexion, or anything else serums usually do.


However, it didn't do anything to mess with my skin either. It didn't make me oily, break me out, dry out my skin...


Over all, it felt like I was rubbing semi-set gelatin on my face...


For a buck, I can't complain about losing out or making a bust investment; but I was expecting better quality from Biore.


Has anyone seen this product? I'm surprised that I had never seen this product except at a discount store. 

Broadway Impress Press-On Manicure

HELLO!!


I have come across something called "Twitter parties" where companies hold giveaways on Twitter. These are super fun and easy, not very many people enter so your chances of winning are usually pretty high! 


So far I have already won a couple of different ones:


-Broadway Impress Manicure (5 sets)
-Julep Nail Polish (1 bottle)
-Incoco Nail Appliques (1 pack)
-Hanskin BB Cream


These are a great way to win without facing thousands of other entries!


I have made a video hauling my most recent winnings; the Broadway Nails.


Below I have included a few companies that do Twitter Party giveaways often, and some that even hold these weekly!



https://twitter.com/#!/realbeauties


https://twitter.com/#!/incoco


https://twitter.com/#!/BwayNails


https://twitter.com/#!/BeautyPRGirls


https://twitter.com/#!/FoodForTheSkin


https://twitter.com/#!/bdelliumtools


https://twitter.com/#!/NeoStrataSkin


https://twitter.com/#!/KissProducts


http://www.facebook.com/foodfortheskin

Products I Hate! Revlon Misses

I usually love Revlon products but lately I have picked up a few things that I just hated, even though I wanted them so badly to work!

The products I picked up were from local drugstores, which I hate! Becuase I didnt like them and couldn't get my money back (I was passed the return policy because I like to test things for a few weeks before I review it!)

Im not sure if I picked up a bad batch, or if these were just past their expiration date (which would explain the clearance) but they were not worth my purchase.

I was dissapointed in:

-Revlon Colorstay Mineral Bronzer
-Revlon Bronzer
and
-Revlon Matte Powder Blush


Revlon dissapoints in these three products

The reason I didn't like these is becuase...

-They were super chalky
-They had slim-to-no color payoff
-They did not last

I do have swatches for you, but if they look the least bit decent it is becuase I had to rub my finger on these for a good 30-45 seconds to get some product on them. This may spund a little dramatic, but I promise, I am not exagerating!

I really wish these had worked better, and for the original price, I can't justify taking the risk on repurchasing in the hopes of having a better batch.


Left: Swatches with flash
Right: Swatches without flash, notice the chalky-chunks

Please let me know if you have purchased any of these and if they worked better for you. I did really want them to work for me, and if they worked better for you, I will go repurchase these for original price. Thanks again everyone!

Love and lipstick,
Monique

Manicure Monday! Essie polish with a Wet n Wild top coat!



WetNWild



Essie



Hello lovelies! I've decided to start a new portion/category/section of this blog called Mani Mondays! Every Monday I will post my current manicure; unless I still have the same polish on, then I'll just tweet or FB that there will not be a new Mani Monday post that week. Onto this week's look!

For about half of a week I wore Essie's Little Brown Dress, a darker than milk chocolate brown. But I noticed that this color looked close to black on my nails because of my darker skintone. It was only obviously brown in the sun light. I hate wearing black polish so I was about to change it.


Essie's Little Brown Dress
Looks almost black with my skintone
Milky-chocolate brown in sunlight
Click to enlarge

 I started looking through my polishes for something else when I ran across my Wet n Wild The Gold and the Beautiful. I did a review on this previously and I wasn't too impressed with it. I had to use tons of a base white color and then about 4 coats of the gold on top of that in order for this to actually show up on my nails.

But because I was going to take off the polish anyway I decided to try it over the Essie polish, and I loved it!

 It only took one coat for this beautiful gold to show nicely, and it even made the brown polish show up as brown and not black! Double score!
 I have been wearing this nail look for about 3 weeks now (And I have only needed to touch up once!). I am rarely ever so fond of a nail look. I usually have a new color every 3 days to a week!


What are your Mani Mondays looking like? Tweet me a picture! I'll post my favorites next Monday :)

Currently my favorite nail look!
I took two photo's to capture different glitter particles capturing the light
Click to enlarge



L Wet N Wild's The Gold and The Beautiful
R Essie's Little Brown Dress
2 Coats of Essie and 1 coat of Wet N Wild
Click to enlarge

I can't wait to see everyone's Mani Monday looks! Be sure to tweet or email me your Monday nails so I can post them next week!

NYC In a New York Minute Fast Dry Nail Color

I decided on this color for the upcoming weeks after that horrible gold experience! Its called Park Avenue and it is definitely a fall taupish hue. Call it wishiful thinking but I am so ready for fall! :) And to transition into the season I figured this color is a good start.
I absolutely love this polish (and several others from the same collection).
First, the price. I think I paid around $2 for this at Target.
Another thing I love is all the names for the colors. I am one of those girls that enjoys those little details and all the polishes from the New York Minute collection have cute names like Central Park, Downtown, Manhattan,  and I just think its really cute.

Mostly all the colors from this collection are fall hues: maroons, tuapes, rich plums, and several shades of navy. However, I'm pretty sure they have recently launched new shades like oranges, reds, pinks, and some blues.
This polish really does dry "in a New York minute". It applies smooth and rich in only two coats. If you're looking to stock up on new shades for this season, this collection is a perfect. You can have a dozen shades under two bucks a piece!

Wet n Wild Fast Dry Nail Color

I have fallen in love lately with changing up my polish at least every 2 weeks!
For the last few weeks I wore this Wet n Wild polish in The Gold and The Beautiful.
When I was looking through all the polishes at my drugstore, this one really caught my eye and it was only $2 I believe so I grabbed it.
However, this polish only looks great in the bottle, and it takes a lot of work for it to look decent on the nails.
It has finely milled glitter particles that do not show up that great on the nails.
Even with three coats on its own, it looked like clear with very little glitter in it and I wanted it to look just like the bottle! I don't have any gold polish, so I had to use another color as a base.
I used a white polish underneath, and topped it with four, yes that many, coats of this glitter.
It took FOREVER for each coat to dry. I'm not exagerating when I say I spent about an hour and a half working on this! And in the end, it still really didn't look that good.

My opinion? For two bucks, buy some gold polish to use as a base, that way you won't have to use as many coats. If that doesn't sound like something you would be willing to do, skip this polish. When it came time to take it off, I found this actually removed pretty easily considering it is a glitter polish.

I don't recommend this to everyone! But best of luck to those who try it out :)

E.L.F Studio HD Powder & SPF 45 Sunscreen UVA/UVB Protection

To finish off my E.L.F Cosmetics haul, I've got the Studio Loose Powders. The picture on the left is the High Definition Powder, and the picture on the right, with the amazingly long name, is a SPF loose powder. These powders have 3.5 ounces of product and are available for $6 each; they are worth the price.

The SPF powder only comes in one color, although it does have a light brown tint to it. This mineralized powder is infused with aloe, grapeseed extract, and vitamins A, C and E. The color applies transclucent but it does come off a little too pink on some darker skin tones. I wore this powder on my recent vacation and it worked so well while on the beach and at the campsite! This provides light coverage and blocks sun damage.

The High Definition powder is translucent and creates what is called a "soft focus" that covers all imperfections. This is designed for those who work with cameras. A TV interview, broadcast, or a photoshoot can sometimes highlight blemishes, but with this powder that is all blurred and softened away. I loved this powder so much, it really makes your complexion glow and look flawless! The first time I tried it I took a picture just to test it out, and this really does wonders in front of cameras. I recommend using this powder very lightly or you will get a ghostly complexion. Another great thing about this product? It is an EXACT dupe for Smashbox Cosmetics' Photo Set HD finishing powder, which retails for about $28! Save some money, get the same results.

Both of these powders control shine very well, but these are not packaged for travel. These are so bulky, I actually had trouble storing them at first and I had to move some of my other things around to fit them. They are just plain big. They have a really nice sifter, though, and a large powder puff. I use the puff to pat the product on, and then I buff it out with a face kabuki.  

Pure Ice Nail Polishes!

I love finding cheap nail polishes! And this company is available at your local Walmart and Target for just under $1!! These polishes dry really quickly and only require 2-3 coats. Using a top coat has given me a whole week of wear with out any chipping at all; and that's including a few days of cleaning with bleach, which usually strips my polishes. The shade I'm wearing above is called Kiss Me Here; I wasn't trying to send any kisses out! I just thought it was appropriate and fun for the shade's name. It is a opaque gray with a slight blue undertone. I really like this color!

Another shade I enjoyed, and I'm actually wearing at the moment, is pictured below and is called Purple Reign. Excuse my chipped thumb and pointer nail; I've had this polish on for almost a week and a half! This is very bright, almost neon, glossy purple with gold reflects in it. The polish is not to be confused with a glitter polish; there is no glitter peices in it, only gold reflects. I really love it because the gold is subtle but still catches the light with just the smallest glimmer.

If you have not tried this brand before or are afraid to "waste" money on cheap brands that won't have much payoff; I really recommend these polishes! They are only $1, so what you would usually pay for an Essie polish, you can get 8 of these! And they are not tiny bottles like the Essie ones! They only take a few coats, like any other polish, and last a good week without chipping if you wear a topcoat over it! These are definitely "steals"!

You can never have enough polish ;)

E.L.F Studio Mineral Infused Mascara

Hey everyone, here I have for you the only mascara I dared to try from E.L.F cosmetics. I was a bit hesitant to try these because they are discount and I have had bad experiences with discount mascaras. Buying cheap could cause damage to your eyes and lashes!

But for $3 this actually turned out to be a really nice mascara!

It is "supposedly" miniral infused but the ingredients are mostly everyday mascara ingredients.

 I love the wand on this; it's silicone and bends to hug every lash; even the hard to reach inner lashes. The brush has many alternating rows of tiny bristles. The bristles seperate lashes really well and add great definition without the clumps.

This applies evenly and gives lashes that long and awake look. Do not confuse this with a volumizing mascara, though. This does nothing for thickness.

I recommend this for that natural makeup look because it brings out your lashes but doesn't make them look overdone or like you're wearing a lot of product.

The formula is very leightweight, which I like because the wetter formulas always make my lashes clump up and lose their curl.

I even use this mascara as a base when I don't want to pile on a thickening mascara. Simply apply this to lashes for definition and lenght and then apply a second coat of a thicker formula. This saves you from using up to three or four applications of that more expensive brand!

This is definitely one to try out!

E.L.F. Studio Blushes and Blush&Bronzer Duo Compact

Im still working on my E.L.F haul! I bought two blush compacts and a blush and bronzer duo. I was satisfied with all three so lets get right into it and I'll tell you know why.

This blush here is in Giddy Gold. I bought this for a glowy and bright look on my cheeks, perfect for the summer time. This blush was very bright in color; I was expecting it to be a little more wearable for the face ,but it was just too much. I didn't throw this out right away and I use it instead as a highlight. Just a small and light swipe above my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose gives me the dewey look without using an expensive highlighter.  If used sparingly, this could also be used as a highlight for the decollete area when wearing some more revealing tops; if done right, it could look sexy, not skanky!

This next product is the Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in Blushed and Bronzed (how original). E.L.F is definitely trying to dupe Nars' blush and bronzer compact! The encasing is almost the same, only this packaging has a non sticky coating, unlike the Nars compacts. The E.L.F one also has a sturdier and larger mirror. However, as far as the quality of the product goes this is not a dupe at all. Don't let it mistake you, though, these are still really great blushes for a wonderful price. The blush is a corally light pink with hardly any gold shimmer in it. The bronzer is a matte dark brown and it is perfect for contouring. I advise using this bronzer especially lightly and sparingly as it is a little difficult to blend.

This last blush I purchased is in the shade Candid Coral. If you compare it to the photo above, you can see that this blush looks exactly like the blush in the duo compact! I think they might be the same shades so this was a bad buy; only becuase now I have two of the same shades! The only difference is, this one has more gold reflects in it and it definitely not as matte as the other one above.

The blushes are $3 each and the duo compact is also $3. These blushes are very soft and it does not take a lot of product to get a good color payoff. I recommend tapping your brush into the pan and lightly tapping off any excess to avoid fallout. Rubbing or circling your brush will result in way too much product and crazy amounts of fallout. These come in 11 colors and I recommend trying them all!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

I was finally able to try these highly raved about nail strips for myself, and I must agree; these are wonderful! I bought mine at Walmart for about $9 which beats getting a manicure at a salon for $15 and up. The shade I have here is called Laced Up. These strips are really easy to use, as long as you follow instructions, and last for two whole weeks before chipping!
These come on a box which also contains a nail file, cuticle pusher, and instruction booklet.
Very Important: DO NOT open the strips until you are ready to use them. These are REAL nail polish strips and opening them before you use them will dry out the polish on the strip, and later it will not stick to your nail.
I learned by mistake! I was excited to try them so I opened the inner packaging just to have a look, when I came to use them later I had to trash them because they had dried out.
These are so simple to use. Simply clip and file nails to prepare for manicure. Push back cuticles and size up the strips to find the perfet fit for each nail. Wash hands and wipe nails down with some polish remover to ensure a clean, smooth surface for application. Press strip firmly to nail and file away the excess! Done! For a longer lasting effect, use a topcoat. These can be removed easily with polish remover.
I have very itty bitty nails and I was able to use one box of strips for both hands and feet! And I still had  some left over! Of course, the left overs must be thrown out because they dry out anyway. But for $10 I was able to get a beautiful mani/pedi.
The design and detail would have cost so much more in a salon!
I HIGHLY recommend this product!

E.L.F Luscious Liquid Lipstick and Mineral Mousturizing Lip Tint

I ordered some lip products from ELF and I will start by saying that these are actually really good products.

The first I want to talk about is their Mineral Mousturizing Lip Tints. These are intensely creamy and have a great color tint to them. They do include SPF 8, although I'm sure it will not make much of a difference with out it. When I first placed my order I got the color Cherry because it was the only one they had, but now I really want to get all of their 7 new colors. These are $3 each and are great products.

The other product I ordered is their Luscious Liquid Lipsticks. I heard these were great from another Guru friend and I ordered 3. From left to right the shades are Brownie Points, Caramel Candy, and Maple Sugar. These are a dollar each and have a great formulation. They are not overly sticky or shimmery. These add just the right amount of color. They work great for sheer color or to add shine over a lipstick. When I first opened them I spent about a minute cranking the applicator until the product came through. This is one of those annoying crank applicators that do take forever! They have doe foot felt applicators which I am not a huge fan of, but they are all minty flavored so that makes up for it; as you all know, I love mint beauty products! Brownie Points is a red toned brown, Caramel Candy is a sheer nude color, and Maple Sugar is a sheer pinky toned nude color. I love all of these and plan on ordering all 12 shades soon! I definitely recommend picking these up; they make great gifts for favor bags, stocking stuffers, or just as finishers for your collection. Happy Blogging and God Bless!

E.L.F Mechanical Eyelash Curler

After watching some of my favorite Guru reviews on youtube, I was sold and had to order ELF's eyelash curler! I was very excited to get this becuase my lashes, like my hair, cannot hold a curl to save my life. This is also only one dollar and comes with an extra pad and a plastic clamp that holds the curler closed when not in use. When this came in, my excitement dropped and flopped to the ground. I may have just gotten a bad batch (considering everyone else's wonderful raves) but this lash curler sucks, simply put. The rubber pad is always falling out and it falls apart. When I clamped the curler down it cut the rubber in half. That is not the worst part, just how it cut through the rubber, it also cut my lashes! Yes my lashes are now half their length, and I already had short lashes! However, this was about a month and a half ago and my lashes are slowly but surely growing back. I caution everyone when buying this curler, becareful!

E.L.F Liquid Eyeliner & Water Proof Eyeliner Pen

Hey everyone! I have tons of new reviews coming soon and I would have posted them sooner, but it is the summer months and it is around this time that I get extrememly busy! So without any further delay lets dive right in!
Today I have for you all the two eyeliners I ordered from ELF cosmetics. These are both only a dollar so I figured why not give them a try.
The liquid eyeliner comes in 6 colors, plus 3 new shimmer colors. The packaging is very simmilar to Revlon's Color Stay Liquid Eyeliner; it comes in an inkwell with a long handle for easy glide application.
The eyeliner pen is "waterproof" and comes in 5 colors, along with 2 new fall colors. I recommend storing the pen upside down in a brush holder otherwise the liner won't come out as fluid.
Both of these have very fine tips but the fibers are always coming loose and staying on my eyelids. These are actually terrible liners in my opinion. They are not waterproof and smudge amazingly easily. They do not stay black, in fact these eyeliners actually end up picking up the pigment in my shadows (may be a good thing for some of you?). These are not long wearing and the formula is extremely  runny. It reminds me of the kindergarten days when the water color paints looked like water with paint instead of paint with some water in it. Bottom line, I will not be buying these again. Stick with the drugstore brands and you're garuanteed quality product.

E.L.F Studio Stipple Brush

I really love stippling brushes. Of any face brush, they are my favorite and when I go shopping I always convince myself that I can never have too many stipple brushes! So, of course, as I was shopping through ELFs online store I decided to get another stipple brush. This is available for only $3 so I thought it was a pretty good deal considering my favorites have ranged from $16 to $34. This type of brush is great for applying liquid makeup because it gives a light and even application, making your makeup look smooth and air brushed. It can also be used to apply face powders, blushes, and bronzers when you want a very light and sheer amount. Now, ELFs Taklon brush is standard size but very light. I like my brushes to have a little weight to them because they apply makeup better. A light brush makes it easy to apply too much makeup or gives you a streaky finish. I have never seen a brush with bristles that shiney? Im not sure why but that was a red flag for me; quality brushes dont have shiney bristles. Another thing I didnt like about this brush was that it had a very ygly smell to it when I first opened it. It was strong and "chemically" and didnt come out after the first few washes. This is not a good stipple brush at all, there are not enough bristles to make it that air brushed tool. Over all this brush is a miss for me. It may be that I'm just used to a sturdier brush and this couldnt compare? If you are just starting out your collection then it is an "okay" brush, but for someone who's looking for great brush this is one of those hits and misses thing. For $3 it is really all you can ask for. I hope this was helpful! Happy blogging and God bless! :)