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: Crown Brush Sale Order

I uploaded a video about some brushes I ordered from Crown Brush. These brushes are NOT Crown brushes. I ordered these from the Sale tab at Crown's website. These brushes are from discontinued or bought out companies and Crown resells them. 


After trying them out for two weeks, here are my thoughts on these brushes, some are ok, some are just AWFUL.


Brushes are rated on this scale: AWFUL-BAD-OK-GOOD-GREAT

-Detail Nail Fan
Price: $2.00
Quality: GOOD
This is a nail brush but I use it around my under eye area and as a lash fan. 

-Jumbo Powder Dome
Price:$4.50
Quality: OK
This brush comes off a bit scratchy but it does apply powder nicely. Although, I feel an EcoTools brush available for the same price would work better.

-Angle Liner
Price: $0.85
Quality: GREAT
This brush is amazing, it is a great brush, and for only 85 cents, I feel I almost stole it! 

-Duo Fiber (Nabissa)
Price: $3.00
Quality: BAD
This brush is very soft and I thought it would work well to stipple foundation around my eyes and nose. But it was not dense enough AT ALL. This brush has so few hairs I can practically count each and every one! 

-Duo Fiber (Lancome)
Price: $3.00
Quality: AWFUL
This stipple brush is "supposedly" from Lancome but I doubt they would make such a terrible brush. It held onto its few bristles at first, but once I put it to use, almost ALL the bristles shed onto my face and stuck to my foundation! Do not buy this!

-Small Blush Brush
Price: $2.00
Quality: GREAT
I loved this brush! It hasn't shed ANY hairs at all, it doesn't smell weird, and it is just the perfect size for getting blush and highlight in small areas. I wish I had bought another.

-Lash Fan
Price:$0.85
Quality: GREAT
This is another awesome find! The synthetic bristles on this lash fan are perfect for applying liquid and cream concealer under my eyes. It gives a nice and even application

-Jumbo Angle Blush
Price: $5.00
Quality: OK
This brush is GIANT, it covers my entire cheek and cheekbone! The bristles aren't as soft as I would like them to be, but its nice for buffing out my face when I apply too much blush or bronzer. I just wish I would have gotten better quality for my 5 bucks.


****FINAL THOUGHTS***


I like Crown Brushes and I was hoping to get more out of their Sale tab. Truth is, these brushes are not from Crown, so you don't know what you are getting. I got some brushes I love, and I also got some brushes I regret purchasing. Its a toss-up, but for the cheap prices, some of these are definitely worth the risk. I recommend staying away from the bigger and pricier face brushes on the sale tab.

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! :)

E.L.F Studio Small Brush Holder

Tired of keeping my brushes all mixed up, I bought one of ELFs brush holders, this is the small one for $5; although now I wish I had bought the larger one for $15 because they are just so chic. This little cutie is made of a plastic covered in a rubbery coating? Im not sure how to explain it, its similar to the coating on NARS blush compacts which becomes hard to clean sometimes but eh, I guess some dish soap takes care of it. This can hold quite a lot of brushes for its size. I like to keep my daily-use brushes in it for easy reach. It says Eyes Lips Face on the front; although it cant be seen in this photo. It looks cute sitting atop a desk or vanity!

ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush

As I was moving my collection, I was looking through all my brushes and realized I didnt have a full sized kabuki brush. I took the chance of buying one from ELF and now I only wish I had bought an extra one for my sister! This brush is $5 and is made of synthetic Taklon bristles. This is supposed to be antibacterial, but really I dont see how that is possible. Just clean your brushes regularly to be safe and keep your complexion clear :) This brush is so soft, I was shocked because after all it is from ELF. It works great and only shedded a strand or two which is absolutely wonderful. The ferrule is metal and quite sturdy; it keeps the bristles fully packed together. This brush is nice and thick, and it is great for full coverage with face powders. For the price, I would consider this a steal :)

Coastal Scents Pink Perfection Kabuki

I ordered this cute kabuki brush from CS and it is $8.95 on their website; I believe it is the most expensive brush they sell so that is a great deal. They have some really good brushes for unbeatable prices! This kabuki is one of the softest brushes I have ever felt. I'm not exactly sure what the bristles are made of but it is incredible to the touch. It is hot pink from the ferrule to the end of the bristles. The ferrule is very sturfdy and holds the hairs together very well. This kabuki is great for powders; because the hairs are full and packed together this kabuki gives great application. It is average size for a kabuki, from top to bottom it measures close to four inches. This brush came in a soft pliable plastic case which keeps the bristles safe and clean. This bag is for keeps; not a disposible baggie like other brushes have so don't throw it away! The kabuki did not smell when I opened it and it has NO loose hairs whatsoever. Even after washing the bursh did not lose hairs or dyes. This brush is great for the price. if not an absolute steal. I love this brush but I hate pink! lol So this will just be given away :)

Pink Perfection!

I ordered a pink kabuki from CS but I forgot to take some photos of it! so I'll try to have that review up tomorrow :) Sorry for those who were waiting to see it; for now all I can say is WOW, great investment :)

Coastal Scents Small Pencil Crease Brush

This is the crease brush I ordered, it was $3.29 and I'm kind of regreting buying it. I almost don't use it. The first thing that caught my eye was how long this brush is. This brush is about 8 inches long! I do not like that at all, it is just a personal prefrence of mine; some people wouldnt mind the length of a brush. The bristles are made from a "goat hair blend". This brush was also a little on the scratchy side. Though the name says crease brush, I don't reccomend using this for the crease and outer V work because it is just way too precise. I tried it and it ended up being very hard to blend out and even after I had blended it, it still looked harsh. This is better for smudgeing liner or applying a little white or shimmer on the inner corner of the eyes. Other than that I dont use it at all. This doesnt compare to anything becuase I'm pretty sure there arent brushes with this many downsides. The only upside I would say is no shedding.

Coastal Scents Doefoot Angle Blender

This is the C419 Angle Blender and it is available for $3.95 on the website. I mostly bought this because I have never tried a doefoot brush of any kind and I wanted to see what it was all about. I was a little disappointed when I opened my brush. The bristles around the outer edge were frayed and spewing in crazy directions. Im not sure if it was from packaging or handling but it brought it down a star on the scale for me. The bristles were not as soft as I thought they were going to be, considering all the other brushes were really soft.This brush is made from a combo of goat and sable hairs (might explain the scratchiness) and it is a little fluffy. I thought this was going to mud out my shadows but I was wrong. The brush didnt look good but when I used it, it really changed my thoughts on it. Though it is fluffy, this brush has really good precision and control on crease work and blends out shadows amazingly. This is now definitley a must in my collection, I would compare it to something but I haven't found anything like this yet so if anyone knows of a dupe, send me a message.  

Coastal Scents Devine Medium Eyeshadow Brush

This brush is from the Devine collection from CS. I bought two of these and they are $2.49 each on the website. This brush is glossy black from ferrule to end. The bristles are not synthetic; they are made from pony hair so if you're vegan do not buy this brush. The ferrule holds the bristles together really well, there were no loose bristles when I washed and used them. This brush is very soft but also dense. It is perfect for packing on color and leaves hardly any fall out at all. Again this brush is about standard lenght, six inches I believe. Definitely a dupe for MAC's 213. Great Brush overall.

Coastal Scents Synthetic Shadow Brush

I bought quite a few brushes in my last CS order. This one here is the Synthetic Shadow brush. I bought two of these and they are $2.95 each on the website. The bristles at the top are supossed to be white but as you can see, I have already used mine. Its a fluffy duo-fiber brush and it is great for blending shadows or applying highlight under the brow. The ferrule on this brush is great, there is no shedding what so ever. The handle is standard length and is matte black. The size of the brush bristles are about medium length and very fluffy so this brush will not give you a precise application; its better for blending harsh lines. The brush is very soft and had no wierd smell when i opened it. This can be considered a dupe for MAC's 239, only this is a duo-fiber brush. I am very pleased with this brush and reccomend it.

Coastal Scents Pro Mini Kabuki & Bag

This itty bitty brush is the cutest thing. This is available at Coastal Scents for $6.95. I thought this was going to be a bit bigger from the picture on their site; however, this is only about the size of my index finger and I have very small hands. My largest finger is a size 6 so you can just imagine how small this is compared to a normal hand. The bag is a replica of snake skin and has a strurdy snap closure.  When unsnapped, the bag rolls open and reveals a linen pouch for your brush. I was expecting something bigger but I'm not entirely dissappointed because I needed something to just toss in my bag when I'm in a hurry. If you're looking for a regular sized kabuki for everyday use you will probably not like this. CS has a few more for only 2 or so more dollars and that would be a better investment. These bristles are very soft but it does shed a little. After my first use it lost about 2 hairs but no more after that. When I opened it, it had an odd smell to it; maybe from being in their warehouse? Overall this brush is cute but not completely worth the money, for a few dollars more you can just get a prettier full sized one that doesnt shed or smell.

Coastal Scents Oval Camoflage Brush

This is one of the brushes I ordered from Coastal Scents, its the C224 concealer and foundation brush. This brush was $3.49. It is great qualty, the bristles are softer than I thought they would be. This comes pretty close as a dupe for MACs 195 only the CS one is not pointed. This brush is firm enough to pat on and blend out product but its not too stiff . I've heard of people using this brush for other things as well such as packing on pigment loose/miniral shadows beacuse it is so versatile. It has no shedding and does not have an odd odor. This brush is great, I'm glad I got it!