Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Hello Makeup Lovers!

Just writing a quick post about cleaning your makeup brushes. I am obsessed with collecting makeup brushes. I have a ton and still wish to buy more☺️ but keeping your brushes clean is extremely important. The hair bristle on our brushes can gather a build up of makeup and create bacteria which can lead to messy skin breakouts, but no worries just follow the tips on this blog and you should be fine....

How To Spot Clean Brushes: At this time I'm using the Clinique Brush Cleanser. It's very simple to use and gets the job done. All you need is a napkin ( I use bounty) and you just spray the product directly on napkin and swirl your brush until the makeup product comes off. 

How To Deep Clean Brushes: I am currently using the coastal scents brush shampoo with the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove. 

Step One: Get out all those dirty brushes. Step Two: Rinse brush bristles under water. Step Three: Add a dime size drop of brush shampoo on to center of glove. Step Four: Wash brush by moving it in circular motions on the "Wash" area of the glove. Step Five: Use the "Rinse" part of the glove. While running water over the rinse area wash off remaining shampoo. Step Six: With the "Refine" part of the glove you want to reshape and refine the brush. Step Seven: Use your thump and index finger squeeze excess water by pinching fingers together. 

How To Best Dry Your Brushes: Once your brushes are clean it is important to set them up to dry properly. You want to help your makeup brushes retain their shape, while also avoiding the loosening of brush brisles. This will extend the life of the brush and insure you get as much use of them as you can.  To dry my brushes I use brush guards. 

Once my brush guards are in place I set brushes on a glass tumbler to dry bristle side down. The excess water remaining in the brushes will drain out onto the tumbler, instead of seeping in to the barrel of the brush loosening the glue and causing brisles to fall out. 

You want to try and deep clean your brushes every two weeks. Spot cleaning can be done between each deep cleaning. 

Thanks for reading :)

Where I purchased items mentioned:

Clinique Brush Cleanser - $15

www.clinique.com

Spa Brush Cleaning Globe - $39

www.sigmabeauty.com 

Makeup Brush Guards - 15pc/pk $3

www.amazon.com

Neutral Eyes with Orchid Lips

Hello Beauty Lovers!

I have nothing going on tonight and was just feeling a bit crummy, so I started watching some YouTube videos and got inspired to pull out my makeup goodies and play around. Here is what I did:

Face: Prep face with Napoleon "Auto Pilot" primer. I used my Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse foundation in "Natural Beige" Medium 2.5. With my Sigma F80 brush I blended my foundation and buffed it in. Setting spray used was NYX "Dewy Finish".

Eyebrows: I use my NYX Eyebrow kit in "Brunette" to shape and fill in my brows. Afterwards I used Elf "Wet Gloss" to set my brows. 

Eyes: I used my Lorac "Pro Pallete" for my eyes. I started with "mauve" and placed this on my crease blending it slightly right above crease with my Sigma E25 brush. To intensify the crease and give my eye look smokier look, I used the color "sable" from the Pallete. With a flat shader brush I used a combo of "Cream" and "White" for my lid. Using "Gold" I highlited my inner corner. To create my winged liner I used Maybelline "Blackest Black" and a liner brush. I also used the same gel liner to tight line. For mascara I used "They're Real" from Benefit. 

Cheeks: I used Be a Bombshell blush in "beach please". As a highlight for my cheekbones I used "MaryLouManizer" by the Balm. For a slight contour I used Benefit "Hoolah" Bronzer. 

Lips: NYX Matte Lipsticks are AMAZING!! Super soft and pigmented. Used the color "Shocking Pink" MLS02 with a lip brush for precision. 

BH Cosmetic Acrylic Display

Hello Beauty Dreamers!!

Just wanted to share a quick organizing tip, I purchased the BH Cosmetic "Acrylic Makeup Organizer 1048" and couldn't wait to share. I was able to fit 17 full size lipsticks, 12 lip liners, 13 NYX lipglosses and loads of other lip products. I am very satisfied with my purchase, the display is made well, very nice and sturdy acrylic. It looks great!

You can go to www.bhcosmetics.com to check out the website. They have great affordable makeup products, tools and even organizers. I LOVE THEM!

Lashbash Party

Hello Makeup Lovers! I had such a great time yesterday at my #lashbash party. Thank you Benefit Cosmetics and Ipsy for giving me all the goodies to share with my makeup loving friends :)

Lash Bash- Goodie box

Hello Makeup Lovers!!

I'm excited to announce that my Lashbash- REALvolution party box is on they way!! Yay, I got an email today letting me know that the kit was shipped. I will be receiving the package in 3-5 days. They also provided a whole page with ideas on party décor and games. This is going to be so much.

I have a couple of games in mind...

Benefits Sticker Madness

All guest get 6 Benefit party stickers, First all players write their name on the stickers... then goal is to get rid of all your sticker by placing them on another guest. You must place the sticker without the other guest knowing, otherwise if you are caught by any other guest they get to place a sticker on you. Whoever gets rid of their stickers first wins.

Afterwards to distract everyone from the current game I will have them play other more interactive games:

Purse Search
It’s time to dig in and show off the tote-ally crazy stuff that’s in your purses.
Search your handbag for the list of items, then tally up your points for all your finds.

String Beauty Hunt
This one will be set up before guest arrive. I will be tying a string to each guest chair, and one of them will lead to a special prize. This game will have the party guest moving around the house and over and under furniture.

Just a few thoughts on what I might do....

I'll be putting up pictures when I get the party kit. For food and appetizers I'm going to get help from Jewel Osco... I'm thinking Sandwiches and a Pink lemonade. More to come... Stay tune.

Introduction + Ipsy & Benefit Cosmetics Announcement

Hello fellow makeup lovers!!

I'm Ana and I am here to blog about the Makeup, Beauty, DIY projects and Fashion from my point of view. Although I'm not a certified makeup artist, I've spent countless hours watching and learning from some of the best Youtube Beauty Gurus. I'm an Ipsy subscriber, which is a monthly customized beauty bag that includes lots of beauty goodies.

Recently I entered a contest held by Ipsy + Benefit Cosmetics. They are having 1000 beauty lovers host a Lashbash. What is a Lashbash? it's a makeup party for your friends. I'm excited to let you all know that I won!!! I'm so happy, I mean a girls night in with drinks, makeup, and games... where do I sign up? I've already sent out invitations to friends and at this moment I'm putting together the event. It will be held on Sept 21st 2013. I will be posting pictures in the upcoming weeks of preparations, makeup goodies bags, food ideas and drink options. It'll so much FUN. Feel free to check out my Ipsy Stylist profile http://www.ipsy.com/anatoou

I was so happy when I received my email.