Essentials | Make-up brushes

This is part two of a post focusing on make-up essentials. You can read part one here — it's all about make-up products.
In this part, I'll give examples of make-up brushes that can be used on different areas of the face, and to apply different types of products. With this little kit you can achieve pretty much any (wearable) look. Basically, a guide for someone who doesn't really own many brushes — if any — and might find the whole thing confusing and the massive product offering overwhelming. If this is your case, keep on reading...
Let's start with the face. You'll need some kind of buffing brush to easily apply any kind of base. Tinted moisturizers, BB creams, foundations — wether they are liquid, cream or powder ones. Achieve a perfect airbrushed effect with this tool. Many brands, like Sigma, do very good ones. My favourite is the Real Techniques Buffing Brush (or the Expert Face Brush), which has really soft synthetic taklon bristles. I also find this type of brush ideal to apply blusher, bronzer and contouring or highlighting products. Every colour (and texture) becomes seamlessly blended, so that you can't really tell where one begins and ends. If the brush diameter is too big to use on a small area, apply the product on the tip and use the rest of the bristles to blend. Or try the Contour Brush, since you have it already — it comes in the same collection as the Buffing Brush.
Next, is the renowned MAC 217 Blending Brush. This is the eye brush to have in your collection. If you think that those YouTube make-up tutorials on smokey eyes are hard to achieve in real life, you're wrong. This brush does all the work for you. Trust me. Also, great to blend concealer seamlessly or to contour/highlight small areas, like the nose. If you find it too big to apply colour under the eyes or close to the lashline, invest in a MAC 219 Pencil Brush. Ideal to smudge liner around the eyes, to cover very small spots, or fill in sparse brows. To define them, it's best to opt for a slanted brush like the 208 Angled Brow Brush, which is also great to line the eyes.
Lastly, a soft brush like the Japonesque Pro Eye Shadow Fluff Brush Large is ideal to apply an all over lid colour, to blend on the crease or to set the make-up with powder — on the T-zone, under the eyes and other concealed areas, leaving the cheeks dewy, for a more natural and radiant look.
When completing this make-up essentials kit, you can finally have some fun on your next shopping trips and try out something new and fun. Some bright fuchsia lipstick, perhaps?

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Make-up | Popular products #1

Today's post features the most reached for products of the moment. This is almost a monochrome look, with a bordeaux theme going on. An ideal look for most skin tones and eye colours, making them pop. In my case, intensifies the brown.

To start off, I prepped my skin with Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, before applying a layer of Estée Lauder Daywear B.B Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit Cream in Medium, with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. To cover any imperfections, a bit of Chanel Long Lasting Concealer in 40 - Beige Santal does the job.
Then, I fill in my brows and shape them a bit with a Dior Powder Eyebrow Pencil in Black. As a base for the eyes, a layer of Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Ebloui does the job, blended with a MAC 217 – on the lid and below the lash line.
On top of that, I apply the second lightest shade from the Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Dark Spice – a warm medium brown with a slight shimmer running through it.
On some days, I feel like defining the lash line with the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Rockstar. After curling my lashes, they get a coat (or two) of Benefit BADgal Plum Mascara. Best shade ever!
After my concealer has done it's thing, I set the center of my face with Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder in Doré, using a Japonesque Pro Eye Shadow Fluff Brush. This is a brilliant multitasker. To contour my face I use MAC Powder Blush in Harmony and highlight with Guerlain Precious Light pen in 2, which is nearly over. *Scared*
To finish off, a layer of Burberry Lip Velvet in 308 - Pink Azalea blended on the inside of the lips, to give a stain effect.

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