Dr Bronner's Magic Soap

I've seen it in American Apparel, I've seen it in & Other Stories, but I finally caved when I saw the infamous Dr Bronner's Magic Soap in my local HomeSense store for a few pounds off it's RRP. After contemplating which 'flavour' to choose I decided to go with Peppermint, because you just can't beat the freshness of a mint scent. My intention was to use it for all sorts, but mainly for cleaning my makeup brushes as it had been recommended to me.

The first thing I must say is that this is such a thorough cleaner. It makes things squeaky clean, and I mean squeaky, in little to no time at all. I tested it in three ways: My makeup brushes, as a bathroom cleaner, and as a shower gel. It does state it's multipurpose, after all.

On my makeup brushes it didn't lather up much, but cleans them very well. Unfortunately I can't detect a peppermint smell once they have dried, but that would have just been an added bonus. I've noticed no difference to the quality of my brushes, nor has it left any residue behind or was hard to rinse out.
A few squirts of this around my bath, shower and sink and lathered up with a cleaning sponge, this worked fantastically. I love that it isn't pumping any nasty or dangerous chemicals back into the environment, and a little really does go a long way. My bathroom was dazzling within minutes, as it works grime and smudges off immediately.
This really foamed up when I used it as a shower gel, and it was a very luxurious clean. However, I didn't like that it made my body squeak after I had washed it off!! Loved the peppermint scent lingering on my skin for the rest of the day though.

Magic Soap is a fantastic product because it is multipurpose and also cruelty free. None of the ingredients nor the final product are tested on animals (which for me always makes a product way more enjoyable to use) plus they are vegan as they don't use any tallow in the soap making process. Magic Soap is completely free of harmful and/or nasty ingredients such as SLS or parabens. Not only this, but it is a 100% organic product AND fair trade! If there was ever a completely ethical product to buy, this is it. Next time I see it locally I'll be stocking up, I've really enjoyed using this and have been so impressed by it too. I would be intrigued to try more products from Dr Bronner too, especially the hand sanitizer and the the body soaps. What a fantastic brand, definitely one I will be looking into more and would completely recommend this.

Thanks for reading,

E.

Midweek Post: My favourite eye makeup brushes.

There are a few brushes that I cannot imagine being without now, so I thought I had better share them with you so that you don't miss out too!

Real Techniques eyeshadow brush; This is a great eyeshadow brush for packing on the product. It's not too big which I find so many others to be, it is just the perfect size for my eyelids! This is made of synthetic hair so can be used with creams or powders, but I especially love it with powders because I think it picks up product so well.

MAC 217; This is often sold out on the website so you may have already gathered that it is a popular brush. This is a great brush for blending and adding product into the crease of the eye.It's tapered head means that it accesses the crease well without spreading the product over the lid. It also blends powders really well.

Illamasqua Blending Brush 1; This is great for blending eye makeup seamlessly. I always keep it clean and do not use it to apply product with, just swirl it over a smokey eye to blend the colours and fade. Like all the brushes at Illamasqua, it is synthetic hairs which I generally prefer to use.

Laura Mercier Smudge Brush; This is an absolute must have for smudging any under eye colour to create a more smokey or blended finish. It's a great size- it is small enough to be precise but wide enough to remain firm which is an important quality in any smudger brush. Works great with powder and pencil/gel eyeliners.

MAC 210; I have already spoken about this a couple of times before, for me it is a must have for applying gel eyeliner, whether it be for a winged flick or onto the water line. The only downside is that it has frayed slightly and I haven't had it a year yet.

Illamasqua Angled Brush; This is the best angled brush I have ever used for several reasons. Firslty, the brush is made of synthetic hair which makes it both cruelty free and multipurpose in terms of being able to use it with liquids, creams and powders. The length is perfect- it's as if Illamasqua have taken a standard angled brush and cut it in half, making it short and wide, therefore a lot firmer (perfect for creating straight lines or sculpted brows with ease) and alllowing more control as it isn't as flimsy. My brows have improved ten fold since I have been using this brush, the size is just perfect. Worth every penny.

Building my Makeup Artist Kit.

I thought I'd write a post to show you some bits I have picked up for my makeup kit. Some of you may know that I have been working on makeup counters in department stores for a while but I have decided to branch out into freelance artistry on the side because it's the creative aspect of makeup that interests me, not so much the retail/sales. I have always been fairly creative, I used to paint a lot and I studied a degree in Art History. I kind of fell into makeup but it's something I have a huge passion and inherent interest in (hence this blog, too!) so it makes sense to persue it and hopefully forge a career out of it.

I am booked into a makeup artistry course run by Louise Constad in April, the course includes a basic makeup kit so there are only a few bits I need to get to 'complete' it!

I recently left my job working for the Estee Lauder companies and thought I had better take advantage of my discount and place one last order to supplement any gaps in my future kit. I think the generous staff discount is the only part of the job I will miss! I decided to just order MAC items this time as they are reasonably priced, of good quality and are a brand I am very familiar with.

I ordered two brushes- the 210 eyeliner brush which is a staple in my personal makeup routine. It's very fine and works great with gel eyeliner or for precise detailing but to be honest you could buy fine paintbrushes from your local arts store for cheaper! I ordered the 188 Duo Fibre brush but I expected the head to be a bit larger. I noticed that there isn't a duo fibre included in Louise's kit and as I am so used to using brushes like this I thought it would add to the brush collection well.

I bought a Fluidline in 'Dipdown'. Louise provides us with the Fluidline in 'Blacktrack' so I thought it would be useful to get a dark brown gel liner as I use both shades regularly.

I bought 6 eyeshadows ready to pop into a pro palette, so I got some extras in shades I know and love and think will be useful. I bought 'Coppering' and 'Cranberry'- two of my favourites. They're so warm and unique. I got 'All The Glitters' as it would be a useful frost colour. 'Cork' and 'Omega'- two matte, natural earthy browns. 'Omega' is also great for filling in blonde brows. Then I got 'Sumptuous Olive' thrown in for good measure- a wearable, moss green.

So that's it so far! I bought a pill box from Muji to decant some lipsticks in. Would you be interested to see a post on that once I have done it? 

Please let me know if you like me including makeup artist related posts. 

What would be your kit essentials?

Going back to the F80....

I've recently returned to the Sigma F80 buffing brush after neglecting it over the Real Techniques buffing brush which I bought in March.

While the Real Techniques brush is softer with a rounder head, I always feel it absorbs a bit too much of the product I'm trying to apply. At times it disappointed me because I felt it could make foundation streaky on my skin, no matter how much I buffed and circulated the brush. Don't get me wrong, I'd totally recommend this brush; it's cruelty free, it's readily available in Boots stores in the UK and does have that quality you'd expect from an expensive brush at an affordable price... I just don't think it beats my...

Sigma F80! I've owned this for well over a year and while ordering from Sigma is a pain in the a (they're based in America so expect to wait a few weeks for shipping), it was totally worth it for the quality of the brush. The heavy, chunky handle helps application and the fibres don't seem to soak up product like the R.T. buffing brush does. It applies evenly, and personally I think it gives better results with the foundation I use and on my skin. The F80 fibres are both denser and firmer which are two contributing factors as to why I think it is a better brush.

Both of these brushes are well known, and 'hyped', if you like. Both are good brushes, but I do prefer my F80. For now.

What's your favourite brush for foundation application?

Midweek post: My guide to washing makeup brushes.

Hi everyone!

I thought I'd do a a post today on my top tips for washing your makeup brushes. Having worked on several beauty counters, working with different brands, aswell as doing a couple of freelance makeup jobs on my friends, and of course having experience in washing my personal brushes.

I've divided the cleaning process into three important sections, so hopefully a couple of you might find it useful!

But first some people may ask the question:

Why do we need to wash our makeup brushes?

I would say that the majority of women don't wash their makeup brushes, however it is important to do this for hygiene reasons, but also to maintain the quality of the brushes. If you were to use a foundation brush everyday for a year and then were to wash it I can guarentee it'll be almost impossible to get it back to it's original state, however if it is washed frequently the same foundation brush could last you twice as long. If you take care of your brushes, particularly expensive ones, then they can last you a very long time.

Time:

Firstly, assess the time between washes that is realistic for you. Not everyone can assign time every week to wash their brushes, but I would urge that personal brushes should be washed every three weeks at least. Partly because most skin issues clear up around the 21 day mark, as well as skin renewing itself constantly, yet it's not too unrealistic for busy women who have a full time job and a family to maintain. 

There's no point washing brushes if you're in a rush, firstly the job won't be done as thoroughly as it would if you did have time, rendering the process pointless, but you also need to allow sufficient drying time. For my personal brushes, I only ever wash what I have actually used since the last wash, and find the process takes me around half an hour. At work, I allow around twenty minutes before closing time to clean the brushes and lay them out to dry (this should be done at the end of everyday, for obvious reasons). 

An overnight period for the brushes to be able to dry naturally is realistic, but to be sure I'd try to leave them for about 16 hours. 

Do not try to speed the process up! I saw a photograph on Instagram recently of someone laying their brushes out to dry over a radiator. This is a big no no as the heat off the radiator can cause the natural fibre brushes to become damaged and will more than likely cause them to become out of shape. Lay them on a clean towel, somewhere away from unnatural heat!

Technique:

Run the tap on a tepid heat, a high temperature can cause damage to the brushes. Do not put the plug in your sink for all the dirty water to fester and absorb into other brushes! Keep the tap running and clean one brush at a time, let the brush get a bit wet before placing the soap in the palm of your hand and gently circle the brush in your hand. I'd stress that this should be done delicately, again so as not to damage the hairs of the brush but firm enough that the grime is being removed! Rinse the brush and repeat until the water runs clear. Gently squeeze the brush to get rid of excess water, reshape and lay to dry before starting on the next.

Products:

Believe me, I've tried almost everything, but the one product I'd really recommend to wash brushes with, is simple everyday anti bacterial washing up liquid! Baby shampoo seems to be a popular choice, but while this is nice and gentle on the natural fibred brushes, it isn't antibacterial so will not elimate any bacteria while you're washing them. By using baby shampoo you'll wash product out, but you won't wash out the germs! Anti bacterial washing up liquid lathers well, and removes product wonderfully. 

On my makeup jobs I've used both MAC and Estee Lauder's brush cleansers. I've never been clear on whether the MAC one is meant to be instant cleanser but it does work as one for me, cleaning the brushes of product quickly and efficiently but the brushes will need to be deep cleaned later on if used on a client to prevent cross contamination. 

(Please note that I have used MAC's brush cleanser as a deep cleaner too but find it economically draining in comparison to washing up liquid!)

If you have any other questions please let me know and I'll answer you, but hopefully this post is thorough enough! If you have any other tips or suggestions please write them below!

My March Favourites!!

Hey all!

I'm here with my favourite and most cherished beauty products from the lovely month of March....

M.A.C 'Watch Me Simmer' Lipstick; This is the lipstick I've been picking up the most this month if I wanted statement lips! I love the shade. It's a super bright, amplified coral shade that develops more pink the longer it's on the lips (on first application it leans more red). The only downsides are that it does stain the lips. I picked this up when the Shop MAC Collection was exclusive to Selfridges, it has since been released in the rest of M.A.C. stockists and appears to have become quite popular! If you missed out the first time, don't fret, it's being repromoted in the 'Reel Sexy' collection being released in April. See full review here.

Laura Mercier lipgloss in 'Nude Lilac'; You may have seen this used in a couple of my FOTD's before but I've never really reviewed it. It isn't a particularly long- lasting gloss as it isn't a very wet formula, but I love the glaze it gives my lips, even if it is just for a temporary basis! The lilac colour in the tube doesn't transfer to the lips but the cool tones of it do, it's the perfect gloss if you're looking to tone down a bright colour underneath, used on it's own it will only add a subtle colourlss shine to the lips. There is some gold glitter running through it that does remain on the lips after it's dried up. Note that it has got a strong, deep vanilla scent. This gloss has been carried around with me in my bag and used on a daily basis...perfect for me trying a bit of a more toned down nude look this springtime! (Post Here.)

Blistex Relief Cream; Not a very exciting product but one I've been using on my lips before bed to restore them back to health! I think I must have gone overboard on lip products the last few months because my lips have been paying for it the last few weeks, they've been dry and flaky but this may also be due to seasonal changes, either way I've been applying this at night and taking it a bit easier on the lip products. It's really worked, especially over a period of time and my lips feel nourished and smooth once again! It's not like a lip balm that you can apply on the go, as it is a milky white texture that does take a while to soak into the lips- definitely a night time treatment particularly with its tingly menthol flavour!

M.A.C. 210 Brush; With this, I've finally found a suitable brush that is thin enough to apply gel eyeliner the way that I want! I've been using the Maybelline Gel Liner which I think is okay but I never got on with the accompanying brush (next on my list is the Clinique one when this runs or dries out) so I took it upon myself to get a brush to make applying gel liner a bit easier and a bit more enjoyable. It does the trick, it's a very thin brush but the hairs are dense enough that you can control application quite well. You can choose the thickness of the line you'd like to apply and it distributes product evenly.

YSL Eye makeup remover; I got this free in a makeup bag a few months ago because I'd bought a few products the counter lady threw this in, it was full of goodies and I was so happy because I really love Yves Saint Laurent! I use it sometimes at night if my eye makeup is being a pain to remove but I mainly use it on a cotton pad to quickly remove any products off makeup brushes. It's great to give the M.A.C. 210 a quick clean after use to avoid any gel liner drying onto it and going clumpy between deep cleans.

Benefit 'High Brow'; I know they've released their 'High Brow Glow' now but I'm still a big fan of the original. I feel naked if I don't wear this. Applied under the eyebrows, onto the brow bone, it adds the illusion of more refined brows, and a higher arch (something me and my brow- waxer have been working towards over the last 6 months!) so this helps give the illusion of that in the meanwhile. It's a 'linen pink' colour so it blends into pale skintones really well, and adds that extra highlight and dimension to perfect any eye look! Would really recommend this.

Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat; This was recommended to me by Cara over at Cara's Beauty Blog and since purchasing it a week ago I've put it on top of every nail look I've painted and it has completely transformed the way my nails look! I have other topcoats, but I was after a really super-glossy supershine topcoat that was fast drying and wouldn't break the bank. It dries within a couple of minutes and leaves the nails looking professionally manicured! Thanks Cara!

There's my March favourites, I don't do these often so I hope you've enjoyed it. What have you been loving lately? Let me know! 

A Laura Mercier Look....#EOTD

Laura Mercier Limited Edition (Holiday Collection 2011) Luxe Eye Portfolio.

Now, I'm not normally one for palettes of any kind. They remind me of the makeup sets you'd get when you're a young teen, full of colours you'll never wear and bad quality pearl finish lipsticks. However I saw this Laura Mercier Luxe Eye Palette in the christmas collection on the website I couldn't resist popping it on the old list. Luckily, my boyfriend bought it for me christmas and I still can't stop opening it up and going 'ooohhh' 'aaahhh'.

This palette reminds me more of an organiser, the snakeskin cover and the flap to secure it don't look like your average palette..

and wait till you look inside.. 

Containing a ponytail brush, a crease brush and a smudge brush these aren't the standard 'throw away as soon as you open' sh*t brushes, these are good quality, sturdy brushes that I'm chuffed to own.

12 gorgeous, wearable eyeshadow shades that include matte, sequin and sateen finishes.

Some are more pigmented than others, sparkling night, black coffee and fig are my favourites, they do not disappoint. Mica is a good dupe for M.A.C.'s Forgery, but I find there's more fall out. All in all, an excellent palette..I may be changing my ways!

EOTD; Simple day look.

Benefit Stay Don't Stray eyelid primer

Laura Mercier Morning Dew

Laura Mercier Royal Gold

Laura Mercier Fig

Laura Mercier Black Coffee (used as subtle eye liner on upper lid and beneath water line)

Yves Saint Laurent Dessin Du Regard Waterproof Black Eye Pencil

Benefit They're Real Mascara