Meet the Staff: The Sketchbook
· Blog Home
· Profile
· MySpace
· Contact Us
· FAQ/TOS
Older Articles
· Quick bit of indie fashion
· LP's Cream of the Crop: Lips
· Nars The Multiple in Malibu
· LP's Cream of the Crop: Eyes
· LP's Cream of the Crop: Face
· Updates on Diptyque
· Fantasy Web Find of the Day: Carine Gilson robe
· LP's Cream of the Crop: Skin
· Fantasy web find of the day: Miu Miu pump
· Beauty Notes: Makeup inspired by the 80s, a fall m...
Comments
· July 19, 2007 2:27 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
Archives
· Beauty Blog (2003-2004)
· Fashion Blog (archive)
· New Releases Blog (archive)
· Beauty Articles (archive)
· April 2005
· May 2005
· June 2005
· July 2005
· August 2005
· September 2005
· October 2005
· November 2005
· December 2005
· January 2006
· February 2006
· March 2006
· April 2006
· May 2006
· June 2006
· July 2006
· August 2006
· September 2006
· October 2006
· November 2006
· December 2006
· January 2007
· February 2007
· March 2007
· April 2007
· May 2007
· June 2007
· July 2007
· August 2007
· September 2007
· October 2007
· November 2007
· December 2007
· January 2008
· February 2008
· March 2008
· April 2008
· May 2008
· June 2008
· July 2008
Recent blog posts:
Links
Barneys
refinery29
The Sartorialist
Jargol
Perfume Shrine
Ambre Gris
Polyvore
The Fashioniste
The Powder Group
LA-Story.com
Dain's Literary Attempts
Colleen's Beading Blog
Colleen's Adult Acne Blog
The Beauty Blog Network
Eponym Blog Directory.
TBF Project:Blog
Posted by Dain, Thursday, July 19, 2007 12:20 AM (Eastern)
Tools are worthy of a genuine investment. They're not consumables, and therefore must stand up to daily wear and tear. There are reasons not merely practical, too; you'd be amazed what a difference a good brush makes in ease and quality of application.
Above: The essential toolkit consists of a blush brush (unless you exclusively use cream blushes, but it will also double for powder and bronzer in a pinch), a wash brush for eyeshadow, a detail brush for eyeshadow, an eyelining brush, an eyelash curler, and tweezers. Shu Uemura 20B, Shu Uemura 13G, Kevyn Aucoin Small Eyeshadow Flat Tip, NARS Push Eyelining Brush, Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, and Tweezerman Slant Tweezers. Even if you don't use every brush every day, this kit will suffice for most eventualities.
FACE
For concealer, cream shadows, and even lips, Shu Uemura #10 Nylon is one versatile brush.
If you have smooth skin, foundation should be applied with fingers, as the warmth helps the stuff meld into your skin, for a natural finish. If you have rough skin and do not wish to disturb the texture, a brush is better than a sponge in terms of finish and hygienics.
The best way to apply powder is with a fine-textured makeup sponge (it gives you more control and an even finish), then to dust off excess with Kevyn Aucoin Super Soft Buff Powder Brush (it also works well with bronzer).
I've not found a blush brush with the exact dimensions and density that I desire. I may look at Shu Uemura 20B.
EYES
Every woman requires two brushes. One for washes (a sweep of color on the eye) and for blending afterwards, a very soft, fluffy brush, well tapered, is ideal for sheer applications. It should not be smaller in width than 2/3 of your eyelid. I have my eye on the blue-squirrel Shu Uemura 13G with its gently pointy tip (gorgeous bristles! 10 Kolinsky Sable is the more popular, but blue squirrel is the softest hair). A smaller brush, soft but dense, preferably with a flattened (flat brushes deposit more color, tapered brushes are softer), is better for creases, wedges, intensifying liners, and any sort of detail work that requires concentrated color. Kevyn Aucoin Small Eyeshadow Flat Tip is really perfection in every regard: soft, dense, flat, the perfect size, and beautiful to look at.
A flat eyelining brush can effect both subtle (dab lightly between lashes) and dramatic (smoke it out) looks. I think NARS Push Eyelining Brush strikes the perfect balance between soft and firm for the utmost versatility.*
It's hard to measure the benefits of a well groomed brow, and none maintains them better than Tweezerman's Slant Tweezers. In spite of certain trends for fall, they should never take center stage. But they are essential to the face as a frame is to a great painting. An eyelash curler may also seem an unnecessary subtlety, but you'd really be surprised how much it opens up the eye before mascara: Shu Uemura's gives lashes a gentle, believable curl and fits most eye sockets very comfortably.
LIPS
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Shu Uemura makes top quality brushes, thus again, Shu Uemura 6M Synthetic, it is wide enough to spread lipstick easily, and yet its pointy tip allows for precision application.
*It has struck me at this point that my eyeshadow brush selection rather resembles Allure's! Ah well, so much the better.
Labels: cream of the crop
subscribe
in a reader
July 19, 2007 2:27 PM,
You're exactly right about the two eyeshadow brushes, that's what I do myself. I have a few other brushes but seldom use them, really don't need them.
For my lid/wash type brush, I still have my Sonia Kashuk Large Eyeshadow Brush. It works as a crease brush too, *if* the shadow I'm using isn't too dark.
My "real" crease brush is MAC #224...it's getting more use now that I have the Nars Jezebel duo.
Post a comment (NO SPAM)
Links to this post:
Create a Link