| Hi there I'm new to your blog but taking notes and planning a haul! I have 2 questions for you, first where can I find Elf brand in the US and second can you recommend a brush starter kit? Thank you and keep up the good work! Shaunalee24 |
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shaunalee24 |
Hello Shauna! Thanks, I’m really glad you’re enjoying my site and are finding cool products!! That’s what it’s all about :)
For your first question - you can find ELF products (mostly the Studio line) at Kmart and Target stores. You can also find some products at certain Walmarts or Dollar Trees! A lot of it is hit or miss, sometimes I discover a couple ELF items at random stores. The best place to get ELF is online however - they will often have huge sales, like free shipping or 50% off. Right now they are offering a huge makeup set for only $2.50 additionally to any $25 order! The ELF site is here.
Your second question - makeup brush kits for beginners! When you’re just starting out, you should get an even mix of both eye and face brushes. Generally my recommended kit would contain:
- Powder brush
- Blush/bronzer brush
- Foundation brush (flat, stippling, buffing, whichever you like)
- Flat eyeshadow shader brush
- Fluffy eyeshadow blending brush
- Small eyeshadow pencil brush
- Angled eyeliner brush
(For information about brushes.. what they look like and how they work.. click here!)
ELF is a great starter brand for brushes, as they carry brushes from $1-$6ish, and the $3 Studio line is really great. You can get individual brushes or a whole beginner’s set online!
ELF 11pc Studio Set - $20
Other great brands/sets:
Real Techniques (Core Collection shown) - found at Ulta & Walmart
BH Cosmetics 12pc Brush Set - Pink & Purple sets on sale for $15 right now!
EcoTools sets - found at most drugstores and grocery stores
More good brands include NYX, Revlon, Coastal Scents, Sedona Lace, Sigma, Crown Brush, and the Forever 21 brand. When starting out you don’t need to make the investment in “designer” brushes, like those from MAC, and chances are once you do start splurging on brushes you’ll still find yourself reaching for your old cheapies!
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DrugstorePrincess’ Ultimate Makeup Brush Guide
Part Two - EYESHADOW
(Click Here for Part One - FACE)
| So I'm looking for a inexpensive set of brushes, I am comparing the E.L.F 11 piece Studio set and the 24 piece synthetic signature set from bhcosmetics. Which do you recommend? |
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theophaniajewel |
My immediate reaction is to say that the BH Cosmetics set is a much better deal, because it is currently on sale and has a great variety of eyeshadow brushes.. but it doesn’t have any type of foundation brush, which could pose an issue if you are looking for a complete starter kit ($28, regularly $45, on BHCosmetics.com)
The ELF Studio Set is on sale right at this moment as well, but the sale ends tomorrow 2/11/13. Obviously it’s not as many brushes, but you do get foundation brushes, and it is a good option if you don’t want to spend a lot of money.
($15, regularly $30, on EyesLipsFace.com)
Both of them are of pretty much equal quality, which is very good for the price (and good for most any price, really). Both have very soft bristles and apply makeup well! It depends on what you’re wanting to spend, and which set you see as “worth it”.
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| Hi! I was wondering if you knew of any easy DIY "recipes" for a daily makeup brush cleaner (like Sephora's or e.l.f. cosmetics' Daily Brush Cleaner). I recently ran out of mine and need something that's good for everyday cleansing! Thanks in advance! <3 |
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theaestheticallypleasing |
Certainly! It’s actually very easy, and 10x cheaper than dishing out the cash for a bottled version.
All you need is:
- Spray Bottle (you can get these for under $1 in most travel cosmetics sections in drugstores or superstores)
- Water
- Rubbing Alcohol (must be at LEAST 70% alcohol, it will clearly say so on the label)
(These are literally the ingredients of both of the brush cleaners you mentioned, minus added parabens)
All you need to do is fill the spray bottle halfway with water, and halfway with alcohol… close the bottle, shake it up, and voila!
For those of you who are unaware, this little mixture is sprayed liberally onto your makeup brushes after each use, and then wiped off onto a paper towel to remove excess makeup. The alcohol kills all of the bacteria that builds up in your brushes and also washes away most of the dirt, oil and makeup in them as well!
*This is only a disinfectant for brushes, and will NOT replace a regular cleansing. Deep cleaning your brushes is very important - see this post for a how-to and reasons why you should.**
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»Please Click on Each Photo to Read Description«
DrugstorePrincess’ Ultimate Makeup Brush Guide
Part One - FACE
(Source: drugstoreprincess.com)
Something you NEED to do the Next Time you have a Free Moment…
CLEAN YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES!!!
To those of you who are side-eyeing this post saying “Please, I wash mine all the time, duh!” ….a slow clap for you. You are among the few.
To those of you who are sitting there guiltily behind your computer screen because NEVER ONCE have you washed your brushes… shame on you! It’s so easy (and important) to do, you really have no excuse. Read on to learn how, when, and why you need to keep your brushes clean!
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Believe it or not, you DON’T need some fancy, expensive cleaner made specially for makeup brushes. In fact, the items you need are probably already hiding in your kitchen!
- Antibacterial hand soap or dish soap… gentle formulas are best, but not necessarily required
- Olive oil or baby oil
- Paper towels
- Mug, or some other container to dry brushes in
For most brushes, particularly ones with synthetic bristles, all you need is your antibacterial soap. As long as you don’t wash them too vigorously, submerge them in water, or dry them incorrectly, you’re not going to hurt your brushes at all by washing them with just this basic ingredient.
- Start by running your brushes under warm water. Make sure you point your brushes downwards and don’t allow water to work it’s way up into the ferrule, which is the metal part of your brush where the bristles are fastened in place. If you do get water up there, it could ruin the glue that holds the bristles in place, and make them fall out.
- Put a tiny amount of antibacterial soap into the palm of your hand, and swirl your wet brush through the soap. Be gentle, but don’t be afraid to really work the soap into the bristles to get them clean (of course, make sure you don’t get water/soap in the ferrule!)
- Rinse the soap out of your brushes completely, and then if necessary, repeat the same process. Remember that after you’ve used your brushes a couple times, they probably won’t go back to the same beautiful color they were when they were brand new, but you can get them pretty close.
- If your foundation or some other stubborn makeup just won’t come out of your brush, it’s time to break out the oil. Put a very small amount in the palm of your hand, and work it gently into your brush as you did your soap. This should make the makeup melt out, quite literally! A little squeezing and another soaping up should get your brushes nice and clean. The oil can be difficult to get out completely, but definitely not impossible.
- Drying your brushes properly is very important. Gently squeeze out excess water with a paper towel, and then dry them upside down (with the bristles pointing downward) in some sort of container. This way the water will come out of the brush, instead of running down into the ferrule!
Ideally, you would wash your brushes after every use - of course this is pretty impossible for most people, so once a week is the goal. AT LEAST. Going weeks, or months, without washing your brushes is honestly pretty gross. Your makeup brushes don’t just pick up makeup, but also oil and dirt from your face, dust and bacteria from the air around you and the containers they’re stored in. Every time you use your brush, all of those things are transferred onto your skin. Dirty brushes can cause breakouts, infections, and all kinds of unfortunate things that could otherwise be easily prevented!
Dirty brushes can also manipulate your makeup application, because products won’t go on as smoothly as they would with a clean brush. The more often you wash your brushes, the longer your brushes will last!
So go! Go now! Get off the computer and spend 5-10 minutes to benefit your skin, your makeup, and your health! I promise it’s worth it.
(Source: drugstoreprincess.com)
Crown Brush, Sexy Hair, and Brilliance NY Hair Products are on Hautelook!
Crown Brush is a great brand that carries makeup brushes, accessories, and makeup palettes. The prices are great - a 12-piece brush set for $12.50, 36 color eyeshadow palette for $13, and many more deals!! I highly recommend them.
Sexy Hair and their sub-brands, Big Sexy Hair, Healthy Sexy Hair, Straight Sexy Hair, etc, are also having great deals on some of their products. Most products are around $5 off!
Brilliance NY is having a HUGE sale on their hair styling tools! Their curlers and straighteners are high quality and come in tons of great colors and designs. Check them out… Curlers are marked down to $54 from $250!
Also, ELF cosmetics will be on Hautelook on Sunday!
Click here for your invitation to Hautelook so you can shop ‘till you drop… there are TONS of great deals on clothes, shoes, accessories, and other things too!
Certainly! There are actually lots of passable dupes for the F80 brush, and I have a few myself.
Sigma F80 Brush - $18 - “Flat Kabuki”
Flat topped face brushes like this are multipurpose… they can be used for many different things, from powder to liquid or simply blending everything together.
ELF Studio Powder Brush - $3
Crown Brush Flat Bronzer brush - $9 (CrownBrush.us is having a huge sale, check it out)
Sonia Kashuk Multipurpose brush - $8
These can be called many things, from flat top kabuki brushes to bronzer brushes. The Sigma brush is very dense, and I think the best alternative is ELF’s Powder brush (you can get six of them for the price of one Sigma brush, and they’re surprisingly great quality)
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| Have you ever used the Sigma Dry'n Shape for after cleaning your brushes? I was thinking about maybe purchasing it, but do you think it's really worth the $40 or am I better off just hanging them upside down like I normally do? |
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recklessloveaffair |
Hello!
This is the Dry ‘n Shape, for those who don’t know:
(It’s a fancy holder for your brushes that keeps all the bristles in place while they dry after you wash them. It stands up on it’s own.)
No I haven’t, because I wouldn’t spend $40 on it haha! It is a really cool idea, but I don’t think it’s a necessity. It doesn’t do anything that you couldn’t do on your own, without any tools!
If you’re experiencing trouble with your brushes losing their shape after you clean them, you’re better off (well, your wallet is better off) just purchasing a few Brush Guards. You could get a TON of brush guards for $40… their six guard set is only $5.50 (The Brush Guard, found here)
I prefer to just hang my brushes upside-down to dry. I’m a real cheapskate at heart, so I’ll skip an expense anywhere I can!
| Can i use the ELF studio brush thats like a flat top powder brush for foundation? or are there are any cheap kabuki brushes you know? |
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iwillnotspeak |
Yes, you certainly can.. in fact, that’s my absolute favorite brush for applying foundation! Just because it’s marketed as a powder brush doesn’t mean you can’t use it for whatever you please, especially if it works well for you. I love it because it’s so dense and soft, and has a flat top - perfect for buffing makeup onto the skin. (And it’s only $3!)
There are lots of kabuki brushes available out there, although they’re much different from ELF’s powder brush.
EcoTools Finishing Kabuki Brush
ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush
Revlon Kabuki Brush
Physicians Formula Airbrushing Kabuki Brush
Real Techniques Kabuki Brush
Forever 21 Love&Beauty Kabuki Brush
Kabuki brushes are most often used for applying powder to the face, but they can be used for many things, from putting on foundation to blending bronzer or blush.
Many people prefer them because they are large and fluffy, and often very soft. However I don’t view them as a necessary brush to have.
ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush - $6
| i know this isn't drug store but have you tried MAC brushes , Sigma , or Sephora brushes and which do you like best? |
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confidenceisbeautyxo |
I have used MAC brushes and I have some Sigma brushes, but I actually haven’t tried any of the Sephora brand! MAC brushes are great and very good quality, but they are very expensive. Sigma has great dupes for MAC brushes and are usually about half the price! I highly recommend them.
Sigma Make Me Blush Essential Kit - $110
However my humble opinion is that you don’t need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on brushes. As long as you know how to apply makeup correctly, and the makeup itself is good quality, you don’t need to have the BEST makeup brushes out there. If your brushes are soft and dense, they will do the job. :)
And this is a beauty blog for people on ANY budget, so non-drugstore makeup questions are always welcome!
Only three? haha well I guess it depends on what kind of makeup you apply on a daily basis. If you choose to do a full face you’d definitely need more than three, in my opinion!
Powder Brush - A nice powder brush can be used for many things on your face. It can be used to apply powder foundation to your skin to absorb oil or set concealer/foundation. You can also use a powder brush to apply other face products, like blush, bronzer, and highlight as long as you have a careful hand. In a pinch, they can also be used to sweep away eyeshadow fallout, if you get a bit crazy with your eye makeup!
ELF Studio Complexion Brush - $3
EcoTools Powder Brush - $8
BH Cosmetics Powder Brush - $9
Flat Eyeshadow Brush - These are essential for applying any kind of eyeshadow. Their shape allows you to pack on as much shadow as you need. They are thin/flat, allowing you to use them to create rather thin lines (for lining the lower lashes, smudging color into the crease, etc.)
ELF Essential Eyeshadow Brush - $1
Sigma Flat Shader Brush E55 - $9
Foundation Brush - Many people simply use your fingers to apply liquid foundation, but I find it much easier and more efficient to use a brush. There are many types of foundation brushes - flat, stipple, buffing… I recommend you try one out or do some research to see which you would be able to use better!
Revlon Flat Foundation Brush - $6
Real Techniques Buffing Brush - $8
ELF Studio Small Stippling Brush - $3
Any of these brushes could be swapped out for the other brushes I consider “essential” to my brush collection… a blush brush, a blending eyeshadow brush, and an angled eyeliner brush.
:)
| They say you must keep your make up tools clean. How often should I wash my foundation brush? And is it possible to over do it? |
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definitelymaybejustbecause |
It is a VERY important rule that you must keep your makeup tools clean!
Ideally, you would wash your foundation brush after every use (this is one of the most important brushes you should be washing, as it touches a lot of your skin directly - you don’t want to transfer bacteria, dirt and oil onto your skin every day!)
Of course washing your brushes every day is a little impractical for most people, so every few days is recommended. A good idea is to use a spot cleaner on your brushes in between uses, just to keep them sanitary and fresh! I have a tutorial here!
