The gradual process of investing in all of the above brushes was a tough one, especially with the more expensive ones of the lot. But since weeks have passed after using them every day, I have no regrets. Makeup application with the help of a brush can make or break just how precise and natural your overall look can be. While it’s not important to buy 3 different foundation brushes like I have, a few key items in your vanity may be quite necessary - a brush for bronzing and blush, another for applying liquid or cream foundation, a lip brush, an eyelash curler and a big fluffy powder brush for blending. That being said, here are the details on the specific brushes in my collection (from left to right):

• Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush - Applying foundation with a domed or stippled brush is far superior to applying with the average sponge or even your hands. With a brush like this, less product is utilized resulting in a more natural and less “painted” like finish on your face. In addition to the Tarte Foundation Brush I would also recommend the Shiseido Foundation Brush or the Tom Ford (if you’re feeling splurgy). Avoid paddle brushes and stick to a brush that’s more conducive to blending foundation.
• Sephora Pro Tapered Foundation Brush #58 - Another foundation brush I bought on sale at Sephora that I use primarily for applying concealer. The soft, tapered bristles are just delicate enough to blend foundation and concealer around the eye area for, again, a blended and more natural finish. Notable mentions for this purpose include the Sonia Kashuk Pointed Foundation Brush or the Japonesque Pro Pointed Foundation Brush.
• e.l.f. Blending Brush - I use a soft and angled brush to apply bronzer. You want to avoid a hard edge when contouring so the softer your brush bristles, the better. I apply bronzer starting from the top of my ear lobe toward the center of each cheekbone then gradually blending up and under in a 3 formation. I blend my bronzer and blush even further with an additional brush which will get to in a moment. For now, consider this e.l.f. brush as a great contender in your makeup brush collection. In fact, for the price you really can’t beat e.l.f. brushes across all categories.
• stila #15 Double Sided Brush - A two-in-one tool to apply eyeshadow on the creases of the eye contour and to blend out the results and perfect your final look. No better way to get more bang for your buck than a brush that serves more than one purpose!
• e.l.f. Studio Pointed Foundation Brush - Yet another “foundation” brush in my repertoire except this one is used to precisely apply powder around the eye area.
• Laura Mercier Smoky Eyeliner Brush - If a smoky eye is part of your everyday look, I highly recommend investing in Laura Mercier’s Smoky Eyeliner Brush. I have come across no other brush as pointy yet soft as this one. Great to use with powder eyeshadow or gel liner, this little baby really packs an effective smoky eye punch. I must mention the MAC Pencil Brush as a great alternative. Although it is less pointy, it is still very precise. Another brush I use on the daily.
• Benefit Blush/Powder Brush - This is my blush brush. I apply this above my bronzer on the cheekbone, curving up in a C formation. There are a ton of great blush brushes out there and most will serve this purpose just as well, regardless of price. In fact a blush brush was the very first makeup brush I ever owned. There’s no going back considering the rinky dink brushes included in most blush compacts.
• Dior Backstage Retractable Lip Brush - When it comes to applying a bold and/or bright lipstick, use a lip brush. That’s all I’m going to say about that.
• NARS Yachiyo Kabuki Brush - As a finishing touch to all the foundation, powder, bronzer and brush I’ve applied to my face, I do a once or twice over with this fluffy beauty. Blend, blend, and blend! Blending is the key to a refined and polished look. We can go bold but we should never go brash when it comes to makeup. The right makeup brush is here to help!

xoxo,

Still haven’t purchased a present for your mom? Mother’s Day is two days away you know! Does she like perfume? If so, perhaps she’d dig one of these MADCUTE approved items. Nothing like a coffret to seal that fragrance gift deal. Variety and portability, what more could your mom ask for?

• Amouage Sampler Fragrance Set
• Kiehl’s Aromatic Blends Coffret Set
• Infusion Organique Roller Ball Parfum
• OLO Fragrance Sample Kit
• Olfactif Subscription
• Diptyque Travel Atomizer Spray
• Atelier Cologne Coffret Baguette
• by Kilian Travel Atomizer Spray

Most moms will surely appreciate absolutely ANYTHING you give her so think of something MADCUTE and jam out on some quality time this Sunday!

xoxo,

Given my penchant to shop I am no stranger to the drugstore cosmetics aisle. In addition to my regular trips to Sephora and Blue Mercury I do spend quite some time scrounging through the sale bins at Walgreens or CVS. And while most purchases are forgettable but low-cost efforts to experiment with makeup there are some staple items that remain within my everyday beauty routine. Including the following (from left to right):

• Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion - Fragrance free and super moisturizing making it a great lotion to layer with fragrance, especially oils.

• Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick by Kate Moss - I was intrigued to try this lipstick after reading about its apparent similarities to the infamous Tom Ford lipsticks and since purchasing my own tube in shade 104 I have not stopped wearing it. I love the color, the finish, the longevity! Huge kudos to Rimmel for making a budget-friendly yet top quality product.

• Essie Nail Color in Sand Tropez - This is the nail polish equivalent of a little black dress: effortless and suitable for any occasion. When my standby bright purple polishes don’t quite fit my mood, I reach for this neutral greyish beige as a solution. You can never go wrong with classy nude nails!

• Physician’s Formula Fashionista Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette - While we’re on the topic of purple, this palette from Physician’s Formula provides a great selection of hues from lilac to indigo at a fantastic price point. Considering purple eyeshadow is not an everyday look for most people, this compact palette is a nice alternative for nights out.

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment - I have multiple tubes of Aquaphor in various places just in case I need them which tends to happen at least three times a day. One in my purse. One at my desk. One in my vanity. One in my car, etc, etc, etc! I use Aquaphor predominantly as a lip ointment but it’s great for chapped skin and edgy cuticles. It’s also pretty useful to keep your eyebrows in place with a little hairspray on top. This ointment is a powerhouse multi-use product that I’m not quite sure how I lived without until now.

• Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Baby Oil Rub - Just when I thought I had enough beauty oils to last me a lifetime, I discovered this yummy smelling “baby” oil while killing time at CVS the other day. Located in the baby section, next to the baby shampoos and diapers is this delightful bottle of oil that I can’t get enough of. It’s a shea butter Argan oil infused with frankincense and myrrh which smells so soft and subtle that I can’t recommend it enough! Get it and don’t regret it.

xoxo,

If you have bangs with combination/oily skin than I imagine you are probably plagued with what I call “greasy bang syndrome”. By mid-day your previously fresh looking bangs have become dark, stringy and gross thanks to your oily forehead. I feel you. This is something I deal with on a daily basis and because I refuse to rock greasy locks I have lugged around any number of dry shampoos to aide such situations. I have tested the following products in recent months and here’s my verdict on all of them, from left to right:

• Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo - Matte finish with a strong albeit not terrible fragrance compared to most I’ve tried. Effectively creates the look of clean hair however it has a tacky feel to it which I do not like. This is a great texturizer and would be really good to use on “no poo” days, especially if you’re donning an up-do.
• Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo Powder - Effectively absorbs oil with a fragrance free talc. Finish feels clean and soft. All in all a great product especially for greasy bangs. But it’s not very portable and therefore not as useful to me when I’m on the go.
• Alterna Cleanse Extend Translucent Dry Shampoo - This has a very strong and unpleasant fragrance in my opinion. Finish is soft but compared to nothing the results are not drastic at all. This is ultimately a pointless product as far as I’m concerned especially since the fragrance leaves much to be desired.
• Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair - This dry shampoo has by far the best fragrance of the bunch. It provides a soft and effectively clean looking finish. Kudos for hitting all the marks except on price. The cost of Fresh Hair is steep but if you’re looking for a great-smelling dry shampoo this is highly recommended.
• Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush - The very popular Batiste Dry Shampoo is a great value, for sure. I’m not crazy about the smell and the results are so-so compared to others in the market. This one gets a big “meh” as far as I’m concerned.
• Shu Uemura Volume Maker - Fragrance-free and portable, Shu Uemura’s Volume Maker is very effective at absorbing oil with a softer finish. I do wish it had some kind of fragrance, especially since most of their other hair products smell so great. It’s also the steepest as far as price is concerned. But considering its portability and effectiveness it may be worth a shot.

Thankfully, it seems like there are more and more dry shampoos coming out in the market so eventually there may be something for everyone! You may just find the right one for you depending on what you’re looking for as far as finish, fragrance and portability is concerned. I highly suggest hitting up MakeupAlley for some additional insight on particular products you may considering trying as well as the reviews on Sephora, Folica and HairEnvy. Researching beauty products can be exhausting but don’t let it take the fun out of trying new things. MADCUTE is here to help! Hit me up in the comments, twitter or facebook if by chance you have any questions about the products I’ve reviewed. I’m more than happy to shed additional insight if needed!

xoxo,

This Thursday Sephora VIBs will have a chance to get in on their 15% off sale a day earlier than Beauty Insiders. From Friday, April 12th through the 22nd, all Beauty Insiders receive 15% off their entire purchase of $25 or more with promo code CHIC. Prime time to stock up! Even though I frequent my local Sephora on a weekly basis and don’t necessarily NEED anything (it’s a problem but I’m OK with it) - their 15% off sale is a good opportunity to buy bigger ticket items that I would otherwise turn down. Like that bottle of Kenzo Amour I Love U I’ve been eyeing for weeks now as well as some other items. Including (from left to right):

• Buxom Stay There Eye Shadow Brush - I’ve been accumulating some really great makeup brushes, especially since I’m just now figuring out how to apply eye makeup and all that. Laura Mercier’s Smoky Eyeliner Brush has been rocking my world lately. I like the shape of this Buxom brush since it’s seemingly perfect to apply eyeshadow on the eye contour.
• Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads - I recently tested a few of these bad boys and I’m already a loyalist. While the packaging isn’t ideal for a product containing retinol I find the Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads to be a very effective anti-aging treatment so far. I have tried the M61 Power Pro-Peel and the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel and they’re fine enough. Their individually packaged towelettes score huge bonus points but the results were no where near as immediate than with the Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads. My pores are much, much smaller. Scars are dissipating. Overall skin tone is more even and radiant. But given the amazing results my skin is admittedly more sensitive and my cheeks have been a bit dry so I only apply these 2 or 3 times a week, maximum. SPF is vital! More on that in a moment…
• Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment - I’m running low on my REN Keep Young and Beautiful Anti-Ageing Eye Cream and it will go down on my list of eye creams that have been there and done nothing noticeable. I have to admit I am becoming disenchanted with the purpose of eye cream as opposed to a regular moisturizer (for sensitive skin, of course) but I’m willing to give this one a whirl given its reasonable price point and rave reviews. Let’s consider this item on the “maybe” column of my wish list. It’s a low priority for me at this point but it’s still on my radar for sure.
• Too Faced La Crème in Berry Sexy - I really don’t need another lipstick but I really like this one. I was just testing it out the other day in the store on my lunch break (because I can’t think of anything else to do with my time but anyway) I love this shade of fuchsia. It’s bright but not too dark and the consistency is lovely. Why not?
• Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream+ Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ For Face - Lastly and certainly a top priority considering it’s going to be around 90 degrees today is sunscreen. So very necesito! My SPF 15 moisturizer from Clarins just aint gonna cut it during the warmer months. Shiseido offers a high dose of broad-spectrum sunscreen suitable for your face, with zinc and titanium dioxide so it’s seemingly suitable for sensitive skin. I have yet to utilize such a strong SPF for my face on the regular so time will tell if my combination skin will adapt to it or break out like crazy. I hope not! If so, the search for a facial moisturizer with equitable SPF protection will absolutely surge on. Until then, stay MADCUTE!

xoxo,

It’s still freaking cold outside but apparently it’s springtime! I’m still wearing boots and wool cardigans when I should be hanging out in maxi dresses and a silk trench coat by now. So in preparation for when it actually does feels WARM and spring-like I have accumulated a list of things to brighten my chilly days. Including (clockwise from left):

• Nasty Gal Incognito Anorak in Cream
• Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil
• Oliver Peoples Gregory Peck Sunglasses
• Tara Ballet Flats in Slate Blue
• Claudio Riaz Conceal Brush
• McQ By Alexander McQueen Stepney Tote Bag
• Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in Fuchsia Shock
• Kelly Wearstler Sideways Horn Necklace
• Creed Virgin Island Water Millissime Eau de Parfum

Inspired by the beautiful bottle of Stella Eau de Parfum I’ve put together an outfit complementing its urbane yet regal qualities. Stella is a lovely rose fragrance with an amber base, fitting for a night out on the town. Style details include (clockwise from left to right):

• Stella Eau de Parfum
• Zagliani Glazed Karung Easy Clutch
• NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Angelica
• Forget Me Not Oversized Shell Print Scarf
• Aftershock Sorrel Maxi Dress
• Givenchy Rock Crystal Pendant Necklace
• Yves Saint Laurent La Laque in Taupe Retro No 21
• Monique Péan Woolly Mammoth & Smoky Quartz Earrings
• Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Slingback Pumps
• Dezso by Sara Beltran White Shark Tooth With Garnet Cuff Ring