An overview of my current favorite make up brushes
I am not a make up artist and my opinions are only based on my personal experience with the brands I tried. I love make up brushes and after a few years into make up, I have gathered a few of them. The day I discovered that a good make up brush could make a significant difference in a make up application I was intrigued and started to build my collection.
I have taken pictures of the brushes that I love the most and that I use regularly, for each category I highlight my very favorites and tell you why I love them so much. The same brush may be pictured in different categories since I try to get the most of each one of them. I apologize it’s a bit long and mixed up…
My profile
I have extremely dry and sensitive skin, only a few moisturizers work for me and of course the ones that work are extremely expensive. On a daily basis I use the Laura Mercier Repair creme without SPF. Before discovering this moisturizer I could not wear foundation at all, even foundations for dry skin, I had dry patches and flakes within 2 hours of application.
I prefer to apply my foundation with a sheer coverage, sometimes medium coverage but either way I always aim to achieve a glowy look and I don’t usually powder afterwards.
When I wake up, even after the shower, my skin is still really sensitive, using a soft brush on my eyelids and my face made a big difference in my daily routine, the application is so relaxing and smooth, and that’s why I love soft brushes so much.
These are the make up brands that I use the most :
- Rouge Bunny Rouge
- Tom Ford
- Chantecaille
- Le Metier de Beaute
- Guerlain
- Chanel
- By Terry
- Suqqu
- Shu Uemura
- Mac
I will always try to use products and techniques that don’t emphasize my wrinkles or that don’t look heavy or cakey, I am not a make up artist, my opinions are only based on my personal experience.
Foundation, buffing and stippling
In the picture below, you will see my favorite foundation brushes :
Favorite foundation brushes
I’ll try to give you some examples with some of the foundations I love to wear :
- For mineralize cream foundation (Mac) : Real Techniques stippling brush or RM Radiance
- For liquid foundation (Tom Ford, Burberry, BB, Laura Mercier, By Terry, etc) : RM Radiance, Hakuhodo G5556 4mm, Sigma F80 or Coastal Scents Bionic. With the Radiance, no need to buff afterwards but with the others I still like to buff with the Mac 187 or any other similar stippling brush, even though it’s not really always necessary.
- For very liquid foundation (Mac or Make Up For Ever face and body) : LY 34, I noticed the bristles suck a lot of foundation but with a very liquid foundation that’s the one I would reach for, mainly for body foundation.
- For mineralize powder foundation (Bare Escentuals) : Coastal Scents Bionic for a flawless and heavier coverage and Chanel 1 for a more natural sheer to medium coverage.
My top favorite is the Rae Morris Radiance, the finish is like an airbrushed application. The price is high but worth it and I could live only with this brush.
Guerlain Sun in the City Summer 2012 – Terracotta Sun Shimmer blush
Guerlain’s Summer 2012 collection just made it to Switzerland this week, I believe this is almost one month after it was released in the USA. I often order my products from the USA as soon as they are available but since I did not know what Guerlain was capable of when it comes to liquid blushes I just waited…
When I saw them in person, I fell in love with the Sunny Pink immediately, a warm pink with tiny gold shimmer. They say this shade is more suitable for fair skin.
The lasting power of these liquid blushes is very good, you can blend them so that you have a very subtle color or you can build the color, either way you will still see the tiny sparkles. After using the pink blush for a few days… I went to get the other shade : Spicy Coral, this shade is an orange’ish’ coral on my skin, reminds me of Nars Taj Mahal, that I love and actually they are extremely close when swatched side by side.
What Guerlain says about these liquid blushes :
Looking for a tan that seems to glow from within, colour that appears lifted by a slightly flushed effect? This mother-of-pearl concentrate instantly illuminates the cheekbones, giving them incredibly sensual colour. For blondes, there is pink, the colour that naturally comes to their cheeks; while brunettes need coral to echo the spicy shades of their tan. An expert in trompe l’œil colour, with this easy-to-use product Guerlain has successfully imitated a natural blush to leave the complexion fresh and illuminate all types of tanned skin.
Warm and sensual summer notes that are totally irresistible
About the smell :
Warm and sensual summer notes that are totally irresistible
About the application :
TERRACOTTA BLUSH is applied in circular movements directly on golden skin or on top of Terracotta powder, lightly tapping with the fingertips.
The smell is nice, not heavy at all and I apply the blush with a brush and not my fingers, you can use your fingers since it blends very well but because of the pigmentation I don’t want to touch the product with my hands, I am afraid to touch my clothes by accident and stain them.
Do I look like I am glowing from within ? Yes, I think, I took a picture to show you the pink blush on my cheeks but you can’t really see the color, you can see the gold sparkles though.
Rae Morris, n° 27 Radiance brush review
I have previously reviewed the 26 pieces brush set and as you may know I am not satisfied with the quality. Today I will be reviewing the 27 Radiance brush and my opinion on this particular brush is going to be completely different. Unlike the brushes released in her big set, this Radiance is a gem.
When I saw how thick it was, I was in shock, how am I supposed to use this brush for foundation on the face ? But that was easy. I washed it, it shed a fair amount of hair but I considered that shedding reasonable for a new brush. I have tried it with Burberry’s foundation, I was so happy that I wanted to make sure : I removed everything and I started all over again… the result was as good as the first time !
The application was a bit clumsy at first, since the brush is so big you don’t know how or where to start… I placed the foundation on my face with a flat foundation brush, then I blended with this Radiance from the nose towards the borders of the face and buff either in circular motion or straight lines, depending on the zone. I also tried it with contour and blush, the result is flawless with all the products. Before this brush I was using the Sigma F80 and buffing with a Mac 187.
Size of the Radiance :
- Total length : 9.2 cm
- Hair length : 2.7 cm
- Thickness : 3 cm
- Width of the ferrule foot : 6.5 cm
Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Lip Pencils Forever Yours
If I see “Long-Lasting” or “Waterproof” on any kind of make up, I will try it and if I really like it, I will invest. I hate to have to reapply make up during the day and since I go to work on my motorbike during spring and summer, and even sometimes winter, I need the best smudge proof and waterproof make up. I started with the shade Roald and I was addicted.
In the Zuneta website, where you can order them, this is what Rouge Bunny Rouge says about them :
Advanced technology in this longwearing pencil delivers a formula with an instant release of intense colour, smooth glide-on and a precise application.
The synergic action of gellified systems, special polymers and waxes provides a most comfortable and semi-permanent colour. Once dry, the colour will last the whole day and is waterproof too!
These incredibly indelible lip pencils have been matched to your lips (as we all know, we match liners to the lips, not the lipsticks).
Chantecaille Contour Fill, I love this thing…
I have ordered this Chantecaille Lip Contour in July 2011. The day I received it, I was very surprised since I was expecting a chubby lip liner with a beigish or pinkish color but when swatched, you can only see some shine and no color at all.
One day I was in a very big rush, no time to put make up on, I just grabbed this pencil and applied it all over my lips while running away from home to whatever appointment I had….
Some time later, I felt something different going on on my lips… My lips felt so incredibly nice, plumped and so smooth but I didn’t know why, it was only when I got home and I saw this pencil sitting on my dresser that I realized… I tried it again… YEEES ! That was it !!! My Holy Grail lip product.
If I had to pick only one make up product, I would pick mascara. If I had to pick two, mascara and this Chantecaille for sure !
This is how much I love this thing.
My make up organization and some fun ideas
At some point, my collection grew out of control and I am not very proud of that, but that’s another story…
I had to find a way to make it faster and easier in the morning rush… and also to use everything and not only the same products over and over again. If I see them I will use them, if I don’t, I will forget about them.
I started putting labels on my palettes, then the blushes, then nearly everything else… and that helped, a lot, today I can spend more time enjoying the application and less looking for the items.
I also don’t have a lot of space or a place to sit to apply my make up, today I have a nice Ikea Malm dresser with a mirror and my boyfriend added some nice little lights on the sides, I also have 3 more drawers in another bigger dresser and everything has to fit in there.
A Tom Ford experience in Harrods
That week, I was in London for work, I was so happy to be there ! A paradise for me ! So many excellent brands to try that I just couldn’t wait to get started !
Work during the day and in the afternoon or evening visit to the beauty counters !
Tom Ford counters were busy that week, I wanted to see his new products by myself and ask a few questions, I finally managed at Harrods. They even asked me if I wanted my make up done… I was a bit embarrassed since I was exhausted, my face looked really dull and tired, I just wanted to have some rest, but the temptation was really too strong and I accepted !
Actually her approach at the TF counter was really soft and friendly and not too pushy or snobbish if you see what I mean… I loved that ! That is also why I accepted.
Rae Morris 26 piece set … my follow up review
Before you read the following review, please be aware that I have received a replacement set : please click here for some more info
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A long time ago, probably maybe 15 years ago, I remember my IT teacher talking about computers and electricity, he told us “it’s not because it fits that it works… “ that’s right, but that does not apply to make up brushes, as long as it fits and the results are great, it will perfectly work 
I may use an eyeshadow brush for highlighting, a highlighting brush for eyeshadow, a concealer brush for the lips or an eyeliner brush for concealer… Some brushes are not made for cream or liquid products but most of them can be used for several purposes and it is just a matter of preference. My brush collection is huge and I don’t need so many brushes but I just cannot resist getting new ones to try !
This is the follow up review to my first post on Rae Morris 26 piece set. I have only been using the brushes for a week, therefore my experience with them is not based on a long term use, if any of my opinions change in the future, I will update this post accordingly. I admit one week is not enough to thoroughly test them all.
In this review, I will address these topics :
- The general experience with the order and their customer service
- The packaging and the 26 piece brush set
- The quality of the brushes
- The brushes I love
- The brushes I will use from time to time
- The ones I will probably not use
- Conclusion
Rae Morris brush set, finally !
I have finally decided to get this wonderful brush collection from Rae Morris.
These are my first impressions and first pictures of the Rae Morris brush set freshly arrived, a more detailed review will be available soon. Since there isn’t a lot of information online, I hope this already gives you an idea of what you are getting if you order the big set.
I ordered mine directly from Rae Morris web site, when you click on “Brushes” you can see the “27 piece professional brush range personally designed by Rae Morris”. In the listed brushes, there is also the Radiance brush and you may think it is included in the set, unfortunately it is not. In the shopping bag page the Radiance is also shown, but I have received 26 brushes in total, without the Radiance brush.
Lancome Rouge in Love and some swatches
You have probably already noticed that these wonderful Lancome lipsticks are now starting to hit the counters.
When I bought the first one I did not even know that they were long-lasting and so bright ! They are bright when you swatch them but on the lips the impact is even greater !
I wanted to share a few swatches with you.
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