Sephora The Smokey Eye Brush Set.

I'm a want to create the perfect smoky eye for Fall.

In order to obtain my ideal smoky eye I think I shall indulge in the Sephora The Smokey Eye Brush Set.....

See here?

Everything I need to create said smoky eye...btw is it smokey or smoky...hmm...

Jump for it!

$42 bucks and a near 5 star rating on Sephora has me wanting this kit...I'm such a bloody mush when it comes to brush sets. I always tell myself, "You so don't need another brush set..." but my evil side proceeds to reply with, "Yes you do, what could one more hurt?"

This six piece set contains tools for creating a perfect smoked out eye. I actually do a fair job of a smoky eye on myself and don't need a brush set to do it but hey....my evil side said it's ok to indulge.

You'll get a total of five Sephora Professionelle (I wonder if the "le" on the end of Professional makes these more important) Brushes and a how-to booklet plus a chic faux leather case for toting around your tools.

The brushes included are a wide smudger, an all over shadow brush, a small domed smudger, and a dual sided brow brush and comb. Plus did I mention you get Volume Mascara too? Sweetness!

I think I wants it if that's ok. I just don't think I needs it but hey who's keeping track of that!

Beauty Battle: MAC 224 Versus MAC 217

Gather round kids time to battle some brushes! I get alot of questions about which is the best blending brush for creating good eye looks. When I first started out with MAC I was recommended two brushes from a Specktra member that changed my life (and I'm sure yours if you own them). The 217 and 224 are recommended far and wide by MAC lovers everywhere as the perfect brush for blending color to a fine finish. They are two of my very favorite brushes and I probably wouldn't want to face the makeup world without either.


Placing them in the ring together to battle it out isn't such a fine idea as they are both very good brushes and should both be in your arsenal but who follows rules anyway! Might as well stir thing up.

Our beauty battle will begin after the jump as I pit the MAC 224 up against the MAC 217. Who'll be the victor? You'll see have to read to find out more!

As I mentioned above both the MAC 224 and the MAC 217 are incredible blending brushes but of course one has to be the winner in this battle. Which will it be?






In this corner we have the MAC 224 which is a fluffy shadow brush specifically designed to blend out shadow color particularly in the crease. I wouldn't recommend it for applying color directly to the lid but it's a treat for blending shadow out especially if your contrasting shadow within the crease or towards the V of the eye. I reach for it often when blending and find it does a very good job of gently blending color together without creating a muddy mess. It's $28.50 price tag is well worth it however the MAC 217 has a bit of an advantage with a cheaper price tag.










The MAC 217 is smaller compared to the 224 with fluffy bristles that are just a bit more denser. It works incredibly well at blending within the crease or all over the eye. It's small size makes it a shoe in for fitting over the eye socket for a seamless blend. At $22.50 it's $5.50 less than $28.50. With it's cheaper price tag and ability to blend colors evenly while fitting nicely into the curve of the eye this could prove to be a major kick in the 224's face.






Picking between two incredible brushes like these is a difficult task but I award the final knockdown to the MAC 217. It's smaller size fits my crease quite well and allows me to blend easily without creating fall out which I find happens with the 224. It fits neatly all over my eye particularly my crease. It blends shadow like a dream and allows me to press as lightly or as hard as I like without having to worry about screwing up the entire eye look I am trying to accomplish. For the most part I think it's advantage is the smaller length of the bristles when compared to the longer ones of the 224. For controlled application and blending the 217 wins this beauty battle hands down!

What do you think?

Does the MAC 217 or the MAC 224 win your beauty battle?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Colour Craft: MAC 131 and MAC 226 Review

Brush hauling ahead peeps. Three new brushes were released with the MAC Colour Craft Collection, two of which I hauled!

Jump ahead for a peep and a babble about the new brushes!

When I was plotting my haul for MAC Colour Craft I got so obsessed with snagging the 131 that I almost missed out on the 226. The 226 was originally released with MAC BBR and it was sold out by the time I made up my mind I must have. Thank gawd the MAC gods were shining down upon me as it's been re-released with this latest color story.

The 226 is quite like the younger sister of the 224. It's slimmer, far less bushy, and denser. I love my 224 and couldn't live without it but the 226 has alot going for it. The brush fits beautifully into the crease of my eye and blends shadow a treat. The bristles are light and dense enough so my heavy hand doesn't overdo my eye makeup. I'm absolutely in love with this brush at the moment. It's worthy of a look at and a pick up if you adore the 224.








The second brush I knew I had to have was the 131. The 131 reminds me of a fiber optic brush that I reviewed for you a while back ago. Although the 131 isn't as bushy it's almost an exact dupe for this brush so if you'd like a cheaper alternative grab the Aromaleigh version. As for me I'm loving the 131 for picking up a light wash of MSF or it's rather ideal for deeply pigmented blushes as it applies very gently. Really a great brush and also worthy of a look at. Of course it contours and highlights beautifully as well but for the most part I'll be using it with MSF.








Overall, these are two not to be missed brushes in my opinion particularly the 226 if you're looking for a good, dense blending brush!

Anyone haul these?

Wanting to?

Tell the Muse!

Beauty Most Unusual: Horny Remover

The Muse has confessed on occasion her elbows do indeed get dry and rough however she's unsure if she's up for removing that roughness with a...horny remover?

This simple tool will get rid of all that horny on your elbows. Ah the joys of Asian beauty tools!


Possibly multitasking for the hub or the boyfriend on nights you have a headache...."here honey use the horny remover!" See? Relationship help and a beauty tool all in one wonder!


Source

Double Delight: Seohora Double-Ended Brush Collection

Double your brush collection with the new Sephora Double-Ended Brush Collection. These new double ended brushes from Sephora are available at the same price as one normal end brush is so you're getting a bit of a bang for your buck!

Click ahead for some deets!

I have a love hate relationship with dual ended brushes as I find them difficult to store without having them split on me. I also find they are a bit difficult to work with when applying makeup. Even though I do rant I also kinda dig buying a brush for $18 or so and getting two brushes instead of the one. That's kinda nifty if I do say so myself.

Sephora has five new dual ended up brushes which I think are worthy of a look at if you don't have a ton of brushes in your collection already and you're looking to purchase a few this is a good deal. I've always had great experiences with Sephora brushes and I'm not doubting this new collection will be just as good as it's regular brush line.

Here's the offerings:

Neutrogena Wave Duo

Kinda weird I was discussing the release of a new Clarisonic a few posts back and now Neutrogena Wave Duo pops on the scene.

Neutrogena Wave Duo is the new and improved Wave Cleaner from Neutrogena!

Click it to find out what's new!


One of the main areas of interest on the new Neutrogena Wave Duo is it now has two speeds. One speed removes dirt, oil, and makeup where as the other speeds things up for a deep pore refining clean.

I was quite delighted with the original Wave when I tested it out several months ago so count me curious what the new version is like.

If you're looking for a cheaper route and aren't willing to dish out $200 for a cleaning brush this is something to consider.

You can get $3 off the Wave or $2 off the refill pads by visiting and signing up at the Neutrogena site if you're interested.

Would You Buy It? Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy

As you may already know from reading my prior review on the Clarisonic it didn't turn out to be true love. I wanted to love the brush so much but it didn't work well with my skin and I ended up returning it in the long run sadly.

I recently seen a youTuber reviewing the new Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy and I was intrigued yet again by this brush.

Click ahead for the deets on the new brush!

Clarisonic PLUS Skin Care System with Spot Therapy has a few new features that do interest me. The brush now has three speeds and promises to remove six times more makeup. The brush also has a new spot therapy for the body which promises fewer dry patches and exfoliation for softer, smoother skin.

Technically if the brush had offered exfoliation for my face I'd probably be more excited. I'm vaguely curious and tempted to indulge just to see if the second round with Clarisonic will be a winner for me.

Would you buy it?

Does the new Clarisonic Skincare Brush tempt you?

Tell the Muse!

Too Faced Flatbuki Brush Review

One of my all time favorite purchases recently is the Too Faced FlatBuki Brush. I held off purchasing this for a while since I have so many facial brushes (kabuki and otherwise) it seemed a terrible waste to get another. After seeing the brush in person, purchasing it, and finally using it, I find myself asking, "How did you ever get along without this little brush?"

Jump ahead for a brief review on the Too Faced Flatbuki Brush!

With a mere $12.50 price tag this is probably one of thee cheapest (and perhaps tiniest) brush in my collection. I think it's well worth a check out and purchase for the price as it multitasks at applying bronzes, blushers, powders, and shimmers perfectly onto your face with little to no work on your part. A quick tap and swirl blends color seamlessly on my cheeks.

The Too Faced Flatbuki is actually a smaller version of the regular Too Faced Retractable Kabuki. Mind you this isn't retractable nor does it have the standard kabuki look or feel. The brush is a flat head and not as dense or round as many other kabuki styles. It's flat, very soft, and lacks the density of a regular kabuki style brush. The flat head allows it to fit nicely onto the contour of cheeks and allows for a nice sweeping motion for blush application. I personally wouldn't attempt mineral foundation with this style brush but for using with blushes, bronzers, or other powder it's a winner.

The brush is particularly great for brighter blushes or bronzers as the bristles pick up just the right amount of color without overdoing it. You can gradually build color up without going overboard. The brush feels incredible on my face as the bristles are incredible soft. It sports a cute pink metallic handle with a floral motif which is particularly flattering if you're a lover of girly pink bits and bobs.






I simply adore the brush and recommend snagging one especially with it's inexpensive price tag. The only thing that can be annoying is it's not particularly travel friendly and can get easily get crushed in your makeup bag. But hey that goes for any style kabuki brush or brushes in general.

Loves this!

Great value for a sweet little multitasking brush that makes makeup application a snap.

Beauty Confessions: Washin' Up the Brushes!

Brushes. Brushes are so very important to makeup application. I have a slew of brushes since many I got in kits and of course I went a little buck wild purchasing a slew of MAC brushes when I first got into the brand.

Although I must confess...

Jump ahead to hear my beauty confession.

I haven't washed mine in over a month. Oh my god I'm so ashamed of myself. Eep! I normally give them a proper wash with MAC Brush Cleaner at least every three weeks but after I went on holiday and came back it's been well over a month since I cleaned them since I've been terribly busy. Indeed, a gross and possibly bacteria filled beauty confession.

I've sinned. Forgive me?

When was the last time you washed your brushes?

How often do you wash 'em?

Smooth, Silky Summer Legs: Schick Intuition Plus Razor Review

Growing up in my house was quite a treat especially with a nutter mum like mine (but I love her so much regardless of how crazy she is). For a lady that shops the dollar store like it's Neiman Marcus you could understand her mentality of telling my sister and I that soap was the bestest shaving cream evers. From the first day I started shaving my legs my mother was the biggest supporter of using soap and water to get a clean, smooth shave. Ok, mum, not so much. I dunno about you but using soap so does not get me a clean, smooth shave. I think I get the job better done with conditioner than soap but since my mum is the dollar store queen she'd be the authority on using anything cheap (such as soap) to get the cleanest, smoothest shave possible.

Yes well that never worked for me. So please can I have my can of shaving cream now?

Of course when I seen the Schick Intuition Razor which had, you guessed it, a big bar of soap encasing the razor, I was skeptical to say the least. I mean this was everything I had rebelled against as teenager and now here I am trying out a razor that's encased in a big old bar of soap.


Oy vey.

Click it for the review!

So I'm always up for admitting how terribly shallow I am which accounts for my fascination with the Schick Intuition Plus Razor. The razor is now available in three limited edition design styles and I wasn't sure what got me more excited, the pink handle or those bloody limited edition words plastered all over it. Dontcha always get that belly flipping, oh my god must have it feeling when you hear the words limited edition? Even a razor gets me that hyper....God...I need a life and so do you because you know the feeling! Don't lie!

So....the razor. Basically the razor is encased in a bar of soap that eliminates the need for shaving cream as it lathers itself, shaves and moisturizers in one step. Ok, I likey simplicity. Although the razor looks pretty bulky it actually performs quite well as it pivots and fits the contour of my leg nicely. The moisturizing head takes a second to lather up but after a few swipes it does begin to foam up and creates a nice glide for the blades. This doesn't produce a mass amount of lather or foam but it does give enough to give a good glide to the razor which in turn gives me a nice, smooth shave. I like the idea of eliminating the need for shaving gel as I'm always fumbling around in the shower for the can but I also admit that it's a crutch of some sort and I miss it when I'm shaving without it for some odd reason.








I didn't experience any cuts or nicks using the razor and it gave me a good, clean shave. It did take a second for me to get used to the bigger handle but I quickly adjusted plus it's pink so all was quickly forgiven, the Muse likes pink! I actually could get used to using this as it would be a bit cheaper for me than buying razors and shaving gel. I did read a review stating the soap ran out quickly but not for me, seems to last until the razor dulls or at least almost.

So far the Schick Intuition Plus Razor is my Summer pick for smooth, silky legs. Loves it!

Schick has these available in three limited edition handle designs, so if you're anything like me you'll want to pick one up for the handle alone. Yes, the little things in life make a Muse happy such as a pink handle for one thing!


What razor do you love?

Tell the Muse!

Easy Mineral Application With a Flock Sponge: Flock Sponge Review

So you already know how much I hate mineral foundation right? Not really a fan here, 'ello! In it's defense I have had success with one or two mineral foundations however not enough success to make me toss out my cream foundation anytime soon.

As of late I've been hearing the ravings about how a Flock Sponge can make mineral foundation application an absolute dream. Obviously I needed a Flock Sponge for my very self since I'm absolutely stupid when it comes to tapping and buffing and and swirling and all that stuff. Kinda reminds me of stop, drop, and roll. Seriously, one day, in a few years, you'll drop your kids at school and they'll be a fireman there to give a demonstration on how to swirl, tap, and buff.

So about that Flock Sponge and how it's going to change my life....




Jump ahead to read the review!

I wonder to myself if maybe my problem with mineral makeup was all that tapping, and swirling, and buffing. Maybe I haven't quite gotten the hang of all those tasks to get a simple foundation on my face. Word on the street is that a flocked sponge is the easiest way to get a good finish from mineral powder on your face and also makes it last longer. Hmmm! Ok, what's this all about than?

A flock sponge gives medium coverage and creates a flawless, pore-less look when applying mineral foundation with it. It can also be washed and used over and over again.




I'm pretty much pore-less. That's how my skin is. Pores are the least of my worries so achieving a flawless finish with a fancy named sponge wasn't all that appealing however they did have me at flawless, even coverage plus the simplicity of not having to buff and tap and swirl anything about sounded quite good to me.

The sponge isn't your typical run of the mill sponge. It has a velvety, felt-like finish and indeed it does what it promises. It smooths mineral foundation onto skin in a very light almost caressing way. Coverage can be light, medium, or heavier depending on how much you use. It does offer a more even coverage and takes out the drama of having to buff foundation on. Simplicity is always a great option as far as the Muse is concerned. Taking away multiply steps to apply my foundation is a welcome relief. Now you may worry that applying with a sponge will give you a cakey, heavy feeling but the flock sponge somehow manages to pick up just the right amount of product, smooth it on, and create good, flawless coverage without creating a mask of makeup. I'm particularly enamored with the sponge because it somehow makes mineral foundation feel less like a mask on my skin, I feel less made up when using the sponge and it feels like my skin is breathing.






If you're looking for a simple, easier way to apply your mineral foundation or maybe you're just not quite a lover of mineral foundation, I highly suggest trying out a flock sponge for application, definitely a very interesting concept that I've had success with.

Anyone apply their mineral foundation with a flock sponge?

Tell the Muse!