Top 10 Tuesdays: Top 10 Brushes!

I Bought It Affiliate Link Press Sample

It is Top Ten Tuesday time again! This time the Top Ten Tuesdays bloggers are sharing their favorite makeup brushes. My makeup brushes are near-and-dear to my heart. The brushes that I love are used daily. Often, when I find a brush that I love, I use it for years and years. Some of the brushes in my collection have been going strong for 10+ years! I try out a LOT of brushes. Only the ones that really work best are added to my everyday routine. 

Top 10 Tuesdays: Favorite Brushes! with Eco Tools, Sigma, M.A.C.

Here are my current Top 10 Brushes:

• Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush: This foundation brush is amazing! The "optical blurring" transpires when you buff your foundation into your skin. It seamlessly blends the product across your skin and makes it become one with your skin. When used with the Naked Skin Foundation from Urban Decay (which I LOVE) it disperses the light reflecting pigments.

• Eco Tools Recycled Retractable Kabuki Brush: I love wearing powder foundation and this brush distributes it beautifully! Plus, it is retractable. So, it is perfect for your handbag or travel! Earth-friendly and cruelty-free :)

• Real Techniques by Sam & Nic Chapman Blush Brush: Real Techniques brushes are affordable and amazing quality! Plus, I love supporting YouTuber Makeup Artists Sam & Nic Chapman. Their makeup tutorials are fabulous!!! This brush is oversized and super soft.

• Laura Mercier Angled Eye Liner Brush: I literally just started using this brush and it is already a favorite! I love using this with my creme and gel liners. The angle of the brush really makes application easier. Plus, I love the ultra-fine the brush is. Specifically designed by Laura Mercier to work with the Creme Eye Liner, the brush uses high quality synthetic fibers in a narrow, exact point with a thin profile that creates the most precise looks. Angled ferrule allows you to reach up over the lashes to easily apply along the lash line.

• MAKE UP FOR EVER 130 Large Powder Brush: If you are looking for a super duper soft luxe powder brush...this is IT! I like using really big brushes for finishing powder application. I just lightly dust this brush over the powder of my choice and dust it across my face. The result is a super light dusting of powder. So quick and easy! Plus, I absolutely love the feel of this brush on my skin. Heavenly! 

• Eco Tools Bamboo Deluxe Concealer Brush: I use this every single day. It is perfect for under-eye concealer application. Plus it is super soft on my delicate eye area. Another love from Eco Tools! 

• Sigma e55 Eye Shading Brush: This brush is simply the perfect size for my eye lid and my brow bone area. It is my most used eye shadow brush by a landslide. Plus, I just love Sigma brushes. Amazing quality, fabulous assortment, and really great prices!

• Real Techniques Contour Brush from the Real techniques 4-pc. core collection makeup brush set: This whole set is fabulous. However, the real stand-out for me is the Contour Brush. It is my go-to brush for highlighter application. The size is absolutely perfect for highlighter placement on the upper cheekbone and over the brown and a dab on the chin. 

• MAC 266 Small Angle Brush: This is my favorite eye liner brush for applying powder eyeshadow wet (which is honestly my most used method for lining my eyes...it is just so natural). This brush has the perfect angle...plus, it is nice and thin for a natural looking line. I have had this brush for more than 10 years and it is still going strong!

• Sigma F25 Tapered Face Brush: This is the perfect blush for bronzer/contour application. The small tapered point places the color perfectly. Then you just press in and blend out. The soft fluffiness of the brush blends the product in beautifully. I always use this for bronzer. Every single time I apply!

Shop the Post:

What are your favorite brushes? I would love to hear!

Please check out the links below to my fellow Top Ten Tuesdays Bloggers picks for Top 10 Brushes!

An InLinkz Link-up

Top 10 Tuesdays: Beauty Items in my Purse!

I Bought It Affiliate Link Press Sample

Top 10 Tuesdays:

Top 10 Tuesdays is the blog series for List lovers! Top Ten Tuesdays are a bi-weekly collaborative link-up series where top Beauty Bloggers share their Top 10 Lists for a given topic. This week: Top 10 Beauty Items in my Purse!!!

My Handbag:
I can't dive into listing my beauty items in my handbag before raving a bit about my bag! My go-to purse for the past 3 months has been my Coach Madison Phoebe Leather Shoulder Bag. This gorgeous bag was a surprise birthday present from my husband. He basically told the salesperson at Coach that I was a mother of a toddler and that I needed a large bag. The Madison Phoebe in Cranberry was what they decided upon. I love the gorgeous magenta color and the spacious compartments. This bag is supple and soft. The cranberry color is so versitile. Honestly, this bag is a gorgeous pop of color and I am amazed at how it goes with practically every outfit!!! This is the perfect "Mommy Bag"! I can even fit a few diapers and a travel wipes container inside. The inside features 3 main compartments: a small middle zipper compartment which is perfect for the wallet, keys, etc, and two large and tall side snap top compartments. I have loosely organized one side as the "kid" side and one side as the "me" side. My side has my makeup, brush, phone, etc. The "kid" side holds the diapers, wipes, and a couple toys or snacks. The Madison Phoebe served me well throughout Summer and this color transitions perfectly into Fall!

My Handbag: The Coach Madison Phoebe Leather Shoulder bag in Cranberry:

Top 10 Tuesdays: Beauty Items in my Purse with Bath & Body Works, Pixi for Target, Trish McEvoy

Top 10 Items in my Purse:

•  ecotools Retractable Kabuki: A retractable kabuki is a purse must-have! This one by ecotools is super soft, great for powder, blush, or bronzer touch-ups, and retails for only about $7.00! :) 

• Neutrogena Deep Clean Long-Last Shine Control Blotting Sheets: Blotting sheets are an absolute must-have for girls on-the-go! You can instantly remove oil and shine without disrupting your makeup just by pressing these on your face.

• Essence of Beauty Secret Woods Fine Fragrance Body Mist: I am body mist obsessed. I have a bit of a phobia of getting sweaty or stinky in public. So, I refresh with body mists throughout the day and always carry a travel size one with me. My current favorite is the super-affordable Essence of Beauty Secret Woods (which is a total dupe for Bath and Body Work's Twilight Woods, which I also love). The scent is so perfect for Fall and is such a warm and lingering scent!

• Neutrogena Shine Control Powder in Invisible: This powder is fabulous! It does just what it says: controls shine. My skin has been super oily with pregnancy and this is certainly my go-to powder. Great for setting my makeup in the morning and for touch-ups throughout the day. I literally never leave the house without a powder in my bag!

• L'Oreal Colour Riche Caress Lipstick in Cotton Pink: I usually carry around at least 5 or 6 lipsticks (lol, I know...excessive!). This one is my current favorite of my purse lipstick assortment (and really the only one I need to carry). Cotton Pink is the perfect princess-y pop of medium pink. I love how light and moisturizing this lipstick feels. It gives great color to your lips and instantly perks me up!

• Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour in Rosebud: OMG! I adore this blush! It is the perfect medium-barbie pink blush. I actually can't believe that I haven't given this one a full review just yet! It truly is one of my all-time favorites. I love a cream blush for on the go as application is so easy. Just swipe on with your fingers!   

• Aquaphor Lip Repair + Protect SPF 30 Lip Protectant: This lip balm is so hydrating!!! It is my current favorite and I keep little tubes of this everywhere...bedside table, kitchen, desk, and yes...my purse! It instantly hydrates and smooths my dry lips. Plus, it has SPF! Love, love, love it!

• Trish McEvoy Lip Gloss in Irresistible Petal: Like with lipsticks, I usually keep a handful of glosses in my purse. This gloss by Trish McEvoy is my favorite amongst my purse assortment! It is a sheer and shimmery hydrating pink high-shine gloss. It is comfortable and smooth on the lips. Love everything about it!

• Pixi Extra Eye Bright Liner: I always look tired. I use great makeup to combat my dark circle problems (allergies, lack of sleep, heredity). This brightening eye liner from Pixi is fabulous! I just sweep it in my inner eye corners and on waterline to instantly look more awake! I apply throughout the day when I freshen up!

• Bath & Body Works PocketBac Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: OMG! What did I ever do before anti-bac hand gels? lol! I always have one of these in my purse. They smell great and instantly sanitize your hands. Germs...yuck!

Shop the Post: Here are all of my purse beauty favorites!!!

Want to read more Top 10 Purse Beauty Items lists??? Be sure to click on the links below! :) 

The softest brushes ever!!! Ecotools Brushes (both *new* and "old"): Review

Hello my beauties!

Since I totally love the whole ecotools line of brushes, I was delighted to see some "new" additions to the line! IMHO, ecotools are the softest brushes around (both drugstore and high end) and certainly the best quality that you can get at a drugstore price. Plus, they are environmentally friendly and cruelty free; so, bonus! So, here's a down-n-dirty review of my recent ecotools brush purchases! :) Enjoy!

Ecotools Bamboo Finishing Kabuki:

Might as well start with the newest item! This is such an interesting kabuki!!! I am not sure how long this has been out; but when I first saw it at Walgreen's it literally jumped right into my basket, lol! I just had to give this brush a try! I figure, with an Ecotools purchase, you can't really go wrong.

More photos, comparisons, etc after the jump!

Ecotools Brushes: Environmentally friendly, economical, good quality, and affordable! Total Rave!

Hello my lovely beauty-readers!

Here I am with another product "total rave" review! I am so impressed with Ecotools makeup brushes. Seriously, they are the *softest* brushes that I have ever felt, they are inexpensive, and they just feel so good on your skin! You are going to *want* to reach for these brushes!!!

The line tags itself as "Earth-Friendly Beauty". The products are made from sustainable and recycled materials, are cruelty-free, and come with reusable packaging. The brushes are made of bamboo and are very lightweight & have an attractive design. The more I learn and read about earth-friendly product lines...the more I want to support them! I mean, who doesn't want to be environmentally conscious and a friend to the earth! So, if a product is good quality *and* environmentally friendly, then Kudos!:)

My first introduction to the line was this summer. I was doing a lot of traveling and figured it was time to get some travel-friendly/smaller brushes...instead of schlepping around my huge brushes. I stumbled upon Ecotools travel Mineral Brush set at Ulta...

Here is the "low-down" on Mineral Brush set:

• It comes with a travel pouch (which was actually way too small to fit the brushes that it came with? So, that did not make sense to me...but the hemp pouch is super cute...it would work for holding a kabuki maybe), a mini kabuki, a mini powder brush, a tapered shadow brush, and a concealer brush
• These brushes are so incredibly soft!!! I mean, for real, you must feel to believe. None of my other brands of brushes even come close to this softness. 
• These brushes do not shed hairs. At all. Seriously, I have not even seen even 1 single hair stray from these brushes after repeated use and washings. That is impressive! 
• The brushes are small (which is expected, I mean, this is a travel kit). 
• The mini powder brush is much smaller than my "normal" powder blush; so, I used it as a travel blush brush instead, works great for that!.
• The mini kabuki is great. For travel, I use it for bronzer. Otherwise, I use it for my blushes and bronzers that come in smaller pans or for travel. Also, great for picking up a single color from some products that have many colors in one pan (does that make sense? Like my Essence Mosaic powder)
• The concealer brush from this travel set has become my go-to brush that I use every day. It is so soft plus it is tapered; so, it applies the concealer very well to all the nooks and crannies around my eyes. The eye area is an area where you really do want a gentle brush. 
• I use the fluffy shadow brush to apply my setting powder for my under eye area on a daily basis. I use BeneFit Powderflage powder for this (see previous review). 
• So, while I bought this set for travel...the brushes are so good, that many have become daily-use brushes for me! Highly recommend this great set!

Retractable Kabuki:

I just recently purchased the ecotools retractable kabuki brush (from Ulta, with a $5 off coupon, score!) to keep in my purse for powder touch ups. I am loving it so far! This will for sure become my travel kabuki as well. It retracts into a recycled aluminum case. It is dense and fluffy. So, it is perfect for applying powder. It is so good, that I might use it to apply powder every day (and not just keep it in my purse for touch-ups). It is so incredibly soft and blends powder very well onto your skin. Gives a flawless finish!

Love these brushes! Recommend highly! And, can't wait to try more brushes from this line. They are so soft that you will find yourself reaching for them just because you love the feel of the brushes on your skin! :) You can find ecotools online, at Ulta, Target, and at Walgreen's. Ulta seems to carry the whole line, while my Walgreen's  and Target had a limited selection. The next brush I want to try by them is the bamboo bronzer brush. It looks fabulous!

Hope you enjoyed reading! Would love to hear about brushes you like in general or from the Ecotools line. :)

XOXO!