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Style Chicks

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Hourglass, Chantecallie, By Terry, Lash Star, Too Faced, BlueMercury, SpaceNK, MAC, Ulta, Sephora, Boutique Brands.

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How to guides ranging from how to best use YSL Touche Eclat to How to Apply Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara.

Why We Love Miracos Makeup Essential Eye Brushes

August 5, 2018 · 5 Comments

Quality brushes are key to precise makeup application, especially around the eyes. Brushes are also more hygienic than dipping a finger or sponge repeatedly into a makeup jar or pan. But most of the time, the applicator brushes that come with makeup are low-quality, difficult to use, and deliver inferior results. They are in general, kind of awful. Quality brushes are hard to find and often pretty pricey, so we were pleased to find Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit, consisting of four attractive, quality brushes with long, balanced handles in a lovely rose gold design.

Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit contains four luxury makeup brushes

Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Set

What to Know About the Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit

This is a luxury brush set that can be useful to a novice makeup user or a makeup expert. The Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit contains four luxury makeup brushes:

Dual-End Eyeliner and Brow Brush
Flat Concealer Brush
Eye Shadow Brush
Blend Brush

The rose gold tone is so pretty on my makeup table!

The rose gold tone is so pretty on my makeup table!

The Miracos Makeup Eye Brush Kit Experience

Here are some of the features of the brush set:

CONSTRUCTION & AESTHETIC

  • Each Miracos Makeup brush is a metallic, shiny rose gold tone and bears a simple yet elegant M insignia logo.
  • The brushes are well-made with bristles that hold up to use and to washing without shedding.
  • The bristles are soft on the delicate eye area but contoured well enough to get the job done.

Miracos Eyeshadow blender brush head closeup view

LONG BALANCED HANDLES

Something I especially like about this Miracos Makeup set is the long, easy to grip handles that are just heavy enough to be weighted well for use, but not uncomfortable in my hand.

There is an ergonomic bend to the curve for ease of grip.

Each brush has a long handle with a sloping curve inward for easy grip and balance during use

How to Use Each Brush in this Miracos MAKEUP BRUSH SET

1. Miracos Makeup Dual-End Eyeliner & Brow Brush

The Dual-End Eyeliner & Brow brush is intended for use on the eyebrows and creating a soft eyeliner line. One side has a large quality spoolie brow brush.

HOW I USE IT: I use the spoolie end of the brow brush both to generally groom my brows and to best apply brow product.

I first brush my brows down so I can best assess where to apply eyebrow powder, gel, liner or product. This also helps me draw in my arch.
I apply the brow product, generally a gel or cream, with the angled end applying in short, natural strokes not a straight harsh line. I find the angle and thin precision top of this Miracos brush creates a more hair-like line.
Then I brush my brows back up with the spoolie end and use the spoolie to blend in the brow product.Each Miracos brush has a long handle with a sloping curve inward for easy grip and balance during use

I find this brush down technique highly useful for filling in my arch and tail and getting a natural look that creates a strong, youthful and even brow but not full on obviously fake Joan Crawford Mommy Dearest brows.

Spoolies are also useful for applying a bit of gel or hairspray to the brows to keep them in place. They are also useful for combing through dry mascara for any unexpected clumps.

Spoolie end of the Miracos Makeup Dual-Ended Eyebrow and Liner Brush

The other side of the Dual-End Eyeliner & Brow Brush is an angled liner brush. The bristles are slightly stiff but not too hard for delicate skin. The angle is sharp and the bristles come to a tidy thin line for precise product application. I like how thin a line it creates and how I can place eyeliner or brow product exactly where I want it. I like it for a soft line on the lower lid.

Super-precise angled tip is soft but stiff enough to load product

Super-precise angled tip is soft but stiff enough to load product

2. Miracos Flat Concealer Brush

I have been guilty of sticking my finger in a pot of concealer and likely contaminating the whole thing, which is especially bad around the eye area or any blemish you are intending on concealing.

So I especially like that this Flat Concealer Brush has lots of bristles but a good contoured taper to it to get in just where you need to conceal and not get excess concealer all around the spot. It is also flat which helps me angle into position, and to tap it lightly on the skin and not rub, which is something I tend to do with my fingers, stretching my skin AND just moving product around instead of setting it in place.

The concealer brush works with creamy thick concealers or liquid to apply and blend a thin, precise layer of coverage.

The Miracos Makeup Flat Concealer Brush works with creamy thick concealers or liquid to apply and blend a thin, precise layer of coverage.

HOW I USE IT: This Flat Concealer Brush gets very nice thin layers of a liquid or creamy concealing product down on the skin without streaks. I find this useful for actual concealer placement, and especially useful for pre-concealing color corrective concealers, such as a light peach shade for purple undertone dark undereye circles, or a green tint for red acne blotches.

Ideal for applying a very thing layer of pre-concealing color correcting tone such as peach tone concealer

The Flat Concealer Brush is ideal for applying a very thin layer of pre-concealing color correcting tone such as this peach tone concealer that conceals dark circles and makes the eye look wide awake, but a thin coat is key!

Close up of using the brush to apply peach corrective concealer to an area of discoloration on the skin. Use on dark circles, acne blemishes, discoloration or small bruises to conceal.

I find the coverage of this brush, using both the thin tip and flat edge to create layers of concealer that are well blended and very buildable which makes the brush highly versatile for lighter or heavier concealer coverage needs.

3. EYESHADOW BRUSHES: The Eye Shadow Brush and 4. The Blend Brush

The eyeshadow brushes: Eye Shadow Brush and Blend Brush

Nice long handles make applying eyeshadow easy even for a novice

There are two eyeshadow brushes in this set, an Eye Shadow Brush, and a Blend Brush. The Eye Shadow Brush is seen above at the left, it is the one to use to apply color in a “packing” application on the crease. The other brush on the right is the Blend Brush, which is to blend and use on the entire eye for a base shade. This is especially useful for a smokey eye look. The brushes are soft but defined enough that color goes where I want it.

Blender Brush packed with light metallic copper shadow to blend a smoky metallic eye. I can use shimmery metallic shades without fallout because the brush holds product well

Color loads well onto these brushes, they hold product without dropping powder debris onto my cheek and undereye area.

HOW I USE IT: 

I use the Eye Shadow Brush for darker, intense, or brighter colors that can be messy, because I can control how much product goes on my crease and exactly where it goes.

The Eye Shadow Brush is precise enough to perform an eye makeup trick for heavy or sagging lids: By tapping it all along the contour of my crease, but just above the crease, it provides a little bit of lift to the eye, as the crease seems higher. It can also be used the traditional way of aiming for the crease itself and moving back and forth inside the crease, windshield wiper style. Blend with the brush on the right.

Even I can do a smokey eye look with these brushes because they don’t have product fallout during application.

I like being able to wear darker and deeper, moody shades and metallics like these, but I hate when they get all over my eye and fallout onto my cheeks. These brushes reduce fallout, making for easier application. I am excited to try these rich plum and copper tones in the fall!

CONCLUSION

Makeup application is so much easier, precise, and hygienic with a good set of brushes. These four brushes together make for much easier makeup application as well as better results.

My makeup looks more natural because it is precisely applied and better blended. I love the long handles for better control and they are also sleek and attractive.

The brushes withstand washing and hold product well. An excellent addition to the makeup bag of eye makeup novices and ninjas alike!

Miracos Makeup LIMITED EDITION: Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit

Miracos Makeup LIMITED EDITION: Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit

Summary of Miracos Makeup Essential Luxury Eye Brush Kit

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Posted by Style Chicks / Filed In: Cosmetics, Makeup Tools & Brushes
Tagged: Brush Set, Flat Concealer Brush, Miracos Makeup

About Paula Dorf Sweep Away Clean Up Stick Makeup Remover

June 21, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Ever ruin the perfect nude smokey eyeshadow job with a glob of mascara?

A qtip soaked in makeup remover or oil removes the smudge, and your makeup underneath, but you have to start all over on that spot.

Paula Dorf Sweep Away does it better because it is a pen like remover stick that glides over makeup mistakes and erases them without ruining the rest of your makeup. Like an eraser pen, it can clean up cat eye gone raccoon in seconds.

Perfect to keep in your bag for mid day touchups.

Find it at PaulaDorf.com

 

Posted by Style Chicks / Filed In: Cosmetics, Makeup
Tagged: How to clean a makeup smudge, Makeup Removal, Paula Dorf Sweep Away

How to Best Clean Makeup Brushes Fast Lammcou Brush Cleaner

May 21, 2018 · 4 Comments

REVIEW: Lammcou Makeup Brush Cleaner.

The other day my dermatologist was showing the latest feature of her skin analysis machine: the bacteria analyzer. There is both good and bad bacteria on everyone’s face, and she was impressed at how low my bad bacteria score was. There are a lot of ways that bacteria gets on your face: touching your face with your hands, not changing out your pillowcase enough, but a big one is dirty makeup brushes. Keeping your makeup brushes clean is a huge step towards keeping bad bacteria off your face, and keeping your skin clear. That is why we love the Lammcou Makeup Brush Cleaner.

A good set of makeup brushes can be a big investment, and many cleaning methods can be rough on the fine hairs of a brush. Lammcou understands this and has developed a system to thoroughly wash and dry your brushes using only mild soap and water.

How to Clean Make up Brushes Fast

Here’s how it works best for us:

1) Find the collar that properly fits your makeup brush and insert the end of the brush handle into the collar. Attach it to the MiraCleaner.

2) Fill the bowl halfway with soap and water.

3) Insert the brush into the soapy water and turn on the brush cleaner. Choose the level of power you want depending on how much and what kind of product are on the bristles and how delicate the brush is.

4) Keep the brush in the water for ten seconds, and then turn the brush cleaner to check if the brush is clean. If it isn’t, put it back in the water and clean for another five seconds.

5) Once the brush is clean, take it out of the water and press the power button again to dry it. My fluffy blush brush was dry in less than 15 seconds.

What I really love about how fast this device works is that I can use a brush for one product, like foundation, and then I can clean it and use the same brush for a different product, like liquid blush, in the same sitting. This makes the Lammcou Makeup Brush Cleaner an ideal device for travel and destination weddings if packing space is at a premium and you can’t bring all of your brushes.

It is also fantastic for cleaning off an eyeshadow brush if you are blending several colors together. I love using the deeper shades in any of my Urban Decay Naked Palettes, but then there is dark eyeshadow on my brush when I want to use one of the lighter highlight colors. This brush cleaner gets the dark color off fast and cleans the brush so you don’t cross contaminate between pans.

Watch how easy it is to wash and clean your brushes:

https://www.stylechicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/brushcleanerblog.mp4

Style Chicks received the Lammcou Makeup Brush Cleaner in exchange for our unbiased review and received compensation for our time and effort. However, our experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% ours.

Posted by Style Chicks / Filed In: Cosmetics, Gadgets, Makeup Tools & Brushes, Vanity Table
Tagged: Brush Cleaner, Clean Makeup Brushes, Lammcou Makeup Brush Cleaner

TINY BUT FIERCE: Handmade Bella Mini Travel Makeup Brush Set with Mirror Travel Case

April 12, 2018 · 5 Comments

What would we do without our makeup brushes, they turn us into beauty ninjas. But lugging around full-size brushes requires a full-size makeup bag on vacation, at the gym and for touchups before after-work dinner or drink plans. That is cumbersome and impractical. While there are always the applicators that come with the makeup, these are generally of poor quality. We recently tried Bella Mini Travel Makeup Brush Set with Mirror Travel Case. Unlike mass production brush kits, these brushes are hand-made in the USA and meet our on the go beauty needs with a face blender, cream shadow, eyeshadow and fine eyeliner brush in a mirrored case.

The handy Belle mini brush set is about the size of a cell phone case and holds four quality brushes and mirror

WHAT THIS SET CONTAINS

THE CASE: The shiny metallic case is roughly the size of a phone. It has a sturdy zipper and contains the four brushes. The brushes each come with plastic cap sleeves to keep them nice and protect the bristles when not in use. The inside of the case holds a mirror for on-the-go touchups.

 

This Bella Mini Travel Makeup Brush Set has four brushes in a mirrored case:

  • Face blender brush
  • Powder/Dry eye shadow brush
  • Cream shadow brush
  • Ultra-fine eye liner brush

The Bella case zips open to reveal four brushes that can be used to apply or blend all your on the go makeup

MATERIAL QUALITY & CONSTRUCTION

We find many mini brush sets, even those from higher-end boutique beauty stores, to be rather cheaply made. We use them a few times and they break or the bristles fall out. They also aren’t all that effective in applying or blending product. This set, however, is constructed with quality materials including durable brass ferrules, the finest hair for bristles that do not shed in use or during washing. I found they withstood powder, cream, BB Primer, Foundation, shadow, gel liner, and concealer.

Bristles that do not fall out, are soft, high quality and durable

MY EXPERIENCE USING THE BELLA MINI COSMETIC BRUSH SET BRUSHES

DRY/POWDER EYESHADOW BRUSH: Many of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, such as the Urban Decay Naked series, come with quality brushes that enable a smooth application, so for touchups or post-gym shadow re-dos, I want to use a quality brush as well. I find the eyeshadow brush comparable to the UD brushes I use both in the soft feel of the bristle, the stiffness that picks up the shadow, the lack of fallout upon application, and ease of use.

Bella dry eyeshadow brush loads color well without fallout. Shown here with Urban Decay Walk of Shame Eyeshadow, my go-to work day neutral eye base shade.

At just shy of four inches, (9.8 cm) this eye shadow brush is an especially nice size for the UD Basics/UD Basics 2/UD and UD Naked Petite Heat, the five shadow compacts that are perfect for pocket or purse but don’t come with a brush.

The ideal size for purse size mini palettes or palettes that do not come with a worthy shadow brush

The ideal size for purse size mini palettes or palettes that do not come with a worthy shadow brush

This brush is just the right size and function, with a thicker base that thins out for better blending. It applies shadow exceptionally smoothly, I like it just as well as my full-size $30 brand name boutique eyeshadow brush.

Blends smoothly and evenly with no fallout

CREAM EYESHADOW BRUSH: For use with cream shadows, I also find this useful for re-applying a base or blending my YSL Eclat or re-applying liquid or cream concealer for mid-day touchups. I use cream eyeshadows less, but find that cream shadow brushes tend to not pick up product evenly, or that there ends up being a fair amount of waste. This brush deposits product without streaks, I like the smoother application, I can get a nice thin coat of shadow.

In a pinch, I find it useful for precise creamy/liquid highlighter, such as MAC Strobe highlighter on the cheekbones. It is not as thicker a diameter as the dry eyeshadow brush, the bristles are straight.

Cream Eye Shadow brush is thinner in diameter for precise application without streaks

EYELINER BRUSH: This brush has a cap when closed, so it can transport some product on the brush is you choose to “pre-load it” with liner product when you are at home such as mineral powder, gel or cream liner from a pot, such as Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wearing Eyeliner Gel or Maybelline’s cream liner, then you have it for touchups without having to carry the liner product. The cap fits onto the end of the brush to make a long handle which makes it easier to create a thin line or cat-eye liner. The cap stays put, and it is steady enough for doing a thicker cat-eye or heavy liquid liner on the go for a transition from a work look to after dinner eye makeup look.

The liner brush tip is not too hard, not too soft. It doesn’t drag or skip on the application. Angle it for a thin or thick line.

I also find it useful to wet the brush either with water or a drop of Visine to create a liner out of dry eyeshadow, I especially like lining my eyes with a few of the UD Basics, such as the black shade, or if I am doing a particularly heavy lash look, a thin line of the taupe eyeshadow applied with the thick end of the brush gives some definition without giving too dark of a look around the lower lashline.

Ideal for wet shadow liner application or shadowing over liquid or cream liner

Lastly, this is a nice size for pressing a bit of eyeshadow over the top liner to powder it down into place, make the line more even, intense and long-lasting.

FACE BLENDER BRUSH: The bristles on this are exceptionally soft and fluffy, but it still blends contour, foundation, powder, and blush very well. The versatile cream, liquid and powder use of this brush makes it a nice go-to item for your bag. It blends makeup well without streaking.

The versatile Bella Face Blender Brush works with both creamy foundations and powder makeup

It is soft to the touch but stiff enough to apply powder in an even thin layer.

The face blender brush is SO FLUFFY yet is stiff enough to blend smoothly

I particularly like this brush for blush touchups during the day, and it works well after a gym workout or while traveling to use it for BB Primer or foundation. By pinching down on each side of the head, it becomes an excellent fan brush travel dupe.

CONCLUSION

This Bella Mini Travel Makeup Brush Set with Mirror Travel Case features four easy to grip, ergonomic handles, soft bristles, portable, attractive, sturdy storage. The set is highly versatile, attractive, durable, fits in even the smallest of makeup bags, and contains brushes that are ergonomic, easy to use, sturdy, and offer an exceptionally smooth application. The set comes with a no-hassle money-back guarantee and one-year return window. A great gift for yourself, a friend, a constant traveler, or anyone who would appreciate quality craftsmanship in a portable and practical brush set.

 

 

Style Chicks received the Bella Mini Travel Makeup Brush Set with Mirror Travel Case in exchange for our unbiased review and received compensation for our time and effort. However, our experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% ours.

Posted by Style Chicks / Filed In: Accessories, Cosmetics, Gifts, Weddings
Tagged: Bella, makeup brushes, Travel

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