My makeup brush collection

I'll start by saying that I was tagged by the alluring Delicate Hummingbird to do a post on my makeup brushes. I'll divide them up by brand. You can see how I store my brushes here, enough of the chit chat onto the pictures!

My Trish McEvoy makeup brush collection consist of :

From top to bottom:
#11 Precise Eye Lining $25.00 USD
#45 Sheer Application $35.00 USD
Brow Groomer $14.00 USD
#6 Deep Eye Contour Brush $32.00 USD
#29 Tapered Blending $32.00 USD
#40 Medium Laydown $42.00 USD
#48 Blending Brush $46.00 USD
2B Sheer Blush $48.00 USD
Powder Brush $52.00 USD
#23 Angled Creased Contour $32.00 USD

My Le Metier De Beaute Brush collection consists of:

From top to bottom:
Blush Brush $55.00USD
Large Concealer Brush $50.00 USD
Angled Foundation Brush $50.00 USD
Eye Shadow Brush #1 $40.00
Eye Crease Brush #1 $45.00 USD

I have one Burberry Brush and that is:

Burberry Beauty Brush (kabuki) $52.00 USD

My Edward Bess Brush collection consists of:

From top to bottom:
Luxury Face Brush (kabuki) $56.00 USD
Luxury Eye Brush $40.00 USD

My MAC Cosmetic's  Brush Collection consists of:

From top to bottom:
#150 Large Powder Brush $42.00 USD
#190 Foundation Brush $32.00 USD
#109 Small Contour $32.00 USD
#227 Large Fluff Brush $30.00 USD
#195 Concealer Brush $22.50 USD
#182 Buffer Brush (kabuki) $47.00 USD not pictured
#224SE Tapered Blending Brush  $29.00 USD
#275 Medium Angled Brush $24.50 USD
#230 MAC PRO Brush (I couldn't find a price, sorry)
#236 Shader Brush (I couldn't find a price on this either because it has been discontinued)
#204 Lash Brush $12.00 USD
#217 Blending Brush $22.50 USD
#219 Pencil Brush $24.50 USD


I have one Laura Mercier Brush:

Secret Camouflage $26.00 USD

What is your all-time favorite brush? 

Edward Bess Deep Shine Lip Gloss - French Lace - Swatches and Review

I always feel weird saying anything less than positive about any product, especially one by a brand that I have come to know and love. There I said it - confessions of a beauty blogger. With that being said, I resolved to be objective and point out both the positive and negative in a product, aiming in the hopes that with enough feedback from enough people the appropriate people catch wind and changes can be made turning the negative into a positive.

The product in this review is Edward Bess' Deep Shine Lip Gloss in 'French Lace' - a pale, creamy pink gloss. I was in the market for a more subdued pink as I have plenty of peachy pink glosses and plenty of bubblegum pinks in my arsenal. Toss in a couple of hot pinks and that rounds out my collection. What I do not have is a faint pink gloss. Enter 'French Lace'. It seemed serendipitous that I stumbled upon The Everyday Beauty blog where she just happened to be featuring said lip gloss and I just happened to be needing wanting the exact lip gloss she was describing and by Edward Bess of all people!!! I think I rushed off to the Neiman Marcus website to order before I could even read the rest of her review, I was that excited. I think if I didn't have that darn beauty ADD of mine, I may have just paused enough to read the rest before hitting 'order' on my computer screen. I may have just saved myself $30.00. Oh, who am I kidding? I would have probably still ordered it because I was looking for a reason to order this and then this review practically fell in my lap!

Shown here: three swipes of gloss 

The good about this lip gloss:

• It's lanolin-free. 

• The color is really pretty. I do like the fact that I don't already own something in the same family as this color. 

• The lip gloss smells good as you are hit with his signature fig scent when using this. The smell doesn't last too long, but if you are sensitive to smell heed this as a word of caution.  

The ok about this lip gloss: 

• The applicator is not my favorite either. My favorite is the doe-footed ones ala Chanel's Rogue Allure's. The sponged tipped applicator is sufficient but considering this is part of a premium cosmetic line I expect something above sufficient. 

The not so good about this lip gloss:

• It is sticky and I do not like the way it feels on my lips. I want to grab the nearest napkin and rub it off, not what I had in mind when applying this. The lipgloss claims to be hydrating, I disagree -sticky does not equal hydration. 

• It is rather a pain in the you-know-what to apply. I have read he changed his packaging rather recently and from what I have gathered not all those changes were welcomed. Seeing how this is my first lip gloss from him, I have nothing to compare it too. I can attest to the fact that if he did make the opening to this gloss smaller and make it more of a challenge to get enough gloss to adequately coat your lips, then I would say no dice! Do not think you can swiftly put this on without going unnoticed in public unless you were trying to bring attention to the fact that you are putting on your lip gloss after dipping the applicator several times. 

• The gloss also claims to have an exclusive treatment (not sure what???) that "ensures fullness" - my lips look the same to me before as after wearing this. 

The lip gloss can be purchased for $30.00 at http://www.neimanmarcus.com or http://www.edwardbess.com. You can find it at brick and mortar stores at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills or in New York City at Bergdorf Goodman's. For those in the UK, you can purchase Edward Bess products through http://www.zuneta.com/. 

What is your holy grail lip gloss? Mine is Chanel (Glossimers, Rogue Allure's, etc.) 

May 2011 Favorites

Even though May had 31 days in it, it did seem to go by rather quickly. Here are the products (some I have talked about before, some I have not) that I got a lot of use out of and helped keep me purdy throughout the month: 

• Le Metier de Beaute eye lash curler is in a class of it's own. This replaced my Shu-Umera curler the instant I tried it. Ever since, I have been giving Shu the cold shoulder. Retails for $18.00 and is worth every penny.

• Butter London's nail lacquer in 'Snog' looks great to use in a summer pedicure or for those more daring, just as great on the fingers. It is as hot-pink as you get without venturing into neon territory. Retails for $14.00

• Chanel's Base Lumiere is a fantastic illuminating makeup base that gives you that "glow from within" look, perfect for layering under your foundation. Retails for $42.00 

• Edward Bess' Ultra Luminous Shadow in 'Storm' is my holy grail shadow to date. I love how buttery soft the texture is and the color is gorgeous! I have a weakness for silvery/mauvey taupes (and yes that is a color! ;) ). Retails for  $30.00 

• Le Metier De Beaute's Crease Brush is a recent acquisition of mine. From the day I received it, I wondered how I got by without it. The capability to make my makeup look blended is awesome with this brush. Retails for $45.00 

• Chantecaille's Brillant Gloss in 'Love', with one swipe my lips look perfectly kissable. *mwaaa* It is also such a delicate pink -- perfect for running my errands in. Retails for $28.00

• Another one of my favorites is Le Metier De Beaute's Dualistic Eye Pencil in 'Tamarack' which can serve as both an eye shadow base or as a liner. The color depth of this gorgeous brown is something that one can only be appreciated in person. Retails for $36.00

What were your May favorites? Please share, I love finding new product discoveries.

Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush vs. Le Metier De Beaute's Crease Brush

<Boxing announcers booming voice> : "Laaadieees and Gentlemen, tonight, we are going to witness the most anticipated match in crease brush history. Are you ready? In the left corner of the ring we have, standing at 16cm Edward Bess' Luxury Eye Brush and in the right corner, standing at 11 cm we have Le Metier De Beaute's Crease Brush. Let's get ready to rumble..." Ding, ding, ding.

To continue with my Edward Bess theme (?) I thought I would share some thoughts with you over his Luxury Eye Brush retailing for $40.00.

I was asked by a fellow beauty blogger (Jeanie!) which brush I would choose and at the time I had just received both and had not had the opportunity to use them both yet and could not provide her an answer.

Now, that I've been using this brush for a little over a week I can provide an answer. Although I like it just fine, I find myself reaching for my Le Metier de Beaute eye crease brush in #1 (for $45.00) more often. Despite the fact that the Edward Bess brush is taller and sticks out of my beakers, I find myself gravitating towards Le Metier. I guess I like the way the LMdB brush sits in my hand due to its shorter, rounded-end handle. I like the stiffness of the LMdB brush better than the Edward Bess brush even though it is not "stiff" at all. I guess what I am trying to say in a not so eloquent way is that the LMdB helps me blend my eye shadow in better with less "give" than the Edward Bess one. In my mind, the less give the brush has, the more control I have to achieve a more blended eye look. Because like they say "blend, blend, and then blend some more" with your makeup.
Round 1 Goes To: Edward Bess for handle length

Perhaps it is the pony and goat hair of Le Metier De Beaute's brush that I prefer over the natural bristles (I could not find out exactly what his brush was made from) on Edward Bess' brush that give it its extra softness.
Round 2 Goes To: Le Metier De Beaute for softness

Another thing to keep in mind when/if you are debating over the two brushes is your eye lid size. I have smaller, droopy eye lids and the Le Metier brush is perfect for that. I find that when I do use Edward Bess' brush it tends to swallow up my eyelid and extend to my brow bone. This is not exactly suited for blending my eye shadow into my crease.
Round 3 Goes To: Le Metier De Beaute for the actual brush size for my eye shape and size

Considering both are so similar in price, with LMdB's brush only being $5.00 more expensive, I wouldn't really use that as a factor. I think both brushes are made from superior quality so it really does come down to size for me. So if you were debating between the two, the winner is...
Round 4 Goes To: It's a tie for price and value

...Le Metier De Beaute's Crease Brush!!! (crazy applause from the audience).

What is your favorite crease brush?

Edward Bess Luxury Face Brush

My hubby has come to accept the fact that Edward Bess is the other man in my life at the moment, and he is willing to share the spotlight with him. So my "devotion" to all things Edward Bess continues....

Sometimes in a post you just want to write..."I like it. Buy it. I think you will like it too. Period."

This is one of those posts. I will admit my interest was piqued while reading other blogs that began praising Edward Bess' Luxury Face Brush time after time. I didn't need his brush, I had a MAC kabuki brush, but felt like an upgrade was in order (besides my little sis didn't have a kabuki brush of her own, see where I am going with this?) ;) I also figured that many people and esteemed beauty bloggers could not be wrong in liking this product. I  decided to take advantage of Neiman Marcus' free shipping promotion and ordered Edward Bess' Luxury Face Brush for $56.00. Oh, how that free shipping promotion has a way of compelling me and my credit card. For example I will press "order" on lavish, luxury face brushes without proper awareness of what I am doing. *Cough* *cough*.

Edward Bess' presentation is pure class. His items are so sleekly packaged, you feel like you are unwrapping a decadent gift. The brush comes in a box and inside, the brush is enclosed in plastic covering. I read on theeverydaybeauty that the plastic covering can be used to control the bristles and makeup application. I thought that was a good tip to mention and pass along.

Comparison shot of the MAC #182 and Edward Bess' Luxury Face Brush

According to Edward Bess' website, this brush "is  expertly crafted with hand-shaped natural bristles set in sleek weighted metal for superb application." I am so pleased to have added this brush to my arsenal of beauty tools. I particularly like it for adding my current blush to the apples of my cheeks. The brush feels really good in the hands, thanks to the weighted metal and I look forward to using this brush more in the future to and play around to see what other uses I can find for this (I know it will come in handy for powder foundation, blush, bronzer, etc.).

Overall: I give this brush two thumbs up for its softness, for it's versatility, and for its superior quality!

Can be purchased for $56.00 at http://www.neimanmarcus.com/, http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/, http://www.zuneta.com/ or http://edwardbess.com/. In store it is available at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills, or Bergdorf Goodman.

What is your favorite face brush? 

Edward Bess Storm Eye Shadow

'Storm'

Sumptuous. Luminous. Stunning. These were the first words that came to mind when I first received Edward Bess' 'Storm' (no.7) eye shadow in the mail (have I mentioned how Neiman Marcus' free shipping has been making me do bad, bad things?!?). I had read really positive reviews on this eye shadow ever since it made its debut a couple of months ago. Ever since I spied the first pics and caught wind that Edward Bess had released two new eye shadows ('Storm' and 'Mirage') they both immediately went on my "wish list". I normally do not like to buy makeup sight unseen. Call me chicken and one adverse to buyers remorse, but I made an exception with this shadow and am so happy I did!

With a name like 'Storm' you may be expecting a darker, moodier color. While I did expect a darker color, I am not displeased by this surprise in the slightest. In fact, this may just be my holy grail eye shadow (keep in mind as a woman, I reserve the right to change my mind at any time, hehe). Seriously though, the color is a gorgeous cool-toned light mauvey taupe. I find this color to be universally appealing to most skin tones and eye color.

Calling all taupe lovers! This is a must-have for you! I find the shadow to be so soft and blendable. I have nothing but love for this shadow.

I guess Edward Bess redesigned the packaging with this new-ish shadow. He dropped the square pan with a sponge tipped applicator and the name Edward Bess embossed on the shadow. The newly designed eyeshadow has a sleek "EB" on the outside and a circular pan with no applicator inside. I for one am not a fan of those useless "brushes" so that was a smart move in my mind. I have heard some complaints that ever since Edward Bess switched production from Made in France to Made in Taiwan, that the packaging somewhat possesses a cheaper feel to it. I cannot attest to this as this is my first (but certainly not my last) eye shadow, but I could not find a fault with this eye shadow. I love the staying power and how soft these feel.

Retails for $30.00 and can be found at  edwardbess.com or be purchased at neimanmarcus.com like mine was.

Final impressions? So glad that I took the plunge and purchased.

Do you own 'Storm' if so, what are your thoughts? What other Edward Bess shadows would you recommend?

Le Metier De Beaute's Eye Crease Brush #1

Le Metier De Beaute's Crease Brush #1

Le Metier De Beaute's brushes are not new, but they are new to me. I waited months before purchasing the eye crease brush, despite fawning over it every time I visited the counter. Once, I heard they were back in stock I decided to take the plunge and buy it. I already had the angled foundation brush ($50.00) that I use to apply my Peau Vierge and it makes application a breeze, particularly around my nose.  Based off that experience, I figured that my crease brush would be just as positive.

Recently, I have really gotten heavily into brushes and can appreciate them more than ever before. I am not sure you are always able to appreciate a brush when it functions well, after all that is the point isn't it? We all can spot a brush that just isn't up to par. The brush may be shedding like crazy, be scratchy, doesn't have enough give, or too much give...there are lots of reasons why you may need/want a new brush.

Like an artist, you only want to surround yourself with outstanding tools to achieve the finest look. If you want some of the best tools than look no farther than Le Metier De Beaute's eye crease brush. The brush will cost you $45.00 and is made from both pony and goat hair. The brush can be found at high-end department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and select Nordstrom stores. They can also be found online at those stores counterparts.

The only fault I could see with these brushes is their size. They come across as travel sized brushes, which does make it easy to toss it into your luggage and go. They may be lacking in handle length, but the quality of the brush was uncomprimised. I keep my brushes in a Pyrex beaker (just like you would find at the MAC cosmetic counters) and along side my MAC brushes, these brushes tend to disappear amongst their taller counterparts. As a result, I ordered a smaller Pyrex beaker specifically to store my smaller sized brushes. Each brush comes in a velvet pouch for storage, but I find those to be pretty useless given the way I store my brushes (I like them to be out in the open so I can see them and it makes accessibility a breeze).

A great benefit to Le Metier De Beaute's kaleidoscopes is the fact that you can use one brush (in this instance their crease brush) to apply all four colors. It really does save time from having to switch to a different brush every time you apply shadow on a different part of your eye (lid, crease, the outer v, liner, etc.) The brush also feels nice in the hand and is of very high quality.

Overall, I really like this brush and would recommend it whole heartedly. I am always on the quest for the holy grail of crease brushes and ordered Edward Bess' Luxury Eye Brush ($40.00) which arrived today. I will do a future update to let you know which one I prefer.

Up-close view of the Crease Brush

My crease brush collection. From top-to-bottom: MAC 224 SE, Trish McEvoy #6 Deep Eye Contour Brush, Trish McEvoy #29 Tapered Blending Brush, Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush, and Le Metier De Beaute's  Eye Crease Brush #1

What are your must-have brushes?

Edward Bess Compact Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in 'Love Affair'

'Love Affair'

Edward Bess was a brand that I was completely unfamiliar with, that was until I became an avid beauty blog reader. I'm not sure if I should thank those or curse those for introducing me to this high-end luxury brand. Oh, what the heck I kind of like you guys so...thanks! Take it from me, once you take the plunge, his products can be very addicting.

It isn't hard to see why this beauty brand is on the receiving end of so many glowing reviews. With its sleek packaging, and well-streamed no-nonsense line these products deliver beautiful results.

I've had Edward Bess' compact rogue in 'Love Affair' for months now, and realized I never did a proper review on it.  First, let's start with the packaging. Like all of Chanel's powdered products, Edward Bess products too come in a velvet pouch. Along with the compact is the cutest mirror which comes in handy for touch-ups of the blush, or a quick swipe of gloss. Next, is the color. I love pink. I want to sing it from the mountaintops I love pink makeup so much. So naturally, I am drawn to the fushia "pinkness" of 'Love Affair'. I dab a little on my cheeks, blend and the color payoff is terrific. Finally, the staying power of these things are great. I've yet to try this during the hot summer months in Los Angeles were you feel like you are melting if you remain outside an air-conditioned building longer than 2.5 seconds. I can tell you, however, that during the winter months this rogue didn't budge.

Unfortunately, my skin is experiencing a freak out with rosacea so I've been put on an oil-in-makeup ban (strict orders from the derm.)! This rogue does contain castor seed oil (a no-no for my skin) so as I type this, this little gem sits in my beauty drawer. I've noticed a HUGE improvement in my skin over the last 4 weeks, that I hate to tempt the gods and apply this now for fear I would experience the wrath of the rosacea gods (something nobody wants).

Although I'm taking a hiatus (hopefully a short one) from this product, it doesn't taint me from highly recommending it to others. Personally, I think cream blushes look more natural and deliver more believable results than powdered blushes. Also, with all of Edward Bess' rogue's they were meant to add color to both the cheeks and lips, they are not too sticky and possess a light fruity (I really cannot put my finger on what it is exactly) smell. The smell is subtle and I quite like it, but thought it was worth noting for those that maybe sensitive to smell.

Retails for $38.00, can be found at Bergdorf Goodman in-store and on-line, in-store at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills and on-line, or edwardbess.com.

Swatch taken with two swipes of my finger.

Are you an Edward Bess fan?    

Staples everyone girl should have (or want)

Ok, we all want to know the products that we should have in our stash to make us look more Cindy Crawford less (fill in the blank to whoever you would not want to look like). So what are these magic products? Well, stop reading. I don't know, but if I did, you can bet I would be a gazillionaire. Admit it, I had you going for a nanosecond. Here is a list, however, of what I deem to be great products (take that however you want) to add to your arsenal:

A dependable sun screen

We all know how damaging the sun can be, so for me (a rosacea sufferer) sunscreen is paramount. There are two I really love.  One I really love is La Mer's The SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid. It's light, non-greasy, absorbs well and doesn't cake my makeup after applying it (I hate when that happens).  It retails for $65.00 and is pricey, but seriously this stuff lasts forever and you only need a little to go a long way. Besides, my motto is "you only have one face". What good is buying all this makeup if your skin doesn't look good? I don't spend a lot of time outdoors so the SPF of 30 is adequate for me. If you need a little more oomph and SPF power, another great sunscreen is Skinceutical's Sport Defense SPF 45. This stuff is water and sweat resistant (perfect for trips to the beach), but does go on heavier than say La Mer's SPF.

SPF 30

A really good, faithful concealer 

I happen to l-o-v-e La Mer's The Radiant Concealer with SPF 25. This is the closest thing I have found to a magic eraser. I love that I can dab some on any redness around my nose, and apply it to my under eyes and get away without having to do full on foundation (on a good day). I purchased this concealer at http://www.cremedelamer.com for $65.00. I prefer to order LaMer online, because, not only do they offer complimentary shipping, but they also include two samples with every order. Often they run promotions throwing in a generous sized sample (a terrific way to trial a new product without the commitment). Plus, you can see it comes with this concealer brush saving you--if you do not already have one.

Concealer in 'Porcelain'

A blush that makes you look you like you are not five minutes from death's door 

I love, love, love Edward Bess' compact rouge in 'Love Affair'. For $38.00 this little baby is slim enough to fit into your makeup bag without taking over and has a mirror attached! I like to dab a little on the apples of my cheeks and blend for a very pretty, flushed look. You can order Edward Bess from Neiman Marcus.

Compact Rouge in 'Love Affair'

The perfect lip balm

Hello, my name is Jenn, and I am a chapstickaholic. I've tried lots of lip balms ranging from the high end (La Mer), to the mid-range (Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment), to the drugstore variety (Burt's Bees) and the one I keep coming back to is Burt's Bees. Honestly, price point wise, nobody has anything on Burt's Bees. I buy mine at Target for $5.49 for a two pack! I know Burt's Bees will appeal to those who are all about natural cosmetics, this stuff is 100% natural and they are against animal testing (double woohoo!). Who doesn't love that?

Lip Balm

Mascara that gives the illusion you are wearing false eyelashes 

I guess I could always just wear false eyelashes, but a). I'm far too lazy, and b). my 19 month old would not be impressed (trust me). So to save me the hassle from actually wearing fake eyelashes, I turn to Le Metier De Beaute's Anamorphic Lash Mascara (for hazel eyes the aubergine color is terrific at bringing out the green). When the makeup artist first applied this to my eyes, I was floored at how good they looked. You can find this at Neiman Marcus for $34.00.

Mascara in Aubergine 

Don't forget your eyebrows!

Lastly, I am obsessed with great eyebrows, but unfortunately, I was not blessed with them. How I would kill for Camilla Belle's eyebrows! I'm dying just looking at her picture.

Camilla Belle

 Anyways, I digress...one way I try to achieve great eyebrows is by using an eyebrow gel everyday. They come in a range of colors, but I prefer the clear, that way you don't have to worry about it blurring outside your natural eyebrow arch and looking unnatural. The one I like best is Anastasia's Clear Brow Gel for $21.00, found at Nordstrom's. I like the way it holds up for most of the day and doesn't flake. Really, people, Anastasia has built a career around eyebrows, she knows what she is talking about. Here's a tip - if you are in a jam and find yourself without any brow gel, simply spray hairspray onto an old toothbrush and brush the hairs up and away--viola instant eye brow gel.

Brow Gel in Clear

What are your must haves? I love to hear about new products!