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? 

An Introduction To Le Metier De Beaute's Fall/Winter Releases for 2011

I know when I think of fall I conjure up images of leaves changing colors, pumpkin patches, and  curling up by a fire sipping hot chocolate (brimmed full with marshmallows naturally). Autumn is hands down my favorite time of the year. I adore the cooler temperatures, the warmth of a sweater, and the deeper color palette fall lends itself too. I always look forward to fall cosmetics and this year is no exception. Le Metier was kind enough to give me press images of their spectacular fall/winter releases to share with you my readers! After drooling over these images am I the only one sad that it's not even Labor Day yet? I know I will be first in line to try out some of these what are sure to be sure fire successes at the cosmetic counter.

Starting with the Bordeaux Collection - a collaboration between the makeup geniuses of Le Metier and Neiman Marcus' Fashion Director, Ken Downing (I wonder how many of you are sporting his iconic Kontagious Koral's as I type this?) part 2.  Check out these wine inspired matching lip sticks and nail lacquers each set will cost $49.00.   

Ken Red My Lips (lip stick),  Gypsy Rose Me (nails)

Ken's Wine on the Vine (lip stick), Ken's Bodacious Bordeaux (nail polish) 

I'm Worn This Way (lip stick),  Vintage Ken (nails) 

Shh, if you listen really carefully you will hear all three of those nail lacquers calling my name! These will be available in September. 

Next up is their fall/winter collection slated to hit stores in late August! You can already see that some lucky ladies have had the pleasure of seeing these beauties first hand, such as Perilously Pale , The Black Panties and Messy Wands be sure to check out their blogs for more information.  

The Silk Road Kaleidoscope Eye Kit

The East Meets West Nail Lacquer Collection

The Empress Kaleidoscope Lip Kit 

The suggested retail price for each kaleidoscope is $95.00 and the suggested retail price for nail polishes are $10.00 each. Raise your hand if you are as excited for this collection to hit stores as I am? Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go will the summer away.  

*All images courtesy of Le Metier De Beaute*

Le Metier De Beaute Giveaway! Win a Creme Fresh Tint

As my way of saying "thank you" to all my lovely readers I'll be sponsoring a Le Metier De Beaute giveaway! I feel everyone deserves to have a little luxury known as Le Metier in their life! The prize will be 1 Poppy Creme Fresh Tint!!

First things first, leave me a comment telling me what your #1 beauty find is (the Brand and item name please) and your email address. If you do not feel comfortable leaving your email address under the comments you can always email me your address at contest@hopelesslydevotedtomakeup.com, so I can notify the winner!  

You can earn a second entry by following me on Google Friends Connect.


You can earn a third entry by following me on Twitter under Devoted2makeup


A fourth entry can be earned by retweeting my contest. Make sure to include "@devoted2makeup" in your tweet. Only one tweet will count as your entry.

A fifth entry can be earned by following my blog on Bloglovin under HopelesslyDevotedtoMakeup

This contest is open to anyone anywhere, I'll ship internationally (although I'll need your help on what to put on the customs form to ensure it gets to you properly).

Make sure you email me contest@hopelesslydevotedtomakeup.com telling each of the ways you entered and don't forget to include your email adress!

The deadline is Augst 10th, midnight Pacific Standard Time. On August 11th I will announce the winner using random.org. The winner will then have 48 hours to get back to me with their shipping address. Check your junk mail folder too! If I do not hear from the winner within the 48 hour period they will have forfeited the prize and a new winner will be chosen again using random.org.com

Again, a HUGE thank you to all my readers for giving me great feedback and for taking the time to read my blog, comment and email me. I appreciate all of you! xoxoxo

Good Luck! 

NOTD Le Metier De Beaute Midnight Rendezvous Swatches and Review

Midnight Rendezvous

From left to right: Chrome Passion, True Romance, Heat of the Night, and Midnight Rendezvous

The color is photographing black but it leans more deep blue/navy in the proper light

This color was calling my name. Seriously, this color is so me. I am a sucker for a dark blue polish with sheen. I was so happy to see this particular color included in the insanely bargain collection known as Rock 'n' Romance for Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale ($25.00 for a set of 4 Le Metier De Beaute polishes!). These polishes normally retail for $10.00 each but when you buy the set you are saving $15.00 and getting four incredible colors.

The application was smooth and I decided I was happy with the coverage after only one coat which is practically unheard of for me (usually I am a two coats of polish type of girl). I cannot attest to the wear time of this polish because to be frank all polishes chip on me within two days anyways. I sort of anticipate it by now, that is why I prefer to buy polishes so I can conveniently do touchup's at home and not feel like I wasted my cash on a manicure.

Bottom line: Run, don't walk to your Nordstrom's to snatch up these polishes. I'm already contemplating buying another set because I love Midnight Rendezvous so much! Rock on!

Nordstrom exclusive and limited edition polishes in honor of Nordstrom's Anniversary sale. Retails for $25.00 for a set of four 0.14 fl. oz. of polish.

Will you be buying Rock 'n' Romance? 

How To Achieve A Flawless Face

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in #05

I have found my holy grail foundation and the ironic thing is I wasn't even looking for one. I think the same can be said for dating when you least expect it, BAM! you fall in love. Boy, have I fallen hard for this foundation.

Let me just start off by saying that I have nice skin. I don't mean that in a bragging sense of the word, but more like let me lay my cards out here and be honest with you. I don't need a full-coverage foundation (thanks Mom and Dad!). In fact, prior to wearing this foundation, it had been years since I wore liquid foundation (I used one from MAC and cannot even recall the name of it) at all. I was more of a dab of concealer here and there person. For days I craved more coverage I turned to my trusty tinted moisturizers by La Mer and Le Metier (hello Peau Vierge). I was so happy with them that I didn't need or even want more coverage.

Here is how I achieve the perfect complexion:

I use Le Metier De Beaute's Classic Flawless Finish Concealer SPF 18 ($55.00) under my eyes and around my nose, then I use my Le Metier De Beaute Large Concealer Brush ($50.00) to blend in any concealer. Next, I use my Armani Silk Foundation ($59.00) and pump two pumps onto my Angled Foundation Brush by LMDB ($50.00) and blend until I see no more streaks. I finish off with light dusting of Le Metier's Classic Finish Loose Powder ($50.00) using my Burberry kabuki brush ($52.00). Then, I finish up with curling my lashes and applying mascara (at this point my eye shadow is already applied) and work on bronzer if I'm in the mood for it or blush using you could probably already guess it my LMDB Blush Brush (not pictured for $55.00). My finishing step is always, always, a spritz of Evian water to "set" my makeup!

Bonuses:

• oil-free
• feels weightless
• provides light-medium coverage
• great staying-power 
• comes in a wide range of colors

Negatives:

• it's pricey
• you need a separate brush to apply it (this isn't really a negative as much as par for the course with liquid foundation). 

My Burberry kabuki, My LMDB angled foundation brush, concealer brush, concealer and loose powder and Giorgio Armani foundation. 

 Luminous Silk Foundation in Shade #05

The foundation rubbed into my arm - it really is the perfect match!
*Just for reference I'm considered MAC NW20*

While using my handy tools and the above mentioned products I really have been achieving air-brushed finishes and I could not be more pleased!

This is serious holy grail territory here! Please share your holy grails with me!

NOTD: Le Metier De Beaute's Vintage Plum Nail Lacquer Review and Swatches

Sometimes good things come in small packages like this gem of a polish....

It has been awhile since I properly did my nails and this little nail polish was just begging to adorn my fingers. It looked so cute just sitting in my clear cube that I didn't even need to wear it to get my enjoyment out of it. I did remember how fabulous it looked on my nails after a quick swatch at the counter in Neiman Marcus and decided the time had come to wear Le Metier's Vintage Plum nail polish (cue the angels singing!).

With a name like 'Vintage Plum' you expect a deep dark, moody purple and that is exactly what you get! This color is so pretty and just shines when the sun hits it just so, preventing it from looking dull and lifeless. Add a quick top coat of Seche Vite and you are good to go!

The little bottle it comes in is just so darn cute that I want to collect them all because they make me ridiculously happy just looking at their chic crystal packaging. It also bears repeating that their nail polishes are all three free and fortified with protein strengtheners making the polish good for your nails!

To find out more about the polish you can find previous reviews I have done here and here.

Vintage Plum as shown  

Two coats of Vintage Plum and a one coat of Seche Vite

Please excuse the sorry state of my cuticles! 

My LMDB nail lacquers collection

Retails for $15.00 (their new summer colors recently experienced a price drop down to $10.00 but the older colors still retail for $15.00) and can be purchased at high-end department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and select Nordstrom's, or online at http://www.neimanmarcus.com/. 

A Mini Haul

Today has been a long day and I'm about to go drag my tired butt to bed, but before I do I wanted to show you a sneak peak of a mini haul. I've indulged in a little retail therapy as of late and here is a picture as proof! I will review each product later but for now I leave you with....

What have your latest beauty purchases been? 

The Best Beauty Tools Part 1

We all can get caught up in the allure of a new cosmetic collection and be swept away by a palette full of tempting colors whether it be plums, taupes, or berries and we start fantasizing about the myriad of color combinations we can create with that makeup.

In reality, tools will take you farther than color and makeup alone. It can additionally help you achieve the look you want in a more polished manner.

Here is an overview of what I deem to be some of the best beauty tools:

• Le Metier De Beaute Eye Lash Curler ($18.00) was just reviewed here for my May favorites. This eye lash curler does not crease, is easy to use and and really helps your lashes maintain its curl. Shu who? 

• MAKE UP FOREVER Double Eye Pencil Sharpener ($7.00) - it accomodates both small and large pencils, the blades are sharp and gives my pencil a sharp edge without breakage, and it is easy to clean. After my Trish McEvoy sharpener crapped out on me, I was in the market for a new one and this sharpener fulfills all my sharpening needs, plus it's sturdy. 

• Le Meier De Beaute Concealer Brush  ($50.00) wide and easy to use with synthetic bristles. It was love at first stroke when I went to order this brush, there was little to no reviews on it so I felt like I was taking a gamble (a small one, but one nonetheless). I am so pleased that I have this brush and it is now my favorite! 

• MAC's #227 Brush ($30.00) I don't talk about MAC on here a lot, I went through my MAC phase but haven't stepped foot in a MAC Cosmetic store in several months. This large fluff brush is labeled under MAC's eye brush section, but I actually use this for my powdered highlighter and sweep it gingerly on top of my cheek bones. I like the size of the bristles and find that the size works perfectly for larger area like my cheek bones and the side of my eyes to blend my makeup out (a trick I picked up from watching Tiffany D.'s makeup tutorials on YouTube).   

• Le Metier De Beaute Peau Vierge Lash Growth Serum ($95.00) I'll do a future post on this with pictures and everything, but in the mean time I wanted to talk about this fabulous serum. I was skeptic at first but that skepticism went out the window after about three weeks of use and I woke up to fuller, lusher looking eye lashes. I don't know a single lady that doesn't want fuller lashes, so this is something to consider if you were aching for lash lusciousness. :)

• Evian Facial Spray ($10.00) I'm not sure what category this would really fall under, it's not makeup so I'm putting it here under tools. I use this spray every day after applying my makeup to help it "set". I also will take this with me when I travel and use a "TSA Approved travel size" on the plane, when I feel like my face is so parched from the dry, stifling cabin air. For $10.00 I always have a bottle or two of this stuff in my arsenal. 

• Trish McEvoy Finish Line ($24.00) this incredible dropper contains a waterproof formula that can take your shadows from eye shadow to a liquid liner that won't budge or smudge!   

• Deborah Lippmann The Stripper Nail Polish Remover ($18.00) I've talked about my love for this polish remover back in March, here (who knew one could love a polish remover so much?!) but really it smells good thanks to the lavender addition and makes removing those stubborn glitter nail polishes a breeze! It also comes in a convenient twist cap making it safe for storage and a pump applicator that dispense the right amount of remover! Now that really is special. 

 There are more tools that I have not mentioned and am saving for part 2's installment. I've just wanted to do this post for awhile now and share with you some of favorite my beauty tools. 

What are some of your favorite tools?  

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.

EOTD Le Metier De Beaute Penelope

I just happened to be walking through utopia the cosmetic section of Newport Beach's Neiman Marcus when who do I stumble upon, but none other than the fabulous Kayla from Le Metier. You know, the charismatic brunette who does all those fabulous Le Metier Youtube videos we are all fascinated by, and also widely known by Twitter followers.

I was greeted with a great and warm response. I'll admit I was a bit starstruck shy to meet her. I was immediately put at ease by her down-to-earth attitude. We conversed about makeup and Le Metier as if we were old friends.

The best part was sitting in her chair and having her do my makeup! I was so excited to see the look she created on me unfold in front of my eyes. First, she lined my lower lid with Le Metier's Dualistic Eye Pencil in 'Tamarack' and smudged it onto my eyes. Then she used their 'Penelope' kaleidoscope and applied 'Black Emerald' and put it over my lid focusing on the lower half. Then, she skipped to 'Satin Amethyst' and blended the dark, forest green in with the lavender (that alone was beautiful). She then applied my favorite shade, 'Bronze Topaz', and finished off blending in 'Blonde Amber'. She lined my waterline with 'Tamarack' and applied some of the color below the eyelid as well. She mentioned that you need the bottom of the eye to reflect the top of the eye for balance. I thought that was a really good makeup tip and something worth passing on to those with these wonderful kaleidoscopes. She then used their Precision Liquid Eyeliner in 'Noir' to make the smallest line along my lashes over the 'Tamarack' pencil. The finishing touch was Le Metier's Anamorphic Lash Mascara in 'Midnight Blue' (which is now on my wish list). That complimented the green and purple from the kaleidoscope so well. Afraid of color I am not and I really loved the dramatic effect she created for me. I think it really brought out my eye color!

Onto the rest of my face. She touched up my Peau Vierge in the lightest shade and used their Classic Flawless Finish Concealer in shade number 6 (they do not go in order from lightest to darkest), then used their Blushing Bronzed Duet in 'Travita' to bring out my cheekbones.

(Sorry, Kayla if I missed a step. I really hope I didn't. I was enjoying myself too much to pay full attention to the details of it all).

It was also a delight to see how much fun Kayla was having doing her "job" - she really came to life applying my makeup and it was a real pleasure sitting in her chair and "playing". I encourage anyone who is fortunate to live near her (she travels to throughout the West Coast frequently) to go pay her a visit. I'm so glad I worked up the courage to introduce myself -- she even recognized me (*blushes*). I seriously could not stop staring at my makeup. I just wish I could do half as good of a job as she did!

Here are the pics of the finished look:

Close-up shot

With my eyes open, doesn't the color pop?

I promise this looked so much better in person. This was also taken with a flash and I'm sure that washed the coloring out a bit.

Thanks again, Kayla! 

Le Metier de Beaute's Midnight Sky Eye Shadow

'Midnight Sky'

Le Metier De Beaute's True Color Eye Shadow in 'Midnight Sky' ($30.00) was not a color I was at all familiar with. While looking on Neiman's website for swatches I skimmed right past it because on the computer screen it looks like a mid-tone brown. Brown it is not. I was encouraged to try this color from the very talented and lovely Kayla known by many loyal Le Metier Twitter followers.

Like me, she has hazel eyes and per her recommendation on colors that she uses, suggested 'Midnight Sky' for me. Already a mega fan of 'Sugar Plum' (that is hands-down my favorite out of all of the Le Metier De Beaute shadows) I was game for it's color cousin.

At first glance, I was very pleased with the color. The color is nothing short of beautiful. One complaint is that it is so similar to 'Sugar Plum', the redundancy is not necessary (especially given the 10's of other colors I am currently lusting after). In fact, I put 'Sugar Plum' on one eye and 'Midnight Sky' on the other and even I could not tell the difference! 'Midnight Sky' is deeper in the pan with black undertones and 'Sugar Plum' is a lighter navy with pink and purple sparkles in it, but on the eye they look painfully similar.

A word of caution when applying this shadow you will definitely want to apply your eye makeup first  and then the rest of your "face", as the fall out from this shadow is immense. I was walking past a row of mirrors today in a home improvement warehouse and noticed the glitter on my cheeks! Eeeks! I must admit, as much as I hate to write anything less than a glowing review for anything Le Metier, this shadow for some odd reason fell flat of my admittedly high expectations. It wasn't very pigmented on the lids and applied chalky and was sandy to the touch as well.

I would say purchase this if you are wanting a deeper navy with shimmer and missed out on Splendid Frost (the holiday 2010 kaleidoscope). I am actually gifting this to my sister who has blue eyes and this really makes her baby blues pop! So sister = 1, my wallet = 0.

'Sugar Plum' is on the left on 'Midnight Sky' is to the right

'Sugar Plum' on the left and again 'Midnight Sky'  is to the right.

'Midnight Sky' on the left and 'Sugar Plum' on the right. This picture best demonstrates the differences but this was with two generous swipes of my finger.  You can see how jerky the 'Midnight Sky' looks here as well. 

For those that own 'Midnight Sky' was this your experience with this shade as well? I wonder if mine was just part of a bad batch? 

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?

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?

EOTD: Le Metier De Beaute's Penelope

Here are two quick pics of me wearing Penelope Kaleidoscope ($95.00), one with the eyes open and another with my eyes closed to show the gradient of the colors.

I had fun using this kaleidoscope and here is one way that I wore the eyeshadow today:

Black Emerald was used as a liner at the lash line, Blonde Amber was used over the entire lid, while Pale Satin Amythest was used on the lower lid, Bronze Topaz was blended into the crease. I did not use Le Metier De Beaute's "couches de couleur" layering concept for this look. I thought it was nice to show a different way to wear this beautiful kaleidoscope of colors that was more appropriate for day time.

Other products that I used to achieve this eye look include - Le Metier De Beaute's Brow Bound Eyebrow Pencil ($36.00) in 'Fawn', and Le Metier's Anamorphic Lash Mascara ($34.00) in 'Aubergine'.

*All products can be purchased online or in-store at Neiman Marcus, and online or in select Nordstroms.*      

Le Metier De Beaute's Kaleidoscope Penelope

'Penelope'

I unwittingly have been on a Le Metier De Beaute bandwagon lately, mainly due to the fact that it makes up the largest bulk of my makeup collection. I just received Le Metier's 'Penelope' yesterday after being fortunate to win her in a contest. I was so excited to show her off to you guys that I've yet to do much beyond take pictures and do swatches. I was having a bit of an off day today and didn't apply any makeup at all. I will be going into Beverly Hills tomorrow and I look forward to seeing the effect that 'Penelope' gives once applied to the eyes. I need to take her out for a proper spin on the town. 

'Penelope' is part of le Metier De Beaute's Spring/Summer 2011 collection. The whole collection was inspired by the Mediterranean. Colors from top-to-bottom are: Blonde Amber (a warm gold), Pale Satin Amethyst (a cool iced-lavender), Bronze Topaz (a warm tinged gold), and the stellar Black Emerald (a cool forest green). The end results is indescribably depending on if you layer from top-to-bottom (like in the picture) or bottom-to-top or any combo in-between.

I feel as if 'Penelope' was designed for me. I have hazel eyes and like to bring out the "green-ness" of my eyes, so I naturally gravitate towards colors that will facilitate this like golds and purples.

Le Metier takes great pride in the finely-quartered milled eye shadows that are greatly pigmented and blendable. The beauty lies in how you can build the colors up for dramatic effect or layer a single color for a more natural, simple eye. When you layer the colors, ala, "couches de couleur" the color does not get lost amongst the mix, but instead creates a stunningly beautiful effect. I like that this concept is for even the most makeup-challenged. I also appreciate that you can use one brush dipped into all four colors and not have to worry about which brush is good for a specific area on the eye. This is not only a time saver but a money saver as well (Le Metier's crease brush retails for $45.00).   

'Penelope' is beginning to trickle into stores and retails for $95.00.

Blonde Amber - inspired by the sandy beaches

Pale Satin Amethyst - reflective of the sun during dusk

Bronze Topaz - the sun at sunset

Black Emerald - inspired by the jewel tone of the ocean

Finger Swatches - All swatches done with one swipe of the finger except for Black Emerald, which was done with two (because the first time a) it was a bad swipe and b) the color was more sheer when compare to the other colors

'Penelope' on fingertips used to demonstrate how pigmented these colors really are! 

All Le Metier De Beaute's kaleidoscope have a flip top mirror

Penelope Label

*None of the photos were enhanced to show the true nature of these colors*

Will you be purchasing 'Penelope'?