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? 

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?  

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?

Trish McEvoy's Luxury Leather Planner in 'Cappucino'

Trish McEvoy Luxury Planner

"Be still my beating heart!"

It was as if my head could not comprehend what it was seeing leopard + makeup organization + Trish McEvoy? "Yes", "yes", and more "yes"! I spotted this beauty well over a year and a half ago, but was only able to appreciate her from afar. I was so on board with this planner perched proudly up on the shelf of the Trish McEvoy counter that I was already sold before the SA could place her in my hands. When I asked to see it and saw that it was red inside it was beyond perfection (leopard print and red together, you need to stop). Then, I saw the price, it was a whopping $400.00 and limited edition so I paused right there and sadly handed it back to the kind sales associate. Well, that happened 18 months ago and every time I strolled through that same Bloomingdale's cosmetic section I would see the planner and feel giddy inside knowing it was still there. It was as if it waiting it were waiting for the day we could be reunited. Then, one day I was there and the planner wasn't. I knew that it had only meant that some other lucky lady was enjoying my the planner. Still, every time I would pass a Trish McEvoy counter I would keep my eyes peeled, hoping to spot another planner, but I didn't. I was resolved to know that the planner was limited edition and just was not fated to be mine.

It wasn't until Mother's Day rolled around that I dreamed of owning that leopard planner. I diligently did my research online but could not yield any results. It was as if all the Trish McEvoy planners had been pulled off the market? Was this a cruel joke? I  slyly pointed my husband in the right direction and let him do the rest. Being the worlds greatest husband and daddy he was able to track one down and get it for me!!! After all what do you buy the beauty blogging mother of your child if not the epitome of cosmetic elegance?!? I like to think that the planner I have now resting comfortably in my bedroom, is the same planner I lovingly clutched 18 months prior. I suppose it was fate all along!

Calf hair and red leather lining

Planner with removable pouch for all those Trish McEvoy goodies!

This planner was tracked down at Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Desert, CA. I want to thank my hubby, baby, and the lovely sales associates at Trish McEvoy that helped locate this planner. I will be sure to treasure this for years to come.

Happy Mother's Day to all the unselfish mom's who tirelessly do the best we can - I salute you!