Sigma 3DHD Kabuki Brush - review

For today's review, we have an interesting brush from Sigma. Sigma describes this brush as "a multifunctional brush engineered to perfection. It was uniquely designed for all areas of the face to apply liquid, cream and powder products uniformly in every curve, crease and angle".

Kabuki brushes are my favourite to apply liquid and cream foundation. I was quite intrigued by this brush due to the shape. I find this brush, although with the interesting shape, performs just like any other kabuki brush I would use to apply foundation. The shape is good for applying foundation around the nose and then buff out. This brush retails for $24 US. If you are interested in picking up this brush, I would recommend picking it up to try out (although if you're in Australia, maybe wait for the exchange rate to get a bit better). If you like Sigma kabuki brushes, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for reading,
X

Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat - does this thing really work?

A few years ago, Sigma released the spa glove. I was never really interested in it as I thought it was kind of gimmicky. However, a beautiful friend of mine purchased this product for me a couple of months ago, and I have been testing it out since.

Sigma describes the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat as "an innovative device, featuring 7 exclusive textures to wash both eye and face brushes. The mat includes suction cups on the backside for secure placement on flat surfaces. Uniquely designed to fit most sinks". The mat promises time-saving results.

There are seven sections to the mat. The left 3 sides are for eye brushes, and the right 3 sides are for face brushes. Each side has a Wash (face or eyes), Refine Plus (face or eyes) and Rinse (face or eyes). There is also a Refine texture in the middle bottom of the mat, that can be used for both face and eye brushes. The general idea is to scrub in the wash section, rinse, then the refine section, rinse, refine plus, and rinse again.  

The mat has suction caps which means it sticks to the sink and doesn't move. This is a very handy feature.

My thoughts?
This mat is absolutely wonderful to use on brushes where you use liquid/cream products that dry and stick to the bristles of the brush. With just a bit of cleanser (I use baby shampoo) and a five second scrub on the area for the brush, brushes are very much so deep cleaned. For brushes I use with powder, the time it takes to wash the brushes isn't all too different from the method I used before, but I really recommend this for the fact that it is so quick at deep cleansing brushes that you would use for liquid or cream.

This mat retails for $32US, and I think it is completely worth the price. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who dreads washing their brushes.

Thanks for reading,
x

Top 13 of 2013

I cannot believe 2013 is at an end. This year has been one of the best years of my life, the most significant was my travels to England. For this yearly favourites, I decided to pick 13 of my favourite products I discovered in 2013 - and it was hard to narrow it down! But here it is, my top 13 of 2013!

1. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

This is probably the best purchase I've made this year, and definitely number one on my list of best products of the year (and probably my favourite palette ever). This is the perfect palette to accompany any makeup look, single eyeshadow, or palette you have. See my review of the Naked Basics here.  

2. MAC Painterly Paint Pot 

This is the best matte base I've ever tried - I don't know why I put buying this off for so long! Although my whole body is dry, I have hooded eyelids that get quite oily. This keeps everything on my lids. I don't do a makeup look without this base, and although it is on the pricier side in Australia, if you're looking for a good base that'll work, I recommend the MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.

3. Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

I've found that this year, my skin is much more dry than it has been. I slowly had to move away from powders, and venture into the world of products specified for dry skin. This isn't a holy grail foundation (I know I'll find it someday), but it is a great everyday foundation for dry skin. 

4. Essence Lash and Brow Gel

2013 was definitely the year of the eyebrow for me. This brow gel sets everything in place, and is relatively cheap - under $5. Even if you don't fill in your eyebrows or apply any product to them, it's always good to set them and smooth everything out, and I recommend this brow gel. 

5. Benefit Coralista Blush 

This is the blush that made me fall in love with blush. I absolutely adore this blush, and since then have tried incorporating blush in my everyday routine (something I never really did). On paler skins this is beautiful, and on darker skins it is beautiful. I love this blush.

6. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

My Seche Vite is basically all gone, but this is the greatest top coat I have ever used. It dries super fast, is glossy, and everything I want in a topcoat. I highly recommend this product if you haven't tried it yet! 

7. Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Perfume 

This is one of my perfume favourites of 2013. I picked this up on my way back from England at Heathrow, and I absolutely adore this perfume. I'll probably invest in the original parfum next time, but I love the scent of this. I love floral scents! 

8. YSL Parisienne Perfume

I've included two perfumes because this was the year I ventured out into different scents. Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf is my all-time favourite scent, but when I got a sample of this earlier in the year I had to buy it. I purchased this a week or so before I went to England, so every time I wear this perfume I'm reminded of that time away, and this is definitely a scent I'd purchase over and over again. 

9. Lush Dreamwash Shower Smoothie

For when my eczema flares up, I love this stuff for in the shower. It's like a clay almost, and is super soothing. 

10. Daiso Puff and Sponge Cleaner 

This is the greatest thing to clean makeup sponges. For regular brushes, I find it mediocre, but it just sucks liquid makeup out of brushes. 

11. Sigma Small Angle E65 Brush 

This is the only brush I will use in my brows. It is much smaller than the other angle brushes I own, and is perfect for filling in brows. I think I'll need to invest in another one soon, because I also adore this brush for gel eyeliner, or black eyeshadow on the lash line. 

12. Sleek Face Form Palette in Light 

This palette (at least the contour) has seen better days! The contour is absolutely lovely for my light skin, the highlighter is also nice. My only vice with this palette is the blush - on light skin tones, I really can't work this. When I was in England, my cousin who is dark skinned used it and it looked phenomenal on her! But on me, no! However, I'd recommend this palette just for the contour alone - I love it.

See my review of the palette here.

13. Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze (Bad to the Bronze)

This was a purchase I made in England. I've been a fan of the Colour Tattoos since they came to Australia in late 2012, and although this has been a favourite, I never picked it up until I was in England - another product I put off buying for so long!

And those are my top 13 of 2013. Happy New Year everyone, see you in 2014!

September Favourites

I can't believe it's the end of September already! Where is this year going? On to my favourites!

Napoleon Perdis The One Concealer 
I don't know what it is (maybe stress of uni), but my bags have been bad this month. I purchased this peach coloured concealer during August when my friends got me a gift card for Napoleon Perdis, and this works wonders for cancelling out any bags and blues under the eye around my eye (it gets pretty bad in the inner corner). This isn't a concealer but a corrector, and you need the smallest amount of this. I use this almost daily, especially when I'm super stressed or haven't had enough sleep. Love this product!

Sigma E65 Small Angle Brush 
This is my brush of choice for applying powder to my brows, and I love it. Not much else to say!

Urban Decay Naked Palette 
I went a little backwards with my Naked Palette purchasing, and bought the Naked 2 before the original Naked Palette. The Naked 2 will always have a soft spot in my heart, but lately I really have been reaching for this palette (which has both surprised me but pleased me!)

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumising Mascara 
I think I got this mascara two weeks ago, but every day since, I have loved using it. It's great to use in combination with other mascaras, or on it's own.

Garnier BB Cream Combination to Oily Skin in Light 
This was a product I was meant to include in last months favourites, and I completely forgot to do so! When the original Garnier BB Cream was realised last year, I bought it with high hopes and was disappointed. I find it too orange for me. This BB Cream, though targeted for oily/combination skin, gets a lot of love and attention in the beauty blogging/vlogging world, so I decided to pick it up and try it out. I absolutely love this! For good skin days (which haven't been many lately) this is an awesome product. Although designed for oily/combo skin, it is still a moisturising product and it works on my dry skin fairly well. This is in the light colour, but unlike the original I own in light, this is fairly light and not orange at all!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla
This is another product I was sucked into buying, expecting great things and being disappointed. I don't know why I was, because this is a lovely foundation, but when I first bought it a couple of months ago, it didn't live up to what I thought it would be. However, this month I have been loving this foundation! It's not super coverage, but it is a nice foundation.

Savvy by DB Smooth Finish Primer 
While I don't find this primer one that will make your make up last all day and then some, I do find this a nice moisturising primer to smooth my skin before applying foundation, especially on days my skin is feeling super dry.

Benefit Coralista Blush 
This blush has shimmer in it, which I thought I wouldn't like. But it is the most subtle, gorgeous looking blush I have ever seen and now I look forward to applying this blush! (I never thought I'd say that!!). This blush has really made me fall in love with blush, and I think I need to add another Benefit blush to my collection! What Benefit blushes do you recommend?

(L to R: Napoleon Perdis The One Concealer, Benefit Coralista Blush) 

And those are my favourites for this month! Thanks for reading!

April Favourites

I'm going to try not repeat products in my favourites consecutively, but let's be real - some products are just always going to be my favourite.

Beauty:

Too Faced Matte Eye Palette
I've had this palette for about a year, and it's sad to say I've only just started appreciating it - because the Midnight eyeshadow has become a perfect colour to lightly fill my eyebrows in.

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream
THIS SMELLS LIKE HEAVEN. It soothes my lips, but honestly every time I open it I go to heaven because it smells amazing. The only complaint I have about this product is the packaging - but honestly, it doesn't bother me that much - it's just not all too hygienic.

Sigma Small Angle E65 Brush
I love this brush to apply powder the brows. It is perfect. I think I'm going to have to purchase a back up of this brush.

NARS Laguna Bronzer 
I'm very happy I added this bronzer to my collection this month, and I have been using it on a daily basis since I got it. It's not completely matte, which does bother me a little, but for bronzing as opposed to contouring (still loving my Sleek Face Form for contouring) it is wonderful.

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Foundation in 150 Buff
This may be my new holy grail foundation, I'm not going to lie. It is so easy to apply, the coverage is great and the colour match is good. It's the first foundation I'd be comfortable to wear without setting or applying powder on top, because it is so seamless. I love to apply this with my fingers or a brush. I just love this foundation! I have the original Revlon ColorStay liquid foundation in the same colour, and I really didn't like it. This, however, I love.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush
This is my holy grail dry shampoo. I may as well include it in a favourites ;) It does it's job well, and the smell is amazing.

Edward Beale Argon Oil Leave-in Treatment
I've been using this product for about four months and I still have quite a bit left. I put it in my ends specifically every time I wash my hair, and it leaves my hair smooth and for some reason I love the smell of this stuff! I would recommend this leave-in treatment and it's fairly cheap from Priceline.

MAC Brule Eyeshadow
This has recently become an eyeshadow I can't live without. It's a perfect allover lid colour, and brow highlight. It's matte, which I prefer in a brow highlight (not the biggest fan of shimmer).

YSL Parisienne Perfume
I received two samples of this when I bought my YSL lipstick recently, and I am hooked on this smell. I'm going to have to buy a full size of this, but it won't be until after I go overseas... although it goes on sale in a few days at Priceline and I just received my Sisterclub voucher so I may have to purchase it...

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer
I bought this primer last year and I loved it. I was in Target earlier this month and they had a sale on Maybelline cosmetics so I decided to pick this up again. I love this primer. It is silicone based, and I like to use it especially on my t-zone.

Random:

Lm Candles 
If you live around Sydney, I HIGHLY recommend my friends at Lm Candles. I'm a little bias as I personally know the girls, but their candles smell divine and they are always adding new scents. I've just finished burning a Watermelon candle, and the one pictured above is Grape. If you love candles (who doesn't) please check out their facebook page. You won't regret it ;)

Tegan and Sara
Their new album Heartthrob is just on repeat, always. I saw them at Groovin the Moo on Sunday in Canberra (for the third time!) and it was amazing just like the first two times. You need to check them out. NEED.

Favourite Brushes

I just gave my brushes a wash, so I thought it was a good time to make a post about my favourite brushes. This post will cover face and eye brushes.

Face brushes (L to R):

Revlon Blush/Contour Brush - I got this brush in a Revlon set ages ago, and I'm not too sure of the name. I prefer this brush for contouring, as it is significantly smaller than the Sigma F40 (Large Angled Contour Brush) that I also own. 

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush - For the longest time, this was my favourite brush to apply liquid foundation with. I've had it for over a year, and now it does have a bit of shedding, particularly when I wash it. I still love this brush, and I use it in conjuction with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush I will mention below. 

Nude By Nature Kabuki Brush - I was on the hunt for a kabuki brush, and while in Priceline with a friend a couple of months ago she pointed out a set of brushes that Nude By Nature had, and it was only $30! The kabuki brush was enough to convince me to purchase it, and I'm so glad I did! I use this brush to apply powder, and it is a dream. It is so soft, blends well, and looks flawless. It is definitely my favourite brush of the set. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush - When I received my last quarter voucher from Priceline, I decided to purchase the Real Techniques Core Collection, as it was the one that appealed to me most! I'm so glad I did, this brush has been a real favourite in applying liquid foundation since I purchased the kit!

Real Techniques Contour Brush - Contouring my face is probably one of my favourite steps in a completed makeup look. This brush is amazing. It is a small domed brush, that makes applying contour in the cheeks a dream. 

Eye brushes (L to R):

NP Set Crease Blender Brush - This brush is wonderful. I have quite small eyelids, and this is a great blending brush for all over lid colour, and to focus colour in a particular place.
Urban Decay Doubled Ended Shadow and Blending Brush - I received this brush with my Naked 2 Palette, and for the longest time I used this brush for a completed eye look. It is a great multitasking brush, and it is still an essential when I'm doing an eye look.
Sigma E65 Small Angle Brush - This brush is wonderful to use when filling in your eyebrows.
Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush - Best. Blending. Brush. Ever. I love this brush. It does look a little big, but it is a wonderful blending brush.
Sigma E55 Eye Shading Brush - I use this to pack colour all over the lid.
Sigma E30 Pencil Brush - The day I discovered pencil brushes was a good day. They are good for crease work, and with small eyelids, they are wonderful. This is my all-time favourite pencil brush. If you don't have one in your collection, I recommend getting one!

And those are my favourite brushes! What are your favourites? :)