Brush Cleaning #3: The Deep Cleanse

And now, for the final installment of my brush cleaning series, I give you the big guns...the DEEP CLEANSE! If you're interested in parts one and two then feel free to check them out HERE and HERE.

It's a fact of a makeup addict's life that all that slap creates a bit of a mess as far as brushes are concerned, and it's important that we treat those brushes well - they're the tools of our trade and must be looked after! So, unless you apply your makeup with a trowel (in which case I suggest you use surgical spirit to clean it), then you've got to choose a cleanser that will suit your brushes rather than damage them.  A quick google or YouTube search will bring up a million and one different products which people wear are the best, and I have no doubt that maybe some are better than my method, but I'm just going to share with you my choice of product and method of giving my brushes a little tlc.

Johnson's baby shampoo is my preferred cleansing agent; it's gentle but effective and it doesn't have too much extra fluff and stuff (by fluff and stuff I obviously mean nasty chemicals and exotic scents!) it's also cheap which is a massive bonus in my eyes! 

Before you begin 'the big cleanse' you might want to prepare the area that you're going to use to dry your brushes.  Ideally you want to allocate the edge of a work top/dresser/table and place a towel along the edge, this way you can leave your brushes to dry really easily without waving around wet brushes as you fumble about one handedly trying to get your towel and then lay it out (I speak from experience or so I've been told)

Next up, gather all your dirty brushes, I keep mine in an old mug (it was a sad day when the mammoth crack appeared but I knew it's life wasn't over yet!) and take them to your sink of choice along with the Johnson's baby shampoo.

Then for the fun part! Rinse your brush under warm water, not hot but warm - it's important because hot water could melt the glue in the ferrule (the metal bit between the handle and the bristles) and this would cause your brush hairs to shed or your whole brush to fall apart! Another important thing to note, is that you need to keep the brush angled down at all times, again this is to prevent water from going into the ferrule and ruining your brush.

Once your brush is nicely wet take a pump of the shampoo (vary the amount based on what size brush you have and which products it has been used with - eyeshadow brush with light eyeshadow will require hardly any whereas kabuki style foundation brush that's been used for a week or so will use quite a lot of product) onto the palm of your spare hand (the one that doesn't have a brush in it!).  

Then gently start to swirl your brush in the shampoo so that it creates a nice foamy lather, the lather should be the colour of whatever product you're washing off the brush - it's ever so satisfying! You can rinse and repeat as many times as it takes before the lather is pure white, and believe me, some brushes will have you there for a while but don't give up because you'll get there in the end!

It's very important to rinse all the shampoo from your brush once it's squeaky clean, so I rinse and then swirl it on my hand again to see if any soap bubbles appear and keep rinsing until when swirled nothing happens.  With larger brushes, don't be afraid to pull the excess water from the brush, so run you hand in a clenched motion down the brush and over the hairs to get off any excess water, and just keep rinsing until the water is clear.  

Then give your brushes a final squeeze to get the bulk of the water out.

You're now ready to lay all your brushes out.  It's important to give them room, they shouldn't be touching because this could effect the shape that they dry into and nobody wants a deformed brush if they can help it.  This is also the reason why it's so important to leave the brushes overhanging the edge of a table, this way they don't end up with one flat side.  

The drying time will depend on the size of the brush, the density of the hairs, and the material the hairs are made from.  A small synthetic brush like the Real Techniques deluxe crease brush will only take about half an hour to dry, whereas the larger ones like The Body Shop face and body brush and the bdellium 957 will probably take a day or so.

Wait until they're all completely dry before putting them back in their usual storage or using them, and then relax and enjoy how wonderfully soft they are (it's ok, I wont judge you for giving your face a bit of a stroke with them, we've all been there!!)

I hope this was helpful, and I'm sorry it was such a long post!! 

xxx

Brush Cleaning #1 - Making life easy for yourself

Cleaning your makeup brushes is essential if you want to look after your brushes, care for your skin, and get the best from your makeup.  That said, it's a bit of a chore and although I find it therapeutic and love the feeling of looking at all your clean brushes drying, it's still sometimes just something I'd rather not have to do!

But, if we've got to do it, and honestly, we really do, then I like to make it as easy as possible.  

Bdellium Tools 957

Review: Bdellium Tools Smoky Eyes Brush Set

As promised, here is my review of the Bdellium Tools "Smoky Eyes" 5pc. Brush Set.  I've got the Mineral Set ad the Foundation one too but I thought one set at a time was the best way to do these reviews.

I'm an idiot and didn't notice that an extra brush had slipped in - there are only 5 in the set  just to clarify.

Panic Buying: Guilty!

Some people panic buy petrol, some food, but for me it's makeup brushes! Some people might see this as tragic, but I am also sure that I am not alone, there must be more people out there who can empathise with me?! 

This purchase is from Shop Louella, which has been created by the wonderful Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter and Zoe from Zoella, in their shop they are aiming to only sell the things that they love - a selection of their favourites if you will.  Currently they are only stocking makeup brushes, bdellium tools green bamboo brushes to be precise but I do believe they have plans to eventually stock more wonderful cosmetics (dear wallet, I apologise in advance).  I purchased the 5 piece 'Smokey Eye' set when they first launched the shop, but I thought I'd be good and wait before purchasing any more as to be honest I don't NEED them.  This all changed however, when Louise mentioned that they were running dangerously low on stock and weren't going to be getting more in for a while - cue me literally scrambling around, checking my bank balance and deciding I couldn't afford them placing an order - I kid you not, I was like a woman possessed (how many times have you heard me say this in relation to makeup related purchases? I must get a grip).  For once though, I have not suffered from shoppers remorse, I just felt very satisfied and excited to see that they had arrived in their gorgeous bright coral envelope.  And if, for any reason, the guilt comes to haunt me, I can easily swipe it away because bdellium tools are basically impossible to get hold of in the UK, so it isn't as though I could get them any old time, this could well have been a once in a lifetime opportunity and you just can't pass those up!!

Oh and the sets I purchased are: The Green Bamboo 4 Piece Foundation Kit which consists of a Precision Kabuki, a Finishing brush, a Duo Fiber Foundation brush and a Foundation brush and the Green Bamboo 5 Piece Mineral Brush Kit which is made up of a Powder Blending brush, a Slanted Contour brush, a Precision Concealer brush, a Large Tapered Blending brush, and a Large Shadow brush.

Each set costs £33.95 and postage and packaging was £4.50 I think (which isn't cheap, but they did come within two days).

I look forward to giving these a try, and I will report back with a review once I have used them, and seen how they fare after a wash! 

Please tell me I'm not the only one to panic buy "nonessentials"?

x

I ruddy well won something!!

I'm not what one would call one of life's winners, don't get me wrong, I've achieved and I've achieved highly, but I haven't won - sports day, definitely not my thing, raffle prizes also allude me, as do lucky dips and competitions. But my luck has changed, and okay I have won the item that holds the least monetary value of anything I've ever entered but I don't care, I did a squeal of excitement both when I found out and when my prize was delivered today!! I also know that other people won as well but I simply do not care!! 

Look at how beautifully they were wrapped - it felt too nice to open...

...But I did... and now all my Real Techniques brushes have their own special home, which, for someone like me who likes everything in it's rightful place, is perfect. 

Thank you Real Techniques! 

Click here for my review of the Stippling Brush! More reviews coming soon! 

xxx

My First Try of Mii Cosmetics

I was so excited when the gorgeous lady who does my waxing (who doesn't love the woman who can do that for you?) text me to say she was getting Mii Cosmetics for the salon, and today was the day that I got to play with them!! 


I got to try the Illuminating Face Base SPF 15, and I'm shade 03. It really is a gorgeous lightweight foundation, that gives more long lasting coverage than a tinted moisturiser but it's still really sheer (I could still see my freckles but I felt comfortable in it, which I think is a good sign).  I know it says it's illuminating, and I'm never so sure about those claims because I sometimes look plain old shiny not nice and glowing, but this truly did make me glow, and it's not until you see it in sunlight that you really get the true effect.  In fact I was meeting my dad in town just after I'd had this applied and without knowing I'd had my make up done he told me I was positively sparkling from half way down the street.  I felt sparkly too, all healthy and nice looking!! I was really gutted that they didn't have my shade in, but I am going to make sure I get my hands on some before summer because I think it'll be a summertime essential!