Sigma Beauty
Finally! Every beauty guru raves and raves about Sigma Beauty makeup brushes. It took me long enough, but I finally decided to get some. Unfortunately they were out of two of the brushes I was looking to purchase (The E40 and E25) but I still found a few that I have been dying to use.
First up is the F80 Flat Kabuki brush ($21). This is the softest foundation buffing/blending brush I have ever used! It seriously feels like velvet when you rub your fingers over the fibers. It's perfect for blending out any cream or liquid foundations/concealers/face makeup -- when I actually use it, that is. Nonetheless I needed a good flat top face brush in my arsenal (I have an angled flat top, and a domed foundation.. but this was a must-have!)
THIS beaut. I've only used this with two pressed powder eye shadows since it arrived, and I am already in love. The E35 Tapered Blending brush ($14) is perfect. It's not too soft but not too stiff, and a good size for my eye shape. I already have quite a few large fluffy blending brushes but honestly it's the one type of brush I can never have too many of..
Speaking of which, I also got the E38 Diffused Crease blending brush ($14). This one is slightly more compact than any of my current blending brushes, so it will probably be used for blending out denser colors (since I don't have a "crease" in my eye, which is what this brush was created for).
Eee! I got a little "free gift" bonus brush with my purchase, too. And it's perfect because I know I will get a lot of use out of this little guy. It's the travel-size version of their E05 Eye Liner brush ($12) and it'll be perfect for applying liners and shadows to my lower lash line. What a treat!
Sephora
It's no secret that I'm obsessed with NARS products. And their single eye shadows may be one of my favorites. I have been looking for a dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Sienna from the Lavish Palette for a while. I didn't feel like buying the whole palette for one color (although honestly.. I just ordered it today. Ashamed.). But this NARS Single Eye Shadow in "Persia" ($25) is absolutely gorgeous. It's a very matte, cinnamony-paprika color -- perfect for layering in warm-toned smokey eye looks, or as a base for any coppery shadows. I think that NARS and Urban Decay shadows have the most color payoff and are definitely some of the most pigmented shadows I own. Worth the (seemingly overpriced) money!
Yes. You are seeing this correctly. Let me first start off by saying I know Sephora brand's makeup isn't the greatest quality -- it's almost their "value" priced items, which is ironic considering you'd think they would want to put their name on something they'd be proud of. And sometimes they do! (I love their waterproof retractible eyeliner, for example. And their brushes are great!) But.. unfortunately this is not one of those times.
I purchased the Sephora Collection Sand Illusions Baked Eyeshadow Palette ($15!) because it caught my eye as I was just scrolling through their site. 6 shadows for only $15? I thought it was a pretty great deal. I saw the reviews were horrible, but I figured it couldn't hurt. But the reviews were quite right. I LOVE baked eyeshadows. I have a few from MAC and Urban Decay that I love -- the fact that you can wear them dry for a subtle effect and wet for major color payoff is a huge selling point.
However, wearing this palette dry is almost laughable. In the first swatch photo, I literally sat there trying to build and build up layers of "color" with a shading brush. I think each swatch has maybe 5 "layers" of the shadow. It's a joke.
Using them wet isn't as terrible, which is why I don't think it was a complete waste of $15. The colors are actually quite pretty when used wet, but I barely do any wet-shadow looks.. so it's going to be a palette that I rarely break out. I could potentially use the shadows dry for a transition or blending color, but I have others that probably work better in the same color families. Sigh.
You can't win them all, people!
xojaybee
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