In my previous post I showed you pictures and swatches of my new Sugarpill, Lime Crime and OCC goodies - this time it's the brushes and storage bits I got my little lipstick stained hands on.
Here's an artfully shot picture of the brushes I got from Crown Brushes:
I've numbered them for ease ;)
I don't know their exact names but for description/explanation sake:
1. Medium blending brush
2. Small blending brush
3. Silicone glitter applicator
4. Pointed lip brush (x2!)
5. Bent liner brush
6. Small angled brush
7. Chisel shader brush
I love Crown Brushes for cheap additions to my personal set and make-up kit, and while there's always a risk that the price reflects the quality, the majority of Crown Brushes I've used have really stood the test of time.
I went for a selection of the smaller brushes available as I already have a huge array of powder/blusher/foundation brushes but if I'm honest, I'd happily buy a million of every kind of brush because they've recently become my new obsession. I like trying out new designs, fibres and brands but my budget at IMATS wasn't a million pounds (a girl can dream) so I had to go with at least a vague list of necessary purchases.
So:
1&2 - I initially thought these two were real hair (as per my comment in my haul video) but after checking the Crown Brush site I think I found them to be synthetic. Number 1 at least is the 'Syntho DLX Blending Crease Brush' (maybe... they have SO many)
Regardless of the texture both of these give a similar result to real hair blending brushes.
They're perfect for blending out powders on the lid and in the crease - I got two sizes because I'm a grown woman and I can do what I want, plus, the little one is great to get in a little tighter in the socket/crease as well as under the eyes.
I usually like to smudge out eyeshadow under the eye with a firmer 'pencil' brush (like the Illamasqua 'Smoulder' brush or my new chisel brush - number 7 in the lineup) but this is brilliant for even softer edges one the initial smudging is done.
3. This little creepy looking guy is the perfect glitter or loose eyeshadow applicator. You can use it to pat glitter directly onto the lid and avoid moving the product around too much and losing intensity (like you might with a bristled brush) - I'm really excited to use this with my new OCC and Sugarpill loose shadows that I showed you previously as well as the million loose pigments and eyeshadows I have already. Having a tool specifically designed for glitter application fills me with more childlike glee than perhaps it should, but I'm 100% not sorry about it.
4. I got two of the same pointed lip brushes and this wasn't a 'sensory overload at IMATS' induced mistake - I have an infinite amount of lip brushes in all shapes and sizes in my kit but have recently found myself using them for my own eyeliner.
I use a gel liner (Illamasqua 'Infinity' Gel Liner to be precise) and have previously stuck to fine liners or angled brushes to apply it, which have both been as good as each other, but since trying with a lip brush I'm obsessed. These were a ridiculous price like 3 pence (£2?) each so realistically I should have bought 9 but I had to show some restraint.
5. With liners in mind (and seemingly contradictory to my previous point) - I've never actually had a bent liner brush so thought I would give this one a try - despite my mum's reaction ('oh no it's broken!' - she has since retracted this statement) I do really like using fine liners on clients and this one is really thin.
A few of my older fine liners have seen better days and look more like fan brushes now, but this will be lovely for super definition.
6. This little angled brush will be great for multiple things (liner/eyebrows included) but I've got it primarily for lip lining (ooh she likes to switch it up doesn't she?) - it's small enough to get right into the Cupid's bow and since it's synthetic it'll work well with creams and liquids. I have a ridiculous amount of angled brushes as I won't do a brow without them (see my eyebrow tutorial for more on this!) but since I'm young and free and YOLO (sorry, I hate myself) another won't hurt!
7. This little fella is just great for intensifying a cut crease, shading in the socket or applying shadow under the lower lash line. It's not quite as wide as a pencil type brush so you can get extra definition without going in with an angled brush (for example) and it's super sturdy, as it's 'chisel' name would suggest.
I've put this one to the most use already and I love it.
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As well as brushes, I got myself a little cosmetic organiser from Crown Brushes. I'm pretty sure you can get these anywhere, the packaging for mine suggests they got this from the 80s, but a simple google search for 'plastic cosmetic organiser' will bring up plenty of results located in 2014.
I have a real thing (a real problem?) when it comes to stationary/office supplies and this compulsion spans into cosmetic storage too. Unfortunately our spare room doesn't reflect this (soz, Miles) - anything that isn't in my kit (and the overflow kit/suitcase) that is for personal use has it's place in my organised bomb site/floordrobe and we're moving house soon so it doesn't make sense to gut the place for the sake of totally organising it... Plus I like to procrastinate so this will do for now!
I have elegantly displayed it here with my IMATS purchases, but it's now in the spare room in a less picturesque (but more useful) setting:
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Finally - I LOVE false lashes. I also love cute shit. So this happened:
It's the eyelash storage box of my dreams and I've been wanting once since the beginning of time/last year when I saw one on Instagram.
There's room for three pairs of lashes (almost always Illamasqua 14s) and a little space for lash glue at the top too.
Kawaii as hell.
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On top of all of this I got some cosmetic sanitiser stuff (probably too boring to post) and spent nearly £5 on a cheese sandwich but I'm already having IMATS withdrawals and am counting down the days til next year.
Thanks for patiently sticking with me while I took my sweet time to write about the second half of the haul and also for wading through the nonsense and terrible jokes that make up the majority of this post.
Also thanks to everyone who has subscribed/watched/liked/commented on the haul video (and eyebrow tutorial too!) - you are all my sweet princes and I have 2 weeks off work soon so can film loads more videos to say thanks.
Lots of love!
Charli
xo
