e.l.f. Studio Kabuki Face Brush

Kabuki Brush!! Yes it is my favorite brush! This is one brush I use the most, almost every day in fact. I have read many reviews online about this brush and almost all reviewers say it can be compared to the high end kabuki brushes. 

e.l.f. Studio Kabuki Face Brush

What the website says:

“This anti bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this brush! Our handy and easy to use Kabuki Brushes provide a light to full coverage on your face or body to ensure a flawless finish. The compact brush is perfectly sized to allow for precise and controlled application of bronzer, powder, or a highlighter on your skin.

*Vegan Friendly”

Packaging is nice!

Back of the cover

Here are some main features:

• Price: $6

• Bristles are really soft and fluffy. It’s made with synthetic hair

• It has a small metal handle which perfectly fits in my palm 

• It is best for using loose powder e.g. mineral loose foundation or loose translucent powder. You can also use it for compact powder

• This Kabuki brush is used for sheer to medium coverage

• Website says it also can be used with wet make up but I did not try that yet. And probably won’t try as there are lots of other brushes for flawless wet make up application. 

• I do not even need a mirror when applying powder foundation with this kabuki brush. It spreads products evenly and flawlessly on the face and neck. You should use it in a circular motion. 

Cons:

• It takes more time to dry as it has dense bristles

• I had my kabuki brush for 2 years and it did not shed a bit. But my new one (my mother loved it so much that she kept my old kabuki brush, it is her first make up brush) is shedding from day one. I think it is from a bad batch. 

Rating:  4.8/5 

very very dense bristles

Mineral powder on the brush

I have only used e.l.f. Studio Kabuki Face brush here!

Take care! <3

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer

Hi makeup addicts!!! Today’s review is on the recent raved product MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer. I have a huge problem with the staying power of the lipsticks on my lips. Most of the lipstick do not stay put on my lips. When I heard the word “Lacquer” I was like hmmmm…. this sounds like a lip paint..I should give it a try. Well I did, and do not regret buying it!

Packaging is so nice!!! 

Website says about this product:

“Smooch your way to red carpet glamour with MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers. Long - lasting and kiss proof, these intense formulas come in five rich, vampy shades. Encased in chic frosted glass packaging, these lacquers glide on with the ease of a gloss, drying in seconds into a matte velvety texture. They are the ultimate make-up bag must have.”

I bought three of the five colors: Reckless, Funk and Kooky. All of the three colors are gorgeous! I got it from Asteria, Bangladesh.

They look gorgeous!! 

Here are the main features of MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers

• £3 each
• Opaque, high pigmented. Those who have pigmented lips go for it….it hides everything on your lips! Dipping the applicator into the lacquer just once is enough to get full coverage.
• Glides on the lip smoothly. Creamy in texture but when dry it becomes matte
•  Fast drying. It takes about 2/3 minute to dry completely.
• Don’t press your lips together while drying otherwise it will smear.
•  It has doe foot tip applicator
•  The packaging is really good. It looks like a high end product. The tub is made of frosted plastic.
•  It is a long lasting lip lacquer.  I tend to eat normal lipsticks…I guess. But this lip lacquer was on my lips for 6 hours or more after eating oily food; it was a bit faded and when I got back home it was still there but bit more faded, but it was still there. I used a lip liner under this lip lacquer - it seemed to extend the staying power.
•  When the lip lacquer dries I feel nothing on my lips. It feels very light. I used it in the winter and it doesn’t feel too dry on the lips. Although I put a lip balm before I applied this on my lips. Make sure you take off the excess lip balm gently with a tissue paper before applying the lip lacquer.
• It is 100% transfer proof. I had a glass of water after the lip lacquer dried. It did not left any stain on the glass. Also I press my lips on a tissue paper there was almost no stains on it.

Cons:

•  It can settle on the lines of the lips
•  If you have dry lips and don’t use lip balm before applying it this lip lacquer may feel very dry on the lips and won’t look good.
•  It is so opaque and pigmented that if you make a mistake when applying, it will take quite a bit of effort fixing it.
•  Only 5 color options.

You should keep in mind while applying:

1. Use a lip balm before applying the lip lacquer. But take off the excess lip balm.
2. Line the lips and fill it up with a lip liner (preferably a water proof lip liner) of the same color of the lip lacquer.
3. DO NOT layer the product on lips. Otherwise it won’t stay put and will be clumpy.
4. Don’t press the lips together while applying and drying.

Funk! A lovely pink color which has blue undertone. But I think it is a bit too bright for my skin tone, I am NC 42-44

Reckless....my favorite!! 

Kooky. I like this color too. But it is a bit darker than it looks in the picture

kooky and funk mixed. I like this mixture. It's not so kooky not so funk. 

1. Doe foot tip applicator 2. Reckless, Funk, kooky in day light. 3. Didn't smudg a bit after I held my hands under running water. 

Hope you enjoyed the review. Please let me know if it helped.

e.l.f. Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15

Hi all makeup addicts! Today I am going to talk about the e.l.f. Mineral Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15.  We all know that mineral makeups are good for our skin and it looks good on our skin. But all mineral cosmetics are more expensive than the non mineral cosmetics. If you want to try a mineral foundation, I recommend you start with the e.l.f Mineral Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15 as it is less expensive and a good mineral foundation. 

e.l.f. Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15

What the website says:

“Create customized mineral based color for a perfect match, year-round! Housed in a unique quad chamber for the perfect mix, the weightless mineral formulation blends seamlessly into skin and contains natural skin protecting SPF 15 and is mineral based with no parabens, preservatives or chemical dyes. Infused with key Vitamin E for rich antioxidants that hydrate and replenish the skin. The inner dial allows you to control the amount of product dispensed so you can create your customized color and keep the powder closed for clean and easy use everytime.”

I am in love with this foundation. I know it does not have great coverage but I don’t always need a heavy coverage make up. Specially when I want to look natural. I cover up my acne spots and dark circles with concealer and then apply this foundation with a kabuki brush. This foundation gives me a glow on my skin and it looks naturally healthy. I get lots of compliments when I apply this and most of the people think I have naturally beautiful skin. Haha…which I certainly don’t have.

Here are some main features on e.l.f Mineral Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15

• ·         $8, .28 oz
• ·         light to buildable coverage
• ·         Natural finish, not cakey. It makes my skin look healthy and gives an extra glow.
• ·         I used the medium shade of this foundation and I am around NC 42-44
• ·        Makes skin smooth. It looks like a second skin. Got lots of compliment on skin. Although for my acne spots I need to use concealer first.
• ·       Lasts for a good amount of time… about 6/7 hours in humid weather like Bangladesh and I have oily skin.
• ·         It has four shades of color in one tub. It can be mixed and matched with the foundation quad.
• ·      I use it with powder brush or kabuki brush. Use powder brush for extra coverage and kabuki brush for natural coverage
• ·        A little goes a long way. I am using my one for almost one and half years on an average twice a week and one third is still remaining.

You can find the names of the foundation shades at the bottom of the tub. If you like any particular shade of the foundation you can purchase it Here

Here are the procedures i use for applying it. 1. Tap out the product on the cap. 2. Mix it with the tail comb. 3. Nicely mixed product. 4. use it with my Kabuki brush (this amount is perfect for light coverage. 

Cons:

• ·         Troublesome to use on the go
• ·         If you are not used to powder foundation it will be a bit messy the first couple of times.
• ·       Need to tap few times to get enough products from the tub. I tap it on the cap and mix it with the back of a tail comb and then use a brush. That’s a bit of a long process
• ·         If you are looking for a full coverage foundation then this product is not for you
• 
  

Here are the pictures of the application:

Without any concealer. i have used here only the foundation on my moisturized skin. 1. My bare skin. 2. Light coverage with kabuki brush (most of the spots are gone. 3. medium coverage :)

This is how my skin looks like with only the foundation on, without any concealer.

I have used here M.A.C concealer (concealer review here), e.l.f. Personal Blend Foundation SPF 15, Kajal, elf blush and loreal lipstick

Hope my review helped! <3