Brushes(!) Because Everyone Knows Finger Painting is Over

I own almost 200 make up brushes. Many of them I have double, triple, even quadruples of, probably because I have a select few favorite brushes that I am very loyal too.

I believe, you can have all the expensive/amazing make up you want but if you don't have the right tools, you won't achieve the look you're going for. Brushes are an investment but if you take care of them, you can have them up to 20+ years. I've had some of mine for almost 8 years now, since the beginning of my career and they're still perfect.

I've compiled a list of my favorites and what I use them for. My favorite brands are Laura Mercier, Stila and MAC. Shu Uemera also makes amazing brushes but they very expensive. My favorite drug store brand is Sonia Kashuk for Target but I warn you, they don't last as long as a well made, quality brush, some of mine fell apart after only a year.

And remember, your brushes won't last long if you don't wash them REGULARLY at least once every few weeks if not every week. I wash mine with gentle shampoo (never a clarifying one and never baby shampoo, these can strip the hairs) and lay them flat to dry. It is important to lay them flat to dry so that water doesn't get to the glue that holds the bristles together.

FACE:

Laura Mercier Egg Shaped Sponges-these sponges turned me from an avid foundation brush user to a sponge user. They're rubber so they don't suck up any of your product like foam sponges do. They won't hoard bacteria and they are easy to clean. They blend tinted moisturizer, foundations and full coverage foundations seamlessly. One sponge lasts 3 months.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brush-One of the things that Laura Mercier is most known for is her concealers. She blends 2 colors to get the perfect color for blemishes, age spots and flaws. This brush is flat so you can mix on one side and apply on the other. It's pointed tip allows you to precisely cover a blemish so that it looks natural and blends into the skin.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer Brush-Technically, this brush is used to set the under eye concealer powder in Mercier's line but I like to use it as my under eye concealer brush. It is large, flat and synthetic and mimics the shape of a finger to press the color into the under eye perfectly.

Stila Double Ended Powder Brush-Stila makes some of my favorite brushes. They are soft, high quality and were created by a professional make up artist (Jeanine Loebelle, creator of Stila). One end is a beautifully shaped blush/powder blush that fits perfectly on the cheekbones. The other end is a dense short brush that applies highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones creating an illuminated dimensional cheek look.

MAC #109 Brush-I use this brush for everything from foundation to blush to highlighter. It is small, dense and blends color really well. I like to use it with the #129 MAC brush (see below).

MAC #129 Brush-This is MAC's original blush brush. Its dome shape and natural bristles make for a perfect diffused color application on the apples of the cheek. I like to apply color to the apples and pull it out and up the cheekbone with this brush.

EYES:

MAC #252 Brush: This large, square shaped, synthetic bristle brush is beautiful for applying all over color to the eyelid. I like it because it makes the application quick and even. It works best with matte colors.

MAC #239 Brush: This small, flat, goat hair brush is perfect for applying color to the lip space. I like to apply sheer, shimmery colors with this brush because it packs the color on flawlessly.

MAC #217 Brush- This is my favorite blending brush! It's shaped like

a ponytail brush but is made out of goat hair instead of sable which makes it soft, but dense enough to move color around. I use it to either apply color into the crease or onto the brow bone or to blend colors into each other without causing them to get muddled.

MAC #208 Brush- This brush is one of my favorite for achieving a dramatic, cat eye with liquid liner. It is small, angled and tapers into a perfect tight line.

MAC #266 Brush- I've been using this brush to apply brow color for 10 years now. It gets the color in perfectly and allows me to shape my brow into a perfect arch.

Stila #15 Brush-I own nearly 5 of this double ended shadow brush. The larger end is great for applying color to the lid or crease while the pointed end I use for either precise, sharp crease application or corner of the eye definition. I also use the small end to apply color to the bottom lashes.

Stila #30 Brush- I cannot sing enough praise over this brush. In fact, if I were forced (heaven forbid) to only use one eye brush for the rest of my life, this double ended beaut would be it. The dense, domed side perfectly applies crease color while the ponytail side buffs it out.

Stila All Over Eye Brush-I like this brush for applying all over color and crease or brow color when I'm in a hurry. It's natural bristles work well with both shimmers and mattes.

Stila #28 Brush-This is the essential liner brush for gel eyeliner. One end has the perfect shape for applying a thin to thick line of gel liner and even does a cat eye perfectly. The other end is a super short flat smudge brush that I use to smudge gel liner to diffuse it out and to apply dark, intense colors over pencil liners.

Laura Mercier Crease Brush-I LOVE this brush. It applies a sheer wash of color to the crease when achieving a natural to dramatic look. The bristles are soft and blend perfectly.

Laura Mercier Flat Eye Line Brush- This is THE only brush you can use to apply Mercier's cake liner. It's bristles are rounded so they don't harm the eyes and they wiggle perfectly into the root of the lashes.

United States of Taylor

I have a minor obsession with Tom Binns jewelry ( by minor meaning I once told my fiance I would only say yes to a proposal if he was doing it with a one of a kind Binns diamond and skull ring). I never did get it ($45,000!) but now I have a (cheaper) answer to my expensive addiction.

DANNIJO is a handmade jewelry line based in New York City that was started by two sisters, Jodie and Danielle. Their line lets you play into your different alter ego's with 5 different ranges: Cult, Americana, Rock, Grace and Boho, each with a different style and vibe.

Their pieces are remanence of Binn's juxtaposition of different metals and stones to create an 'indie chic vibe'.

www.dannijo.com

What jewelry can you not leave the house without? Mine is my antique engagement ring and my silver thumb ring.

now i can secretly wear heels

Ever since my feet decided they don't like wearing 5 inch heels (!!!), I've been giving them a rest with cute flats and hidden platform shoes.

So thank god my internet shopping addiction turned up these bad boys. Their hidden platform makes the rise barely an inch and a half while still being tall and sexy. Pour de Victoire makes beautiful handcrafted Italian shoes with some edge. You can get them at Nordstrom and Zappos. I found these half off at Endless.com.

www.endless.com

What are your favorite shoes?

can't wait for april!

Oh Target, you do me so good. I'm not even over Rodarte when you surprise me with Zac Posen as your next Go International Collection? This is probably going to be a repeat of me ordering the entire line at 2 am before it sells out.






www.target.com

What designer do you hope Target pairs with?

i want to jack my own style today

absolutely killing my 2 finger ring, mint polish (see post below), timex watch, evolution soho skull bracelet and leopard fur jacket.

ps. that 2 finger ring is $3.80 at Forever 21. Such a deal.

When do you feel your best?

oh Lou

If I ever have kids I'm naming it Lou.

French chic at it's best.


Who's style do you love the most? I keep an eye on Lou, Alexa Chung and Rhianna.

Brian M. Viveros

I love you. Here's a good idea for a birthday gift. 11 months to save!
http://www.brianmviveros.com/


Who is your favorite modern artist?

modern day cleopatra

Look of the day. I want to bring back done up. I'm sick of the grungy dirty look. What happened to woman actually getting ready?!

la vie en rose

Last year, during a particularly hot muggy New York summer, I was trolling around the West Village looking for THE perfect summer lotion. I have been an avid moisturizer since winters in Minnesota left my skin so dry, it hurt to even bend over to tie my Sorell's. I stepped into Fresh on Bleeker street an announced rather loudly that I was looking for lotion that was 'light but not too light, sweet but not too sweet'. Jacob squirted some Sugar Lychee lotion on my hand and said in his adorable southern accent 'here, tryy thias.' That was it. It didn't melt off my skin that afternoon in the 120 degrees of the 4th street station and it didn't make me sweaty and sticky the next day when I took an un-air conditioned cab from my apartment on the Upper East Side to meet friends for lunch in Brooklyn. I have since had a long standing relationship with all Fresh products. I jump between Sugar Lychee in the summer and Milk Milk in the winter.

That was also the summer I bought a lotion after seeing it in the bathroom of a house I was staying at in East Hampton. The bottle was a beautiful old apothecary shape, (real!) glass with bright, bold, hot pink writing. I liked it instantly without even smelling it. Turns out, what was inside the bottle was almost better than what was on the outside. Savon de Marseille has an entire range of deliciously scented lotions and soaps that not only look good, but feel good. Their scent stays on the skin all day (I swear!) and turns to water almost when you put it on. I wear their Wild Rose scent but Fig, Verbena and Pampelmousse are also popular scents.

When I want to smell less like a lychee rose and more like a warm french dessert, I reach for my Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache body scrub and body souffle. The scent is warm, heady and utterly amazing. It smells like my favorite food (pistachio cream pie) and soaks into my skin with not a lot of effort. I love her whole body line but this scent is the best.

www.lcdpusa.com/c/extra-pur-marseille-liquid-soap.html
www.fresh.com
www.lauramercier.com
www.nordstrom.om

well hello, gorgeous

So happy you're on your way to my closet.

Betsey Johnson Polly's are a reproduction of the 1958 heel that graced the feet of starlet's like Marilyn Monroe and Ava Gardner. Their 'hidden' platform makes the rise on them barely noticeable and super comfy. Just ask the girls I work with who sport them for hours at a time.

Miss B has been making them exclusively for years now and plays around with glitter, leather and bejeweled plastic. I just ordered these glittery Dorethy red ones and I can't wait until they get here!

Get them at your local Betsey store for around $200. Worth every penny AND they come with a life time warranty.

Need Your Opinions...

Would you like to see actual photo's of things I'm talking about and not just ones I rip off the internet?

What else do you want to read about? I started this to just write about all the things I am obsessed with but I also want to do tips and tricks. Would you like to see that? How about 'How to get that look' where I tell you how to get your favorite celeb looks? Or what about Splurge vs. Save where I compare trends for cheap and higher end?

Tell me your thoughts.

have you seen this?

I recently discovered this cool online shop.

www.shopnastygal.com

It's so alexander wang/balmain/erin wasson inspired but most of the pieces are under $100. Things sell out fast but they usually get them back in quickly.

I'm into this drappy wool jacket and Sam Edelman platform boots. Already in the checkout.

i mean......

not that i'm the guru of good hair these days (i'm attempting no heat styling for a month. that includes a blow dryer. ahem) but i at least remember to throw on some eyeliner and my eyebrows before leaving the house. especially if i'm sporting something other than jeans and a tshirt.

so this photo perplexed me. i think i added up almost $100,000 in clothing between the 4 of them. but what, you can't afford a comb? some people can get away with not being too done up (the Olsen twins, Alexa Chung) but they at least have eyeliner on!



I can't face the day without my eyebrows filled in and NARS Taos blush. What can you not leave the house without doing?

i have the weirdest taste

My good friend Kate wears her wisdom teeth on a chain around her neck. I love them but I can't bring myself to wear someone else's teeth so close to my skin and my dear old wisdom's are in tooth heaven as of 11th grade.

The next best thing is silver teeth on a chain by http://www.triskaidekaphobianyc.com/ a new designer I just discovered from a fellow blogger.

Love these!

i want this outfit!

Fellow blogger http://mypreciousconfessions.blogspot.com rocking a horse tee and white (white!) docs!

i can't believe i caved

Ever since my mom started rocking denim shirts with denim pants, I've been very anti denim (shirt that is). I even had a hard time wearing anything blue with jeans. So when my one and only came home with a worn in denim shirt, pearl snaps and all, and actually pulled it off with a pair of blue denim jean, I knew it was time to give it a try.

Chloe showed denim on denim and Jcrew is working it with everything from wool dress pants and a bow tie to a sequin skirt and heels.


I think I might be turning into my mother.

always and forever

Everything. Always and forever. Flawless. She's a fashion Icon for a reason. Vivienne Westwood Pirate Boots is one of them.

oooooohhh no.

I'm in trouble. Just found these beauts online and I think I a. reinstated my love for McQueen in 2 easy clicks and b. am trying to figure out where I can wear these bad boys.

I'll add it to my collection of McQueen skull scarfs ( I have too many) and my nude and black heels (still unworn).

Next I'm hunting for the Skull and Bumblebee ring.

www.saks.com

green with envy?

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this ones for my mom

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I just got a text from my mom. 'tell me something about dry skin' it said.

Well mom, here you go:

My poor fiance has about 2 inches of space in our medicine cabinet. I on the other hand, have 3 shelves and most of the counter. See, I'm a freak about my skin. I Wash (Keihl's Herbal Wash), Tone (Rosewater), Treat (Keihl's ABCD Cream, Fresh Black Tea Eye Cream), Brighten (Laura Mercier Brightening Eye Serum), Exfoliate (Fresh Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant and PTR Anti-Wrinkle Pads), Mask (Bliss Steep Clean, Fresh Black Tea, Aveda Tourmaline, Fresh Umbrian Clay), and Moisturize (Fresh Umbrian Clay and Black Tea Perfecting).

In my line of work I come across woman everyday who don't know about proper skin care. I even had a lady last week at an event tell me that she washes her face with shampoo and doesn't moisturize. She came in wondering why her wrinkles were getting so deep. Gee, I wonder. Needless to say, the treatment nazi that I am sent her home with a whole new regiment (and a hefty credit card bill).

When it comes to dry skin, I can't say it enough, MOISTURIZE. I'm a big fan of cleansing oils (Shu Uemura and Laura Mercier make my favorite) and eye cream (Laura Mercier's Flawless skin line and anything by Korre's and Fresh). As far as facial moisturizers go, you pay for what you get. Many brands you find over the counter and in drug stores are filled with Alcohol which will only dry your skin out in the long run. Spending extra on your face is well worth it. Some of my favorites are Korre's, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and Fresh.

Now, as for make up, everybody is different but one thing i cannot stress enough, NO POWDER foundation for dry skin types. Think about this, powder is DRY and nothing heels dry skin more than something WET (ie moisture!). Every since Bare Minerals hit the market, woman everywhere have been plastering it all over their faces and I am here to say, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD!. I have NEVER in my make up career seen someone using Bare Minerals that actually looks good. That's what you call good marketing, not good make up.

Now...Some of my favorite products for dry skin. Primer is KEY and some is a creamy moisturizing foundation. Translucent powder to set and you're good to go. As for brands, my favorites are Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Hourglass, Stila and Chantecaille.

Step 1: I start with a hydrating primer when I'm applying make up to dry skin types. The only one I trust is Laura Mercier's Original Primer formula or Hydrating formula for dry skin types.

Step 2: Find the right formula for your skin. Do you want sheer tinted moisturizer (a favorite), medium coverage, or full coverage?

-I recommend tinted moisturizer for almost anyone. It will even out skin tone and you can go in with a concealer if you need more coverage. My favorites are Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer (she invented it after all) and Hourglass Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer. Both go on sheer but immediately even out skin tone and come in an array of colors. I apply with my hands or with a rubber sponge (never foam-it will soak up your product and it hoards bacteria).

-If you are concerned about redness, age spots or rosacea and need a little more coverage than a tinted moisturizer, I recommend a fluid foundation that goes on creamy. My favorites are Laura Mercier Moisture Blend, Bobbi Brown Luminous Foundation, Hourglass Veil and Chantecaille Future Skin (expensive but worth it). Choosing the right foundation will ensure that your skin is even, not flaky and smooth. I like to apply these with a fluffy foundation brush, buffing it on in circular motions, starting with a little at a time. I usually use the Stila Blush Brush or the MAC #129 for this. Because you are applying a wet product to natural fibers, it's important to wash your brush daily. I use the Laura Mercier brush cleaner.

-If you feel as if you need full coverage I recommend a buildable foundation. The Hourglass Veil and Chantecaille Future Skin are two formulas that you can build on top of each other. Stila's Illuminating Foundation is another. Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation is full coverage but NEEDS to be applied to very moist skin with a rubber sponge to ensure that it doesn't get too cakey.

-Step 3: Conceal. Under eyes nothing works better than Laura Mercier Secret Concealers set with Secret Brightening Powder. It is creamy, covers well and doesn't budge ALL DAY. Bobbi Brown also makes a great 2-step under eye regiment but it tends to wear off on me through the day. Cle de Peau has an amazing concealer that comes in a stick form but it is spendy and doesn't necessarily work well on very dry skin. Hourglass has a nice stick concealer for normal under eyes as well. It has built in illuminator that brightens as it conceals. A lot of people go crazy over the cult classis Touche Eclat by YSL. I like it, but it needs to be used with another concealer for coverage. It's important that under eye concealer is creamy and thick and must be set with a sheer powder.

Step 4: Setting your make up is crucial. Especially for dry skin. But this is where it gets tricky. It's important to have a sheer powder that doesn't get dry and cakey on the skin. My favorites are Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown Translucent powders, Hourglass Invisible powder, Stila Hydrating Finishing Powder and Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Loose.

-If you feel that you need concealer on your face, I recommend Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. She has long been at the forefront of make up and this is an award winning product.

Step 5: I recommend creme blush for dry skin because the color can soak into the skin and look more natural instead of sitting on the surface. Stila's Convertable Color is still one of my favorite cream blushes but I also like Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and NARS for their creams as well. Tarte makes a fantastic gel blush that I also use. If you aren't comfortable with applying cream blush with your hands, enlist the help of a cream blush brush or even use a fluffy blush brush. It will be easy to apply and will blend flawlessly.

Step 6: Not a necessary step but a good one none the less. Because dry skin can tend to look dull and matte, and our goal here is to make it look moist and supple, using an illuminator is like icing on the already delicious cake. If you already used an illuminating foundation don't worry about this step. Laura Mercier's Illuminating Tinted Moisturizers come in 4 shades and I like to either mix them in with foundation or pat them on before I put on powder. A little on the apples of the cheeks, chin, forehead and bridge of nose can make the skin appear super moist and glowing.

Good luck!

Get all products mentioned here at:
www.nordstrom.com
www.barneys.com
www.hourglasscosmetics.com
www.stilacosmetics.com
www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com
www.narscosmetics.com
www.lauramercier.com

this is actually happening

I might be a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl at heart, but what's easier than throwing on one item? Enter, Robert Rodriguez and his amazing jumpsuits. I just bought this one at www.nordstrom.com but there are a lot of cheaper alternatives at Urban Outfitters and H&M.

I'm pairing this with ballet flats and a cropped cardi for work (where my 'uniform' is only that I wear all black all the time-no complaints here).

the french do it better

I recently noticed that amongst the make up I carried with me on a daily basis, one very important product had been absent for a few weeks. My trusted powder compact hadn't been making an appearance since I started using Laura Mercier Mineral Primer.

Mercier, who invented primers, has been leading the industry with her Original, Hydrating and Oil-Free formulas since the 90's. Her latest, Mineral Primer adds to her Mineral collection of beautiful crushed pearl laden loose powders and easy to use pressed mineral powders ( not that you'll be carrying yours with if you pat the primer on first). Not only does it smooth pores but it keeps oil at bay all day long.

Another favorite primer of mine, Hourglass Mineral Primer, is fragrance, oil and paraben free. It leaves a satiny, glowing finish that I love for fair skinned clients. A favorite amongst Barney's New York employees, even boys get into it. Their other primer, 'Solar Tan' is a sheer primer that leaves a gradual tan. I love this one for darker skin tones or girls looking for a glow.

just what i was thinking

$150 later and i'm a happy lady. 2 years ago I smelled something at the Marc Jacobs store in Boston that both repulsed me and drew me in. Turns out, the heavy Violet/ Heliotrope scent of Stephan Jones MIllenary Perfume by Commes Des Garcons was just what I had been looking for. In other words, my quest for a unique strong scent had come to an end.

I might not be able to afford an intricate Stephan Jones hat, but that doesn't mean I can't smell like I could.