Sonia Kashuk 15th Anniversary Brush Set (only at Target) - Review & Photos

 

Sonia Kashuk 15th Anniversary Sets are on sale now at Target, for approximately 40-50% off, depending on the location. I picked up the Sonia Kashuk 15th Anniversary Brush Set and this is my first impression of the product as well as a review of how these brushes perform after having used them for about a week. This set normally retails for $39.99 but I picked mine up for $27 during the clearance sale.

The brush set comes with 15 brushes and features a wide array of brushes, I can't even think of any others which you may need to complete your beauty routine, this is an all-inclusive set. The purple bristles, golden ferrules, aubergine weighted handles, and golden cap bottoms make them look very elegant and high end.

Let's start by reviewing everybody's favorites: the eye brushes. From right to left, the set contains: a large blending brush, a medium crease blending brush, a small crease brush and a flat eyeshadow brush. The flat eyeshadow brush is ideal for packing color onto the lid. The medium crease blending brush is great for applying a crease transition shade and the small crease brush is wonderful for targeted application of a crease shade.The large blending brush is for feathering out your shadows after application to achieve a seamless look. All of these brushes perform as well as any higher end brushes I own.

You also receive, from left to right, an eyebrow spoolie, a flat lipliner/eyebrow/small shadow brush, an angled liner/eyebrow brush, and a pointed shadow liner brush. I like to use the flat lipliner/eyebrow/small shadow brush (not its technical name) to apply powder to my eyebrows, and the angled brush is ideal for applying gel eyeliner. The pointed shadow liner brush is great for getting color just under the lower lashline, this has been my primary use for it. 

These are two very conventional brushes, one is a larger powder brush and the other is a blush brush, I use them as the names suggest and am very pleased with the results. The blush brush is the ideal size to cover the apples of my cheeks and up to my temples.

The dense brushes in this set are a an angled foundation/powder brush and a buffing brush. I use the angled brush to apply my foundation, but it does not provide the smoothest of finishes, so I go back over my liquid foundation with the buffing brush to make it seamlessly blend into my skin. Both of these brushes also perform very well with powders.

This contour brush is worth the purchase of this whole set, it is a dupe of the NARS Ita brush (which is a single brush that costs $55!) - I can tell you that it is varied from it in the sense that it is more densely packed, has a larger thickness and has slightly shorter bristles. I use this brush to deepen my contour after using a larger brush to apply a contour transition shade.

These are the liquid/cream brushes which are best used as a foundation brush and small concealer brush. I like using these with thick products because they provide a very precise application while not letting product drip all over my face. Ideally I find that these apply concealer well under my eyes and on spots. 

Overall, I think this purchase is a great buy, the brushes don't bleed when you wash them although I do suspect that they will start to fade a little bit after multiple washes. There is also no hair fall-out from these brushes, they are dense and stay that way through continued usage - so they are nice quality overall, especially for their value (they were less than $2 each for what I paid!).

New ELF Limited Edition Mineral Pearls (Guerlain Meteorites & Essence 'Me & My Ice Cream' Shimmer Pearls Dupe)

Exciting news! There's a new product from ELF and it is a Limited Edition Mineral Pearls dusting powder. These are a lower budget dupe of the Guerlain Meteorites set, coming in at $8 as opposed to the $60 price tag of the high-end version. It is worth nothing that this is one of the most expensive single items on the ELF website.

The mineral pearls come in 2 shades, Skin Balancing (to even out skin tone coloration and complexion) and Natural for a sheer wash of color. You are meant to brush your powder puff or kabuki brush and gently swirl around on the pearls before buffing onto the eyes, cheeks or body. This is an illuminating product which helps to reflect color on your skin and give a radiant glow (best used over foundation). 

ELF Mineral Pearls - Natural

ELF Mineral Pearls - Skin Balancing

6 multi-colored pearls are blended together when brushing them to brighten and mattify skin for a brightened look. ELF has created these not to be just beautiful on the skin but also to condition and hydrate skin since they are infused with Vitamin A, B, C & E for a silky feel.

Other similar products include the Guerlain Meteorites (which are touted as the original of this style of pearl powder - they now have created dozens of variant color combinations) and the Essence 'Me & My Ice Cream' Collection (Summer 2013) Shimmer Pearls. Many of these have been limited edition and can no longer be purchased unless you stalk one down on eBay!

Guerlain Meteorites example

Essence 'Me & My Ice Cream' Shimmer Pearls - courtesy Qtplace.com

Lancome's Newest Collection: Roseraie de Delices

Lancome's latest Spring 2012 collection by Aaron De May, their artistic director who is known in the industry as somewhat of a beauty genius (although he somewhat resembles the crypt keeper, see below for reference images), is an absolute beauty to behold. I want every single item they have put out for the collection and I'll show them to you so you can 'oooh' and 'aaaah' yourself.

Crypt Keeper

Aaron De May - Artistic Director of Lancome

As if Lady Gaga hadn't already told us in her latest music video for 'Marry the Night', mint is definitely going to be the huge color trend for Spring 2012 (she had insider information from Calvin Klein, Chanel and the likes) and that's okay with me because it is a delicate, feminine and fresh color. Without further adieu, I present to you the fabulous 5 color all-in-one shadow and liner compacts in Vert Tendresse and Rose Romance!

There's so many options with these! There's lid, crease, shadow, highlighter and liner in each of these, you can mix and match the colors for many different looks and combinations. The rose palette consists of peach and rose tones with a burgundy liner, while the green palette containing mint and forest greens with a darker grayish green liner. I love all of the colors because they have a shimmery iridescence to them that feels youthful and joyous. However, the cost of these is a little steep (as to be expected with Lancome products) at $48 each.

Now, I present to you what *really* caught my attention in this collection, the illuminating smooth powder which is a mixture of rosy pink and pastel shimmers. It's an all-in-one product for the cheeks and face, so you can use it as your face powder and blush, as well as highlighter (the parts that are more shimmery). The cost is, again, steep at $42, but it is such a beautiful item that appears to look like a bed of roses that it almost makes it worth the price.

My least favorite items in this collection are their waterproof eyeliner pens in green and white, I'm not a huge fan of their formulation, it's a little greasy for my taste,  but some people like that. Also, they're expensive at $25.50 each and you can probably find something similar in a drugstore.

The lipstick in this line is kind of adorable because the limited-edition packaging for the cotton candy shade and the color itself are the cutest. However, the 'Le French Touch Absolu Nu' lipstick costs $35 because of the packaging, while the rest are $29, $6 for packaging, Lancome?? Really??? I know that packaging didn't set them back anything so why are they overpricing? 'L'Absolu Rouge Nu' comes in the colors 'Sweet Marmalade' and 'Rose Petal'.

L'Absolu Rouge Nu in Sweet Marmalade

L'Absolute Roughe Nu in Rose Petal

Limited Edition - Le French Touch Absolu Nu in Cotton Candy

The Foundations of Foundation: The Basics of a Healthy-looking face

Want to know how to make your complexion perfect? Let's delve into the world of foundation to even out your skin-tone and cover up any blemishes or unevenness that we all suffer from. Nobody is blessed with absolutely flawless skin, so don't feel bad about having to use one product or another to enhance your appearance because most women, and many men, do.

Remember when testing products out on your skin, do not apply them to the back of your hand because the skin there is a different saturation level altogether than the skin on your face, so look in a mirror and apply the tester-color to your neck. This is also a good way to see if your skin will have any allergic reaction to the product since the skin on your neck is very sensitive. A great makeup application is one that looks as natural as your own skin, so when looking for your ideal foundation or concealer, purchase something that best resembles your own skin.

When it comes to price-point, I'm not one to encourage the purchasing of expensive foundation products because, let's face it, they all contain harmful chemicals in similar amounts. So, if you're going to burn through a lot of product, you should opt for the drugstore brands rather than the expensive designer stuff. I personally have been very satisfied with the performance of L'Oreal's liquid foundation in the 'Visible Lift' and 'Infallible' line, as well as Maybelline's 'Match Perfection'. The positive note about these drugstore brands is that they are also at least SPF 15 so you get that little bit of protection that your skin needs from the sun's harmful rays (yes, even in the winter). If you have a choice of which kind of bottle to buy your liquid foundation in, go for the one with a handy pump because it keeps bacteria out of your product and is the most hygienic of the bunch. 

If you're looking for a bit of a sun-kissed look, then opt for a foundation that has a little bit of a tint or go a shade darker than your skin naturally is. Always apply your foundation with either a sponge (which you should replace weekly at the latest) or a foundation brush (which should be washed regularly). All foundation brushes have the same bristle shape because it is ideal for applying your foundation to your skin. You will want a synthetic brush so the bristles do not get ruined from oil-based foundations and they are also easier to clean because the product will not penetrate the bristles, it will stay on top of them. If the brush does not absorb your product, you will also be using less product overall, thus creating less waste.

Coverage

There are various finishes and types of coverage when it comes to foundation products. Usually the terms refer to the opacity of the product, or basically how much it will cover up your own skin. Sheer coverage is very transparent and will not hide your pimples and problem-areas but it will do a fairly decent job of evening out your skin-tone if that is all you're looking for (though, I would say that most of us need more coverage). Light coverage is basically the same except that it will cover very small colored-spots on your skin, such as freckles. Medium coverage is higher up on the scale and can cover blotchiness, discolorations, freckles, and some scarring (something that falls into this category would be a tinted moisturizer). Full coverage foundation, the kind most people probably are using at the moment, is very opaque and will cover anything you need it to camouflage. It is important that when you apply full coverage foundation, you do so very carefully, making sure to use a brush or sponge to blend the color all the way up into your hairline and under your chin, down to your neck. Otherwise, others will be able to see a visible difference in color and consistency between your skin and the foundation (even if you've chosen the perfect shade for you).

Choosing a shade

Sometimes it's hard to tell exactly what skin-tone we are, because much of it depends on which light we're looking at ourselves under. It is also important to realize that it is a complete misconception which says fair skin is cool-toned and dark skin is equivalent to warm-tones. This is not always the case as you will come to realize. Your shade can either be cool or warm, and within each of those categories there are sub-categories of light, medium, and dark. 

Cool-toned light and medium skin has a pinkish cast and the inner wrist of the person contains more blue than dark veins. These individuals are highly likely to burn in the sun very easily. The darker shades in the cool-tone range have a blueish cast to their skin, have more blue than green veins, and can also burn easily. Warm-toned skin that falls in the range of fair to medium has a greenish cast and these people have more green veins than blue veins on their inner wrist (the exact opposite of those with cool-shade skin). This group is more likely to tan in the sun rather than burn easily. Dark warm-toned skin has a chocolate tone and shares all the same qualities with their fairer skinned group. 

Make sure you know which category your skin fits into when you are purchasing your cosmetics. If you see 'NC' or 'NW' on cosmetic-codes (MAC uses these codes religiously in their concealers and foundations) know that it refers to 'neutral cool' and 'neutral warm' skin tones. You should stick to the one which best represents your skin tone for a flawless match. Some people can fall right in between, and in this case either of the shades will work for you.

Types of foundation

The types of foundation are classified according to their chemical base. Oil-based foundation is probably the oldest of the bunch, it has been around for a very long time, and the base is usually a waxy consistency or similar to petroleum. It provides the most coverage of all but easily smears and is really not practical to be using on a daily basis. 

Alcohol-based foundation is a specialty product because it is made for people with problem-skin. It reduces the chance for the makeup to clog your pores, it is a difficult application using cotton pads and usually has 'pore minimizer' in the name, providing only very sheer coverage. 

Powder or talc-based foundations are usually brushed on from a compact and they are 'stickier' than their loose-powder counterparts. Powder foundation is often used on top of other kinds of foundation for a fuller more-polished finish. One must be careful though, when applying this type of makeup, because it can look cakey and will probably need re-touching in warmer weather. 

Mineral foundation is slightly different because it tends not to use talc as a base, being more 'healthy' for you in general. The coverage of these solutions is medium at best because they are in loose powder format and do not have so many skin adhesives or chemicals, they are mostly made out of minerals mined from the earth. They usually give a nice shiny appearance which gives the illusion of healthy, dewy skin. 

Finally last but not least, my favorite all time foundation, water-based products! This is probably the most popular of the bunch and is a creamy liquid that can give you medium to full coverage, depending on your application (if you use it lightly, you will cover some of your problems, but if you use it heavily, you will cover everything up). I suggest using this product with a brush as it blends out much more successfully than with a sponge (definitely do not use your hands to apply this). 

Sephora Mini-Haul and Product Reviews

Lately, I find myself drawn to a particular texture of makeup rather than one brand or another: silky. Silky means that if you rub the makeup mixture in between your fingers, you feel as though your fingers are coated in the finest layer of silk with no bulges, imperfections, or obtrusions. I think powders with this texture will give the most airbrushed makeup look that you can achieve without actually using an airbrush (or even better than an airbrush, depending on which one you have). I used the VIBDREAM sale at Sephora for the holiday season (20% off all items purchased for Nov. 11-14th) for Very Important Beauty Insiders (people who have spent $350+ in a calendar year at Sephora). I was part of this program because my husband bought me the TEMPTU airbrush system as a wedding present, although we ended up returning it multiple times because of all the defects it had, but that's a story for another time.

I bought myself a tried, tested and true favorite: Diorskin Shimmer Powder by Dior, and then I decided to replenish my depleting quantity of Urban Decay's Grifter, feeling adventurous I purchased Kat Von D's Saint palette and the elusive Korres' Wild Rose Compact Powder (because Sephora is usually out of these). I'll be posting photos of all the products and swatches, as well as my impressions of all of them.

Diorskin Shimmer Powder
The original retail value of this shimmer block is $44, which is quite a hefty price, but it was definitely worth it with my discount. I personally buy the Rose Diamond set because of my skin's undertones, since it comes in either pinkish hues or beige/tan hues. Photos do not do this product justice, it is extremely stunning and flattering. This is one of those products that you can wear every day, even though it is shimmer, without looking like you belong in a nightclub. When applied to the cheeks as blush and above for a highlighting effect, it allows your cheekbones to stand out and people will wonder how you're so naturally beautiful. The sign of a great face product is that it looks natural when you put it on, and this is exactly that. The texture is soft and the color payoff is amazing, the colors are not too bright, like some of the Tarina Tarantino or MAC colors tend to be, it is the right amount of color and there is no fall-out or waste. The product is a generous size and there are four shades of color to choose from. There is a highlight white tone, a ballet-pink shimmer, a mauve-rose blush and a fuschia pink blush. However, the fact that you can mix them all together in whichever way you want allows for uniqueness and creativity on your part. I highly recommend this product, it's one of those that get 100% from me.

Urban Decay Grifter Eyeshadow
This is one of my favorite eyeshadows. You have to realize the gravity of that statement when I say this about an eyeshadow that is not from MAC. Urban Decay's color payoff in this shade is brilliant, you get exactly what you see, you can wash the color out a little bit by applying it with a light hand or you can increase its potency by using a mixing medium or Visine when you apply it. Regardless, this is a product that looks great on fair skinned girls with brown eyes. It's got a quite a bit of pizzazz, some may not be comfortable wearing it at work because of the glitter inside of it. The glitter speckles can be quite large and if you have sensitive eyes, then I do not recommend this eyeshadow. I'm lucky enough to be able to wear it and I love it. This product isn't quite as silky smooth as the others I bought this haul, but it's not bad either. It's a good product for a good price ($17 retail) that you will get a ton of usage out of (I get hundreds and hundreds of applications from one of these pots). Just because it might not be for everyone and it's not from the best company ever made, I'm giving this product an 85%, but I would definitely recommend this to you.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint
Not particularly liking Kat Von D's style in general, I was reluctant to purchase her makeup and that's why I've waited until I completed my thorough research and asked as many opinions as I could about her products. Can I just say that I was blown away by the quality of this palette especially when comparing it to the price (it retails for $35). The similar predecessor of this palette is Urban Decay's Naked palette, which I also have, and the difference here is that Kat Von D's formula is a lot softer to wear while the colors are vibrant and beautiful, you probably have to use less of this product to get the color you want than of the Urban Decay one. Don't get me wrong, I love them both, but this palette seems a little more practical to me because it has a lot less glitter-specks (only the color '<3' and 'bookworm' have them) and they are very sheer. The palette also comes with her autograph pencil liner in black and this formula is comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner. This palette gets a 95% on my scale and it only doesn't achieve perfection because I wish there were even more colors and the palette was a little larger. However, the packaging is darling, the tin is made of metal and not cardboard like most palettes out there. I do wish that 'Pray For Me' was a little darker when swatched and the camera did not pick up the intensity of '<3' but trust me it really does look like the color you see in the palette.

Korres Wild Rose Compact Powder

I have read stellar reviews on Korres products in general but I've never been drawn to them until I randomly was walking through Sephora and touched this powder out of curiosity. Swatching this item feels like you are running your finger through a cloud. It most certainly is a far cry from MAC's studio-finish powders which are a little harsh to the touch. I don't yet know what kind of coverage this gives, but I tend to use my powder after foundations and this will work perfectly for me. Another bonus is that their 02 Golden Fair color is exactly my skin-tone and I rarely find my exact warmish pinkish hue in any makeup brand. I'm thrilled to try this out, you basically can't even see the powder on my skin in the swatch, but I assure you it is there. I give this product an 80% so far because I have yet to try it and I wish it had a little bit of shimmer in it for an even healthier glow (although I realize it's not practical to wear shimmer everywhere, I'm going to try to impress upon you that we should all always be wearing a bit of shimmer). Also, this didn't rate as high on my scale because I just can't get as excited about a powder as I can about eyeshadows, and the packaging was just bland. It opens up to reveal a little sponge underneath the product, which thoroughly annoyed me, because I thought there was going to be a lot more product (as the case would lead to believe) than there truly is. However, this is one of those products that is healthier than the rest because it is formed without parabens, aluminums and other nasty chemicals we shouldn't be putting on our faces, so I guess beauty and quantity suffer for health. It has a pleasant scent, sheer coverage and reduces shine, all bonuses when it comes to powder compacts. It's also $28 which is not quite as much as some of the other powders on the market.