Ruth Anne Sawyer

MAC Eye Brushes

2012-08-07T18:26:00.002-07:00

These are my MAC eye brushes.
239 Eye Shader Brush $25
242 Shader Brush $25
275 Medium Angled Shading Brush $25
217 Blending Brush $23
213 Fluff Brush $23
249 Large Shader Brush $31
208 Angled Brow Brush $20
228 Mini Shader Brush $20
219 Pencil Brush $25
The 239 is one of my favorite brush for applying color to the lid. It is soft yet dense enough to apply eyeshadow nicely. The 242 is another favorite to apply shadow to the lid, lower lid, or to do some precision blending in the crease. I like that I can use this for several purposes. I use the 275 to apply shadow to the lid or allover the eye. In addition to the Urban Decay Good Karma Crease brush, MAC's 217 is my other favorite brush for blending. It's not too fluffy so I am able to blend colors in my crease beautifully with this. The 213 is a nice daily eyeshadow brush. I often use it to highlight my brow bone. The 249 is a large shader brush. I don't care for this brush. It reminds me of the Urban Decay Good Karma Shadow brush. It's just too stiff and I rarely enjoy using it. For the price, it was not worth it. The 208 is great for filling in brows. Sometimes I use it as a push brush for liner. I love this little brush! The 228 is perfect for smudging under the lower lash or applying color to the crease. I am not very fond of the 219. I'm not sure if it is just my brush but I feel like the bristles are really rough and it pokes at my lid even though I use the slightest of pressure. Overall, I love my MAC brushes. Many of them are a delight to use!

Sigma Eye Brushes

2012-08-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

These are my Sigma eye brushes:

E45 Small Tapered Blending $9

E60 Large Shader $11

E50 Large Fluff $11

E25 Blending $9

E35 Tapered Blending $11

E25 Mini Blending
The E45 is nice for blending shadows in the crease without smearing it up to the brow. The E60 is a nice soft brush for applying shadow to the lid and brow bone. The E50 is great for putting color on the lid or all over the eye. The E25 and E35 are nice for blending shadows but not so much for precision blending. I got this mini E25 as a free gift with one of my Sigma orders. These are all great brushes for the price.

Urban Decay Eye Brushes

2012-08-07T17:03:00.003-07:00

I currently own two Urban Decay eye brushes. The Good Karma Crease and Good Karma Shadow brush have synthetic bristles as all Urban Decay brushes do. Both of these are $26. I really like the crease brush. It's very soft and works great for applying and blending eyeshadow. It is probably the one I reach for the most of all my blending brushes. The shadow brush was included in my Naked Palette. I don't really care for this brush. Not for eyeshadow anyway. It is extremely dense and stiff which I suppose can be good by not producing so much fallout but it is the last brush I tend to reach for. Maybe I'll find a better use for it on something else. Although I don't really like the shadow brush, I hope to get more brushes from Urban Decay. The prices are rather high on these brushes though.

Sigma Face Brushes

2012-08-07T16:13:00.001-07:00

These are my Sigma face brushes. They are the:
F15 Duo Fibre Powder/Blush $18
F55 Small Duo Fibre $14
F05 Small Contour $14
F80 Flat Kabuki $16
F82 Round Kabuki $16
The F15 is a duo fiber brush for powders and blush. I use if for blush and it helps by not picking up too much like a normal blush brush would do. I use the F55 for contouring and like it the for the same reasons as the F15. After applying contour powder I'll use the F05 to blend out harsh edges. Unfortunately this brush sheds a lot but so does the MAC 109. I used to use the F80 for applying foundation but now I use it to press powder in all over the face. I have been using the F82 for applying and blending in my liquid foundations. Both the F80 and F82 are the most difficult brushes to clean but still worth having. I find that the easiest way to clean them is to use a cup that I don't care about to put cleaning solution and warm water and leave them to soak until I have finished cleaning all my other brushes. Then use a dabbing motion to break up the makeup out of the bristles while rinsing out the bristles a few times during the process and repeating until the brushes are clean.

Lancome Blending Tip Brush #16

2012-08-07T14:47:00.001-07:00

I recently picked up this brush from Lancome. It is the Blending Tip Brush #16. It has natural bristles and is very soft. I bought this because I wanted to get better precision for blending eyeshadow in my crease and I find that it does just that. It is my first brush from Lancome and I love it. So far I haven't had any problems with bristles falling out. The website describes this as being really good for hooded or small eyes and I certainly agree. It is an excellent brush for contouring the crease and outer v.

Waterproof Eyeliners

2012-08-07T14:34:00.001-07:00

These are my favorite eyeliners! They are Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Matte Black 0L and Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Jet Black. I love that these are waterproof so I don't notice movement throughout the day. I decided to get the MUFE Aqua Eyes liner after swatching it and Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. The MUFE liner smeared less so that was the one I got and I have been enjoying that. The Stila liner is also great. I love the applicator tip which allows me to create a nice wing. It isn't a brush tip either so I also really liked that. One of the girls at Sephora said her daughter also liked it because she could go surfing with it and it wouldn't come off.

Lancôme Skincare

2012-08-07T13:50:00.003-07:00

These are my favorite skincare products from Lancome. Above I have the Lancome Genifique Eye Youth Activating Eye Concentrate, Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate, Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector, and Tonique Douceur freshener. These have worked wonders for my skin. I really like the Tonique Douceur toner because of the pH balance it gives my skin. I think that is a really important part of taking care of one's skin. I do like this toner better than the other toners I have used from Lancome and much more than the ones from Estee Lauder. The Visionnaire skin corrector is amazing! I have notice that my acne scars have brightened and are significantly less noticeable because of this corrector. I can see that it really does correct. The Genifique is also great. I have notice that my skin feels smoother and lines are less apparent than when I am not using this. The Genifique Eye concentrate is nice because it doesn't irritate my eyes. I really enjoy this eye cream. Although these are quite expensive, not so much for the toner, I have never used skincare products that have benefited my skin in the way that all of these have. They make a world of difference for my skin.

Acqua di Gioia

2012-08-07T13:30:00.001-07:00

Giorgio Armani Women Acqua Di Gioia By Giorgio Armani - Fragrances (Google Affiliate Ad)

I am in love with Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia. It has such a fresh scent! I purchased it from Dillard's this past weekend when I was buying Acqua di Gio for my husband and thought I'd get a 1oz to see how I'd like it. I can definitely say that my other perfumes will get some neglect for a while. Love this scent!

Urban Decay Primer Potion

2011-09-12T00:24:00.000-07:00

These are Urban Decay Primer Potions. This is the best eye primer that I've used so far and I liked it so much I went and purchased extras. I love love love these. I don't have a problem with creasing like I did with my Mac eye primer so I was delighted about that. Also compared to the Mac eye primer which was rather thick, the primer potions are very light weight and I do like that a lot about them. This is just a very good all around eye primer.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

2011-09-12T00:17:00.000-07:00

So this is the Urban Decay Naked Palette. Mine came with a mini eye primer potion and an eyeshadow brush which I was very happy about. The eyeshadow shades in this palette are gorgeous but I was really excited about the blue color it came with. I like that shade most because I have brown eyes and it's hard for me to find blue shades of eyeshadow that look nice on me and this one is great. I am in love with this palette. The colors are very wearable and I have been using this nearly everyday since I bought it. I haven't noticed any fallout when applying these eye shadows and they apply beautifully on primed eyelids.

Philosophy Hope in a Bottle

2011-05-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

Philosophy has a moisturizer called Hope in a Bottle which is a great moisturizer because it is light and is perfect. I really don't like thick moisturizers that instead of absorbing into the skin it just sits there. This one does not do that and has a pleasant smell. It is supposed to prevent blemishes but I really haven't noticed that happening throughout my use. Other than that I am satisfied with this product.

Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

2011-05-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

I really like Maybelline the Falsies Mascara because it really lengthens and volumizes my lashes almost as if I were wearing false eyelashes. When I apply mascara I never pull the wand strait out of the tube to apply because it will be a glob mess. So instead, while pulling out the wand I'll scrape it on the inside of the tube to get all the excess product off the part of the wand I will be applying to my lashes. Then I always start from the top of the lash to work up the length that I want and then brush it through the entire lash to get my desired look.

Perfumes!

2011-05-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

These are my three favorite perfumes. From the left there is Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise, Victoria's Secret Pink, and Ralph Lauren Romance. Actually the Victoria Secret one is a mist not a perfume but I still love it. Beyond Paradise has been one of my favorites since I started high school. I've gone through at least 3 bottles of this and absolutely love it. They all have a floral fresh scent which is what I like in my perfumes.

Coastal Scents Prism Palette

2011-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is the Coastal Scents Prism Palette. This is a nice palette to have if you want a lot of colors to experiment with for a reasonable price. I believe I paid around $20 for this. I love the idea of this but honestly I am not impressed with it and I feel there is too much hype on this product. I've heard people talk about how the pigment of these shades are comparable to MAC but I disagree. There is definitely a huge difference between color payoff between the two. I cannot wear this without eye primer. To me this palette is a lot like the kind I used to get when I was a child. I love the concept of it but will never buy it again.

Blackhead Mask

2011-05-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

The Face Shop in Korea has Blackhead Ex Nose Clay Mask. I've tried the Biore nose strips before and they have nothing on this peel off mask. It kind of hurts when you pull it off but you'll notice a difference and you can see all the gunk that comes off on the peel. I've never used a peel off mask that was so dramatic as this!

Oil and Acne Control

2011-05-09T04:06:00.000-07:00

Queen Helene has an awesome Mint Julep Masque that helps reduce oil and dries out blemishes. The directions say to leave it on for about 15 min or so but if the oil and blemishes on my face are pretty bad I'll leave it on all night which isn't exactly comfortable since I roll around a lot. At first when I put it on it really stings but is fine once it has dried. I usually sit in front of a fan until it is dry. Then after it dries your face feels really tight until you wash it off. It can be really drying so it's a good idea to moisturize after but it definitely helps if you have oily skin and acne. I've gone through about 3 tubes of this and my sister use it a lot too.

Makeup Brush Cleaner

2011-05-09T03:59:00.000-07:00

This is Purminerals Mineral Wash which can be used for a lot of things but I use it as a makeup brush cleanser. I like this because I can get all of the makeup off my brushes with it. I like that it has a pump so that I can get the same amount each time. It just makes thing easier which I am all for. Has a nice smell too!

Purity Made Simple

2011-05-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

Purity Made Simple is a cleanser from Philosophy skincare. This is an awesome cleanser that I use everyday mainly to get ALL of my makeup off. It takes off eye makeup, liners, and mascaras. LOVE it! I really like this because it saves me so much time. I don't have to use an eye makeup remover and face makeup remover. It smells pretty good. I really like this.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

2011-05-09T03:28:00.000-07:00

I love MAC Studio Finish Concealer! This has been perfect for covering the many imperfections on my face from acne. I have a lot of scarring and redness hear and there and using this really hides it. I've don't really have to use this too much since I've started using Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage foundation.

MAC Prep+Prime Eye Primer

2011-05-09T03:20:00.000-07:00

This is MAC Prep+Prime Eye primer. After using this primer for a while I decided that I really don't like it. This is because it always causes creasing in my eye makeup once applied. I was pretty disappointed because I had high hopes for this when I purchased it. I will not be buying this product again and probably won't finish the rest of the product. Even when I applied sparing amounts I'd still get the icky crease action going. I do not recommend this to anyone.

Other Foundations

2011-05-09T03:02:00.000-07:00

These are some other foundations I have. The one on the left is Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation. Like I said in the previous post this one has minimal coverage. Since this one is my summer shade it would be good for mixing with my other foundation as I get tanner throughout the year. The one on the right is Lorielle True Match foundation. I had higher expectations for this. There are a lot of shades to choose which is good but with my oily skin I find my face extremely shiny after a few hours of wearing this and then it will get worse as the day goes on. This gives minimal coverage. Probably won't buy this one again. It also looks pretty cakey after it has been applied.

My Favorite Foundation!

2011-05-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

I never really liked Estee Lauder skin care products because they either made me break out or made my face extremely oily which I hated since I have oily skin to begin with. I feel very different about their foundations and powders though. I have been using Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation products since I started high school. I used to wear the Double Wear Stay-In-Place liquid foundation but never really LOVED it because I need full coverage and this only gave me minimal coverage. I've always used the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Powder Makeup though. I really like this because it is a foundation powder and gives pretty good coverage. Used this for my wedding. Then I just started using the Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body. This is my favorite liquid foundation ever! I have REALLY bad acne scars and this covers them up. It is my life saver. Also another thing I like about it is that it isn't necessary for me to apply concealer after which saves time when I'm in a hurry. I've tried a lot of different foundations including Lorielle, Cover Girl, Clinique, and MAC just to name a few. The Double Wear foundations and powders have given me the most coverage without the cakey look. What isn't great about the Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body is that there aren't very many shades to choose from. I only saw three when I purchased mine but the 01 Creamy Ivory suits me fine since it's the lightest and my skin is still pretty white from winter. As my skin gets darker throughout this spring and summer I'm sure that after mixing a darker foundation and after highlighting and contouring my face and neck it should be fine so not too worried.

First Post!

2011-05-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

So this is my first post! I'm so excited to start blogging about anything and everything that interests me. I love makeup and everything beauty related. This will be something I will definitely blog about. I would love to hear your ideas and comments as well. I ordered a few things from MAC today and cannot wait for them to get here so I can try them out!