Review of Kirkland Makeup Brushes

Hey everyone!

Did you know that Costco’s brand Kirkland sells makeup brushes? Well, you probably do, because a lot of people talk about them. Recently on a trip to Costco, I came across these and couldn’t help myself. I’ve heard from a lot of different people that these makeup brushes are quite the steal, so I wanted to try them out for myself. Plus, the gold, champagne colored handles totally sold me too.
Here's a look at the packaging:

As you can see, it's a pretty big. By the way, I searched pretty much the entire building for it. I found it really close to the pharmacy, so it's probably in that area. I like that you can see what the brushes look like in the package (I always get the ones in the back because I think people mess with them less. I wonder if that actually works?).

Now we'll take a closer look at the individual brushes in the kit! There are 8 brushes total, plus a brush travel bag.

So first up is this powder brush. It's very large! I would say this brush would be fantastic with your are using something bronzer, since it's generous, fluffy, but not densely enough packed to make you look orange. I noticed a couple hairs shedding, but nothing obnoxious.

I was super excited about this duo fiber brush! I currently do not own a brush like this that can be used for wet or dry products. I have yet to use this, but I was very impressed with the density. I've heard complaints in the past that the Sigma version is too floppy to apply things like blush. But because this isn't too long, I feel like it would be a great job. I can see myself using this with blush, and maybe even if I try out a liquid foundation.

 Here is there large angled contour brush (very similar to my MAC 168 and my Sigma F40). First thing I noticed about this, is that it's kind of the middle ground between the 168 and the F40. The 168 has short bristles that are very dense! It makes applying color to my cheeks extremely easy and pigmented. The F40 is slightly harder to use because it's hair is much longer. It can be hard to sweep color because of the length (it just wants to bend over if that makes sense). The Kirkland brush on the other hand is a little in between. First, let me say, it packs color on fast! Using my NARS Orgasm, I was shocked that just 2 (yes two!!) sweeps of blush totally coated my cheeks! It's not as dense at the 168, but super soft and a lot easier to use than the F40.

Here is the usual flat foundation brush that is recommended to be used with liquid foundation. I have never used any brush like this, so I can't say for sure if this is a winner (I don't think a lot of people use this style any more for foundation, but I could be wrong! That's why I like powder...so much easier!). Here are the eye brushes that were included in the set.

On the top, if the crease brush. It's really precise and fine point. I didn't think it would be worth a hill of beans honestly. But, I tried it out with Snakebite from my Naked 2 palette and was surprised! It would be fantastic when you want to precisely apply a dark color to the outer V.

 

Next is the angled brush for defining eyebrows or eyeliner. On the end of that brush is a spoolie (is that what it's called?). I desperately needed this addition! I'm not sure if it's for eyebrows or eyelashes, but it has already saved me from a mascara mishap!

 

The third brush is a huge all over eye shader. It's huge. I really don't see a use for it for me personally, although they say it's one of the only synthetic brushes in the kit, so it could be used with like my MAC Paint Pot or something like that.

 

And last is the eye shader. At first I was super impressed, I didn't think it'd pack color very well. But it's been great! I love it a lot! No complaints! It does exactly what you want your eye shader to do: apply color evenly and quickly over a big surface area!

 

And finally, this is the pretty brush travel case it came with! I love it! It has the same champagne colored outside (like faux alligator) and a zipper around the edges.

On one side is has a pouch, perfect for my Covergirl Shimmering Sands or a few MAC single eyeshadows. And the otherside has places to put the brushes. Super helpful and great for traveling.

Overall, my thoughts on this set are pretty positive. Honestly, I don't think the brushes are remotely close to being MAC quality. But, the cost of this entire set when I bought it ($24.99) is the cost of one brush at MAC. But for the average makeup wearer, someone that wants brushes that are slightly better than ELF, these are fantastic. I would most definitely recommend them to anyone starting out with makeup and needs a set, or someone that wants an extra few brushes on hand.

 

Have you ever tried a Kirkland brand brush kit? What were your thoughts?  

 

My Review of Sigma Brushes

So I’ve had my Sigma brushes for almost three months now, and I’ve failed to write a review. I’ll claim it’s because I wanted a very descriptive review, one that looks more long term than first impressions. However, it’s really because I just haven’t had time.

But here we go.

 

Over the summer, I couldn’t decide what route to go with my brushes. I was particularly stuck between finishing out my MAC collection or starting with Sigma. I have three MAC brushes, all of which I will say have pretty good quality (217, 239, and 168). But I still wasn’t sold on spending over $50 on a face brush. So for my birthday I asked for the Sigma Mr. Bunny travel brush set. How did I choose this set?

-Synthetic brush bristles (this means a few things: they are cruelty free/vegan friendly, this was HUGE for me), dry faster, and are safe to use with cream products like my Painterly Paint Pot from MAC.

-A 7 brush set. Having a brush set was pretty appealing to me. Plus, all 7 are brushes that I could see myself using.

-Price. At the time they were $59 (I also used a 10% off discount code too, so it basically had free shipping). Now they are $65.

-Came with a solid case.

-I heard reviews saying the Mr. and Mrs. Bunny brushes were usually better quality when compared to the normal brushes.

All those things weighed really heavily in my mind. And that’s why I went that way.

The kit includes seven brushes:

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E30 - Pencil

E40 - Tapered Blending

E55 - Eye Shading

E65 - Small Angle

F30 - Large Powder

F40 - Large Angled Contour

F60 – Foundation

I was particularly excited about the F30 brush, since at that point I was just using an ELF $3 brush.

My Thoughts

The brushes surprised me pleasantly. They are so soft. They haven’t shed one single hair. I haven’t had any problems with the ferules like I have with my MAC 239 or my ELF eye shader. They wash and dry well. They are great for the price. Would I say they are at the same level/better than my three MAC brushes? No. But then, they aren’t MAC’s price point either. I’d say they should be compared more to Sephora’s or Sonia Kashuck’s. And I like them better than my Sonia Kashuck ones.

My favorite brush is the F30 Large Powder brush. My MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural applies so well, that I’ve stopped using BB Cream altogether, and I still have the same coverage. My second favorite is the E55, eye shader. It packs on color to the lid so well. It’s fantastic and surpassed my expectations.

My least favorite brush is the E40. I have small creases, so the largeness of this brush is not for me (neither is the MAC 224). I like my 217 and still use that instead, however, I do use the E40 for blending and softening color when I apply too much to my crease.

I have yet to use the F60, E30, and E65. I don’t use liquid foundation, and I use my Revlon Brow Fantasy and a mechanical pencil liner, so these brushes aren’t super necessary, although they are nice to have just in case I ever want to venture into different products.

I also wanted to add my thoughts about the large angled brush, the F40, since I own the MAC version. At first I really liked using the F40 just because it was part of the set. However, the MAC version is just so much easier to use, mostly because the bristles are shorter, and the brush is more densely packed. Does it make the Sigma brush bad? No. I just prefer to use the MAC one.

Would I buy them again? Yes. I would buy it just for the F30 and the carrying storage case. They are worth the price (even the $6 more expensive price). And are great for someone that wants nice brushes, but not the ridiculous MAC prices.

My MAC Favorites

Hey everyone!

If you've checked out my daily makeup post, you probably already noticed that most of my daily makeup comes from MAC. It's my favorite makeup brand (although I don't exclusively use only MAC, because I think that's just ridiculous when there are other great products and brands out there), and I can safely say that most of their products I've purchased have blown me away. So this post is to show you what 5 products are my absolute favorites!

1. Satin Taupe Eyeshadow:

Satin Taupe is, without a doubt, my favorite eyeshadow in my entire collection. It's raved about all over Youtube and blogs, but I can't stress enough how pretty this color is. It can be more natural, it can be used quite dramatically. It has tremendous staying power, great pigmentation (all of my MAC shadows do too!), and blends beautifully. ($15)

2. Paint Pot in Painterly:

Like most others, I use this flesh colored paint pot as an eyeshadow primer. I absolutely love it. In my opinion, it works much better than Urban Decay's Primer Potion. It helps my shadow stay all day, even in the hottest, sweatiest conditions (like last week when I went to the Obama Rally). I also love that when using it, the fact that is it flesh colored helps my eyeshadow look even more pigmented. Drugstore makeup looks like a $100 when it's over Painterly. I think it also helps blending shadow, which definitely makes it better than Primer Potion. This is going to be a product I repurchase over and over. ($18.50)

3. 217 Brush:

I held off from buying this brush so long mostly because of the price. At $23, it might seem a little steep, but I must say that I think it's entirely worth it. Out of the three brushes I have purchased from MAC, this one is my favorite, and one that I know I couldn't live without. It fits great in my crease, it lays color perfectly, it helps my look not look messy. It has washed well (I wash my brushes weekly), and it's only shed one or two hairs total in the 2+ months I've used it. ($23)

4. Technakohl Liner in Graphblack: 

This was the very first MAC product I fell deeply in love with. The formula is creamy, but smudgeproof. The black is so pigmented. I love the fact that it doesn't require sharpening. It stays all day and even requires a tad bit of elbow work to remove at night. You can get a precise, thin line or a thicker line easily. This is the only high-end liner I've used, so I can't speak of Urban Decay or others, but I can tell you that I'm so sold on this product, that I'm never switching. ($15)

5. Mineralize Skinfinish Natural:

When I first started my makeup collection, I honestly had ever heard about any face product other than the Studio Fix powder foundation from MAC. But with some quick research, I found that this is one of MAC's most famous face products, and I can clearly understand why. I've used this powder as both a setting powder and a quick, natural foundation. It works great both ways. It's great for my semi-oily skin. It hasn't broke me out, it makes my skin look airbrushed and glowing. It feels great and matches my skin perfectly (thanks to my MAC counter in Dillards, with the makeup artist testing a couple out on me).  ($29)

While these are my five most favorite products from MAC, I must say that none of the things I've purchased from there have disappointed me. I'm not one of those people that only buy MAC products just because of the name or their "supposed" title as number one makeup brand. I buy their stuff because it works, I get great service both in the store and at the counter, and compared to other high-end brands, I find them actually less expensive (brands like NARS, Smashbox, Dior, Urban Decay, Tarte, and sometimes Too Faced are usually more...just do some comparison shopping).

So what are you're favorite MAC products? Any suggestions for my next investments? I was thinking about some tinted lipglass...



July Favorites

Hey everyone! I thought I'd share some of the things that I've been loving in the month of July!

1.) Philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath in -- Sugary Cinnamon Icing

This is actually pretty random, seeing as how I got this 3-1 guy two years ago during Christmas time in one of those cute sets that Philosophy always has. But during the summer my skin goes crazy. I don't know what it is. It's like I'm allergic to the sun. I get these red little bumps after any heat, sun exposure, or sweating that hurt, burn, itch, and even bleed. I've tried everything it seems, ointment, sunscreen, super thick, non-scented body washes and thick lotions. But nothing honestly works besides time. It eventually goes away on its own, usually only to show up on a different part of my body (shins, thighs, back of my legs, neck, under my bust, forearms, lower back, and armpits are all the usual places). A few weeks ago I was taking a shower and noticed the little Philosphy bottle. Probably because I've been craving cinnamon rolls like CRAZY lately, I decided use this. After my shower, I noticed my skin softer than ever. And guess what? My red little rashes went away! And have been gone ever since I started using this.

To be honest, I love Philosophy's shower gels, but usually, they are just too sweet for me (I'm a floral, Bath and Body Works sorta girl). But this has converted me. The other day I tried using a Victoria's Secret shower gel, and it just didn't even come close to comparing. So since I'm about to run out, I definitely have my eye on the Caramel Apple scent or the I Love Candy Corn kind. Fall scents are definitely my favorite!

2.) MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush

So earlier this month I decided to take the plunge and buy my first MAC face brush. It cost $34, but because I had heard nothing but rave reviews of it on Youtube, I figured I had to try it (especially since I could definitely already notice the quality of my MAC 239 and 217). I bought it with the intent to use it for my blush, and so far it's been working great! Especially compared to my ELF brush that I had been using previously (although I must say that brush is a keeper too, especially if you are on a budget). I love the natural fibers, the effortless application, as well as the overall versatility of this brush. As far as quality, it's probably a 4 stars out of 5 stars. I've had it shed about maybe 6 or 7 hairs (not too bad) and it washes pretty well. The hair is soft. I think it makes my blush look really good as well.

3.) Target's Mossimo Boyfriend V-Neck Shirts with Pocket

I cannot say how much I love these shirts. First, only $8!! I have five of them (in black, gray, coral, light blue, and green) and have hopes of getting more. They are the perfect summer t-shirt, especially when it's hot and miserable, but you still want to look cute. Plus, I think they will be perfect for the fall and winter for layer under cute little cardis. Seriously, if you haven't checked these out yet, you need to. They are my go-to fashion staples this summer.

4.) Nike Running Shorts (aka Norts)

So at first on Pinterest and TSM I didn't understand what the heck Norts were. And then when I finally found out that they are Nike shorts, I couldn't figure out the obsession sorority girls have with them. See, at my school here in Colorado, they aren't exactly a "thing." But with temperatures staying above 90 degrees for 13 days straight (not sure if that was record or not), there was nothing I wanted to were BUT my Norts. First, they have dots. And I LOVE dots. Second, they are cute. Third, they are so light and comfy and cool. Sometimes, I forget I'm wearing them and not my PJs (which ironically are shorts with polar bears on them, and I'm wearing them in July). If you are hesitant, just get them. If you aren't a fan (how could you not be, though?!), then you at least have cute work out attire. (Btw: mine came from Finish Line)

5.) OPI's Cajun Shrimp

Thanks to Kate from The Small Things Blog, I was introduced to my favorite summer nail polish (so far at least), earlier this month. I don't know why, but I think red looks super odd on my finger nails. I love red as a color, in fact it's tied for that honor (with yellow), but I think it just makes my fingers look like vampire fingers or something. But this red-orange-coral is perfect. It is so flattering on my baby hands and feet. I love it.

{Obviously it's the one on the right. But the other is Essie E Nuf is E Nuf...pretty much it's twin}

6.) Redken's Real Control Slim Supreme

Yet another favorite I found thanks to Kate! I'm pretty sure that I didn't even buy this in July, probably May, but I just have to talk about this hair product! I have poofy, kinda frizzy, thick, crazy hair. Seriously, my hair is just ridiculous. I feel like I have tried every product under the sun to make my hair manageable. And all have barely helped me. I liked my Morroccan Oil, but for some reason I just stopped using it. But this is one product I have used EVERY time I blow dry my hair. That's saying a lot for me. It makes it smooth, soft, shiny, frizz-free, and straight. I love it. I cannot say how much it has helped my hair during these summer months.

7.) MAC Gently Off Eye & Lip Remover

Okay, so like mascara, I'm constantly on the search for the perfect makeup remover. I feel like I've tried everything at the drugstore. And nothing works. You'd like I'd just stop using waterproof mascara, but I'm not giving up. So when I saw that MAC had this remover, and that it had pretty good reviews, I had to try it, despite the $19 price tag. And so far, I'm in love. See, it gets off at least 70% of my mascara, while other waterproof makeup removers only take off like 40%. It doesn't burn at all. It's oily, but not bad in the least (trust me, one from Covergirl reminds me of whale blubber, or at least that's what I think whale blubber would be like). It's a little steep, in my opinion. So I'm not sure if I'll repurchase when I run out, but the good thing is that it's part of the Back to MAC recycling program.

8.) Revlon Brow Fantasy

A little while back, I talked about picking my Revlon Brow Fantasy at Walgreens. And just as I hoped, I love this. It's so handy because one side is a pencil and the other side is tinted gel. Definitely a must for my crazy brows (that need waxing but I'm too cheap and I don't know of any good places in my hometown).
So there you have it! Those were my favorites for July! What things did you enjoy during July?

Thanks for reading!

Daily Makeup Products

Wanna look inside my makeup bag? And at the products that I use daily that don't fit in it? Well then hopefully you like today's post!

First, this is my makeup bag. It's from Vera Bradley in the print Island Blooms, and I think it's so adorable. When I bought a lot of my MAC makeup I decided that I needed a really adorable makeup bag to hold it, one that doesn't ugly up whatever surface it sits on or drawer it lives in. Plus it kind of keeps me from blowing all my money on makeup, because I plan to make everything fit in there. It makes travel much easier, storage simpler, and finding an everyday look a lot faster.

So here is sorta of an overview of my makeup. I didn't put all my individual MAC eyeshadows because that will come here in a little bit. Here you see:

-My Naked Palette

-My Smashbox BB Cream (review to come soon)

-Garnier BB Cream (review also coming soon!)

-NARS blush in Orgasm

-MAC Skinfinish Natural

-Maybelline Falsies mascara

-L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara

-MAC Technakohl Liner

-Wet N' Wild eyeshadow

-MAC paint pot in Painterly

-Urban Decay Primer Potion

-Revlon tweezers

-Sonia Kashuk "Perfectly Neutral" eyeshadow palette

First we'll start with my face products. I don't like heavy foundations or a huge long drawn-out routine. So I recently I've started using a BB cream (I've used the Garnier for a week or two and I've only used the Smashbox one day once so far), then I set it with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (I was matched to medium plus and it's perfect). I love this powder and can definitely reccommend it to everyone. It's fantastic. Then I just use my NARS Orgasm blush (which I have found to look really natural and pretty on me. A lot of people complain that it's too bright or shimmery, but I honestly don't think it's that way on me).

Soon I'll post a review of these two BB creams (I don't want to jinx it just yet, but I'm a fan so far of the Smashbox one).

For my eyeshadow primer I go back and forth between MAC's paint pot (I use Painterly) and Urban Decay's Primer Potion. I guess for some odd reason when I use MAC eyeshadow I use MAC and when I use my Naked palette I use my Primer Potion. But I actually have my eye on the NARS one so hopefully soon I can try that out soon.

These are other products that I use out on my eyes. The lash curler is from MAC and I love it so far! Then there is my MAC Technakohl liner in Graphblack. Seriously, I have no desire ever to try another liner. It glides on smoothly, doesn't budge at all, and creates such a pretty look. Plus, no sharpeners are involved! I've read and heard great things about Urban Decay's 24/7 liner, but I believe it's $5 more and I'm perfectly happy with this MAC liner.

Then I'm sure you see my two different kinds of mascara. I love to try out new mascara and these two are the newsest ones! I've been loving the L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes. I think it's my new number one. But I was super curious about the Maybelline Falsies so I'm enjoying that a lot right now. A girl can never have too many favorite mascaras, since they always seem to discontinue them. Both are in very black and waterproof.

I love eyeshadow and I have a pretty large selection (I'm sure it's actually tiny compared to a lot of people haha).

-Naked Palette: I thought I wouldn't like it as much as I do, honestly. My favorite colors are Sin, Buck, and Naked. However, there is still tons of exploring and playing around I need to do.

-My Wet N' Wild palette (or whatever you call the trio of colors haha) in "Walking on Eggshells." I love it. After using my MAC and UD shadows I thought that I could never stand the thought of using a drugstore (super cheap) brand, but this is amazing. Worth way more than $2.99. Check it out.

-Sonia Kashuk's "Perfectly Neutral": I love love love it. Absolutely beautiful and a great value. (pictured up close below). I learned about it from Kate from The Small Things Blog. Check out her tutorial because that's the look I use :)

-MAC eyeshadows: I'm personally not a fan of their palettes, I like the individual little pots instead.

Colors that I have include : Knight Divine (it's like a dark blue/black, I honestly haven't used it yet), Vex, Copperplate, Blanc Type, Satin Toupe, Ploof, and Expresso. I absolutely love using Vex, Copperplate, and Satin Toupe. They are so pretty! And they can be mix and matched together too!

These two prodcts don't fit in my makeup bag, but they are both things that I use every day (usually).

Left: MAC's Gently Off Eye and Lip Makeup Remover. A must in my book. I love it. Even gets waterproof makeup off.

Right: MAC's Brush Cleanser

My little brush collection. From left to right:

-Good Karma eyeshadow (came with my Naked Palette and I honestly have used it once)

-Sonia Kashuk small eye shader

-Bare Escentuals angled eyeshadow brush

-MAC 217

-Sonia Kashuk crease brush

-MAC 239

-ELF large eye shader

-ELF blush brush

-ELF complexion brush

Everyday, I always use my MAC 217 and 239, and all three ELF brushes. So the very low end of my brushes and the higher end. I have yet to find a better brush than my ELF large shader to do my brow highlight.

So that's my collection. Hopefully I'll have some reviews coming soon, some new products to talk about, and if anyone has any questions, just ask!

Battle of the Brands: Makeup Brush Cleaners

I've always loved reviews of products. And I've always loved comparing two that are supposed to do the same job! So for today, I'm going to take a look at Sephora's daily brush cleaner, the Sephora Purifying Brush Shampoo, and MAC's brush cleanser.

The first product I bought was Sephora's Daily Brush Cleaner, so I'll talk about that first.

I initially purchased this product because I was sick and tired of scrubbing my brushes on the back of my hand before applying my eye makeup everyday when I wanted to switch colors. At $6 for a 2 oz. bottle I didn't think it was too much either. One thing that I absolutely love love love about this product, is the spray pump. I cannot say enough great things about that. I'd usually use 2 sprays onto a piece of tissue or paper towel and then clean my brush back and forth, watching excitedly as the product would easily wipe right off! I'm so easily amused. But it was like a miracle for me, who had never technically cleaned a brush before. The two sprays usually worked. For a more stubborn color (like Urban Decay's Darkhorse in the Naked Palette) I might even spray onto the brush directly, but that wasn't usually the case. I have about a fourth of the bottle left after about a month, so I'd say if you use it daily like me (and I didn't use it on my face brushes) you might want to invest in the 6.75 oz version ($14). Unless you like running into Sephora monthly, which I personally love :).

The second product I purchased was Sephora's brush shampoo. Previously, I had been using baby shampoo, which was working great, but I was wondering if the brushes would need an extra conditioning agent (I had just bought MAC's 217 and 239 and I didn't want to risk that $50 investment). Like the daily brush cleaner, this one is $6 for 2 oz. and has a pump top that is super helpful when you are at the sink cleaning your brushes. Both Sephora products have a really nice fresh smell that I enjoy (not chemical in the least, but not an annoying overpowering smell either). It suds up great, left my brushes clean after just one pump. My larger face brushes usually needed two, but that was it. It was easy to use, washed out fast, and got all the product out. Plus, the product claims that it's anti-bacterial too, so for those that worry about keeping their face clean and blemish free, this is a great way to do that.

With these two products I initially had absolutely no complaints. I guess if I could imagine one, it would be the price. For the 2 oz bottle being $6 seemed a tad much, but it's not too bad.

It was plainc curiosity that brought me to MAC's brush cleanser. I had read so much and I was wondering just how it compared to Sephora's, since this is both of their products in one. It's $13 (less than the big version of the others). One thing that I can't say enough (like the reviewers all across the internet) is that the top is just ridiculous. At first I thought people were just being too picky. But seriously, you do waste a lot of product, it leaks sometimes awkwardly, and it can really just frustrate a person. Even at points when I'm doing the quick, daily clean-up, I get so frustrated with the cap that I pull out my Sephora version (and it gets the job done).

However, there's a reason why people put up with it, and that's the fact that MAC's gets the product out faster. And better. Especially when shampooing. I had resigned to the fact that my new 217 and 239 would never be a clean white again after several washings with the Sephora shampoo. After just one use with a tiny amount of MAC product, they were back to being their original pristine white. And that's when I was sold. This product has hardly any smell, also.

The jury (well me, anyway) is still unsure about it's capabilities getting the brushes clean on a daily basis. I think I need to test that out more.

I think what it comes down to is, ease of use and what store you like better. Yes, MAC's kicked the baby shampoo and Sephora's behind when it came to deep cleaning. And with just a tiny amount of product too. But sometimes, I just get so frustrated with that cap because I'm watching my money slowly dribble everywhere...except for where I want it. I'd say if you like Sephora's Daily Brush cleaner, get that and shampoo with MAC. Or find a spray pump for the MAC cleaner.

I know for me personally, I'm sold when it comes to shampooing (at least for now) with the MAC. I also like MAC's recycling program, which is another reason I decided to invest in this bottle. So for now the MAC has won, but only time will tell.

Update: I wanted to add that the Sephora brush shampoo lathers very well, the MAC version doesn't lather at at all. Also, I feel like because of the alcohol in the MAC brush cleanser, it feels like it dries the hair of the brushes out a little.
Does anyone have any thoughts about these? Any idea where I can buy a spray cap for my MAC brush cleanser?