Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Makeup Tools

MBBTV #13: Key Brushes for Your Makeup Arsenal and What They Can Do for You

by 13 Comments


Ever had a brush with makeup brush confusion? If you’re not sure which brushes to begin your collection with or want to pare down your current makeup brush stash into a subset of useful essentials, here’s a video that might help. 🙂

Products mentioned in the video…

Enjoy the rest of your night. I’m just about about ready to hop into bed, where I plan to read the June issue of Real Simple, ahh…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. If you’re looking for more makeup and beauty to watch, please visit my channels on Vimeo and YouTube.

With Straight From Nature, Sonia Kashuk Goes After Dark Circles Everywhere

by 19 Comments

Every morning lately I’ve been waking up with two things: 1) a 16-pound tabby on my chest (complete with janky tuna breath) and 2) dark circles.

One is cute; the other is not. 🙂

I’ve come to terms with the tabby, but I sought out Sonia Kashuk’s Straight From Nature Foundation Brush ($17, part of the Straight From Nature Brush line for spring) to help with the circles.

How’d it work?
[Continue reading…]

MBBTV #8: Tweezerman for Benefit & Crazy Lunch Lady Hairs

by 14 Comments


How’s it going, girl? 🙂 What are you up to today, and are you doing anything for Easter this weekend?

Can’t say I have anything exciting on the agenda (other than hopefully watching Hot Tub Time Machine), but we are driving out to visit my parents in the East Bay tomorrow morning. I’m looking forward to seeing them and getting out of dodge for the day.

Anywho, here’s a video look at the Tweezerman for Benefit collection of tools for cute brows and lashes.

For more on the Tweezerman for Benefit collection…

NOTE: The pattern on the slanted tip tweezer in the video is supposed to be yellow and not orange or pink (something goofy happened to the color in that part of the clip).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Dolce and Gabbana Brush Collection

by 35 Comments

I just remembered that Mother’s Day is right around the corner (May 9), and even though my mom always says, “Oh, honey, please don’t get me anything,” I know that’s a form of code for, “You better not show up empty handed, yo.” To head off any potential problems, I’m trying to find an early gift.

Mom’s not a big time makeup junkie, but I think she’d really like these new Dolce & Gabbana brushes, products of a collaboration between D&G and world-renowned makeup artist Pat McGrath.


[Continue reading…]

Branch Out This Spring With Sonia Kashuk’s Bamboo Brushes

by 39 Comments

This is probably gonna sound weird, but all my life I’ve been bringing home random branches. If I like a stick’s shape or texture, I’ll find a way to haul it home, even if it involves jumping into hella cold SF Bay water (remind me to tell you the story of the giant driftwood someday).

Anywho, I guess that’s probably part of the reason why I like Sonia Kashuk’s new Straight From Nature Brushes. New for spring, Sonia crafted these limited-edition eye, face and cheek brushes from eco-friendly bamboo, cork and a mix of natural and synthetic fibers.

There’s something kind of branch-y and natural about them, like, if the Swiss Family Robinson wanted to make elegant makeup brushes, these are what they’d look like, ha!

If you’ve tried and liked Sonia’s seasonal brushes, then you might really dig these. The brush heads feel pretty darn soft for drugstore (the only one that’s a little scratchy is the Wooden Wonder Kabuki), and I like the sturdiness of the handles.

A few stand outs:

  • Straight From Nature Bamboo Powder Brush ($20): This brush’s narrow shape and slightly pointed tip should work great for powder application on specific parts of the face
  • Straight From Nature Bamboo Foundation Brush ($17): The brush head for this is also smaller and more narrow than foundation brushes I’ve used in the past; I bet it’ll get into the small spaces around my nose and chin really well
  • Out of the Woods 4-Piece Set ($13): This four-piece travel set for eyes and face comes with a mini version of the awesome Sonia’s Flat Top Blusher Brush; I’ve never seen a mini version of this brush, so I’m pretty stoked

The entire Sonia Kashuk Straight From Nature Brush Line includes…


Straight From Nature Bamboo Powder Brush, $20


Straight From Nature Bamboo Foundation Brush, $17
[Continue reading…]

The Brow Benefits of Tweezerman for Benefit Beauty Tools

by 36 Comments

Do you remember my affair with Raul? What a terrible mistake… Obviously, we weren’t right for each other. He knew it; I knew it, but when it ended, Benefit was there for me. Like a trusted friend, they had my back (and my brows). 🙂

That’s because Benefit knows brows. Their kick-ass brow kits, Brow Bar services and new partnership with Tweezerman promise to keep millions of eyebrows out of trouble.

Tweezerman for Benefit

The new four-piece Tweezerman for Benefit collection offers tools to tweeze, shape and curl your way out of beastly brow/lash oblivion!
[Continue reading…]

I’m Hooked on Sonia Kashuk’s $6 Bent Eyeliner Brush

by 100 Comments

Lately I’ve been hell bent on finding a new eyeliner brush, one that gives good cat eyeliner flicks and costs less than the MAC 209 ($17.50) and Laura Mercier Flat Eye Liner Brushes ($25) I’ve been using for a while.

They’ve been fine brushes for lining my lash and water lines, but I’ve never been completely happy with either of them (for one, they’re kinda expensive).

Enter Sonia Kashuk’s $6 Bent Eyeliner Brush.

I picked it up from Target last week, and I’m already hooked. 🙂
[Continue reading…]

Copyright © 2025 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.