2017 favorites

Happy new year and happy 2018! I wanted to share my top 10 favorites  of 2017 with you.

10. NYX Away We Glow in 08 moon glow - I ran out of my beloved Becca shimmering skin perfector in pearl and replaced it with NYX for two reasons: 1) I'm a grad student on a budget, and more importantly, 2) There is no known universe where I could finish a full size shimmering skin perfector. The mini spotlight size took me 2 years! The NYX isn't a perfect dupe (not as gel like of a texture, doesn't blend as well over powder), but is 90% there and meets my needs perfectly. Like everyone else on the planet, glowy skin and I were friends all year long.

9. Whole Foods organic lip balm - I went through about a dozen of these in 2017, 50/50 lost vs. used up. I love the honey vanilla version, it moisturizes without irritating my skin and only costs about $3. Sold for life <3

8. Sheer glossy lips - My skin is too dry and I am too impatient for the perfectly carved out lip line and matte liquid lips. I need my skin and lips to feel comfortable and I'm permanently running late, so for me that means tinted lip balm, glosses, and sheer lipsticks I can apply on the bus without a mirror. Some of my favorites: Urban Decay and Too Faced La Creme lipsticks layered over lip balm, Clinique almost lipstick in black honey, Fresh tinted lip balm in rose and petal, and Bite's (discontinued?!) lip gloss in currant.

7. My Japanese brushes - My everyday brushes never fail me and I'm still amazed that some of these brands aren't more popular. Chikuhodo, Hakuhodo, Koyudo, and Mizuho all have some relatively affordable brushes (MAC or MUFE price range) that blow everything else out of the water in terms of quality. I like more natural and sheer looks with powder products, so my soft natural hair brushes deliver. Pictured: Hakuhodo tapered candle 5521, Hakuhodo J521 eyeliner, Chikuhodo Z-5 large eye shader, Mizuho PM11 brow brush, Koyudo 035 medium shader, Hakuhodo K022 blush/powder . I don't think everyone needs these exact brushes, but I do think it is worth buying high quality brushes of which ever shapes you use every day.

6. NARS Laguna - Check out that huge pan! I wear bronzer everyday and Laguna was easily my most reached for this year. Even on my cool toned fair skin, this is never too orange. I don't know how, but Laguna always makes me look healthy and pretty.

Hakuhodo K022 round powder brush review & comparisons

Hakuhodo K022 powder brush

I have had the Hakuhodo K022 powder brush for over a year now and wanted to post my thoughts. The K022 is marketed as a powder brush, but I use it most often for bronzer. In the US, you can buy it on the Hakuhodo USA website (not an affiliate link) or in their retail showroom in California for $38.

Japanese brush haul - Chikuhodo & Koyudo first impressions

I recently made a brush order from CD Japan to try out some new Japanese makeup brushes. Previously, my Japanese brush experience has solely been based on my Hakuhodo brushes, and I thought it was time to expand my horizons. Like Hakuhodo, Chikuhodo and Koyudo brushes are made by hand using traditional calligraphy brush techniques near Kumano, Japan. 

Brushes L to R: Koyudo BP 010, Koyudo powder brush, Koyudo BP 035, Chikuhodo Z-5

These brushes are brand new to me and I quickly snapped these pictures with my phone after I unwrapped my package. Stay tuned for higher quality pictures and comparisons to other brushes in my collection. 

I ordered from CD Japan and chose to ship internationally with FedEx. Everything was packed well and shipped quickly. 

Brushes L to R: Koyudo BP 035, Chikuhodo Z-5, Koyudo powder brush, Koyudo BP 010 

Sigma brush review - E25, E50, E65, E15, F70

Let's get this out of the way - I paid for all of these myself, I have no coupon code for you, and Sigma has no idea who I am. I know I always get suspicious reading reviews of products made by companies that engage in the YouTube / Instagram blitz, so I wanted to get info out and up front. I own 5 Sigma brushes: the E25 blending brush, E50 large fluff, E65 small angle, E15 flat definer, and F70 concealer. Each of these brushes are similarly priced, coming in around $14-16. My oldest Sigma brush is about two years old and the newest has been in my collection for about 9 months.

Real Techniques Nic's Picks brush set review & comparisons

When I saw that the holiday limited edition Nic's Picks Real Techniques brush set had 5 brushes I didn't own AND they had pretty silver handles, I had to jump on it. I picked mine up from iHerb for $30. I have also seen the set for sale at Kohl's and other retailers.

Nic's Picks set includes 5 synthetic brushes with limited edition silver handles:

1. Duo fiber face brush (also in the Duo Fiber Collection, LE)
2. Cheek brush (set exclusive)
3. Angled shadow brush (set exclusive) 
4. Base shadow brush (also in the Starter Kit, permanent)
5. Eyeliner brush (set exclusive) 

Hakuhodo J521 Eyeliner Brush (D1 Flat) review

Hakuhodo's J 521 eyeliner brush has the smallest brush head in my collection, but is one of the most useful on a daily basis. This brush is designed for very controlled thin eyeliner placement, making it perfect for tightlining. Tightlining looks incredibly natural and adds subtle definition to the eye by placing product in between the upper lashes. This brush makes tightlining effortless and leaves you with fuller looking lashes and a defined eye. I bought mine from the Hakuhodo USA website for $14.

Brush Details:

• Price - $14
• Dimensions - Full Length: 132.3mm, Hair Length: 2.3mm, Thickness: 1.3mm
• Handle - Wood
• Ferrule - Nickel, Brass/Silver
• Hair - Natural (Horse)

Hakuhodo B 5521 BkSL Pointed Highlight Brush Review

The Hakuhodo B5521 BkSl brush is a small tapered egg shaped brush that comes to a gentle point at the top of the brush head. This brush is listed on the manufacturer's website as a highlight brush, but is also perfect for contouring, powdering small areas, and precise blush placement. I purchased this brush on the Hakuhodo USA website for $35. All of the brush pictures in this post were taken after about two months of daily use with multiple washings.

Brush Details:

• Price - $35
• Dimensions - Full Length: 169mm, Hair Length: 33.0mm, Thickness: 13.0mm
• Handle - Wood
• Ferrule - Nickel, Brass/Silver
• Hair - Natural (Blue Squirrel, Goat / Sokoho)