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.

Koyudo BP 035 pine squirrel shader eye brush review

I bought the Koyudo BP 035 eyeshadow shader brush a little more than two months ago and wanted to share my thoughts. I purchased this brush from CD Japan for 2730 yen, approximately $22 USD. Many pine squirrel eye brushes on the market retail for more than the Koyudos, making this line a contender when looking for relatively affordable brush upgrades and versatile brush shapes. The Koyodo BP 035 is from the oddly named High Class Series, which features black ferrules, white handles, and magenta printing on the handle.

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