Left Behind #1: Tools

Note: This is an old entry reposted from my old blog called Boudoir Angel on Tumblr. I'm reposting all of these old entries because I plan to delete my old blog and consolidate everything to this one. Some posts may have its text updated and/or reformatted slightly according to the platform change.

This is my full collection of brushes and other tools. For a non-professional, I feel like I have way too many tools in my case but at the same time, my lack of experience seems to call for a wider variety of brushes to make product application easier for me.

Thanks to my experience in theatre work, I have actually learned how to apply almost all of my make-up using these oval sponges, from foundation, contouring, eye shadow and blush.

I'm still getting varying feedback from make-up artist friends, and have seen the effects of both sponge and brush application for foundation, but I'm a little on the fence still on which direction I prefer to go.

These days though, I've been mostly using BB creams as my base and for those I have been using my (clean) fingers, usually. Lauren Luke has mentioned that it's okay to just use your fingers if the application is on your own face but make-up residue is make-up residue so I may need to decide at some point which way I want to go, even if it's for my BB creams.

I have, in a previous entry, shown off my Suesh brush set, but these are my little bits and pieces from all over the place that I occasionally use whenever there's a particular need for this or that type of brush.

From left to right, the remnants of my Juliana brush set (1) which was a or six-piece set that had a powder brush, these two shader brushes and lipstick brush, a mascara wand, and a brow brush; the last two of the brushes that came free with an old make-up case (2); two Watsons eye shadow brushes and my Philosophy crease brush (3) all of which I seem to end up using for blending; and two fan brushes from an old Nu Skin pack (4) that I normally use for face cream or mask application.

You may have noticed my fascination with making my eyelashes look completely fake. This La Cross pocket-sized lash curler does the trick beautifully for me, considering I often apply my make-up on the road. And of course, one always has to keep pencils nice and sharp hence the Watsons pencil sharpener.

What I love most about this sharpener is that if you look closely, there is a little toothpick-looking piece right near where the camera flash hit. That it comes with its own pick is a winner for me because I don't have to wait until I get home to pick out whatever wax and pigment is left on the sharpener blade. Also, the top and bottom bits of the sharpener come off for more thorough clean ups.

I have these cotton buds in my case as well to help with fall out clean up though I've never really turned to them for that purpose, I'm afraid. I'm such a cosmetics barbarian, hahaha!

And on the right, a five-piece stacking jar set from Watsons, meant to hold creams, perhaps, or other more solid objects, but I actually put my eye shadow powders in them (when they were de-potted, so to speak) as well as lipstick remnants just because they're so convenient to lug around.

Some tools have been discarded since due to hair fall and/or "old age" (old, crusty, and stiff sponges, blech) so this is what's left of the odds and ends I've bought and received. Eventually I will probably pare down again either from over use or skill increase. Until then, I'm wearing the heck out of these!

Of course, for proper maintenance, one has to first, take off extra oil and while I'm not too fond of this particular oil control sheet, it does the job fairly well (1). This Human Nature Cleanser and Make-up Remover (2) has been my go-to cleanser since 2010 when I first received a bottle of it as a gift. It cleans and moisturises in one go--perfect for theatrical use, in my opinion, since it very easily strips off make-up no matter how thickly it was applied.

Originally posted as Boudoir Angel on Tumblr, 21 January 2011