Review: Japonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser

I hate dirty things. For anyone who knows me, they can attest to this fact. You wash your hair and face every day; why shouldn't you wash your makeup brushes? Not many people realize this, but makeup brushes are harboring bacteria that can make your face break out. Plus over time, product build up in the brushes can lead to discoloration of your makeup and uneven streaks when you apply.

I decided to try out Japonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser because I have heard about Parian Spirit brush cleanser in the beauty world. This spray is made up of anti-bacterial disinfectant and cleansing compounds. This is a quicker alternative to cleaning your brushes with soap and water; all you need to do is spray the product on your brush, rub the brush on a piece of paper towel or wash cloth to remove any old makeup, and let it dry for a minute or two. You literally see the pigment coming off of your brush and onto the towel. The first time I used this product, I was shocked at how much makeup and grime was living in my makeup brushes. The brushes were almost completely dry after I swirled them around on the towel and were able to be used almost immediately for fresh makeup application.

Japoonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser, spray bottle, and various brushes.

At first I was skeptical that this product would really get the job done. It looked too good to be true. I tested and swirled a few of my freshly cleansed brushes on a new piece of paper towel and no pigment came out of them. They felt brand new to the touch and had a light citrus scent. My makeup application went on much smoother after cleaning my brushes, and I am convinced that by cleaning my brushes regularly it has helped keep my skin clear.

As seen in the picture above, I bought the 16oz professional refill amount of Japonesque Makeup Brush Cleanser. This was the only amount they had at Ulta when I was shopping and I had to try it out. I bought a small spray bottle for about $2.00 and poured some of the cleanser in there for an easier way to spray and clean my brushes. I liked that I could use this spray bottle as a travel cleanser as well. I also found that by using a spray bottle you are less likely to get bristles falling out. This is a common problem that happens when you dip brushes into liquid and the liquid absorbs into the base of the brush and weakens the glue bond  and the bristles. I found that spraying my brushes helped with their longevity while still getting them clean.

Overall, I really loved this brush cleanser. It makes my brushes clean and it is a quick cleanser between shampoos. I would definitely buy this product again as this is an effective way to clean your makeup brushes.

Love, Erica

How To Extend Your Shellac Manicure

About a week and a half ago I got a Shellac, or gel, manicure at a local salon near where I student teach. I love the color, and while though there are no chips at the end of my nails, my nails have grown out to the point of being annoying. I constantly want to pick at them -- a habit I have acquired when I become annoyed with my polish which completely ruins the manicure. I decided to try something different to save money, keep my nails healthy and let them grow out naturally, and to save time.

I hate having to go to the salon to have my manicure professionally taken off; I always get persuaded into buying a new Shellac manicure because the last one looked so good! We will see if this extender I created will keep me away from the salon....

Things you need:

Base coat (Essie First Base)

Loose glitter (Makeup Forever Glitters #11)

Top Coat (Seche Vite Quick Dry Top Coat)

Any makeup brush you don't mind getting glitter or a bit of nail polish on. Any brush will really do. I like to use a brush because it deposits the pigment more and is less messy, but I suppose a finger would work just as well. 

First, you will need to cut and shape your nails. I have found that even if you cut your nails, the shellac manicure will stay put. Just be careful not to file your nails to break through the manicure as this will weaken the bonding to your nails.

Next, apply a generous amount of base coat to the grown out part of your nails and extending a small amount onto the Shellac polish. I did this rather unevenly to give the glitter a gradient effect.

Next, while the polish is still wet, dip your brush or finger into the glitter and gently pat the glitter onto your nail. Allow for the glitter to dry before applying a top coat to make sure the glitter stays put.

I made this short video to demonstrate the process.

I have done this with regular polish too and the glitter removes easily with nail polish remover.

Good luck and happy painting!
-Erica

Jen - Galaxy look

Hey everyone! So to celebrate both me and Erica graduating from university today, I decided to post a few looks that I've done in the past week. This look was inspired by outer space and how beautiful it is--galaxies and their swirling arms, nebulae and their haphazard hues, stars that twinkle across the universe.

Eyes:
All eyeshadows were exclusively from Sugarpill.
Inner corner - Tako (pure matte white)
Center of lid - Dollipop (matte hot pink) and Decora (hot pink shimmer)
Outer corner -  Afterparty (bright turquoise) and Royal Sugar (bright blue shimmer)
Crease - Bulletproof (matte black) and Stella (jet black with rainbow shimmer), Tipsy (metallic silver) blended out
Lumi (white with turquoise, blue, and green shimmer) for stars
Anastasia Beauty Express brow kit in Brunette

Face:
Urban Decay Naked foundation in 1.0
Benefit boi-ing concealer in 01
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Naked for cheek contour
Benefit Watt's Up? highlighter

Lips:
Wet N' Wild Fantasy Makers black lipstick
Sugarpill loose eyeshadows in Birthday Girl (princess pink), Paperdoll (lavender shimmer), and Lumi

This look was a lot of fun to do, but black lipstick is difficult to pull off. This definitely makes for a great photoshoot look!

- Jen

Rice/Jen's Introduction

Hi, everyone! So as Erica mentioned before, we decided to do a survey so you could all get acquainted with our usual cleansing and makeup routines. Here are my answers. If you want to get to know either of us better, just let us know.

- Jen


1. How many times do you wash your face daily?
Once in the morning and once at night. I used to be terrible at sticking to this, but now if I don't do it, I feel so gross.

2. What skin type do you have? Dry, oily, or combination skin?
Combination skin and it's terrible. Dry patches on my cheeks, and super oily in my T-zone. It's really hard to get under control. My skin is also relatively sensitive to cleansing products.

3. What is your current facial wash?
I use Aveeno Positively Radiant brightening cleaner in the morning and Yes to Tomato acne control gel cleanser at night. I intend to start using Aveeno Smart Essentials daily detoxifying scrub soon, though.

4. Do you exfoliate? How often?
I should really exfoliate more often, but I only do it about 1-2 times a week if I even remember to do it.

5. What product do you use to exfoliate?
Generally, I just use Neutrogena acne wash redness soothing facial scrub.

6. What moisturizer do you use?
Aveeno Positively Radiant daily moisturiser in the morning, and Aveeno Smart Essentials nighttime moisture infusion before bed.

7. Do you have freckles/sun spots?
I have freckles, but I don't believe they're from sun exposure.

10. Do you use eye cream?
No, but I really should! They're just a little too expensive for me to justify their purchase, but I'm a hypocrite and can spend loads on makeup.

11. Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
I don't have excessively acne prone skin, but I do get more breakouts than I should.

12. Did you ever have to use pro-activ?
Never.

13. What foundation do you use?
I rarely use foundation and if I do, it's either Urban Decay's Naked Skin in 1.0, or I mix concealer with moisturiser as suggested by Wayne Goss. I'm starting to get into Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra and Clinique's Even Better, although it's so hard to find a shade to match my skintone.

14. How about concealer?
It's a must for me because I have large red patches on my cheeks that could be rosacea, but who knows? I generally use Benefit's boi-ing in 01, but I've been testing out a bunch of other brands. Benefit's Fake-up is wonderful, too.

15. Do you know your undertone color?
I believe it's neutral--warm foundations make me look slightly jaundiced but cool foundations make me look too red.

16. What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I think they're fun for a while! I like wearing them for performances or for the occasional photoshoot, but they can be impractical and with my glasses, they're generally a bad idea if I intend to wear them out.

17. Did you know that you’re supposed to change mascara every 3 months?
Yes, but I don't wear my mascara often enough to warrant buying a new one every 3 months, so I cheat that rule a bit.

18. What brand of mascara do you use?
Because it needs to be replaced more often, I stick with drugstore brands, mostly Maybelline.

19. Sephora or Mac?
Sephora. Such a wide range of brands from which to choose! The few times I've been in a Mac store, I always feel slightly overwhelmed.

20. Do you have a Mac pro card?
No. I wish I did, though!

21. What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?
I'm a big fan of just using my fingers for almost everything, but I will almost always use an angled brush/spoolie for my brows and occasionally a liner brush and a blush brush. Urban Decay's optical blurring brush is amazing for foundation and I'm starting to use Ulta's version of the beautyblender.

22. Do you use makeup base or primer for your eyes?
Always. I have oily lids, so eyeshadow will crease very easily on me.

23. For the face?
Very rarely. I know it would help the appearance of foundation, but often the primer will dry my skin or enhance dry spots.

24. What is your favorite eyeshadow shade?
I love love love bright colours like Sephora's Blue Curucao, but I also really like Sugarpill's Lumi and Goldilux.

25. Do you use pencil or liquid liner?
Both! I prefer pencils like Urban Decay's eyeliners, but liquid liner is always so precise. Right now I'm using Maybelline's Line Stiletto because it was the first liquid liner I've used in a while and I wanted to get the hang of it before getting something a little pricier.

26. How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I used to do it a lot, but I've gotten much better at not doing so.

27. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
I LOVE them. Colour is my area of expertise.

28. Do you use mineral makeup?
Sometimes! I find that it will sometimes not stick to my skin so easily due to any presence of oil throughout the day. Mineral eyeshadows tend to be the most noticably flakey.

29. What is your favorite “go-to” lipstick? Why?
I'm a big fan of Revlon's lip butters, actually. I only own Peach Parfait, but I'd really like to get others! I also really like Maybelline's colorsensational in Deepest Cherry.

30. How about lip gloss? Why?
I love Buxom's lip glosses because they smell great and do have a bit of a plumping effect.

31. What is your favorite blush to use and why?
I generally don't use blush because I'm actually naturally red in the cheeks anyway, but I do like L'oreal's Magicsmooth souffle blush in Celestial and NARS Orgasm or Super Orgasm. I'm vaguely in love with their darker blushes but I can't use them unless I have a very light hand and even then I tend to look a little sunburnt.

32. Do you buy your makeup on ebay/ebay.ph?
No, but I've considered it!

33. Do you like drugstore makeup?
There are some great drugstore brands! I do prefer drugstore mascara as I've mentioned earlier. They're also a great way to test colours that you don't want to break the bank for just yet, although the only drawback is that you can't test them in store, but at least they're cheaper.

34. Do you go to cosmetic company outlets?
Sometimes, but I've never found anything I need to snag right away.

35. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?
All the time.

36. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
I've gotten a lot better in the past few years. I'm not a perfectionist with my makeup, though--if it looks a little messy, that's fine with me.

37. Name a makeup crime(s) that you hate.
Honestly, I don't think I have one. I'm all about breaking rules and changing expectations. Everyone should experiment with how makeup works best for them--it's an art, a way to express yourself, and you don't need to stick to the expected.

38. Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones?
Both! It's fun to play with neutrals, but I'm also a huge fan of colour.

39. Which celebrity always has great makeup?
Michelle Dockery, Phoebe Tonkin, Sophie Turner, Saoirse Ronan. It always depends on what I'm feeling at any given time, and I've loved very specific looks like Emilia Clarke's photoshoot for Breakfast at Tiffany's and Emma Watson's dramatic black shadow with gold leaf.

40. If you could leave the house using just one makeup item, what would you use?
Does sunblock count? Because anything with SPF. I burn so easily.

41. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
To be honest, I don't wear makeup at least 50% of the time because usually I'm just too lazy.

42. In your opinion, what is the best makeup line?
I can't pick just one! Urban Decay, Too Faced, Sugarpill, Benefit, LIT cosmetics, OCC, there's just so many that I love.

43. What do you think of makeup?
I love it. I love using it as a way to express myself or as a way to make myself feel less exhausted, and it's really an art form. I wish the ingredients were all more well-known because I'd love to know what goes on my skin, but for now I'm just having fun. If you want to wear makeup to enhance your appearance, go for it. If you want to use your face as a canvas, do it. There isn't anything stopping you.

44. What is your favorite “quote” related to makeup?
"Cosmetics are an extension of the will. Why do you think all men paint themselves when they go to fight?" - from Catherynne M. Valente's Deathless

45. If you were a makeup tool/product, what would you be and why?
I'm pretty sure I'd be Urban Decay's eyeliner in Deep End. Very specific, I know, but it's a bright colour (one of my favourites!), eyeliner is one of the makeup items I'd use daily if I was motivated enough, and it's just so fun.

Ikat Nail Tutorial

I love ikat. I want to wear it on everything... it is so fresh and summery! I have had shellac manicures for the past few months now and decided to save some money and paint my nails myself. I thought I would give the ikat pattern manicure a try and it turned out quite nicely. Its a nice manicure to try because you don't need the steadiest of hands... the pattern looks complicated but it really is not! You can make the strokes choppy and still achieve the desired effect. Here is how I did this: 

Materials Used

Essie Nail Polish First Base Base Coat

Essie Nail Polish in Avenue Maintain (blue)

Essie Nail Polish in Tart Deco (coral)

Kiss Nail Art Paint in Black 

Kiss Nail Art Paint in White

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

After buffing my nails and trying to even them out from months of shellac manicures, I used the base coat and painted my nails. I then applied two coats of Essie Avenue Maintain. I am the sloppiest nail painter so you can see in these pictures some of the polish extended to the sides of my nails. I am also impatient and hate waiting for polish to fully dry (a whole 20 minutes!) in between coats. This turned out very nicely and I love this color! It is very summery and I would totally sport this alone... this is perfect for the pool or beach! But let's continue....

 Once my blue coats were dry, I used the Kiss Nail Art polish in white. I roughly painted on a diamond shape on my nails, some nails containing only half of a diamond. The edges were very rough; you can see each stroke. I thought this added to the graphic effect of the ikat print.

I bought the Kiss Nail Art polish at my local Walgreens because the sales person said the polish has a very thin applicator brush -- this was exactly what I wanted for this design! And this polish came with the black shown above, a silver glitter polish AND stencils for your nails. All for about $7.99. Pretty good! These polishes smelled pretty strongly but really had a lot of pigment for a mid-line product. I am pretty impressed overall!

Next, I took my Essie Tart Deco color and dotted a bit of coral into the center of the "diamonds." This was also roughly done and not perfect. As you can see, some of the shapes are more circular, while others are more oblong. Again, this does not have to be perfect as it adds to the graphic effect of the pattern. 

Next, I outlined the diamonds in short, choppy strokes with the Kiss Nail Art polish in black. This was the scariest part of deciding to do this manicure to me because I am so sloppy when I paint. However, this turned out to be the easier part! It is almost as if you can't mess up; it just adds to the pattern's effect! I filled in the lines on the boarder of the white "diamonds" and overlapped a little bit of the black over the white. I added a bit of black to the center of the coral because it was looking too empty without it. 

Lastly, I finished off with a top coat of Seche Vite once I was sure all of my polish was dry and cleaned up the edges with a bit of nail polish remover and a Q-tip because I have such an unsteady hand. Surprisingly, my right hand (my dominant hand) looked fantastic too -- this manicure seems to be foolproof! I am looking forward to teaching tomorrow and seeing my student's reactions (they have gotten extremely excited about nail art less intricate than this in the past). I will definitely be doing this again all summer. 

Good luck and happy painting :) 

Love, Erica

Ginger/Erica's Introduction

Jen and I decided that we should post some surveys so you can get to know us, our beauty routines, and a quick snapshot of products we love. Usually my cleansing routine is pretty standard and does not change often. I like to experiment more with makeup though. Here are my current favorites. Enjoy!

-Erica

1. How many times do you wash your face daily?

I wash my face in the morning and at night before bed. Sometimes I will wash it again if I was very active and feel grimy.
37. Name a makeup crime(s) that you hate.
41. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

2. What skin type do you have? Dry, oily, or combination skin?
My skin is usually pretty oily. Sometimes I have dry spots on my cheeks or forehead which look dry in the wintertime... but by the end of the night they also are oily. How can skin be dry and oily at the same time? 

3. What is your current facial wash?
I use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Its the best facial wash I've ever used (and I've used many!) You do not even need water if you are in a pinch! 

4. Do you exfoliate? How often?
I exfoliate occasionally as needed. If my skin is particularly dry I will exfoliate.

5. What product do you use to exfoliate?
Aveeno Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser 

6. What moisturizer do you use?

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer in SPF15 during the day and Ponds Dry Skin Cream at night

7. Do you have freckles/sun spots?
I am a ginger, so yes to the freckles. 

10. Do you use eye cream?
Not at the moment, but I make sure to moisturize around my eyes.

11. Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

I have had the worst acne prone skin! I have tried everything under the sun for my acne (post coming soon...) and even considered going on Acutane but decided against it. I still suffer from cystic acne breakouts particularly around my period or if I am stressed. However, the "white head" acne seems to have stopped and my breakouts seem to be in certain areas of my face, rather than all over.

12. Did you ever have to use pro-activ?

I have not tried pro-activ. I have had several dermatologists say mediocre things about it. They said people use proactive because it has a very weak concentration of the active ingredients to fight acne. People stop using store brands because their concentration is higher (think Oxy pads and the like) which dries out and irritates skin. People stop using the products because their skin is irritated, thus the acne continues. My dermatologists say people stick with pro-activ because it causes less irritation so people continue to use the medicine. I don't mind pro-activ, but I would save my money and try other products (Aveeno has a really nice skin line now that is very gentle) or consult a dermatologist before trying to combat acne. If you acne is mild to moderate, sometimes seeing a dermatologist is the best route -- you get results faster and do not play any guessing games. 

13. What foundation do you use?
Currently I am using Bare Minerals in Fairly Light. I am considering using a liquid foundation

14. How about concealer?
As needed I used Benefit's erase paste 

15. Do you know your undertone color?

I have a neutral-blue undertone. While I have fair skin, it doesn't fall under being "pink" or "neutral" but somewhere in between.

16. What do you think of fake eyelashes?
Yes. Always yes.

17. Did you know that you’re supposed to change mascara every 3 months?

Yup!

18. What brand of mascara do you use?

I use Maybelline One By One Volum Express in Blackish-Brown.

19. Sephora or Mac?

Do I have to decide? I usually use Sephora products

20. Do you have a Mac pro card?

Nope

21. What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?

I use Urban Decay, Stila, and Bare minerals brushes

22. Do you use makeup base or primer for your eyes?
Occasionally. I forget a lot of the time when I quickly get ready to go to school and teach at 5:30am... 

23. For the face?

Again, I usually forget. If I have time to do my makeup, then yes!

24. What is your favorite eyeshadow shade?

I am slightly afraid of color on me. My current favorite is the Naked2 palette from Urban Decay

25. Do you use pencil or liquid liner?

Both! I like this golden brown shade from the Sephora line (my label has rubbed off..) or blackish-brown liquid liner

26. How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I'm a professional...

27. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

I like them. I do not usually wear them because I quickly apply makeup for my every day routine and skimp on primer. I find these tend to crease a bit more easily -- or at least the crease is more noticeable because of the high concentration of pigment.

28. Do you use mineral makeup?
Yes! I actually got turned on to mineral makeup (and expensive makeup in general) through my battle with acne. I found that more high end products use less "fillers" and are more gentle on my skin. Mineral makeup particularly being gentle.

29. What is your favorite “go-to” lipstick? Why?

NARS Dulce Vita. Its just the right amount of color for everything! Teaching, going out, etc.

30. How about lip gloss? Why?

I really do not like lip gloss... I hardly wear it. It always feels like its sticky or sliding off of my lips and onto my face or my hair is getting caught in it.

31. What is your favorite blush to use and why?

Currently I am using Lancome's A Plum blush. I also like NARS Orgasm multiple stick and Benefit's Bella Bamba.

32. Do you buy your makeup on ebay/ebay.ph?
No, but I am not opposed to trying new places.

33. Do you like drugstore makeup?

Yes! I happen to use a lot of designer makeup, but I love drugstore mascara. It works sometimes better than the high end lines and is way more cost effective because you have to replace them so frequently!

34. Do you go to cosmetic company outlets?

No, but I am willing to try anything!

35. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?

Every day of my life.

36. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

Nope! Unless there has been wine involved. 

Application of eyeliner. I have run into so many people that believe you should only put eyeliner on the bottom lash line (not even the water line). It makes eyes look droopy and sunken. I have converted many a person to applying on the top lash line, or both top and bottom. People also tend to use a heavy hand when they apply only  on the bottom line. I also hate when people do not know how to match foundation or blend it in.

38. Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones?

I always want to wear color but I am afraid in my teaching profession. I always had a stigma that red heads could not wear colors (or ladies with blue eyes) so I have been a little scared to try colors. I do enjoy neutrals and opt for more of a classic look. I love Audrey Hepburn's winged liner a la Breakfast at Tiffany's!

39. Which celebrity always has great makeup?

Audrey Hepburn, Leighton Meester, Cate Blanchet, Marion Cotillard.. I can name many celebrity makeup and fashion girl crushes!

40. If you could leave the house using just one makeup item, what would you use?

Mascara. While my eyelashes are naturally long, they are auburn. Without mascara I look like I am dead!

I have and do it frequently. Mostly when I am lazy and am quickly running to the store on the weekend. It is easier to leave my house now that I am student teaching and not living on the University of Illinois campus... less college aged people to impress!

42. In your opinion, what is the best makeup line?

I can't really choose. Can I say all of them? I am really loving Lancome at the moment. I also love the Naked and Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay. NARS, Too Faced, and Benefit are up there in my top favorites.

43. What do you think of makeup?
This is a dumb question. Obviously I like it if I have created a blog about my unhealthy obsession. 

44. What is your favorite “quote” related to makeup?
“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.” 
― Yves Saint-Laurent

45. If you were a makeup tool/product, what would you be and why?

I think I would be lipstick... It brightens your smile and smiles brighten people's days! :)