During my graduation photo shoot a few years back, the organizers hired some makeup artists to do everyone's faces. I didn't bring any of my stuff with me because I expected a certain standard - fresh applicators, at the very least.

Imagine my horror when I got there and saw the MUAs reusing the sponges and the brushes ON EVERYONE. Wet foundation sponges, eyeliner brushes, lip brushes, all reused and not sanitized. It's a nightmare but I didn't want to walk out because the place is in far away QC and I don't want to go back. So I just swallowed my disgust and let them do their worst. (I got pimples ugh)

Okay now I sound like a jerk. But my point is, please don't subject yourself to such unsanitary practices for any reason. If you're having your makeup done (by you or anyone else) always make sure that the brushes are clean and your disposable applicators, fresh. Sometimes it's not the product itself that causes the pimples - it's what you use to apply them! 

Anyway, one brand that has made a commitment to keeping makeup application as hygienic as possible is Nippon Esthetic Solutions. They have a wide range of products that makeup artists and personal makeup mavens will love, from disposable lip gloss applicators, lipstick and mascara brushes, to brush cleaners (remember Parian? Love that one!).

The effervescent Sydney of Nippon sent me a few stuff to try, and I have been using them since! Here's what I think of them.

I was dawdling in First Aid, Greenbelt 5 while waiting for a movie to start. There's a wide range of practical beauty products and tools that's exclusive there such as my fave Sebamed Face & Body Wash! Anyway, I ended up buying my first ever pack of cellulose sponges and you know what? I can't believe I only got one now.

This stuff is amazing. A pack of two Aqua Massage sponges is only P52 (crazy) but you can do a lot of things with it! Here's how I like to use these sponges:

• With my facial wash as a pore cleanser and exfoliator. The sponge is soft and firm at the same time so it can take off deep-seated dirt and flaky skin without being abrasive. 
• As a physical makeup remover. I soak it in warm water then gently rub it on my face to dislodge the makeup. No need to use anything else while doing this.

I get a lot of questions from girls who are just starting to discover makeup. "What do I need to buy first?" they ask. I have actually answered this several times in the past but I thought I would update my list to also include must-have tools.

So, if you have absolutely no knowledge of makeup or if you want to build a kit that has the absolute minimum items, this post is for you! This is everything you need to achieve a flawless, no-makeup look that can be amplified with bright, eye-catching lips depending on where you're going.

1 - Concealer brush from Charm. This is for applying concealer on small blemishes and eyebags.

2 - Flat-top brush from Charm. This is for buffing in foundation if you don't want to use a sponge. For heavier coverage, you can apply some concealer on your face then buff it in with this brush to cover large, uneven areas.

3 - Concealer for blemishes and undereyes. I think the Cinema Secrets Foundation Palette #2 is an absolute must-have. It can be used as a foundation or as a concealer, depending on how opaque you want to go.

To be honest, I don't actually spend a lot of money on makeup. I've been running this blog for four years, and in that time a lot of brands have come to support it by sending free stuff my way. I'm very thankful because this allows me to write regularly and of course discover products that I will keep on using waaay after I finish my first tube or jar.

That's why it's a big deal (for me) whenever I buy any beauty-related product. I may not need it per se - not at this point in my collection - but it must be so good that I just gottahaveit. My best seal of approval comes with personal purchases. If I bought it, then it must be worth the money.

One of my recent beauty purchases is the Studio Makeup Pro Shadow Shading Brush (P745 from Beauty Bar). I first saw it in an event and promptly fell in love. It looks like a MAC brush I've been seeing around but it's much more affordable, so I just went ahead and got it!

I have many other similar brushes but I like it because it looks professional with its the sleek black handle and sturdy-looking silver ferrule.

I've been on the lookout for a new eyeshadow base for a while now, but I didn't actually get a new one because I wanted to use up my MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base. I didn't want to put an ok primer to waste! But the summer is pretty harsh this year. My eyeshadows crease and fade too much because of the heat, and that's just not acceptable. So I turned back to the best eyeshadow primer I've tried: the Urban Decay Primer Potion (P1,200 at Digital Traincase).

It's been two years since I first met the UDPP. After all that time, I still think it's one of the best - if not the best - product for making your eyeshadows stay put.

I'm sure you've heard about the fabled Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler before. I have too, but I never seriously considered buying one before because it was so expensive for a curler! At P1,000+ locally, it's too much compared to curlers that never go beyond P300. I thought there must be some reason it was so pricey, but whatever it was, I couldn't see how the cost could justify it.

Oh, how wrong I was.

I got to try it because of my advanced makeup class at the Shu Uemura Atelier (in Rockwell) a couple of weeks ago. John Pagaduan, Shu's accredited makeup artist, lent me his eyelash curler. It was love at first use. I immediately bought my own after the class!

Why I LOVE the product

• It curls like no other. The curl looks natural and not awkwardly crimped. It lasts for hours on end, even without mascara! I counted four hours minimum. Mind blowing.

Can someone please explain business card etiquette to me? Some of the people I've met extend their business card carefully, with two hands and a little bow. I'm wondering if that's how it's really done. Then they leave your card on the table respectfully, as if they're considering it. As for me I simply give my card, then slip theirs in my bag after checking it out.

Whatever the accepted practice is though, I think it's important to have a stylish card case. It makes one look more professional and keeps the cards from getting all frayed swirling around a bag. Practical, in other words.

I got this case from Avon. It's actually a set that comes with a compact mirror.

I am extremely lazy when it comes to applying false eyelashes. I can also never get it right, but I think it's because of lack of practice! However, Sophie makes it easy for lazy daisies like me to wear falsies without committing too much time to it by introducing her 3S Pre-Glued False Eyelashes (P250 from Beauty and Minerals). 

This stuff is so easy to use. You just remove the lashes from the base, cut the excess (if it's too big for your eyes), then apply it to the roots of your lashes with your fingers or a tweezer. It's idiot-proof. According to Sophie, you can use the lashes around two times before the adhesive loses its stickiness. She's right, I did use these twice and they won't stick anymore.

I am a big believer in fingers when it comes to applying concealer and liquid foundation, but for other products, I have a small coterie of brushes that I prefer to use on a regular basis. I have other similar brushes that I reach out for but this set is always my first choice! 

If you're into makeup for personal use, then you don't really need an elaborate set of specialized brushes to apply your products. Just get few basic brushes and you're good to go for everyday looks. Like me. :P

So, here are my favorite brushes!

From left to right: Sigma E55 / E40 duo, Estee Lauder lid brush I got from a set, fake NARS crease brush, Charm blending brush (from the Charm Travel Pro V3 brush set)

Last Christmas, Tony Moly Philippines sent over a sweet package containing some products and this handy dandy cosmetics kit. I really like it because it's the perfect size for putting in a full face's worth of makeup, plus it has a neat section for brushes!

The Charm Essentials Pretty in Pink Vegan Brush Set (P2,500) is not your normal brush set. What sets it apart from the multitudes of other sets out there is the carefully designed brushes that are also multi-purpose. A slanted mini-flat top brush, a fluffy highlighter brush, and a fine smudge brush are just some of its more distinctive charms. Pun intended!

What makes it more interesting is the fact that the brushes perform really well even with what should be a handicap - they're made of synthetic fiber, not animal hair. The former is amazing at picking up cream and liquid makeup but normally not so good at working with powder. In these Charm brushes though, the vegan hair does the job of picking up and applying makeup wonderfully, no matter if it's a powder or liquid.

If you're lazy when it comes to washing your makeup brushes, raise your hand! *Raises hand* Well, you and I are in luck. There are such things as instant brush cleaners to make our lives easier. You simply spray it/ swirl on your brush, wipe, and voila it's as good as new.

I've heard and read of such wondrous inventions before but it's my first time to actually use one: the Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner (P800). It's a solution that melts makeup off your brushes, leaving it sanitized, deodorized, and ready to use in less than a minute. Professional makeup artists, theatre performers, and makeup studios love this stuff because it allows them to reuse their brushes quickly.

Scent. The first thing you'll notice about Parian is that it smells strongly of oranges (it has the essence of California organes, I hear).

One of my readers requested for a tutorial on how to apply mineral foundation. I thought that was an interesting question. After all, mineral foundation IS different from normal powder foundation and therefore requires a slightly separate set of tools and techniques. 

But wait, why use mineral makeup? It depends on your needs and preferences. MMU is great if you want a smooth, luminous finish without all the added chemicals traditional foundations have. You also don't need to use a lot of MMU to get the skin you want, which means that you only use a thin layer that lets your skin breathe.

Unlike normal powder makeup where you just pat it on to get your desired coverage, you have to sort of break down and really spread mineral makeup all over your face. That's why even if you only use a small amout of mineral powder (well, good MMU anyway), you get a lot mileage out of it. It's basically concentrated pigment, unlike traditional makeup where there are comparatively more binders, extenders, and preservatives included in the formula.

That said, I'd just like to share the tools and techniques I use in applying loose mineral foundation!

Choose your weapon

Dense brushes allow you to break down and spread the MMU efficiently.

While I LOVE the Charm Travel Pro V3 brush Set, I don't take all of the brushes with me to use out of the house. If I need to apply makeup outside, I probably won't have the time and space in my bag to do something elaborate; a few key brushes and my fingers should be enough to do a full face. Same thing when I need to retouch.

What's in my travel kikay kit

As you can see, I just bring along a blush, eyebrow, eyeshadow, and powder brush when I'm out. These are my essentials when it comes to brushes! That's why it seems that Sophie read my mind when she made the Charm Pocket Brush Set (P500): it has everything I need and a little bit more.

What I love about the product

• Has multi-purpose brushes to save space and cost. There's a powder/blush brush, eyebrow/eyeliner brush, eyeshadow/concealer brush, lip/liner brush, and a lash/brow comb. 

I'm a huge fan of Sophie's brushes. Not because we're friends, but because I know that her product is something she thought long and hard about, painstakingly honed to near perfection. She's a little bit OC and a workaholic, which is what makes her a successful businesswoman AND the ideal person you want working on your brushes.

Thus, I'm very happy to present her new tools: the Charm Vegan Brushes. She has been developing this for a year! She explained that the synthetic vegan hairs are a challenge to get as stiff or as soft as you need them to be. If you've tried synthetic brushes before, you'll notice that they're harder to control than animal hair brushes especially if you attempt to use them with powder makeup.

That's not the case with these vegan brushes - at least, from what I've tested so far.

Jane Iredale is one of the few brands that offer truly 100% mineral makeup. It costs a pretty penny - up there with Colorescience, just less expensive - but unlike cheaper MMU the efficacy and convenience of the products are compararable to high-end traditional makeup. If you have super sensitive skin, true mineral makeup is definitely the way to go.

I've heard so many good things about Jane Iredale way before, so I was psyched to try out their Starter Kit in Golden. It has everything a girl can need for a full face of makeup - tinted primer, foundation, concealer, blush, lip color, and even brushes! However, it's not something you should get for daily use since the products are in sample sizes. It's really more for people who want to try out JI makeup without paying full price.

After using it for a few weeks, here's my review of and recommendations for each product in the kit. You can buy them separately so you don't have to shell out the P5,000+ this Starter Kit costs. ;)

Pressed Mineral Powder with SPF20: This light coverage mineral powder is da bomb. It has a nice glowy finish that looks like skin, just better!

I'm sure that you've already seen the blogger raves for the Charm Travel Pro brush set. All I can add to the conversation is that yes, this is a great set that you really won't regret buying. It's expensive at P2,200 for the whole set, but then again it's an investment that you'll probably use until you're sick of it. ;)

What I like most about this set, aside from the portability, is how useful ALL the brushes are. Some brands throw in brushes just to pad the set and make you pay more for them, but in the end you just use five out of say, ten brushes. That's a waste of money. But this Charm set has a well thought out selection with no repetitive or ineffective brushes in it. 

Now, like the Version 2 set, this set is not exactly for makeup beginners since the brushes are designed for precision application. But I hope that with this post, you'll learn how to maximize this set whether you're a beginner or an advanced makeup enthusiast!

Face brushes

Eye brushes

The Concealer Brush (top) is perfect for hiding spots, eye bags, and uneven discolorations in your skin. It's best used with cream or liquid concealer.

There are a lot of dirt cheap, awesome brushes out there, but the thing is we often have to dig around for them or accidentally find them. One "accidental" find of mine is this double-ended eye brush from Avon. As I remember this is only P150, but it's another mainstay in my vanity table.

I've actually had this for a few months now. I spotted it in this huge Avon bash at Republiq, just sitting there with no one really paying any attention to it. It was part of Avon's new mineral line at that time, but everyone was cooing about the kabuki brush and of course, the mineral makeup. I was impressed when I got to try this double-ended brush though - it packed a lot of color and applied it smoothly!

There are several reasons I like this brush, but it all boils down to its multi-functionality. This brush is an all-around wonder because the two ends can do your eye makeup in one go.

You know those pesky Facebook ads? They can be annoying, but they're useful sometimes! That's how I found out that The Pink Slippers Boutique is selling the Sigma Flare Eyeshadow Palette. It's part of the latest palette collection of Sigma featuring eight eyeshadows bundled in with a double-ended brush (the E55 and E40). At P2,000 it looks expensive, but I think the brush + eight eyeshadows more than make up for the cost. Bought this a couple of weeks back and I really enjoy the brush, most of all.

What I love about the product

• Great selection of fun colors - warm and cool - that can work well together. Indeed, this is the one feature that convinced me to buy the palette. 
• Intensely pigmented with the right eyeshadow base.

When I first saw the Bobbi Brown Tortoise Shell Collection in Temptalia a couple of months back, I was floored. I like the theme and the fact that this collection is targeted towards women who wear glasses (me)! You see, it's a more difficult to use makeup when you wear glasses since they bring focus to the eyes. You don't want to be caught dead with droopy or tired-looking eyes, right? The Tortoise Shell Eyeshadow Palette is specifically designed to highlight our peepers without them looking overdone or trying hard. 

Aside from the palette, a set of mini-brushes with tortoise shell handles will be making a debut. If you've ever wanted to try Bobbi Brown brushes but can't afford them, this set is your best bet since you won't have to pay full price for them to get the same quality. It's P3,000 for the set but that's considerably less expensive than the normal size brushes which can go up to P2,000 a piece.  

Click after the jump to get more tips from Bobbi Brown on how to wear makeup with glasses on!