Blank Canvas Cosmetics 15 Piece Professional Brush Set!

Blank Canvas Cosmetics 15 Piece Professional Brush Set - $160.56 CDN

Makeup is like art.  You need the right tools to draw on your canvas in order to make and create that perfect picture.  Nonetheless, tools are very important to use, in order to achieve this result.  An artist can always use their hands to draw their inspiration, however its hard to achieve those fine lines without the proper tools.

When I really got into makeup last year at the age of 32, I realized that if I wanted to look my age, look professional and not like Krusty The Clown, then I would not only need the right colors and foundation to compliment my face, but I would also need the right brushes to help achieve this look.  If you know me...well...you know research in general is my forte.  I never buy anything without researching the hell out of it.  So I first looked into MAC and Sephora makeup brushes.  And while I found their quality to be superb, their price tag is outrageous.  I will admit to a point I am cheap as hell.  However with all that being said I don't believe quality should always go hand in hand with breaking the bank.  Nonetheless I don't also believe that buying cheap quality is also the best way to go either.  I know, I am an anomaly.  

One day late at night while I was youtubing (of course) I came across a girl who was talking about a brand called Blank Canvas Cosmetics (BCC) which offered contouring and highlighting palette (click here if you want to read that review).  However I also noticed that they had makeup brushed that looked fairly decent and were nicely priced.  So  I decided for the next 3 months to google the net (yes I know a bit OCD)  and see what other people had to say about this brand.  I noticed that they were compared many times to the famous Sigma brushes and they seemed to go neck and neck.  I was debating against these and the Simga brushes.  However I went with BCC simply because they had a very attractive shipping rate. BCC is stationed out in Ireland and Sigma in the USA. Nonetheless Sigma's shipping rate to Canada is outrageous because of the boxing method they use.  

I placed my order with BCC online for their 15 Piece Professional Brush Set without the cup or brush holders.  It took less then two weeks to arrive, the packaging was simple and great and the brushes were all intact.  Within this package I received 7 face brushes, 7 eye brushes and 1 lip brush (that can be used as an eyeliner brush).  With shipping, taxes, the 20% discount the company was offering for January and an extra 10% discount I received from a coupon code I found; in total I paid $134.22 CDN.  The original price was $165.55 CDN (without taxes or shipping).  Not a bad deal if you ask me!!

There really isn't enough words that I can use to say about these brushes so let start.  However do note, I am not going to talk about every brush in this set, though I do love them all and highly recommend this set.  Nonetheless a few of the brushes that were mentioned on the site were not the ones I received. They need to update their info and pictures in order to state what is accurately in the set.  However I will talk about the ones that stand out and are worth investing in if you don't want the whole brush set.

First thing I did was wash all the brushes right away according to the youtube video they had posted on their site.  The brushes did have a strong smell to them (which I loved)  but I still washed them right away.  I let them air dry as they stated and used them the next day. 

The F20 Flat Buffer Brush which can be used for applying cream foundation is the most amazing brush I have used on the market to date. I normally use a Beauty Blender for applying my foundation and I never thought in life I would ever switch up or trade in my Beauty Blender.  But since using this brush I have not gone back.  The F20 Flat Buffer Brush gives me the most AMAZING foundation application that I have ever seen a brush do.  It cuts my time in half when applying my foundation and gives me the most flawless airbrushed look that I have ever seen on my face.  If you apply your foundation with any sort of tool (e.g. brush, sponge, foundation brush) then get this brush!! I can tell you right now you will not get a better flawless look with any other tool then with this brush.  I plan to buy this brush again and again when its time to get a new one!!!  Also, gotta love that pink handle!

The F18 Short Duo Fibre Brush works amazing for blending in your concealer and/or your concealer highlighter.  I love this brush.  It doesn't allow my concealer to settle into the fine lines underneath my eyes, is so soft and doesn't move my concealer around or pick up to much product.  This brush fits perfectly underneath my eyes and does an amazing job when blending.  This brush also works wonders for blending in your contouring liquid makeup as well.

  

 The F15 Small Tapered Brush is amazing to use for powder when setting your concealer.  It glides on so smoothly, doesn't pick up your concealer or foundation and due to its pointed edge fits right underneath your eyes with no problem.  I use this brush in patting motions when setting my concealer with powder.  I also love the fact that it has a red soft bristle head so that makes it a winner for me!!

The F14 Small Contour Brush is great for highlighting on top of the cheek bones, down the edge of your nose, forehead and chin.  Since its small yet has a fair amount of lovely soft bristles on the head, it fits just right in all those spaces that you want to highlight, but don't want to pick up to much powder and look overly obnoxious.

    

 The F25 Large Powder/Bronzer Brush; I am in love with this brush.  This picture does not do it justice.  This brush is very large, very soft, very dense and just feels like silk on your face. I use this brush to apply my setting powder all over my face.  Because it has a very large head, it picks up my powder just lovely and applies it evenly on my whole face and neck.  I sometimes just sit at home and glide it gently across my face to feel it soft bristles.  Weird I know...but you have to try this brush to understand what I mean!!

 The E24 Flat Shader Brush is amazing to use to apply your eyeshadow with.  It fits just right on your eyelids as if it was made molded to your eye shape.   It picks up the right amount of shadow and blends it in just lovely.  I always grab this brush to apply my eye makeup with.

 The E26 Blending Brush; my God this brush leaves me speechless.  This blending brush is like a God sent to all eyeshadow wearing people.  This brush blends your makeup in so well that it makes you wonder where its been all your life.  I have never seen something blend my eyeshadow so well that you don't seen any harsh lines just pure perfection.  I don't even know how to describe this brush, but it leave my eyes looking like silk magic if such a thing even exist.

 The E23 Short Pencil Brush is good for smudging your eyeshadow or placing shadow at the outer corner of your lid and inner corner of your eye.  Because of its pencil head it works like precision magic in these three areas by picking up and placing the right amount of product for that certain effect that you are going for.  

I would highly recommend this complete 15 piece brush set.  However if you are not sure you want to invest that much money right now, I would say consider these brushes that I mentioned above in order to start with.  Though, makeup brushes are an expense, you want to carefully consider what you buy.  Also, keep in mind this might be an investment you only really have to make once in your life. So $160.56 CDN really isn't that much if you ask me for almost a life time.

I love BCC and plan on buying there F26, E39, F30, F29 and F27 brush in the next few months.  I will review those as well once I get them!

Keep Smiling!

Dayana

    

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Makeup Do's and Don't!

In the last few years, makeup has had no rules!  Now-a-days, you can wear whatever you want, anytime, any day, regardless if it makes you look like you just step off the set of circus de soleil.

Nonetheless, with all that being said, just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should.  Keep in mind in this free nation we all live in, people talk and laugh...and they do both a lot.  Even guys!  So lets break down what you should and oh so shouldn't be doing in order to keep you looking your most stunning best and not your feared worse!

Foundation!

  

For all those who didn't know how foundation works, allow me to break it down for you.  Foundation is suppose to MATCH your face color not give you a whole new ethnicity.  The point of foundation is to either even out your skin tone and give you one natural even look and/or help cover up some imperfections.  When applying foundation make sure to match it to your skin and bring it down your neck.  I know some people tan in the summer.  So if this is you, remember to have a foundation color for winter and one for the summer so that your skin always looks even and goes with your current face color of the season!  If not, you look like missy above who seems to have grabbed any foundation in the dark and applied it with a paint brush and blinders on! Yikes!!

If you are not sure what your color is, then go to your nearest Sephora or cosmetic makeup counter and have the sales lady match the available foundations to your face color as seen above.  You will know which one is right for you when it blends in and disappears automatically.  If the name brand of the foundation you like doesn't have your color, then either grab two bottles and mix them or move on.  Nothing says cheap like looking 10 shades different then your natural color.  Of course unless you like the oompa loompa look!! Which brings us to.......

Bronzer! 

 Bronzer is one of the greatest makeup products ever made.  It can give you that natural sun kissed look...when applied right.  However when you over do it, you can look like someone who fell sleep under the self tanning bed for way to long.  So when applying bronzers remember, its meant to give you a NATURAL look around your cheeks, temples and forehead.  If you over do it, your face will look mutty and or worse...burnt.  I don't know if Catherine did her own makeup that day or if her makeup artist was blind. However what I do know is that she looks like a shake and bake chicken dinner. 

This is a beautiful example of what a well applied bronzer looks like when done correctly. In this picture you see Ms. Theron looking like a sun goddess who has a natural bronzer glow to her face and not sporting the overly cooked look. You can still see her pale skin color which seems to have been "naturally" kissed by a bit of sun in all the right places. The key is to apply bronzer on the right parts of your face so you stand out with a healthy glow.

Eyebrows!

Just like makeup, now a days eyebrows have no rhythm or reason either.  However with all that being said (again) unnatural looking eyebrows will make everyone "stop and stare" whether you like it or not.  Its important that you learn where eyebrows start and end on your face.  If you are not sure, or if your eyebrows are just very thick and long, then visit a local bar brow where a consultant can gladly show you the way!

Moreover, eyebrows should never arch so high that they seem like they are touching your forehead and then curve down so unnaturally.

However, they shouldn't look like you grabbed two toothpicks and glued them to your forehead either.  Let's be real, you are not fooling anyone when you sport an unnatural brow look.  People know how eyebrows work and don't work.  Again if you have over tweezed, then give it a rest and let them grow in.  Mostly all of us need a little help with an eyebrow pencil.  However when it seems like all you have IS eyebrow pencil on your brows, then you know you gone way to far. And if you don't know this, then I don't know what else to say to you!! (However this doesn't apply to people who have no brow hair at all).

Blush!

 

Blush should be applied to the apples of the cheeks in a upward sweeping motion.  However, you know when you gone wrong and to heavy handed when you look like you been slapped or have been running the NYC Marathon and not a drop of sweat appears on your forehead.

 When applied right, blush gives you a natural pink glow to your cheeks.  It should seem natural and sheer and blended in properly.  The point of blush is to seem like you have a health rosy complexion and not like you smeared paint on your face.  If your blush seems like a race car stripe line, then you either need to blend it in better, lay off the heavy handedness, or pick a less pigmented color.  Then again if you like race car stripes on your face, then more (horse) power to you!

(Self) Tanning!

I don't even know where to beginning with this one.  Tanning is meant to give you a NATURAL looking glow.  However some people seem to be obsessed with that oompa loompa look!!  And when bronzer is not enough, they take it a step further and get a (temporary) noticeably fake tan that makes them look like they covered their face with orange paint.

Make sure when tanning that you pick a color (or setting on the tanning machine) that goes with your hair and eye color.  Also remember, naturally tanned people don't look orange, they look anywhere within a variety of brown skin tones.  If you are not sure what a natural tan looks like, then google it.  If not you run the risk of looking like a painted orange and having people stare at you weirdly because normal people on earth aren't born with orange like complexions.  Well at least not the healthy ones or those who don't come for another planet.

Eyeshadow! 

I love a smokey eye look just like the next girl.  But when you look like someone who got hit with two black eyes, you really need to back up a bit.  And while I love playing with colors that make my eyes stand out, however some colors should never be used unless you are going to an 80's dance party.

Your eyelids are not a color wheel.  While it may be tempting to play with some colors; subtly is the key.  Remember people talk (and laugh) all the time.  And while yes I am all about freedom of expression, I am also all about knowing when I am pushing the edge just a little to much.  So the next time you want to sport a blue kamikaze Popsicle on your eyes, don't get upset when kids try to lick you.

Powders!

    

The worst thing when it comes to makeup is not knowing how to use it.  Its important when it comes to powders to know the difference between normal face powder and setting powder.  

Setting powder is place on last after you have applied all your makeup with a wand brush and lightly handed in order to set it all in place.  Face powder is used after applying your foundation in order to set it.  Normally a large face powder brush is used to apply it all over your face.  While it should be applied light handed, however normally a bit more is placed on the face versus setting powder.  If you use setting powder as face powder, you will get the "I have been sniffing coke" look when pictures are snapped.  Nicole and others have learned that the hard way.

When using face powder, make sure you use one that is finely milled so that your face looks flawless and not like a big white powder cake.  Remember at the end of the day you want to go for a flawless natural complexion type look that you can sport any day of the week no matter where you go.

However with all that being said, if all else fails and you refuse to listen to go sound advance or the roaring laughter of your friends (or people) as you walk into a room, just remember it can't really get any worse then this!

 

FYI, circus de soleil is always hiring if you are looking for a job to wow the crowd with!

Keep Smiling (or laughing)!

Dayana

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