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Collaboration

Cruelty-Free Drugstore Stocking Stuffers – Holiday Collaboration with Liza & Catherine!!!

Today’s post is Holiday Collaboration with Liza and Catherine! This time around, we are each giving you our recommendations for the 5 Best Drugstore Makeup Products! To give this a Holiday flare, they are also our favorite picks for Stocking fillers. This was a bit of a challenge because figuring out items that could really work for anyone, or where color is not an issue, was rather difficult! J After a lot of brainstorming and searching through my collection, I think I’ve figured out some good picks that any girl would be glad to receive in her stocking this year!

Catherine’s Post

Liza’s Post


My first pick is actually a pencil eyeliner. I absolutely adore the NYX Slide-On Eye Pencils. They are every bit as good as the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils, but for a fraction of the cost! They are available in tons of colors and can be used as eyeliner on the lid or under the lash line, or they can be placed on the upper or lower waterlines. These pencils can be smudged, but once they set, they stay where you put them…even on the waterlines! They are great for stockings because I think every girl uses a pencil liner at least once in a while for something. As for a color, you can’t go wrong with Black or Brown. The NYX Slide-On Eye Pencils are excellent drug store stocking stuffers that any girl can put to good use!

Sticking with the eyes, every girl needs mascara, right? Everyone probably has a different preference when it comes to mascara, but this is one of my favorite all-around mascaras from the drugstore. It is the Lash Knockout Volumizing Mascara from Flower Beauty. I feel like this is a good mascara for most people because it gives volume, length and holds a curl without becoming crunchy. It is buildable to be semi-dramatic, or you just use one coat for a more natural effect. It can clump if you try to layer too much too fast, but in general, I don’t find it to be an issue. Overall, I think the Flower Beauty Lash Knockout Volumizing Mascara is one most anyone would be happy with!
Another product that I think is great for anyone is from Jordana. It is the 12 Hour Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencil. Because shade preference can be rather personal, I would grab one in “Continuous Almond” or “Eternal White” because they make great eyeshadow bases. I personally love “Continuous Almond” because it is the perfect concealing eye primer, at least on my skin tone. It conceals the veins and any discoloration on my eyelids, and it looks great on its own with a touch of liquid liner for a Marilyn Monroe-like look. These pencils are amazing bases for powder shadows because they do not crease, are water-resistant, they are nice and creamy, and have a matte finish that doesn’t compete with any type of powder shadow. The Jordana 12 Hour Made to Last Eyeshadow Pencils are amazing and so multi-purpose that I think they’re wonderful for a stocking!

I’m not entirely sure everyone would count nail polish as makeup, but I do so that’s what I’m choosing next! I think Flower Beauty makes a great polish for an affordable price and the shade “Fanatical Botanical” is a beautiful choice! It’s a metallic rosy-gold that is subtle without being completely unnoticeable. I feel like it would compliment virtually any skin tone and even the polish-phobic would feel comfortable wearing this Nail’d It Nail Lacquer from Flower Beauty!
Finally, I don’t think you can go wrong with a lip color. I’m going to cheat a little bit and give two suggestions because they are very similar and I couldn’t decide between the two. I really love Jordana’s Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stains and the All Glossed Up Hydrating Lip Stains from Hard Candy. Both are twist-up chubby lip pencils that are quite pigmented, while not being intensely opaque. They last pretty much all day, while actually feeling comfortable on the lips. The two formulas have a slightly glossy finish that does fade, but leaves behind a slight stain of color. As for a color, you can’t really go wrong with a nude shade, but I find a red or berry color more fun this time of year! “Rockin’ Rouge” and “Cranberry Crush” are great options from Jordana, while “Red Minx” is a wonderful semi-sheer red from Hard Candy. The Jordana Balm Stains and the Hard Candy Lip Stains are wonderful choices for any girl’s stocking this year!

That does it for my Top 5 Cruelty-Free Drug Store Stocking Stuffers. Add a little bit of foundation, some blush and a bit of concealer, and you pretty much have a full face of makeup! JI hope this was helpful and maybe gave you an idea or two to help fill the stocking of someone special! JDon’t forget to go check out Liza’s and Catherine’s posts as well because I know they always have incredible recommendations! I wish you all a wonderful Holiday season and a very Happy New Year!!! J Thank you so much for stopping by!

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Autumn

5 Favorite Cruelty-Free Fall Eye Shadows – Collab w/ Buying Cruelty Free & Makeup Matters by LNC

It’s been a little while, but it’s time for another cruelty-free collab with Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC and Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free! Since it is officially Fall, we thought we would each share our top 5 cruelty-free eye shadow picks for the season. I wanted to make sure the shadows I picked were still available and not in limited edition collections, which proved to be quite a challenge! I didn’t realize just how many of my eye shadow palettes and sets were a limited edition! I managed to figure everything out, so without further ado, here are my Top 5 Cruelty-Free Eye Shadows for Fall!

Don’t forget to check out Catherine and Liza’s picks as well!!! J
Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free
Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC

Left to Right: Jane’s “Canyon”, Jane’s “Trillium”,
Stila’s “Pigalle”, Urban Decay’s “Roach”, Wet N’ Wild’s
“Comfort Zone” Palette – Bottom Right Corner

I love autumnal hues for eye shadows in general and, though I’m not looking forward to Fall weather, I’m really excited for warm, cozy hued eyes this Fall. My first favorite seems like a perfect turning-leaves kind of color that can be worn somewhat sheer, or it can be built up to enhance the color. It is from Jane Cosmeticsrecently re-released line and it is a beautiful semi-shimmering orange called “Canyon.” The color is gorgeous and it creates a beautiful fall hue on the eyes without being too in your face, or too difficult to wear. This shadow is nicely pigmented, blends wonderfully, and it wears well…with a primer. You need a primer with this particular shadow because it will fade on its own. I am completely in love with this shadow!


Another shadow from Jane Cosmetics that I absolutely adore for fall – for anytime really – is called “Trillium.” It is a deep neutral matte brown. It may look plain and simple, but it’s quite versatile. You can use this for a liner, or apply it with a light hand to deepen the crease and outer “V.” It is also very pigmented and blends quite nicely. I love pairing this with “Canyon” for a rich Fall look.

I love shimmery browns in the Fall and my absolute favorite in this color family is Urban Decay’s “Roach.” I think this was the first Urban Decay product I ever bought (ages ago!) and I’ve loved it ever since! This is actually what I wore to “my” prom (it wasn’t really mine, but the only one I attended). I actually love this shadow all by itself for a quick and easy look. J It’s also great for deepening the crease and outer “V.” Like all Urban Decay shadows, this is super pigmented, easy to blend and wears beautifully!

Keeping with the warm and cozy theme, I really love Stila’s “Pigalle” this Fall as well. It’s a beautiful burgundy shadow with a subtle shimmer. It’s right on trend for the season and, paired with a neutral deep brown shadow like Jane’s “Trillium” or Urban Decay’s “Roach,” this is gorgeous! I know burgundy can seem difficult to wear because the red tones can make one look sickly, but I find that as long as it’s worn with lots of mascara or a darker shade of liner, it looks quite striking. Just ensure that there is something between the burgundy and your eye and you’ll have a beautiful on-trend look for Fall!

My final favorite shadow for Fall is from Wet ‘N Wild. It is the right side “definer” shade in the “Comfort Zone” six shadow Color Icon palette. This is an amazing duo-chrome shadow that looks brown, green or reddish depending on the light. It’s an absolutely beautiful shadow! It too is quite pigmented and blends nicely. It wears well and the duo-chrome effect is beautifully unexpected. It’s a shadow that can easily be worn by itself and still look “finished.” There are a number of other shadows that are quite similar, if not dupes for this shade. Among them are “Lounge” from Urban Decay (now discontinued), “Petal to the Medal” from Too Faced, “Girly” from Too Faced’s “Pretty Rebel palette, “Club” from MAC (not cruelty-free) and “Hocus Pocus” from Prestige (I was planning to choose this shadow, but realized it lends itself to a fair amount of fall out, which the Wet ‘N Wild does not). In general, the “Comfort Zone” palette is full of shadows that are great for fall, but the bottom right shade is simply stunning!

That does it for my Top 5 Eye Shadows for Fall! I am now realizing that these shades are somewhat similar, but they are what I’m gravitating towards as the weather gets cooler and the leaves start changing! I would have included a Green and possibly a Navy, but I felt like the shadows I chose are more wearable on a day-to-day basis…at least for me! J I hope you enjoyed seeing my picks and don’t forget to check out Liza’sand Catherine’s picks as well! Let us know what shadows you’re excited about this Fall! I certainly would love to know!!! J

On eyes: Wet ‘N Wild “Comfort Zone” bottom right shadow
over Milani’s Shadow Pencil in “Brown Deluxe” on lid
with Stila’s “Pigalle” in the crease

On eyes: Jane’s “Canyon” on lid with “Trillium” in crease
and outer corner

On eyes: Urban Decay’s “Roach” on lids with Stila’s
“Pigalle” blended into crease and outer corner

In case you missed them, here are our other collaboration posts:

Top 5 Summer Beauty Products:
5 Favorite New Products:
Liza’s Post
Catherine’s Post
My Post

Top 5 Cruelty-Free Brushes:

Liza’s Post
Catherine’s Post
My Post

Wet ‘N Wild “Comfort Zone” bottom right shadow
over Milani’s Shadow Pencil in “Brown Deluxe” on lid
with Stila’s “Pigalle” in the crease and Urban
Decay’s “Zephyr” around the tear duct

Jane’s “Canyon” on lids with Jane’s
“Trillium” in crease and outer corner

Urban Decay’s “Roach” on lid with Stila’s
“Pigalle” blended into the crease and outer
corner

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Blush

Top 5 Summer Beauty Products – A Cruelty-Free Beauty Collaboration

It’s cruelty-free collaboration time again!!! J Since the official start of summer is only a few days away, today Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC, Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free, and I are sharing our 5 Must Have Summer Beauty Products! For some reason I had a really hard time narrowing this one down! I’ve gone back and forth over what to include so many times, but I think I’ve finally gotten my list to five – or close enough! J So without further ado, welcome to my humble little blog, and thanks for checking out my Summer Beauty Picks – and don’t forget to head over to Liza’s post and Catherine’s post for their picks as well!!! J
Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC



Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free

If you take away nothing else from this post, please realize the importance of sunscreen!!! It is important year-round, but especially in the summertime. I do my best to apply sunscreen every day to any areas that are exposed to the sun in the summer. My all-time favorite sunscreen for my body is the Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Sunscreen Revitalizing Green Tea SPF 45 Broad Spectrum. It protects from both UVA and UVB rays – you need to protect from both to help prevent skin cancer and premature aging! It is water resistant, and it has a pretty high SPF of 45. It smooths on like a standard lotion, but protects from the harmful rays of the sun. It smells pleasant and it’s not a strong or long-lasting scent. It is not too thick, it’s not greasy, and it absorbs nicely so you’re not stuck to your clothes all day. It’s an excellent sunscreen for the body and I absolutely swear by it! J
I’m not including this in my list, but feel I need to mention sunscreen for the face as well. Is that cheating? J I always use a moisturizer with SPF included, but since everyone’s skin is different, I wouldn’t dream of saying one moisturizer fits all, and that’s why this is kind of an aside. For my face, I rely on the Broad Screen SPF 40 from the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer (read my full review here). It’s a great moisturizer and I love that it has such a high SPF because I feel more protected – whether or not I really am! JIf I were to be outside all day, I would probably add a separate sunscreen for my face as well, but I do not have any specific face block to recommend. Just make sure there’s somethingprotecting you from those harmful UVA and UVB rays – both face and body!
Next I actually have two products that, when used in conjunction, will keep your skin soft, smooth and healthy looking…not to mention smelling delicious!!! Since most people are showing more skin during the summer, keeping your skin looking and feeling its best is important! I would highly recommend getting a dry brush to use before you get in the shower. I have the Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush that I found at Whole Foods. You simply take the dry brush and, in two long strokes towards your heart, brush it over your entire body. You want to avoid the décolletage because it is quite sensitive. This brushing will remove any dead skin, improve circulation, and leave you so soft and smooth, plus it will make for a closer shave and better absorption of the next item!
Once you’re out of the shower, you’ll want to moisturize that freshly scrubbed skin and replace the moisture that’s stripped by the shower. I absolutely love the Coconut Body Butter from Trader Joe’s. It smells sooooo good! It has a warm toasted coconut scent that is so perfect for summer (obviously if you don’t like coconut, you’ll hate this, but I adore it)! It’s a nice thick moisturizer, but it absorbs beautifully. It is made with Coconut Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E to leave skin amazingly soft and smooth. And I can’t not mention that it smells incredible again because I love, love, love the scent! J The scent is initially noticeable, but dries down to a faint hint of coconut that no one but you will notice, and it does fade away within a few hours. It’s also completely affordable (I believe it’s around $5 for 8oz) and I think it’s so much nicer than any other body butter I have tried! If you have a Trader Joe’s anywhere near you, pick up a tub. You won’t regret it! J
Moving on to the face, I struggled between a concealer, or a full-face light coverage-type product. I think I’ve finally settled on a tinted moisturizer. More specifically, I lovethe Jouer Matte Moisture Tint! I’ve been using the shade ”Linen.” It is oil-free, fragrance free, hypo-allergenic and contains a broad spectrum SPF 15 (great if your moisturizer doesn’t include sunscreen and you don’t want another step). It’s quick and easy to apply (I just use my fingers) and it provides surprisingly good coverage without feeling or looking heavy. It is buildable for those more troublesome areas too. It looks very natural and, though it’s considered matte, it seems to control shine without reducing radiance! Because of this, I feel like it can work for any type of skin as well. It’s not too greasy for oilier skins, but it’s not too dry for those with drier skin-types. It’s really the perfect every-skin tinted moisturizer! It’s an amazing product and I can see why it seems to be getting a lot of buzz lately! J
Sticking with yet another no fuss kind of summer essential with SPF 15, I have a tinted lip balm! It is the ELF Lip Balm SPF 15 in “Rose”from their Studio Line. It provides a decent punch of a natural flush, while protecting lips from the harsh rays of the sun. I don’t find that I need a mirror to apply this, which I really appreciate, yet it adds enough color to my lips so that I do not look like a corpse. It has a subtle tingly mint taste, and is moisturizing without being greasy. I have tried a few other shades of the ELF Lip Balm SPF 15, and some of them provide virtually no color, but the “Rose” is definitely great for just a sheer wash of visible, but not overdone, color. The “Peach” is nice as well, but the “Nude” and the “Pink” are practically invisible on my relatively pale lips.
Finally, I have a blush that is amazing and perfect for summer! I feel like mascara would make a better “complete” simple summer look, but there’s not one mascara that I would say is in my top five, so I’m sticking with the blush! It is the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée. I have the shade “Poppy Paradise” and it’s a beautiful natural flush of pinky-peach. The color looks scary in the pot, but provides a sheer stain of color that is perfect for summer! It really does stay all day and it is translucent on the skin, so it looks very natural. The color is buildable as well, so you can adjust the intensity. It has a cooling effect when you apply it and it is also water and sweat resistant, giving it another check in the “perfect for summer” category! J The texture is quite interesting as well – it kind of feels like gelatin. Another really unique product that I absolutely adore and feel like it’s one of the best blushes I have for the summer!!! J
So there you have the 5 – ok 6 or 7 – items that I finally decided on as my top beauty picks for summer! I hope you enjoyed them and are ready for a wonderfully beautiful summer!!! J Please don’t forget to check out Liza’s and Catherine’sposts for their cruelty-free summer picks as well because I know they’ll be amazing products as well! Thanks again for checking out my picks and I hope to see you again next time! J

If you’d like to check out the other cruelty-free beauty collaborations Catherine, Liza and I have done, you can find them listed below:
5 Favorite New Products:

Liza’s Post
Catherine’s Post
My Post

Top 5 Cruelty-Free Brushes:
Liza’s Post
Catherine’s Post
My Post



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Blush

Top 5 Favorite New Products | A Cruelty-Free Beauty Blog Collaboration

Today’s post is another special Collaboration with two other lovely cruelty-free beauty bloggers: Catherinefrom Buying Cruelty Free and Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC. About a month ago, we all posted about our favorite brushes. This time, we are each sharing our five favorite newly discovered products with you! The products need not be newly released, just items that we have recently tried and fallen in love with. I can’t wait to see what Liza and Catherine have chosen! Definitely check out their posts because I’m sure their picks will be amazing!

Catherine’s post

Liza’s post

So, without further ado, let’s get on to the goodies!!! J

My first new favorite is not a new product, but I had never tried it! It is actually a bit of a cult classic – Stila’s Convertible Color! There are a few reasons I had never tried this genius little miracle before – I am somewhat scared by blush, and I am downright phobic when it comes to cream blush! Sephora was offering a sample size of the shade “Peony” through their VIB points program and, since I’d been hearing about this little beauty for years, I decided to cash in some points. I am so glad that I did because it is really wonderful and not at all frightening! It blends beautifully, it’s nice and creamy without being sticky, it doesn’t look streaky or patchy, it creates a healthy glow without being too shiny, and it doesn’t accentuate my pores!!! It is also super easy to apply with just my finger tips, and I am completely in love with it! I should add that this is also safe to be used as a lip color, but I have only tried it as a blush. I adore 2-in-1 products though, so that’s another definite perk!

“Peony” on cheeks

My next product is also not a new item, but another that I had not yet tried. I picked up a Slim Gel Lipstick in #57 from Inglot at IMATS and it’s absolutely wonderful! It’s nice and pigmented, very comfortable to wear, has great wearing/staining power and the color is really pretty too! I get compliments every time I wear it, which neverhappens! It’s not at all drying and has a slight staining quality that’s not too powerful – two things I rarely find in one product. I definitely want to pick up more of these – and at $12 each, they are quite affordable by today’s standards! J

I ordered an Endless Silky Eye Pen from Pixi Beauty quite some time ago through HauteLook, but it wasn’t until this past month that I actually tried it out! It’s in the shade “True Teal,” and it is incredible! It is the silkiest, creamiest eye pencil I have ever used AND it doesn’t budge! It is incredibly pigmented, doesn’t skip or tug and I’m completely in love with it! I really need to go pick up some every day shades because, though the teal is a beautiful shade that’s great for a pop of color, it isn’t always the most practical of liners…but it’s sopretty!!! JI’m not sure how I have lived so long without trying this pencil!
Pixi Beauty Endless Silky Eye Pen in “True Teal” on waterline
My next item is another product I have had for quite some time. My mom gave me a mascara sampler set from QVC for Christmas, and I recently pulled out the wonderful IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes 5-in-1 Volumizing Mascara. I’m a bit of a mascara junkie and, though I haven’t decided if it is my favorite mascara of all time, it’s definitely my favorite of the moment! It does an excellent job of lengthening, separating AND volumizing! It is a deep, rich black and doesn’t clump. The spiky rubber brush is much different than I would usually go for, but it makes it easy to grab every little lash. It has a 360° rounded tip which really does help find every last lash. This mascara really amps up my lashes without making them dry, brittle or flaky. Wonderful stuff and I am addicted! J
Left: No Mascara; Right: IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes Mascara
(2 Coats) on Top Lashes Only

Finally, I have a product that actually is a new release! J It is the limited edition Aqualillies for Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye and Cheek Palette. I really love this palette! For starters, the packaging is adorable and, though it’s a large compact, it’s quite easy to hold in your hand while using it. Inside there is a huge mirror, a “Provocateur Shimmering Powder” highlighter in “Champagne,” their well-loved “Park Ave Princess” bronzer, a beautiful pinky-coral blush in “Captivating” (all 3 are actually a touch larger than the individually packaged products!!!) and 6 eye shadows! I use the highlighter and bronzer as eye shadows as well and, if so inclined, you could use the blush on the eyes too. The eye shadow shades do not seem too varied, but they are different and work well for a variety of neutral looks. Plus, “Poolside” can add a nice pop of pool blue to any look. Still, this isn’t the greatest palette if you’re looking for a variety of colorful eye shadows. It is possible to vary the looks you create and I personally love the colors included in the palette! In addition, the shadows have a beautiful texture – very silky and buttery…and they don’t crease at all on my lids! J The shade that really sold me on the palette is called “Bikini” and it’s a wonderfully surprising duochrome that flashes pink, peach and gold. It’s a stunning color! Nothing in the palette is glittery or over-the-top. All the powders are beautiful and very wearable, whether for every day or for a night out. Absolutely adore this palette…especially for the summer!!! J

Shadows used on eyes: “Champagne” highlighter on brow bone,
“Bikini” on lids, “Park Ave Princess” bronzer in crease,
“Hammock” in outer corner, & “Parasol” near inner corner

So there you have my 5 Favorite New Products! Though most are not actually new releases, I have just discovered them and they have all been stand-outs among the mountain of products I have tried. There are so many wonderful items I could have included, but these are my latest and greatest addictions. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have found a few items to add to your own wishlists! Please don’t forget to check out Liza’s and Catherine’s posts as well, as they have also shared their new favorite cruelty-free products! I can’t wait to see their picks!!! J



Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free


Liza from Makeup Matters by LNC

If you are interested in purchasing any of these products, they can be found on the following websites:

Stila is available from Sephora, Ulta and on StilaCosmetics.com
Inglot is available through InglotUSA.com in the US, or check Ingot.com for International information
Pixi Beauty products can be found at Target and on PixiBeauty.com
IT Cosmetics can be purchased through QVC.com
Tarte products can be found at Ulta, Sephora and on TarteCosmetics.com

Tarte Shadows as mentioned above,
Pixi Eye Liner in “True Teal,” IT Cosmetics
Hello Lashes Mascara, Stila Convertible
Color in “Peony” & Inglot Slim Gel
Lipstick #57





Disclaimer: All items mentioned in this post have been purchased by me, or were gifts purchased by others.


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Brushes

5 Favorite Brushes – Collab with Buying Cruelty Free & Makeup Matters by LNC!!!

I’m really excited about today’s post because it is a cruelty-free brush collaboration with Catherine from Buying Cruelty Free and Lizafrom Makeup Matters By LNC! They are both amazing cruelty-free beauty bloggers that you need to check out!!! Each one of us is sharing our Top Five Cruelty-Free Brushes and I am so excited to see their choices! Please do not miss their posts, which are linked above and near the end of this post (any colored text is a link to whatever is named).

I can’t say I’ve ever used very many natural hair brushes because I’ve always disliked the idea of using animal hair when a synthetic alternative is available. I also just love the way synthetic fibers feel. They are soooo soft! They’re very easy to clean, and I feel like they are more durable than natural hair brushes. Plus, synthetic brushes can be used with both powder and cream products, while natural hair brushes are typically designed for use only with powders. And of course, best of all, no animals are harmed in making a synthetic fiber brush! So without further ado, here are my Five Favorite Brushes – and don’t forget to check out Catherine and Liza’s blogs for their picks as well!

My favorite, and probably most used, brush has to be the Blush Brush from Real Techniques. These brushes were designed by Samantha Chapman, one of the sisters from Pixiwoo on YouTube. The entire line is made with 100% synthetic Taklon fibers, making them all cruelty-free.

Though not the most important, one element of this particular brush that I absolutely adore and wish more companies would do is the flat bottom of the handle! The handle on the Blush Brush is large enough that that flat end of the handle creates a perfect surface to put the brush down while it’s standing up and it won’t fall down! Well, if you bump it, it will, but you get the point. I hateputting the bristles of a brush onto a countertop or other potentially dirty surface, plus they always roll around and often fall onto the floor. The flat-bottomed handles makes this problem disappear!

The Blush Brush has a medium to large, domed brush head full of amazingly soft synthetic fibers. They are not too densely packed, so the brush is great for blending and lightly adding color. This brush feels so nice on the skin!

Though this is called a blush brush, I probably use it more for loose powder than anything else! I like the size of it and the way it feels in my hand. It’s just the perfect size and shape for getting powder to all areas of my face.

That’s not to say it doesn’t work for blush too! I often find myself reaching for this brush for my blush as well. You can concentrate the color on the tip of the brush and, as you swipe it across your cheeks, the outer “hairs” help to blend the color. It makes blush application quick, easy and pretty much goof-proof! J

Another brush I use pretty much any time I wear eyeshadow is the 785 Tapered Blending Brush from Bdellium Tools. This brush is from their Green Bambu line, which consists of eco-friendly, cruelty-free brushes. The handles of these brushes are made from sustainable bamboo, while the bristles are made from hypoallergenic, cruelty-free synthetic fibers. They are also, quite appropriately, green, which I just find kind of refreshing. It also helps them stand out among the sea of brushes around them, which makes them much easier to find!

The head of the 785 Tapered Blending brush is somewhat long and skinny with relatively loosely packed bristles, which makes it perfect for blending, softening and also applying shadows with a light hand. It’s a great size for applying color to the crease as well. I really like the size of this brush because it’s not so big that it over blends different shadows into one giant messy shade, but it’s big enough that it doesn’t take forever to blend out larger areas.

In addition to using this brush for blending, I often find myself using this brush to apply just a light wash of color all over my lids, to lightly darken the crease, to apply a transition color to the crease, and even to add a subtle highlight on my brow bone. Like the Real Techniques Blush Brush, the Bdellium 785 is a bit of an all purpose brush for me.

On to my next favorite eye brush, the Bamboo Eyeshadow Shading Brush from EcoTools. Not only are all EcoTools brushes made with cruelty-free fibers, this brush also has a sustainable bamboo handle and recycled aluminum ferrule, making it environmentally friendly.

I haven’t had this brush very long, but I absolutely love it! It is a pretty densely packed brush that is not too big, nor too small. It is a fairly standard basic eyeshadow shader brush – with one exception. The head is flat and, best of all, the fibers taper to a rounded point in the center of the brush. When held right, the shape mimicks the angle of the outer corner of the eye, as well as the inner corner of the eye, which makes it perfect for easy placement of shadow in these areas. The firmness of the brush does an excellent job of picking up product and applies it evenly as well! It’s the perfect medium-sized eye brush!

Another brush I use all the time is from Urban Decay. It is a really old Blending Brush. They still sell a Blending Brush, and it looks like the same brush, but mine has an old handle design. Like all the rest of these brushes, the Urban Decay brushes are made with cruelty-free synthetic vegan Taklon fibers. This brush is a bit larger than the EcoTools Eyeshadow Brush and much fluffier. I find it is great for setting translucent powder in small areas like under my eyes, or on my eyelids. It’s also great for putting a light wash of color all over the eyelid, or for adding a highlight to the brow bone. It’s even good for placing highlighter on cheekbones! Urban Decay’s Blending Brush is another great multi-purpose brush!

Finally on my list of 5 Favorite Brushes is the Expert Face Brush from Real Techniques. I recently started using this brush for blush and it’s now my go-to blush brush! The head of the brush is kind of an unusual squished oval shape. The handle has the same flat bottom as the Blush Brush so I can stand the two up in a row if I’m feeling silly. J The synthetic fiber hairs are packed somewhat densely, while still feeling really soft. The brush picks up blush nicely, and the shape is just perfect for stippling or gently sweeping color across my cheek bones. I feel like I have good control of the blush with this brush due to its size and shape. It deposits a good amount of product without overdoing it, though I do tend to have a very light hand when it comes to blush! It also works well for cream blushes, thanks to the densely packed synthetic fibers.

This brush also works beautifully for highlighters and for applying and blending out foundation. Another great multi-tasker! 🙂

So there you have my five favorite cruelty-free brushes! I hope this was informative and that you all enjoyed it. Let me know what some of your favorite brushes are!!! And please don’t forget to check out Liza and Catherine’s blogs for their favorite brushes as well! Thank you so much for including me in this collaboration! It was a lot of fun and something I might not have thought to do if left to my own devices. 🙂

Catherine’s post on Buying Cruelty Free can be found

here.

Liza’s post on Makeup Matters by LNC can be found here.

Size comparison and scale of the brushes

All Real Techniquesbrushes are cruelty-free and can be found at Ulta and on RealTechniques.com.

Bdellium Toolshas two lines of cruelty-free brushes. They are the Green Bambu (which is also eco-friendly) and the Yellow Bambu series’. They can be purchased through BdelliumStore.com.
EcoTools brushes are all cruelty-free and also eco-friendly. They are widely available at places like Ulta, Target, Walmart, many drugstores and online at EcoTools.com.
Urban Decaybrushes are all cruelty-free and can be found at Ulta, Sephora and on UrbanDecay.com. I should add that Urban Decay has apparently been purchased by L’Oreal, which is a company that tests on animals. For now, Urban Decay is still a separate company (much like The Body Shop, also owned by L’Oreal) and has retained its original no animal testing policy. Their products ARE NOT being sold in the Chinese market. I have kept Urban Decay on my cruelty-free list for now, but you may feel differently because of their new parent company.
Another company that has some great cruelty-free lines is Royal & Langnickel. Of particular note is their Revolution Series made from high quality synthetic fibers. These can be a bit pricey, but they are amazing brushes. I feel like I haven’t tested mine enough to justify putting them on this list, but they are definitely great brushes. Royal & Langnickel also has an eco-friendly line of synthetic filament brushes called SILK Green Line. All of these brushes can be found online at RoyalBrush.com.

Disclaimer: All brushes mentioned in this post were purchased by me. I have not been compensated in any way for this post, nor do I benefit from any of the links included.

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