Blog — Tina Tom Makeup

Happy Makeup Monday my dears!!

After a quick trip to San Francisco for the weekend, I (not surprisingly) came back with some beauty purchases that I am extremely excited to use. The first is Aqua Brow in #25 by Make Up For Ever. I'm always game to try something new for my brows - but have been stuck in a rut lately with my MAC rectractable brow pencil in "Spiked". It's fast & easy - what more can you ask for in a brow product?! But alas, I've been suckered in with MUFE's Aqua Brow, a tinted, water-resistent gel that is used to fill in your brows. I wouldn't recommend it for newbies because it dries quickly so you need to work fast with the product. I actually really like it because it's over 100 degrees over here in Southern California this week, so anything to help my brows stay on is A-OK with me!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow, $20 from Sephora

Swatch of the product - the color intimidated me at first, but it goes on much lighter once it's applied to your brows !

I totally wiped off a corner of my brow before taking this photo .. oops!

I also purchased a travel brush holder, because the brushes on my kit were getting all over the place & the brush belt was just not cutting it. After years of working with clients, I've found that the best way that works for me to display brushes is to keep them in a cup/holder rather than on a belt around my waist - that way, I can actually see what I'm reaching for rather than constantly looking down & digging around.

This brush holder by Sigma is made with faux leather & seems pretty sturdy - it has a clasp closure & opens up to two separate cups so you can separate your face brushes from your eye brushes. I have yet to use this on a shoot/ appointment, so I'll definitely get back to you guys on the performance of this product! The one thing I like about it so far though, is that it will fit all my larger, full-sized brushes.

Stay tuned for my next post - Ipsy's September Glam Bag!

Sigma Brush Holder, $25 from Sigma Beauty

This is what it looks like when it's closed & ready for travel.

As a makeup artist, I am constantly looking for a safe, cheap & effective way to deep clean my brushes. For my daily cleanings or for quick in-between washes, I use Japonesque's AMAZING Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner.

Japonesque Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner

I personally love this brush cleaner because it smells citrus-y and fresh, and just 1-2 sprays gets my brushes clean. At roughly $12.50 for a 4.25oz bottle (or $30 for a jumbo size 16oz), many may argue that this is a bit on the pricey side, but if you compare the sprays needed to get a brush clean using another brush cleaner (ahem, Bobbi Brown, Sephora.. I've tried them all) - this product beats the rest. I am the queen of waterproof, long-lasting makeup, so my stippling and foundation brushes are impossible to clean, but not with this baby! My absolute, go-to daily brush cleanser that requires no effort at all.

Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap in Assorted Scents

For my deep cleanings, I love to use Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap in Peppermint. One drop of this mixed with some water to foam up the soap, and my brushes are as clean as new. It keeps your brushes smelling fresh and its bristles soft. I know that many of my colleagues prefer using Johnson & Johnson body wash, but I personally find this ineffective because (as mentioned above) my makeup literally sticks to my brushes like no tomorow. Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap is the one product that I've found to effectively clean my brushes with minimal time and product. The best part about this product? It is a multi-functional, vegan product that people use as body wash, shampoo, face cleanser (I do!), multi-purpose cleaner, detergent, etc. For a bargain price of $10.50-$16 for such a large bottle, you'll find yourself reaching for this more often & for more uses than you would imagine!