.:: CybeleSays ::.

I will sing this until I’m blue in the face. Makeup brushes make a great gift! I don’t think it’s something we normally buy ourselves as some can be an investment but good ones are a must for great application. And it’s nice to know that the user will think of you every time they use one. One set I am really loving right now is SIGMA’s Synthetic Precision Kit. Each of these is an essential when it comes to getting the most of your eye look. It includes the following: Precision Flat, Precision Round, Precision Angled, Precision Tapered. Big recommendation. $49 @ sigmabeauty.com. 

And also be sure to check out their Synthetic Kabuki Kit for essentials for the face.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

If you’re looking to get something extra special for that someone in your life, this MINI COUTURE case might be your answer. From the outside, it looks like a fancy cosmetics case but it is oh, so much more.

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Ummm, what the heck is this from Sephora?? Click after the jump to see!

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Of course price is always a factor when picking out a gift for someone in your life. However, if it’s something so spot on and not too much more than I wanted to spend, I’ll usually get it. For me, nailing the perfect gift is so important as I know how both sides of it feel – you receive something you’d never wear/use/give the time of day (do you even know me??) and then the other side of when someone gives you something so spot on, it gives you chills! So my 2011 Holiday Beauty Gift Guide will run all over the map when it comes to price points.

I'm so excited for this feature and have been sitting on some of these products for a few weeks now!

And how do you know it’s a gift pick? This year, the feature will have two crossing candy canes. So let’s kick off the picks with LM ...

I’m a firm believer in giving a gift that will last many months to come. When it comes to the beauty-ista in your life, there’s nothing better to receive then a good set of makeup brushes. LAURA MERCIER’s Travel Brush Set ($85 @ lauramercier.com) is all the basics in a convenient and compact set. Each brush is double-sided and is tucked in a removeable mesh pouch that holds on using magnets. Love that.

Set includes:
- Double-Ended Secret Camouflage Powder Brush
- Double-Ended Allover Eye Color Ponytail Brush
- Double-Ended Flat Eyeliner/Smudge Brush
- Double-Ended Brow Definer/Brow Grooming Brush
- Finishing Brush

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

Have you ever thought about how your makeup brushes are sourced? Where the hairs that are used come from? Are they even made from real hair? The PETA certified line EMANI takes the guess work out of it with their line of vegan makeup brushes. They are made of nylon filament but my question is, how do they make them so darn soft? I think they could be softer than those made with real hair!

Liquid Foundation ($24)
Powder ($24)
Blush ($16)
Kabuki ($29)
Shadow ($12.50)
Contour ($12.50)
Brow/Liner ($11.50)
Lip ($11.50)

Check them out @ emani.com. What kind of brushes do you like?

How often do you clean your makeup brushes? KLIX knows and has a solution. Makeup brushes with replaceable brush heads! While this seems like a great idea for a makeup artist always on a movie set or TV show, it can also work for the everyday girl too. Did you know that makeup brushes can harbor bacteria and actually cause skin problems? Ewwww. The brushes are made of white synthetic hair that really show you how dirty your brushes can get! So if you can actually admit that you are not good at remembering to clean your brushes regularly (KLIX found that a whopping 45% do not), this may be your answer for you. 

They have a Powder Brush, Concealer Brush and Blush Brush and how it works is you buy the set of three for $59.95 and the replacement heads, you buy them but the twosome, are $9.95 for the Foundation brushes, $10.95 for the Blush Brushes and $11.95 for the Powder Brushes. They even have two Kabuki Brushes that retail for $19.95.

And the heads are easy to change out. Just click the button at the bottom of the brush handle, twist the top brush head and then click in the new one. And when you are ready to dispose of the actual brush head, it is recyclable. Love that! Check out more info @ klixbrushes.com. 

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

There are a lot of makeup brush brands out there and I think the only way to pick one over another is just personal preference; maybe their politics (synthetic vs real hair) or even going by the brand name. Overall one that stands out right now is the ROYAL & LANGNICKEL line. Brushes are all they do, so their message is not watered down by focusing on different categories of products, which I like. I discovered them last year at the IMATS convention when I bought this brush. I loved the thickness of the brush head and I felt it really helped me get good coverage. This year, I saw that they were debuting their S.I.L.K. Pro GreenLine 12-Piece Set and if your collection is needing a great overall set of brushes, this one might be it and it also really helped me get more of a feel for the quality of their brushes.

Inside the sustainable cork zippered case are 8 eye shadow and liner brushes, a metal lash separator (plastic ones are awful, so major points for making your separator out of metal), a foundation or concealer brush, blush brush and a powder brush. The brush hairs are a proprietary blend of synthetic filaments and the handles are made of 100% bamboo handles and chrome plated nickel ferrules. Eco-beauty is not just inside the products anymore. $95.99 @ royalbrush.com. 

Ok, we’re at that point in the year again – new season means time to take stock of your makeup and beauty tools and see what you have, need to get rid of or need to replace. You’ve probably read a few times that a good set of brushes goes a long way in getting the most out of your makeup products. Here are two sets I’m recommending to get yourself up to speed.

There’s a new line amongst us called REAL TECHNIQUES. It was founded by vlogger/blogger/makeup artist Samantha Chapman after seeing a void in the area of makeup brushes. She wanted to create a line of brushes that were high-tech, high quality and $-friendly and at the same time easy and straight forward to use. The aluminum handles are color coated for easy identifying on the makeup table and the bristles are made of taklon so they are cruelty-free.

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Makeup colors come and go but a great set of makeup will last longer than you can imagine. I’m coveting this NAPOLEON PERDIS Great Escapes Brush Set ($79 @ napoleonperdis.com) right now. It has all the essentials and the price is right - Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, Powder Brush, Slanted Eye Shadow Brush, Eye Blender Brush, Lip Liner Brush, and a Brow Brush/Lash Comb. Choose from a Cobalt Blue or Teal case.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

Like the face primer, I think we’ve all experienced the eyeliner-in-a-pot at this point. And while it seems that they pretty much are all the same, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. TARTE’s EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Shadow/Liner is your basic stay-put liner or shadow and comes in the six basic shades like Black, Bronze, Brown, Green, Plum and my favorite Indigo. It’s a really pretty deep royal or metallic blue in the glass pot and depending on how many coats you apply it, it can look like a blueish grey.

And I really love the double-sided brush it comes with. One side is a tapered stubby brush and the other side is a liner brush. $22 @ sephora.com and tartecosmetics.com.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.