It is virtually impossible to recreate some of the looks we have shown on our blog without the right tools. I love brushes and as a make-up artist I own hundreds, but for most people a starter set of five will do quite nicely. One thing I will say about brushes is that they are worth the investment. While you can often get away with spending less on a lipstick or eyeshadow a cheap brush will not perform, or last as long as one you spend more money on.

Brushes can be natural or synthetic or a blend of both. The important thing is the shape and texture, soft brushes pick up and apply less product and are good for blending. Stiff brush pick up and apply more product these are good for powder and cream products.

From left to right:

1. Powder or Blush-a medium size dome shaped brush made of goat hair is the perfect size to double for powder or blush.

2. Tapered Eyeshadow-a soft haired paint brush shape is ideal for blending eyeshadow through the crease of the eye. Or dusting eyeshadow all over the eye for a subtle blended look. It’s also very good for blending away hard lines so your eyeshadow looks more diffused.

3. Flat Shader-This type of brush is good for powder or cream products. Most companies carry a small or large version, choose according to the size of your eyes. It can be used on the eyes to create intensity because of the shape and density of the hairs. For example to achieve strong colour on the eyes you would pick up the colour on the flat side and press it against the eyelid.

4. Angled Brush-This brush is a definite must have. It can be used with powder, cream, or liquid products to define eyebrows or for eyeliner. Make sure you examine the angle on the brush before buying. The hairs should be tight together along the angle and not too wide.

5. Foundation Brush-This flat brush is for applying liquid or cream foundation. Because it is quite dense it will pick up alot of product, if you are heavy handed use with caution. You can achieve a very flawless finish with this type of brush, and unlike a sponge it will not soak up the foundation.

For tips on how to care for your brushes go to September 9th post on How Often Should I Wash My Brushes?

Red lips are everywhere! It seems like every beauty ad, tv show and award show are featuring women wearing red lipstick. With all of the 80′s trends that are so hot right now, the red lips make total sense. I don’t know if it’s because red is on my radar, but Blake Lively’s gorgeous red gown and Philip’s Lim’s Spring Summer 2010 collection — just to mention a few — make it seem like we’re going to be seeing a lot more red in the upcoming seasons. My 2 favourite red lipsticks this season so far are: Nars lipstick in Red Lizzard and MAC’s lipstick in Lady Danger. For a longer lasting red lip make sure you line your lips with a long wearing or waterproof liner like Givenchy’s lip liner in #07 Blackberry or MAC Cremestick liner in Red Enriched.

Images from style.com and justjared.com

It comes around every season. Can be seen on runways in all four of the fashion capitals. It’s the smoky eye. This seasons adaptation is imprecise, melted, and pillow smudged. Always dark, sooty with a lived in look. At Cavalli the melted look was achieved by applying Nars Cream Eyeshadow in Zardoz over the top of a pencil. Waxy kohl liners are perfect for recreating a slightly imperfect look. Backstage at Temperley London we used MAC Smolder Eye Kohl, and cream based shadows to give the girls an edgy yet glam look. Finish the look with flawless skin and a beige nude lip as seen on Mary Kate Olsen. This is your recipe for a hot summer look!

Images from style.com