Concealer Brush

Concealer brushes are typically made of synthetic bristles because these bristles are firmer than those made of hair. Concealer brushes are usually tapered in shape, and come in a few different sizes; small concealer brushes are ideal for spots and minor blemishes. With the introduction of new types of foundation products like mineral and silicone, you’ll find roundheads and other concealer brush shapes available too.

Foundation Brush

Foundation brushes are different from concealer brushes because they’re typically larger and denser. However, foundation brushes designed for cream and liquid foundations are also similar to concealer brushes because they both have a flat and tapered shape. Other foundation brushes have been developed due to new foundation formulas like mineral powder. Just keep in mind that you’ll need a roundhead foundation brush instead of a tapered one when it comes to mineral powder.

Stippling Brush

Stippling brushes have become very popular for applying foundation because they’re able to buff the product onto your face. Stippling brushes are made with two different types of bristles: one that picks the product up, and the other that buffs the product out. The first set of bristles is made of synthetic bristles that are white, and the second set is made of goat hair, which is the black part of the brush.

Large Powder Brush

Large powder makeup brushes are used to apply all loose powder, pressed powder, or beads onto your face. The characteristics of large fluffy brushes are sort of self-explanatory; they’re large, gull, and have a dome-head that’s made of natural hair.

Blush Brush

This type of makeup brush isn’t as large as the powder brush, but is still bigger than a concealer brush and has a tapered head. You can use a blush brush to contour your face, apply blush, bronzer and also highlight.

Blender Brush

Blender brushes are typically made of natural hair and are thinner than blush brushes. You can use blender brushes to blend out harsh lines that are sometimes left over after applying blush or bronzer. They’re great for hard-to-get-to places that you’ll find when contouring your nose.

Wide Eyeshadow Brush

Made with natural bristles, wide eyeshadow brushes are what you’d use to both blend and sweep the color onto your lid. If you’re using an eyeshadow that leaves a lot of fallout on your cheeks, you can use this brush to gently press or pat the product onto your lid, rather than sweeping it on. The head of a wide eyeshadow brush is firm, but not rigid, and flat with a gradual-tapered shape. When you use the edge of this brush, you can define your crease by pressing the product onto your crease.

Eye Blender Brush

This brush has fluffy bristles made of natural hair with a tapered head. You can use this brush in circular motions or in a sweeping motion to blend out harsh lines.

Define and/or Contour Brush

An eye define and/or contour brush is slightly fuller than an angled brush, and is used for contouring and defining your crease. Different shapes of these brushes are available; some are in the shape of angled brushes and others are similar to a blending brush, only smaller. So if you’re missing a blending brush, you may be able to use this brush to blend your harsh lines depending on the shape you have.

Angled Brush

Angled brushes are great for applying color close to the lash line, and for creating winged eyeliner. These brushes have short bristles that are cut at an angle, and when wet, can be used to apply eyeliner.

Pencil Brush

Pencil brushes are smaller than blending and contour brushes, and are stiffer with a domed-shape that comes to a point similar to a pencil. They’re great for smudging eyeliner out, creating a soft smoky eye, and for defining your crease.

Lip Brush

Lip brushes are of course used to apply lipsticks. They have synthetic bristles, and are shaped like concealer brushes, only much, much smaller. Because they are narrower than the other brushes and have a tapered head, they can be used to mix colors, and are great if you’re applying lipstick on a client.

Angled Eyebrow Brush

Eyebrow brushes are very similar to angled brushes, but they’re much denser, and are used to fill in eyebrows with eyebrow powder, matte eyeshadow and eyebrow gel.

Eyebrow Comb

You use an eyebrow comb to comb your eyebrows, which keeps them in check before applying your eyebrow gel. They usually come with two ends: one is a brush similar to a mascara wand, while the one is a plastic comb. You can also find eyebrow combs that are straight and dense like a miniature bristle brush.

More about Synthetic Bristles

Synthetic hair has gotten a bad reputation in the hair care world because of its inability to look natural; so it’s a good thing you don’t need your makeup brushes to look like long hair extensions! Synthetic hair filaments, or fake hair, are great to use in makeup brushes for applying liquid and cream cosmetic products, including liquid foundations, concealers, eyeliners, lipsticks and lipglosses.

These polymer filaments aren’t real hair, but perform like natural hair. Do keep in mind that not all brushes should have synthetic hair because the real hair is softer than its synthetic counterpart. The same goes for natural hair because sometimes you need synthetic bristles since it’s firmer. Different manufactures may blend a few sizes of synthetic hairs together in order to give you a different finish or result.

More about Natural Bristles

When you hear the term “natural bristles,” you may think this refers to human hair; but it could also be alluding to a number of other types of hair, including pony, squirrel, goat and badger hair. Natural hair bristled brushes are the most expensive, but are of good quality when maintained properly.

Brush Ferrules

Ferrules are the metal tube that keeps your brush’s handle and bristles together, and can be made of aluminum, nickel, copper, and chrome (just to name a few). It’s important to keep water and other liquids out of the ferrules so as to keep the brush together since water in the ferrules can slowly loosen the hold it has on the handle.

Brush Handles

You may not think too much about a brush’s handle, but it’s very important that you do! If your handle is too light, you’re more likely to drop the brush, which will cause a mess on your floor or desk. There are different uses for each brush, thus requiring each one to have a certain design and weight. Also take note that brush handles are made of different materials; your goal should be to buy ones made with sturdy materials so you have one less thing to worry about.

Makeup brushes can really help to improve your routine, and give you a flawless face. You can find great makeup brushes by M.A.C., Sonia Kashuk and Sigma. But if you do go to purchase any of these, just remember to only buy what you need!

Source: makeuptips

Valerio Mezzanotti/NowFashion.comProenza Schouler, fall 2012.

IT’S easy to identify the best moment of Fashion Week. In the blacked-out setting for the Calvin Klein show on Thursday, the actresses Emma Stone (in red) and Rooney. Mara (in black) took their front-row places next to Emmanuelle Alt and Franca Sozzani, the editors respectively of French Vogue and Italian Vogue. Ms. Alt’s usual game face for a show is either one of mild boredom or profound boredom. At Calvin, her expression was somewhere in between, and while most of the journalists in the room would have been eager to chat up Ms. Mara, Ms. Alt barely acknowledged her.

Things got stranger when Eric Wilson, of The New York Times, tried to speak to Ms. Mara after the show about the Oscars (a lot of people are interested in what she will wear) and got a brushoff. One of the most sought-after actresses is sitting at a press event, surrounded by sophisticated editors and writers, and she pulls a Garbo. Priceless.

Valerio Mezzanotti/NowFashion.comAltuzarra, fall 2012.

Identifying the best fall collections is a bit harder. I don’t have a single, hands-down favorite, though Ralph Lauren comes pretty close because the clothes were done with such polish. Also, for Mr. Lauren, there’s something of an inside-joke element to doing a show that makes reference to “Downton Abbey.” I also liked Marc Jacobs’s show — the set and swirling white runway conceived by the artist Rachel Feinstein — but his own expression seemed muffled by an excess of clothes. And this season I wasn’t struck by a blast of originality, though I thought Proenza Schouler and Altuzarra made bold statements about how to look next fall.

So, with those qualifiers, here are the collections and looks from New York that fed my eye.

Despite the overtones of Céline and Balenciaga in the Proenza show, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez make a persuasive case for an extreme proportion — a boxy jacket with wide-leg trousers — with a street attitude. Almost everything I thought looked relevant at Fashion Week had street credibility, no matter if the fabrics were specially created and probably costly. I loved the oversize shirts (essentially a big T-shirt) that Mr. Hernandez and Mr. McCollough did in lacquered lace with an exposed zipper at one side, so you could leave the top partly untucked. That shape could be developed in more accessible fabrics.

Joseph Altuzarra’s red-dot print trousers and blouses were unusual, and I liked the combination with sophisticated, tough coats and tight, over-the-knee black boots. The style reflected not only a mature sensibility but also one with European roots. Mr. Altuzarra brought something of his own to Fashion Week.

I loved collections where the notions of femininity and age-appropriateness were quite expansive. Among those designers whose clothes could relate to a lot of women and different body types were Narciso Rodriguez, Diane Von Furstenberg, L’Wren Scott (especially her long-sleeve dresses), Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Rodarte. Laura and Kate Mulleavy’s relaxed dresses and striped coats for Rodarte have the gall of being normal, and flattering on a woman of any age.

Source: blogs.nytimes.com

Have you ever thought about striking out on your own, perhaps turning a hobby into a paying gig? If you’ve already got a full-time job, you might think that having your own business is totally unrealistic: you’ve got bills to pay, and you can’t just quit and hope it all works out.

There are plenty of good reasons to try going into business, though, and if you’ve got an hour or two to spare in the evenings, plus a few hours at weekends, you could definitely give entrepreneurship a go.

Here are some key reasons why you might want to:

#1: Make More Money Each Month

Perhaps you’ve got no hopes of a raise or a promotion at work … but you want more money. Starting a side business can give you extra cash every month, to pay off debts, save for a vacation, or simply for extra peace of mind.

If the things you do for fun tend to be pricy, turning them into a business can be a great way to make them pay for themselves. For instance, if you enjoy crafts, you could sell some of your productions on Etsy. You might not make “quit your day job” money … but it can still help you enjoy your hobbies.

#2: Give Yourself a Back-Up (or Escape Route)

Many people are finding that formally secure jobs aren’t so safe after all. A side business could be a lifeline if you find yourself made redundant, or if your hours are cut.

Alternatively, your business can provide an escape route. If you’re hoping to get out of your job but can’t find anything else, then getting a business going while you’re still on a regular paycheck is a smart move. Once you know you can make enough working for yourself, you can quit your job.

#3: Learn New Skills

If you’ve been working in the same job for more than a year or two, you’ll probably find that most days look pretty much the same. You rarely get to learn anything new – which may make you feel uninterested in your work.

By starting your own business, you’ll pick up a ton of new skills. Some of these will be specific to your particular field (for instance, if you set up as a freelance web designer, you’ll obviously improve your graphic design skills) – others will be related to business in general (such as negotiation, marketing, time management). All of these skills could be useful in your day job, perhaps helping you gain a promotion.

#4: Make a Difference in the World

Perhaps you feel as though your regular life isn’t making any real impact on the world around you. If you’re a stay at home parent, you might feel like you want a larger role in life; if you’ve got a mundane job, you might question whether what you do is worthwhile.

By running your own business, you can make a real difference. You can create something that you’re proud of, and potentially leave a legacy for others too.

#5: Gain Confidence

Perhaps you feel that self-employment is for other people, not for you. They might seem braver, smarter, better-connected … whatever it is, you’re convinced they have something that you don’t.

The truth is, a huge range of people run their own businesses. Many of them will have felt even less confident than you when they started out – but developing a business has also helped them develop their confidence and their inter-personal skills.

You don’t know where starting a business will take you. Perhaps you’ll give it a try and decide it’s not for you … but, as a result, you’ll be more certain about your decision to stick with the day job. Or perhaps you’ll find your skills and confidence growing by the day, and you’ll eventually be able to quit your job to work for yourself, doing what you love.

If you think running a business just might be for you, check out 9 Steps to Starting a Small Business to find out where to go next.

Source: www.pickthebrain.com

Taking a respite from honoring the past year’s top African-American entertainers, the 43rd NAACP Image Awards followed suit with previous awards shows in holding a tribute for recently departed icon Whitney Houston during Friday night’s (February 17) ceremony.

With the annual event taking place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Gospel great Yolanda Adams took the stage alongside a gospel choir while celebrating the life of the “I Will Always Love You” singer.

Source: gossipcenter.com

Qantas Frequent Flyer points will soon be devalued. Picture: File
Source: AFP

It is a triple whammy for the 8 million members of the customer loyalty program, with Qantas and Jetstar passengers already hit last week by further price hikes because of increased fuel costs and the carbon pricing scheme.

In an email to customers last week, Qantas announced there would be increases to the points required when paying for surcharges, fees and taxes on domestic and regional flights.

"Earlier this month Qantas announced that future ticket prices for Qantas and Jetstar passengers will be impacted by higher jet fuel costs and the Australian Government’s carbon pricing system," wrote Sid Gokani, head of loyalty operations.

"As a result there will be increases to the points required when paying for surcharges, fees and taxes on Australian and New Zealand domestic and regional Classic Award flights."

From April 1, the program’s 8 million members will be slugged an extra 350 points when paying for surcharges, fees and taxes on flights within Australia and New Zealand – rising to 750 on July 1.

A company spokesman said: "Qantas is not making additional money from the points increase – it simply reflects the additional costs associated with the high cost of fuel and the introduction of the carbon tax."

Source: www.news.com.au/travel

WASHINGTON –  President Obama says the painful restructuring of America’s manufacturing base means a lot of jobs are gone forever, but that does not mean Americans must “settle for a lesser future.” 

In his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday, Obama said American manufacturers are reinventing themselves with new technology and new efficiencies that have helped lead to what the administration claims are 3.7 million new jobs created over the past two years. 

“Factories where people thought they’d retire have left town. Jobs that provided a decent living have been shipped overseas” and will not return, Obama said. “But that doesn’t mean we have to settle for a lesser future.” 

He recorded the address while visiting a massive Boeing Co. manufacturing plant near Seattle on Friday. He toured a modern factory floor and the inside of one of the aircraft maker’s new flagship Dreamliner passenger jets. 

“Companies like Boeing are realizing that even when we can’t make things cheaper than China, we can make things better,” Obama said in the weekly address. “That’s how we’re going to compete globally.” 

Delivering the Republican address, Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers accused Obama of overspending that will set the country up for a financial implosion like the one in Greece. 

“Instead of leading the effort to bring down our debt and make tough choices, the president is proposing that we spend more and more,” she said. 

While at Boeing on Friday, Obama announced steps to offer financing to U.S. companies to match help their foreign competitors get, with the goal of helping American industries compete. 

Obama called on Congress to extend the Export-Import Bank’s authorization. White House officials said the bank will reach its lending limit at the end of March and Obama pointed to it as a key player in helping promote U.S. exports. 

At the same time, the White House announced that Boeing will participate in an Export-Import Bank program that helps companies advance money to suppliers on export-related contracts. Administration officials said Boeing would be committing to more than $ 700 million in short-term credit this year. Officials said the arrangement would help Boeing compete for foreign clients against European jet maker Airbus. 

Facing re-election, Obama has pointed to a decline in unemployment and trumpeted a recent boost in manufacturing jobs as an indicator of an economy on the mend. Republicans seeking the White House have accused Obama of failing to steer the economy out of a deep recession.

Source: www.foxnews.com/politics

Illustration: Matt Golding.

AUSTRALIA may have seen the last of Black Caviar, for the time being at least, with the superstar now likely to shoot for a world record 20th successive win in Dubai in six weeks after another astonishing performance at Flemington yesterday.

The fastest horse in the world lived up to that label when she ran a staggering 55.53 seconds for the straight 1000-metre trip in the group 1 Lightning Stakes.

Breaking down the times, Black Caviar ran what is understood to be the first sub-10 second sectional in this country when she ran 9.98 seconds between the 600 metres and 400 metres when challenged by brave runner-up Hay List. Her overall time was marginally outside the course record of 55.50, set before fractional times were applied, when Special won the same race in 1988.

After the blistering run, where she fought with her major rival Hay List for much of the race before running away to win by 1¾ lengths, trainer Peter Moody all but ruled out a run at a 20th consecutive win in next Saturday’s Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.

”For her to be there next Saturday, she probably had to have it softer today, so we will let the dust settle,” he said. ”But she needed to have it softer today to butter up three weeks in a row.”

Moody said he could not confirm Black Caviar’s next run, but admitted he was leaning to the World Cup meeting in Dubai. ”If she goes to Dubai she has probably run her last race in Australia this [preparation],” he said. ”If she doesn’t go to Dubai we will look at what option leads us to Royal Ascot [in June].”

Moody said it may now not be possible for Black Caviar to beat US mare Zenyatta’s world record of 19 unbeaten wins in Australia. ”I’d love to see it but there is some possibility it won’t take place [here] now, but we’ve never let our heart get in the way of where she should be going.”

Moody said he would travel to Dubai this week to finalise in his mind that the group 1 Golden Shaheen (1200 metres) on an artificial surface at Meydan on March 31 was suitable for the mare.

The only possible change to her agenda could come on February 28, when the weights for the Newmarket Handicap (March 10) are released, but as she is almost certain to be allocated a minimum of 61 kilograms, Moody said she was unlikely to pursue a second win in the race. ”She might be on the plane [to Dubai] when the Newmarket is run, as the plane leaves a day before.”

Moody paid his respects to Hay List, who for a stride mid-race looked as though he may have had the measure of Black Caviar. ”Gee, I feel sorry for those [connections] with Hay List. He should be winning these races easily, but he’s just run into an equine freak.”

Moody was keeping his emotions in check yesterday, leaving jockey Luke Nolen to lead the accolades for Black Caviar, who has now won nine group 1 races and prizemoney of $ 5.29 million. ”I just want to take my hat off to that mare, because she really toughed it out, and she touched me today,” Nolen said. ”The chips were down and she showed a lot of courage.”

Nolen admitted he had some concerns when Hay List put Black Caviar under pressure. ”He had me worried for a couple of strides, but … she’s Black Caviar.”

Black Caviar’s win, at $ 1.10, ended a run of defeats from odds-on favourites yesterday. Earlier, VRC Oaks winner Mosheen ($ 1.45) was narrowly beaten in the Vanity Stakes, and Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet ($ 1.65) missed a place in the C.S. Hayes Stakes.

Source: www.theage.com.au/sport

Spending his birthday weekend with the family in Sin City, Brad Pitt and partner Angelina Jolie took a few of their little ones out for a stage show in Las Vegas on Saturday night (December 17).

The “Mr and Mrs Smith” co-star couple escorted Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh into the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino for a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour.

Source: gossipcenter.com

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In full flight: Test cricket aspirant Ed Cowan. Photo: Getty Images

KEEP YOUR friends close and your enemies even closer. Incumbent opener Phillip Hughes and his potential replacement Ed Cowan last night slept side by side as they prepared for a head-to-head duel that could shape their Test futures.

Cowan was Hughes’ opening partner when the boy from Macksville in mid-north NSW made his first-class debut four years ago.

The pair have remained friends since, just as well considering the sleeping arrangements for the Chairman’s XI three-day clash with India starting today in Canberra.

”We’re in a nice situation in the sense we’re sharing rooms on this trip and I’m sleeping 30 centimetres away from Phil Hughes,” said the happily married Cowan. ”I might give him a cuddle and kiss good night.”

But by the end of this week, the pair’s fortunes could be on opposite sides of the spectrum, which would not be the first time it has happened during their careers.

As Hughes flourished from a teen prodigy into a Test-class batsman, the NSW-born Cowan was forced to head south to Tasmania for more opportunities.

More recently, Hughes’ run of outs has coincided with Cowan striking career-best form, creating the possibility of one replacing the other in the Test side, although a fully fit Shane Watson would scuttle that scenario.

”I don’t think it’s going to come down to what I’ve done, I think it’s more of a question of how fit Shane Watson is and whether he wants to open the batting,” Cowan said.

”If he’s fit, they have to squeeze someone out and if he doesn’t want to open the batting, then they need to make a call on that.”

Cowan and Hughes are not certain to open together this week, as selectors might decide to give the red-hot David Warner an early preview of the new-ball attack he will face on Boxing Day or trial No. 3 Usman Khawaja as an opener.

”I’ve been competing with Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja for five or six years trying to make the NSW team, we’ve managed to maintain friendships throughout that,” Cowan said.

”It’s a test of people’s character to know what’s good for the team and good for Australian cricket to be able to put your own personal ambition to one side. Cricket goes beyond the boundary and we’re all mates.”

Cowan remained firm in his belief this week’s match would not be a bat-off between himself and Hughes, but acknowledged a big score in Canberra would do no harm to his chances of a Test debut in Melbourne.

Coming off three centuries from his past three first-class games, Cowan said he was ready for the rise to handle international cricket but rejected suggestions the Boxing Day Test was shaping as his best and only chance of earning a baggy green.

”I don’t really see it like that because the more runs you score, your case becomes more and more irresistible,” said Cowan, who is averaging 64 in the first-class arena this summer.

”It feels like the stars are aligning in terms of injury and form, but at any stage, if you’re pushing so hard, I think you can justify selection regardless of how well the team’s playing or who’s injured.

”I’m only 29, I’m not 36. I feel as though my game’s ready and, if needed, I’ll be ready. I’m in the form of my life.”

Source: www.theage.com.au/sport

Traveling back to years past for her time in front of the camera, Amanda Seyfried was spotted on a photo shoot in Burbank, California on Friday (December 16).

All smiles as she rested in between snapshots, the “Mamma Mia” star dressed in a dark brown wig, full-length white period dress, and chunky platform heels.

Source: gossipcenter.com

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