The Bane of My Existence

If you wear makeup you generally associate washing makeup brushes with being annoying, time consuming, and all over the worst part about wearing makeup. I feel like there's just a general consensus that it's the least favorite task to do. Thankfully, many companies have used this to their advantage and created tools and products to help us clean our brushes quicker and better. Until recently, I had yet to buy anything of this nature because I figured washing brushes was always going to suck and just accepted it as a part of my routine. That is until now.

I believe Sigma Beauty was if not the first, one of the first, to come out with brush cleaning mats and gloves with bumps and ridges to aid in the cleaning process and help break down makeup quicker while still being gentle on your brushes. I wanted one for a long time, but again always put it on that list of products I didn't reeeeally need, especially with the $25-$40 price tags. Fast forward a few years and product launches by many companies, Real Techniques came out with a Brush Cleansing Palette that had a handle on the back for you to slip onto your hand and essentially clean your brushes in your palm. Oh and did I mention it was only$14.99 (plus I feel like Real Techniques is always Buy One Get One Half OFF at Ulta. It is right now so hurry and snag some products if you want to try this after you're done reading!) Now if there's a company that can create great tools for a good price, it's definitely Real Techniques. You've heard me say before that I stand behind their brushes and sponges 100% so I was hoping this brush palette would be no different. 

It came with a few free samples of their brush cleansing gel, but if you read my post here (CLICK ME) you know that my holy grail brush cleanser is a $5 solid bar of Dr. Bronner's Soap. If you haven't read that post, read it and get yourself some Dr. Bronner's NOW! (I wrote this whole post then went back to that one and apparently washing brushes was the bane of my existence in November 2015 too haha) So I got out my soap and started washing away. As you can see below, the palette has three different sized and textured bumps; little dots, medium x's and large bumps. I loved the different sizes because they helped clean the different brushes depending on size and density of bristles.

Another thing I really like about these types of cleansing mats and gloves is that they are usually made of silicone which allows for the tool to bend easily and stay clean. I feel like I will get thousands of uses out of this product which is again very typical of Real Techniques. Just because it's affordable doesn't mean they skimp on quality.

So what's my overall opinion of the Brush Cleansing Palette? If you wear makeup often  or simply have a lot of brushes, you'd probably really enjoy having this tool. While I feel like it's difficult for a product to drastically cut down my wash time because let's face it, I have A LOT of brushes, I do feel like they came out really clean and quicker than I expected. Even the brushes that are really hard to wash cleaned quicker. You can buy Real Techniques products online or in stores at Ulta, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Meijer and many other places! 

Have a beautiful day friends! 

-Andrea

Dre Does Beautifying

Since being in school at an Aveda Institute I've fallen in love with many Aveda Products but the standout is definitely the Beautifying Composition Oil. It's an amazing conditioning oil that has so many uses that I promise you can find something you'll love about it. It's targeted for bath, body, and scalp but I've made a list of my favorite uses below for you. Made of organic olive, soybean, and safflower oils, Beautifying softens and conditions skin, as well as repairing the lipid bilayer of your skin. The organic lavender, rosemary and bergamot mixture give an amazing and relaxing aroma as well. One of the best parts about it is that you don't have to use much product, so the bottle will last a long time. I can't speak highly enough about it and here's why:

1. Hair deep conditioner: If I know I will be washing my hair the next morning and it's feeling dry, I'll add a few drops to the ends of my hair, throw it up in a bun on top of my head, and sleep on an old pillowcase. In the morning, after I've shampooed my hair feels so much smoother and softer.

2. Eye Makeup Remover: Adding a few drops to either water or your eye makeup remover on a cotton round will help remove any stubborn or waterproof mascara. The best part is it'll also condition your eyelashes while it removes it.

3. Bathtime: Adding a few drops to your running bath water will help the amazing aroma relax you. It will also help moisturize and condition your skin as you soak in it. 

4. No More Dry Patches: This is a huge tip that I love for the current freezing winter time conditions. If you have any dry patches on your body adding a few drops of it directly to the areas will help get rid of them. If you notice dryness on your face and your current face moisturizer isn't cutting it, mix in a few drops and you're good to go!

5. Anti-Eczematic: One of the uses that I've noticed the biggest change due to Beautyifying is with my Ezcema. I've had it on my cheeks since I was little but I've never really found anything that took care of it. When my instructor mentioned months ago that it could help I bought it immediately to see what would happen. I use it in place of a moisturizer on my cheeks and I've definitely noticed a reduction in the little Ezcema bumps. I would buy Beautifying for this reason alone, even if it had no other uses.

6. Massage Oil: At my school we use this composition oil for massages and it's amazing. The aroma really helps with relaxation and it gives a good slip to the skin. As you probably already guessed, it also conditions the skin. I find people's skin usually soaks it right up from dehydration. 

7. Bye Bye Chapped Lips: Applying a drop or two on your lips throughout the day or before bed will really help hydrate and rid your lips of being chapped.

8. Pre-waxing oil: If you do your own waxing at home this is a great pre-waxing oil to use to cleanse the skin of any dirt or makeup that maybe be on the surface beforehand. I use it for all of my waxing at home and I love it.

9. Pre-Cleanser for Makeup Removal: If you wear foundation or heavier makeup on your face sometimes it's hard for your cleanser to break it all down in one cleaning. If you apply the beautifying first as a pre-cleanse and your cleanser second, it will help break down the makeup better and give you a better cleanse. Just like the oil helps emulsify your eye makeup, it'll help breakdown your other makeup too. 

10. Dry hands or feet: Since I have chronic dry hands in the winter, massaging some beautifying into them helps with flakiness or redness.

11. Cuticle Oil: If you get dry cuticles, this is a great oil to use to soften and keep them from cracking and splitting, which can get pretty painful.

Have you ever tried Beautifying Composition? If you have, let me know your favorite ways to use it! If not, you can either purchase it at www.aveda.com or let me know and I can get my hands on some for you! 

Hope you're having a beautiful day!

Dre