A Brush Splurge

After obsessing over brushes for the past two weeks, I decided to treat myself to an early Christmas present (read House of Fraser were offering 10% off). Although I had been considering either a Hakuhodo or Chikuhodo order, what I was particularly looking for were several eyeshadow brushes with a specific shape, as well as at least one for use with cream products. The following brushes all looked like they would fit the bill and the reviews looked promising.

Top to bottom: NARS #15 eye contour brush, NARS #15 smudge brush, Shu Uemura #10 synthetic brush and Laura Mercier Eye Finishing brush.

I won't deny this was a splurge, especially as said I was cutting back on makeup purchases. My justification is that these brushes should help me get the most from the makeup I already own and also improve my application technique. I've come to the conclusion that following the 'lighter lid colour plus darker colour in the crease' colour application just doesn't flatter my eyes and I'm hoping the NARS brushes will help me experiment with different placements.

I touched on Chikuhodo above and I wanted to share a recent discovery. Having previously assumed that you couldn't buy Chikuhodo brushes outside of Japan, I was pleased to learn that you can buy their brushes from Kohlindo, an online store based in Sweden. The website is currently undergoing some changes, so orders must be placed by emailing the shop owner, Malin. I have spent a good deal of time pouring over the various brushes, particularly the long handled Artist Series and Malin has been brilliant at answering my questions via email. I'm planning an order after Christmas if no-one picks up on my very unsubtle hints!