Battle of the Brush Spot Cleansers

Washing make up brushes is no-ones favourite chore (except mine, i genuinely do love it), and we all know it is ruddy time consuming. Spot cleansers can make the process a whole lot less dramatic, if you’re willing to keep on top of it every other day or so. Plus, it’s less time dragging dirty make up brushes across your double-cleansed skin. Win-win.

There are of course, other cleansers available, but the No7 Make Up Brush Cleanser and the Make Up Revolution Anti-Bacterial Brush Cleanser are two of the most readily available. I’ve even made my own in the past (using alcohol, tea tree oil, anti-bac hand soap, and Fairy liquid) which worked out surprisingly well and I will be making again. One endevour I shall not repeat is attempting to use Micellar water as a Spot Cleanser. Something about the spray turns in into a lather/bloody nightmare to get off your brushes. Grim. Do not recommend.

I used both of these in exactly the same way, using a towel I saturated the brush, rubbed it on the towel in a circular motion, and either repeat, or pop back in the pot to dry…. Here’s how they measured up:

Boots No7 Make Up Brush Cleanser.
Seems wasteful, lots and lots come out in a single pump. Only got 5 spot cleans before the bottle was empty. Doesn’t remove enough make up to make the process worthwhile. Leaves some brushes oily or greasy. Will not repurchase.

Make Up Revolution Anti-Bacterial Brush Cleanser.
Lasts a lot longer. Doesn’t need as much to get brushes clean. Leaves eye shadow brushes spotless after one round, and foundation brushes spotless after two. Smells really clean. Brushes dry entirely, left super soft. Will definitely repurchase.

So Make Up Revolution is the clear winner here. Or… am I the clear winner with my squeaky clean brushes?

Gradient Brows for a Fair Complexion

For me, grubby products with the labels worn off are always a sign of being well used and well loved. Shame it doesn’t lend itself well to beautifully professional looking blog pictures eh?

I love a strong gradient brow. As a natural redhead my eyebrows and eyelashes are invisible, blonde, downy hair which means that if I go too strong in the brow the contrast is…. Weird. I have however found products that are quickly reaching Holy Grail status – products I would repurchase (unless Make Up Revolution adds it’s brow tint to the continually growing list of discontinued products – please MUR, no.)

First, I use the Rimmel London Professional Eye Brow Pencil in Hazel. I run the eyebrow pencil backwards through the eyebrow, so colouring against the hair growth. It seems to cover more ground that way, no bald looking patches glinting through surface strands.

Next, I like to use the Make Up Revolution Eyebrow brush (which I can no longer find on the website… I’m distraught because it could use replacing!) and combine a literal dot of MUR Ultra Aqua Eye Tint in light and medium, then outline the brows (top and bottom), then fill in the eyebrow tail.

Finally, I run Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Medium brown through the whole thing, just to keep everything in place for the day. And it does! No eyebrow transfer onto my hands, my boyfriends shirt, or on my notes when my head finds its way to my desk at work.

I really do love a good eyebrow.