Face Forward: Makeup Kit Essentials Part Deux [Brushes]

The proper brushes must haves for every makeup kit. Brushes work better than sponges because they don’t absorb the makeup and the also carry less oil and bacteria. Good brushes can last you for years if taken care of properly. Brushes also allow you to apply your makeup more evenly and control how much product you are using. Here are my must have brushes.

Concealer Brush: This a brush that has stiff bristles that allow you to evenly apply and build you concealer. They come in different sizes but it's generally a small brush that works wonders in covering imperfections and dark circles. I recommend Mac 195 Concealer Brush ($22 at www.maccosmetics.com) or the Revlon Concealer Brush ($9.99 at www.ulta.com or your local drug store)

Foundation Brush: The foundation brush is like the concealer brush only larger. The bristles may also be a little softer than those of the concealer brush. A good foundation brush allows you to apply your foundation evenly so that you achieve a natural look. I recommend Mac 190 Foundation Brush ($32 at www.maccosmetics.com ) or NYX Foundation Brush ($8 at www.nyxcosmetics.com)

Blush Brush: For blush application a good fluffy angled brush works best. It allows you to apply the blush in a way to contour your face and cheek bones. My favorites are Mac 168 Contour Brush ( $32 at www.maccosmetics.com) and Sonia Kashuk Large Angle brush. ($9.99 at www.target.com)

Eye Shadow Brush: This brush allows you to apply eyeshadow by effectively building color. A good eye shadow brush will allow you to add as little or as much color as wanted or needed. My picks are MAC 213 Fluff Brush ($22.50 at www.maccosmetics.com ) and Sonia Kashuk Large Eye Shadow Brush ($9.99 at www.target.com)

Eye Shadow Blending Brush: This brush is best when you are wearing more than one color eye shadow on your eye. The brush usual has soft dome shaped bristles. It allows you to BLEND the colors and to get rid of harsh lines. My favorites are the MAC 217 Blending Brush ( $22.50 at www.maccosmetics.com ) and the E.L.F. blending brush ( $1 at www.eyeslipsface.com)

Full Face Brush: This fluffy face brush has many uses. The most important is to BLEND your foundation. This brush allows for effective blending of your foundation at the neck and hair line. It can also be used to add a pressed powder finish to your makeup. I recommend the MAC 129 Powder Brush ($34 at www.maccosmetics.com) and the Sonia Kashuk Large Powder Brush ($19.99 at www.target.com)

Face Forward: Makeup Kit Essentials

Makeup is an essential part to every look. Whether you’re going to work or preparing for a night on the town, makeup is what completes’ every outfit. Therefore every girl should have a basic makeup kit and here are the items no kit should be without.

1. Moisturizer

2. Primer

3. Concealer

4. Foundation

5. Mascara and Eyeliner

6.Lip Gloss/ Lipstick

1. Moisturizer: The key to flawless makeup is flawless skin. This is why moisturizer is so important. When your skin is healthy your makeup covers better. The type of moisturizer that works for you is dependent on your skin type. It should include SPF and be oil free. For younger skin or acne prone skin make sure that your moisturizer has acne treatment and for older skin make sure that firming and age fighting ingredients are included.

2. Primer: Primer is used to protect your skin from the makeup. It also gives your makeup a much smoother finish. It fills in big pores and gives you skin a radiant finish. A good primer is MAC's Prep + Prime which cost about $25 a bottle (www.maccosmetics.com)

3. Concealer: Concealer is used to cover up imperfections such as scars, blemishes, pimples, and dark spots. It can be applied before or after the foundation. When using a concealer you need to make sure that the color is not too dark or light but that it matches well with your skin. A concealer that I like and found to work really well is Poser Cover Creme. It cost about $8.99 a jar and can be bought at your local Walgreens. (www.walgreens.com)

4. Foundation: Foundation is a must for even the most perfect skin. Its purpose is to even out the skin color. For this reason it is not always necessary to apply foundation to the entire face. It should match your skin color and only be applied where needed. It should also be applied in layers. Start off with just a little and build in the areas where you need more. This keeps your foundation looking natural. Some of the foundations I love are MAC Studio Sculpt which is $29.50 a tube and provides a very natural finish, MAC StudioFix Powder Plus Foundation which has a matte powder finish and cost about $26 a compact, and Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse which has an airbrush finish and can be found at your local drug store for about $8.99 a bottle.(www.maccosmetics.com and www.cvs.com)

5. Eyeliner and Mascara: Eyeliner and Mascara go hand and hand. They are needed because they make your eyes pop. They both can make tired eyes look lively and have a way of enhancing the face. When you're going for a natural look or don't feel like applying eye shadow these two products are key. My favorites are MAC Zoom Lash which is $13.00 and NYX Automatic Eye Pencil which cost about $3. (www.maccosmetics.com and www.nyxcosmetics.com )

6. Lip Gloss/ Lipstick: The lips complete the look. It's what pulls the entire face together. Therefore your makeup kit should include a good Lip Gloss or Lipstick. The color is totally up to you but make sure that it.

Honorable Mention - Blush: This is useful when you need to add a little color or glow to your face. A nice shade of pink will work with almost any look or face.