A stipling, sometimes spelled stippling, brush is probably the most versatile brush there is.  Stipling brushes, also known as skunk brushes, are a blend of goat hair and synthetic hair, with the black goat hair on top, and white synthetic hair extending out from the goat hair.  They have a flat head, which I think is part of why it's so great.

So what can you apply with a stipling brush?  Liquid foundation, cream brush, powder brush, bronzer, and basically everything you can think of.  It blends liquid foundation so the end result is flawless.  No streaks, no lines, just beautiful skin.  Cream brush?  Use the flat head to apply it to the apples of your cheeks and blend.  Got a blusher that's too pigmented?  Use the flat head to lightly blend it onto your cheeks for a subtle glow.  Everyone should have one.  It's that one brush I take with me to multi-task when I go on vacations.

187 Duo Fibre Brush

$42.00 at M·A·C

The 2 most popular brands that offer this brush is MAC and Sephora.  Almost every beauty addict owns the MAC 187, and the other half owns Sephora's Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44.  The MAC 187 costs $42, which isn't cheap by any means, but it really is worth the money.  Sephora's version costs $35, but the reviews for it are mixed.

Sephora Brand Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44

$35.00 at Sephora

Another great thing about these?  It dries super fast when you wash it.  When it was colder, my fluffy blush/powder brushes would take a really long time to dry.  Most of the time I wash them before heading to bed, but unfortunately, my blush/powder brushes are still damp in the morning.  The 187 however, is bone dry.  I love it.  Plus you could use them wet, especially when your applying liquid foundation.  I imagine using them wet to apply blush would result in well, not so subtle application.

Are you ready to be a bronzed out Goddess this summer?  Let MAC’s newest collection, Style Warrior, be your weapon of choice in this chic jungle.

Style Warrior contains bright and bold shimmery goodness that defines summer.  Vibrant yellows and purples, as well as fierce bronzes dominate the eyes, lips, and nail colors.  Gorgeous neutral peach and golden bronzes found in powder blush and bronzers provide tools to sculpt a perfect face.  All are packaged in containers adorned with gold striped patterns with zebra and cheetah prints. But the stars of the collection are 3 new and innovative products designed to wow you: Lustre Drops, Solar Bits, and Skinsheens.

Lustre Drops are new water-based bronzing and highlighting liquids that provide ever-lasting luminescence and glow to your cheeks.  Easy to blend and easy to use, just dab a dot on the top of your cheekbones to give yourself supermodel cheekbones.

Solar Bits, according to MAC, are “highly condensed clusters of pigments and pearl uniquely formulated to give you a special hit of frost and colour on eyes and cheeks.”  Simply swish the brush over the top of the cluster for a slight shimmer on your cheeks, or crush the cluster for a more intense color and sparkle.

Skinsheen Leg Sprays act as spray on stockings.  The gel-based bronzer comes out mousse-like, but applies so sheer it’s virtually undetectable, creating just a touch of sheen and radiance.

All of these products are available at US MAC counter or store, and also on MACCosmetics.com starting May 20th.  It arrives internationally in June.  I’m most intrigued by Solar Bits and Lustre Drops, and I’m definitely anticipating them to sell out quickly.

What are you most excited to buy?  Do you like the jungle-theme packaging?  Tell me your thoughts!

Complete Line Up:

Lipstick
Retail $14.00USD/$16.50 CDN

Lipglass
Retail $14.00 USD/$16.50 CDN

Eyeshadow
Retail $14.50 USD/$17.00 CDN

Beauty Powder Blush
Retail $18.00 USD/$22.00 CDN

Iridescent Powder
Retail $21.00 USD/$25.00 CDN

Bronzing Powder
Retail $21.00 USD/$25.00 CDN

Lustre Drops
Retail $18.50 USD/$22.50 CDN

Solar Bits
Retail $19.50 USD/$23.50 CDN

Skinsheen
Retail $22.50 USD/$27.50 CDN

Nail Lacquer
Retail $11.00 USD/$13.00 CDN

Re-Promotes
Eye Kohl – Intense Black - $14.50 USD/$17.00 CDN
Pro Lash Mascara – Coal Black - $12.00 USD/$14.00 CDN
242 Brush - $23.00 USD/$27.50 CDN
182 Brush - $45.00 USD/$55.00 CDN

I left my MAC 217 Blending Brush at my parents' house, and without it, my makeup just does not look the same.  I can't live without this brush!  I use it to both deposit color AND to blend.  If I can only have 3 beauty products, the 217 would be one of them.

Nonetheless, since I was going out last night, I had to drop by the MAC counter to get one.  It's not a pricey brush by any means; it's $22.50, but hot damn, it's the best $22.50 (or I guess not $45 since I have 2) I've ever spent.  I rarely re-buy anything nowadays, since my philosophy is that there's too much products to try, so why buy anything twice, re-buying something is HUGE in my book.

While I was there, I kept thinking about that Mineral Blush Duo in Moon River.  No wait.  First I went straight to try out the A Rose Romance Just A Pinch Gel Blush (decided maybe not now, well think about it), then I went to look for those mineral blush duos.  Guess what?  They weren't on the counter display!!

Can you imagine my nerves?  I've thought about this 1 blush for a few weeks now, and like a true addict, I hyperventilated when I thought it was out and I couldn't get my chubby small starfish hands on them.  Seriously, I was feeling the shakes!

Luckily they had just 1 more in Moon River in stock, and I got it!!  WOOHOOO!!!

I'll review it in more seriousness another time, or I'll just do a FOTD while wearing it.  Anyhow, it's awesome!!

However, I'm not feeling that much love for the Just A Pinch Gel Blush!  By no means is it a bad product, and it's also a truly convenient product, but I don't think I quite need it or will be using it much.  I'll collect my thoughts and share them another time.

Oh yea, I would have hauled more today Nadine from Jolie Nadine's beauty sale for Lymphoma Research Foundation.  Some ladies must have spent only $160 for products that would have together retailed for at least $800!  But I didn't have any cash.  :(  I'll write more about it later.

Psst, want to know a secret?

My favorite color is purple, not pink.  I actually love all shades of purple!  Lavender, plum, lilac, and everything in between.  I just happen to look nice in pink, so I wear pink a lot.  Plus pink is a cute and girly color, so I tend to squeal at all things pink.  It does not however, detract me from my love of purple.

So when I saw this gorgeous ad of Fergie Ferg in this beautiful lavender get up, I automatically assumed that the Viva Glam VI SE lipstick would be lavender based.  Needless to say, I was a tad disappointed to see that it wasn't.  It was a beautiful cool toned pink with just the right amount of shimmer color.  It looks very wearable, and it felt extremely moisturizing and creamy.  I thought it would be perfect for my mom, who is the queen of cool toned pinks.

I didn't buy it yet, but I might after I get my paycheck!  For my mom, of course.

Below are swatches I took.  The lighting may not be perfect, as I did this in my car.

With flash:

Without Flash

I finally finally finally opened the Too Dolly palette that I bought more than a month ago.  It's been sititng in the box since, completely untouched by my little grubby fingers and any makeup brushes since I bought it.  Yes, I'm extremely weird like that.

The colors are extremely bright, and also extremely easy to apply and blend!  Maybe it's just me, but (at least to me) not all MAC eyeshadows are equal.  Some are definitely harder to apply than others, and some are definitely more pigmented than others.  All the colors in the Too Dolly palette just happens to be soft, smooth, and blendable.

So I did this look in about 15 minutes, during my afternoon break at work.  I wanted to look cute going to Sephora, as if I really do know my makeup.  I was debating over doing a very simple eye (black liquid liner with some soft matte base) with a dark berry red lip, or a colorful eye with nude (ish) lips.  My coworker, L, coaxed me into doing a colorful eye because she likes the way I do it.  L has a way of getting me to do things, so I followed her advice and got this done.  I really really like the picture too.  My face doesn't look too fat in this angle.  =D

I really love how the blue turquoise mixed with the fuscia perfectly to create a beautiful purple.  It's as if I'm wearing 3 different colors instead of just 2!  My lashes look kinda busted, but oh well.  Below's a list of everything I used (to the best of my memory):

• MAC Hello Kitty Too Dolly ES Palette
• MAC Hello Kitty Big Bow Lipstick
• Shiseido ZA True White Two-Way Foundation
• NARS Super Orgasm
• Urban Decay Liquid Eye Liner in Oil Slick
• L'oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara
• AVON Supershock Mascara in Brown (used as brow gel since the color is PERFECT)
• YSL Touche Radiance

From The Office -

Angela:  I'm not going into your house and stealing your Hello Kitty backpack.

So today I sat there at work and thought about the Hello Kitty order that I haven't made yet online.  I then decided to just call Nordies and have them hold items I wanted since it is on the way home from work.  A quick stop and $300 later, I have the following in my possession:

Lippies: Cute-ster and Big Bow (soo hot pink and neon!)

Lipglass: Mimmy (sheer and a tad coral), Fast Friends (sheer purple with shimmies), and at the last minute, I decided to also get She Loves Candy (a shimmery silvery pink)

Beauty Powder Blush: Fun & Games (they only had Fun & Games left, but I like the subtly of it)

Beauty Powder: Pretty Baby (soft pink with no shimmies)

Eyeshadow Palettes: Lucky Tom and Too Dolly

Brush set with Hello Kitty cup

I really couldn't make up my mind on which eyeshadow palette to get.  I really planned on getting one, but both are sooo cute!  I also snagged 2 brush sets, one for me and one for my sister.  Her store was sold out so she texted me asking to get her one.  I almost lucked out, but thankfully the sales girl dug one more out for me.

Overall, I'm pleased with the collection.  The eyeshadow colors are REALLY fun and whimsical.  The packaging is also a huge improvement over last year's Fafi collection.  Last year the palettes, lipsticks, and everything just had stickers slapped on it, which a lot of people thought was cheapened the effect.  Compared to this year's Hello Kitty collection, it really was cheap.  The Hello Kitty palettes feels heavy in my palm, which makes it seem more worth the money.  It feels like more thought and care was given to the packaging of all the items.  Even the paper boxes have MAC and Hello Kitty on them!

If you love Hello Kitty, you must get something from the collection.  It's worth it!  Btw, I haven't swapped anything because well.. I don't want to touch my new makeup!  I have this weird thing where I keep my brand new makeup in its packaging untouched and I just stare at it.  It's not that I don't want to use it, but I just can't bear to touch it.  =P  So here's a bunch of pictures!

THAT'S RIGHT!

Ok. I haven't breathed properly since I heard this news from makeupbag.net, but Hello Kitty is here at Nordstroms!  Granted nothing is shipped until the 10th, but still, pre-order!

I'm definitely getting the Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby ($22), and the Powder Blush in Fun & Games ($18).  I'm trying to limit myself to only 1 palette, but I really can't decide on which one!

Well.. not in the environmental sense..

But tomorrow I will wear green eyeshadow!  But Lillian (the coworker) wants a light green that's not too pastel, like an old fashion dress type of green.  Yea, I don't get it either.  So I found 2 of my light green eyeshadows and I'm having her decide.

I also got a bit crazy with photoshop so er, yea..

So tell me what you guys think?

MAC debuted a new website!

Here's an example of their new Goodbye page (if you've never browsed the Goodbye page.. well, you should!  Parrot was on there long after it was gone from the stores).  It's more user friendly, though I don't know how I feel about the dark background.  They did use gray, which makes the contrast not as harsh.

It's always exciting to see changes, no?