Coupon Code: Beauty.com 20% OFF Friends and Family Event (Nars, Urban Decay, Tarte, ByTerry)

Beauty.com is having their 20% OFF Friends and Family Event, starting now. No promo code needed. Just click through this link to activate the discount. You can get 20% OFF on most brands, including bareMinerals, Beauty Blender, By Terry, Clarisonic, First Aid Beauty, Glam Glow, It Cosmetics, Japonesque, Jouer, Kevyn Aucoin, Korres, Lorac, Murad, Nars, Origins, Paul & Joe, Philosophy, St. Tropez, Sunday Riley, Tarte, Urban Decay, Z Palette and many more. (The only brands that are excluded are Jane Iredale and Kate Somerville.) Offer expires May 13, 2016.

• There's also a $15 off deal on all orders over $75 through this link. The brands that are excluded are Alterna, bareMinerals, Bliss, Darphin, Deborah Lippmann, DKNY, Donna Karan, Dr. Brandt, Dr. Dennis Gross, Elizabeth Arden, Eve Lom, Jack Black, Jane Iredale, Kate Somerville, Laura Geller, Le Couvent des Minimes, L'Occitane, Malin+Goetz, Mally Beauty, md formulations, MenScience, Michael Kors, NARS, NuFace, Origins, Perricone M.D., Peter Thomas Roth, Philosophy, Prescriptives, Smashbox, St. Tropez, Stila and Urban Decay. Offer expires August 27, 2016.

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Review + Comparisons: Sonia Kashuk Tapered Powder and Domed Multi-Purpose Brush (2016 Collection)

Long time readers know that Sonia Kashuk is one of my go-to brands for quality brushes. The black handle brushes are very well made and are reasonably priced. When I found out that new brushes were being launch for her 2016 collection, I knew that I had to get my hands on them. 

Both the Sonia Kashuk Tapered Powder No.19 brush and Domed Multi-Purpose No.18 brush are made of natural goat hair and feel very soft, just like the other black handle brushes from her line. They also have the same type of handle with an ergonomic design and are even weighted, which feels very comfortable in the hand. The only difference is that they no longer come with a black ferrule and have been recently revamped with a gold one. (The #24 Dense Blush Powder brush and #29 Domed Blusher brush that are mentioned in this post are now available with a gold ferrule. Both versions have the same brush head.) They did shed a few hairs during the first week, which is normal, but haven't shedded since.

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Review + Comparisons: Sephora Collection Pro Featherweight Brushes

Sephora Collection Pro Featherweight Line

All of the brushes mentioned in this post are vegan, 100% synthetic, and not tested on animals. They all have bristles that feel very soft and do not shed. (These feel just as soft as the Real Techniques Buffing brush and the ELF Selfie Ready Foundation brush, which are also made of synthetic bristles. However, they all feel like they're made from different types of synthetic bristles. I wish companies would be more transparent/specific about the bristle type because just like natural hair (pony, goat, squirrel, etc), not all synthetic bristles are made equal.)

The names and numbers of the brushes are conveniently written on the handles. They also each come with a plastic brush cap that prevents the bristles from getting dirty and damaged during travel.

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Hot Deal Alert: Sephora $20 Gift Card + $20 Cash Back

If you're a long time follower of my blog, then you know that I only post about deals and coupon codes that I personally use or are too good to pass up! TopCashBack is having a promotion for new members and is giving $20 cash back if you purchase a Sephora $20 gift card. Offer expires at 11:59pm PT on Monday, May 12, 2016. (Sign up is completely free and you do not have to provide your credit card information. TopCashback is a free site that provides cash back for your purchases.)

How do you get it?

• First sign up through my referral link. Then, go to this link, click on "Get Offer Now" and purchase a Sephora $20.00 gift card. Within 14 days, $20.00 cashback will be posted in your TopCashback account.
• On mobile: There is only an option to buy a $25 Gift Card. You will still receive your $20 cash back. If you do not want to pay the extra $5, switch over to desktop and repeat the steps above.

When do you get your money back?

• Within 14 days, $20.00 cashback will be posted in your TopCashback account and then it can be credited straight to your checking account.

Who qualifies for it?

• This offer is available to new TopCashback members only. 

Is there anything else important to know?

• Transactions must only contain one Sephora $20.00 gift card priced at $20.00 to ensure $20.00 cashback is credited to TopCashback accounts. If another item is purchased or additional items are purchased at the same time, the cashback amount awarded will be 5% or less (depending on the item(s) purchased) instead of $20.00.

Only one:

• Gift Card is allowed per TopCashback account
• TopCashback account is permitted per member

Review + Comparisons: Battle of the Makeup Sponges (BeautyBlender, Real Techniques, Swissco, Sephora, Black Up)

Makeup Sponges

Pros:

• works especially well for those with dry skin (Using a synthetic brush in a buffing motion can cause exfoliation and make your foundation look flakey. Using a sponge in a tapping motion prevents exfoliation and is ideal for those with dry, flakey skin.)
• prevents full coverage foundations from looking cakey (Since sponges sheer out coverage, it makes it more difficult to over apply foundation. Therefore, sponges work well for those with a heavy hand.)
• allows foundation to "melt" into your skin (The method of stippling in conjunction with the moisture from the sponge allows foundation to blend into the skin seamlessly without any lines of demarcation, while leaving an airbrushed finish.)

Cons:

• suppose to be replaced every 1-3 months (Those who take good care of it have been able to make it last for about 6-8 months. I've had brushes that lasted 5+ years. Therefore, those who are on a beauty budget may not find makeup sponges to be economically sound.)
• more product gets absorbed and wasted (I find that sponges soak up more product compared to synthetic brushes.)
• time consuming (Stipping with a sponge requires more time compared to buffing with a synthetic brush. It's also best to use a foundation that doesn't dry as fast to prevent it from applying blotchy or else you'll have to work alot quicker. Also, when using a sponge, I have to apply 2 layers of the MUFE HD foundation in order to get the coverage that I need, while it takes only one layer when using a synthetic brush.)
• emphasize pores (I find that sponges can make my pores appear larger when used in a stippling motion compared to a synthetic buffing brush. To prevent this from happening, you can (1) wear a silicone-based primer (review) underneath or (2) use the sponge in a painting motion on areas where there are visible pores.

I don't find sponges to be superior or inferior to synthetic brushes. Just like everything else in life, there are always pros & cons and trade-offs. This post is meant to be informative and to explain why sponges may or may not be right for you.

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