furless review must have make-up brushes and How to properly use your Clarisonic

 

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 How to properly use your Clarisonic

 Baffled by how to use a Clarisonic? You're not alone. Many a woman's relationship with her Clarisonic is bit like a   love and hate, relationship of certainty and doubts. Okay, maybe it's not quite that dramatic, but there are certainly some lingering questions about the proper way to use a Clarisonic, as well as fear about the dreaded "Clarisonic breakout" and whether it's safe for sensitive skin 

It's time to put an end to the confusion once and for all. We went straight to the source -- one of the inventors of the Clarisonic, Dr. Robb Akridge -- to fill in the blanks. So before you say you're never, ever, ever getting back together with your cleansing brush , listen-in on this question ask by of of our listener's and answered by the Beauty advisor: 

1.  How to Use Your Clarisonic: It's Not an Exfoliator The back-and-forth movement of the Clarisonic brush head loosens dirt and oil, and forces water off the bristles into your pores to get them extra clean, says Akridge. "This patented approach is very gentle and only removes the skin cells that need to come off that day -- not deeper layers like with exfoliation." 

2. Dont Blame It For Your Breakouts The "Clarisonic breakout" -- aka your skin purging itself of all the gunk in its pores -- happens on rare occasions in the first few uses of the device. Akridge likens these to the acne flare-ups you'd get after a facial. To minimize your chances of experiencing a breakout, Akridge advises to keep using it consistently and make sure both the brush and your face are soaking wet (it's completely waterproof, so take it in the shower with you), and that you're using plenty of cleanser. (More on that later.)

 3. Don't Press So Damn Hard Repeat after me: Use your Clarisonic gently) -- meaning, stop manhandling it like it's a piece of pizza and you've just finished a juice cleanse. It does not need to get all up in your face. It needs to gently glide along your skin; this ensures that it gives you a deep cleanse (the bristles oscillate at 300 movements per second, after all) without being overly abrasive. When you use it correctly, dermatologists have proven that it's gentle enough to be used twice a day, even on those with sensitive skin or rosacea. 

 4. Choose the Right Cleanser Gel and cream cleansers work best with your Clarisonic. Steer clear of anything with physical exfoliants -- Akridge says that will be entirely too harsh on your skin. 





.5.  More Cleanser, Please And while we're on the topic of face wash, Akridge recommends using at least a quarter size amount of cleanser. As long as you use enough, it doesn't matter if you apply your cleanser directly to your face or to the brush head. 



 6. Make Sure Your Brush Is Wet (Like, Soaking) Drench your brush with enough water to give a Pomeranian a bath before applying your cleanser. (Maybe not quite that much, but you get the point.) Your Clarisonic should be soaking wet -- if you use it dry or only slightly damp, the bristles will be too abrasive on your skin. Akridge recommends getting your face wet as well. In other words, the shower is the perfect place to use the device.



7. Clean Your Brush Head Just because your Clarisonic cleans your face doesn't mean it cleans itself as well. The good news: The bristles on the Clarisonic are non-porous, so bacteria can't get in, explains Alkridge. But stray cleanser can get caught between the bristles -- Akridge says the best way to clean your Clarisonic is to remove the brush head, wash it with hand soap or shampoo, rinse it under running water and let it dry once a week.  If you're a total germaphobe, you can also soak it in a bowl of alcohol and rinse it really, really well before using (You wouldn't want your skin to get tipsy, after all). 

8. Change Your Brush Head on Schedule That's every three months, people. It really does make a huge difference: After three months, the bristles start to lose their shape, and cleanser begins to clog at the bottom of the tufts (so the tufts begin moving in clumps versus individually) -- meaning, your Clarisonic becomes less effective.

"People tell me they're becoming 'disenchanted' with their device, or aren't seeing the results they used to, and I recommend that they try using a new brush head," adds Alkridge. "Almost every single time, I hear from them that the fresh brush head totally changed their experience and they fell in love with Clarisonic all over again." 

9. Use Your Clarisonic: Use It Every Day One of the biggest tips from Akridge: Use your Clarisonic every day, up to twice a day. Consistency is key to getting the best results. It's been proven to cleanse your skin six times better than if you were to just use your hands; since your skin is so clean, that means your skincare products will absorb better and work better.

Clarisonic has an array of brush heads designed for the most delicate skin to deep pore cleansing, so be sure you're choosing the best brush head for your skin type.

 The 9 must have make-up brushes 

 

 Most artists will admit that they are nothing without the tools of their trade. Just think: Where would Van Gogh have gotten without his bold brush strokes?

We're not saying that your face should end up looking anything like "Starry Night," but when it comes to good makeup application, the makeup brushes you choose make a big difference. In other words, it's time to graduate past relying on the foam wands included in many eye shadow compacts.

  Investing in and using the right makeup brushes and tools will not only help give you a flawless makeup look, but you'll actually save money in the long run. How? Put simply, you'll use less product and your makeup will last longer  if you keep your hands out of your colors and formulas.

But with a gazillion different brush shapes and materials, it can be difficult to know which ones you actually need. You definitely don't need to tote around an arsenal of every makeup brush known to womankind in order to achieve a gorgeous makeup look. 


Brush No. 1: Foundation Brush   If you are applying liquid foundation, you want to choose a synthetic brush, as synthetic hairs soak up less product than natural hair . If you want to layer your foundation for more coverage,  choose a brush in a half-sphere shape, like Shiseido Foundation Brush,   If you just want a light layer of foundation, use a flat top brush like Sonia Kashuk   Synthetic Flat Top Multipurpose Brush, 
 Why you need it: Using the correct brush blends and buffs foundation into the skin, resulting in a smooth, airbrushed finish. 
How to use it: Squeeze your foundation onto the top of your hand. Dip the brush in, and then buff it into the skin using circular motions. Start from the center of your face and work toward your hairline.    

 Makeup Brush No. 2: Powder Brush  A soft, round, large natural brush. 

Why you need it: If you're still using the puff that came with your powder, you need to switch ASAP. You will use less product than with a puff and it gives a more even, natural-looking finish,  Choose one with natural fibers to get the best results.

How to use it: "Dip your brush in powder and tap off excess. Then, using a sweeping motion, brush lightly over skin following the natural contours of the face 

 
 Makeup Brush No. 3: Bronzer Brush   An angled brush with no hard edges,  Why you need it: A fluffy, slightly angled brush will give you precision when you apply your bronzer.

How to use it: Swirl the brush in bronzer, tap off the excess and then sweep it upward onto the cheekbones, around your hairline and down your neck for an all-over, even glow. If you're wearing your hair pulled back, be sure to add a hint of bronzer to your ears to make it look natural. 


Makeup Brush No. 4: Blush Brush  Choose a blush brush that's airy and rounded, 

Why you need it: Using this type of brush allows you to deposit the color slowly and build up, so you get a natural result, not a blob of color, 

How to use it: Use it to sweep blush onto the apples of your cheeks, moving upwards toward your ear. 

 Makeup Brush No. 5: Contour Brush   If you're contouring with foundation or a cream contour powder, use a large, flat synthetic brush,  . If you prefer contour powder, use a rounded blush brush with sparse bristles, 

Why you need it: We've all seen photos where contouring has gone horribly awry. Don't be that girl. The proper tools will help you chisel your cheekbones naturally.

How to use it: If you're using a liquid contouring product, use the flat brush to draw a line on areas you want to recede (always moving the brush upward). Be sure to blend well with a separate brush, like the BeautyBlender.

If you're using a contour powder, use the brush to sweep the pigment under your cheekbones, around your forehead and along your jawline. Don't forget to blend blend blend

   Makeup Brush No. 6: A Makeup Sponge   A soft makeup sponge like the BeautyBlender,  

Why you need it: It's very versatile Use it to literally blend foundation after you apply it to your face to smooth any hard lines." You can also use it to blend in your contour and highlight work, and to apply concealer.

How to use it: To prevent it from picking up too much product, get it damp before you use it. Whether you use it to apply foundation or for blending purposes, be sure to dab it -- not wipe it -- on your face,    Think: tap tap tap." 

 Makeup Brush No. 7: Eye Shadow Brush   A small, stiff, flat brush. 

Why you need it: This is the brush you need "to apply all-over eye shadow color," says Dean, as it will give your lids a smooth finish and more intense pigment than a fluffier brush would.

How to use it: Sweep shadow over the lids from the inside of the eye, outwards. 


Makeup Brush No 8: Eye Shadow Blending Brush  A flower-shaped, soft natural brush. 

Why you need it: "This is the ultimate blending brush for eyes," t can really get into the crease of your eye and define your lid with precision.

How to use it: "Dip the tip of the brush into your eye shadow using a circular motion and then tap off the excess product Then, starting at the outer edge of your eye, use the tip of the brush to blend the shadow into your crease using a windshield wiper motion.This will contour your eye. 

 Makeup Brush No. 9: Lip Brush   A small, flat, round-tipped brush.

Why you need it: It's the best-shaped brush for a defined lip and will make a precise lip color application easy, 

How to use it: Line your lips, then cover the brush with lipstick. Start at the center of your lips and blend out to the edges. Use the tip of the brush to define the edges of your lips and seamlessly blend the lipstick and liner together. 


Next: The best way to clean your brushes (yes, you must clean them). 

 How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Now that you've purchased your perfect set of brushes, it's time to learn how to protect your investment by keeping them germ- and bacteria-free. Do this by cleaning, sanitizing and properly drying them regularly. Here's how:

Use a brush cleaner once a week ). Spray it onto a tissue and sweep the brush back and forth to remove the makeup, 

For a deeper clean, wash your brushes with shampoo. "Add a drop of shampoo to a cup half full of warm water. Swirl the brushes around and then thoroughly rinse  Let them dry flat on a towel.  If they dry upright, the water will drain into the metal casing and break down the glue causing bristle loss. 






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