June Favourites

If last month was anything to go by (echoing sentiments in my June 2014 Favourites), the middle of the year seems to be when I start becoming intensely more interested in clothing than makeup. I've blown my #treatyoself budget many times over on recent wardrobe additions, no thanks to relentless mid-year sales, re-obsessing over Gorman (what is it about that brand that makes me want everything?) and my inability to walk away from pale, lilacy-pink things. Still, there were some makeup and skin care favourites amid all the crazed clothing stalking and shopping. A few tried and tested products I dredged up, inexpensive new items I've been putting to good use, and an expensive (but worth it) perfume love.

Caudalie Divine Oil + water in spray bottle
I call this my DIY glowy finishing mist. This isn't the first time I've featured this lil invention of mine on the blog, but something inspired me to revisit it in June. Probably because I was regretting omitting the Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura Makeup Mist from my Korean makeup/skin care haul, so I had to make do with my own creation. I take my Daiso spray bottle, fill it up with tap water that's been boiled and cooled down (staple in any Asian household), then spritz some Caudalie Divine Oil into the water. It's a bit of trial and error how much Divine Oil I need to put in, but at least 7-8 sprays. Enough so that when I mist my face (shaking the bottle to combine the oil and water before each use), there is a distinct but subtle dewiness coming through. I honestly think the effect is very similar to something like Caudalie Beauty Elixir or MAC Fix+, though I haven't tried the latter personally. It's not going to set my makeup and make it last longer, but it brings some life back into my face if my makeup's looking a little heavy and cakey or over-powdered. Works great on bare skin as well for a pick me up and injection of radiance.

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Day 2 Night Mascara
Finally cracked open this mascara after it was sitting in my makeup drawer for an age. Surprisingly, it hadn't completely dried out. The opposite — the wand is loaded with product. This could be problematic if the brush didn't work as well as it does. It loads the mascara on so there's instant definition and volume, but then combs through the lashes to get rid of clumps and separate the lashes. This is one of those newfangled mascaras with dual functionality thanks to a "2-in-1 magic cap", where you have the choice of your mascara wand coming out of the "Volume" or "Length" section. I've photographed the "Volume" mascara — the "Length" one basically has a more defined, separated wand with much less mascara gloop on it. I'm not a fan of the "Length" (mainly because it seems devoid of product), but "Volume" is a winner. The only slight negative is that if you're thinking of multiple coats, do it while it's still wet. It will flake onto your face if you try another coat after the first has dried.

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso EDP
I caved and bought this after wanting it for half a year (interestingly, or perhaps not interestingly at all, the only other item on that wishlist I've bought is the Zoeva rose gold brush set). In my defence, the 50ml bottle was on sale in a set with a 75ml body lotion for $82.60. Not the bargain of the century, but acceptable considering the 50ml bottle on its own is $118. Despite my bloated perfume collection, I honestly don't have anything like Narciso. It's perfect for this time of year; the cold air, rugging up in knits, trying to keep cosy and warm. It smells rich, intoxicating, evocative of skin, musk, cleanness. Radiant and refined. It's woodsy, soapy, powdery, floral. Top notes of gardenia and rose, heart of musk, base notes of vetiver, black cedar and white cedar. I get why it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I find myself increasingly drawn to powdery, soapy perfumes despite their potential granny factor. I had to even scour the internet to find a backup bottle of my beloved but tragically discontinued Chloé Love, Chloé. In the end, I paid a pretty penny to have one delivered to me, though the transaction wasn't entirely above board. (That's a totally different story, suffice it to say esavingsfreshscents.com.au sells perfumes with the serial number etched off and then insists it's standard industry practice to prevent fraud.)

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
Yes, I know. Shudder. Caroline Hirons and Sali Hughes would be horrified I'm including makeup wipes here, not that either know of my existence. But I can't help it, I've been using these wipes to remove my makeup when I get home from work, and they've probably knocked off Swisspers Cucumber Facial Cleansing Wipes as the best wipes I've used. I like that they're decently wet so it's not like you're scrubbing your face with a paper towel. Vitally, they don't sting or irritate my skin, despite some vigorous, repeated rubbing. They also get everything bar eye makeup off (still need Bioderma for that). I know, because when I start on the Bioderma for my eyes and then use the other side of the cotton pad for my face, not much comes off. I still follow up with a cleansing milk (trying out the Innoxa one that I scored from the Priceline skin care bag, not hating it, but definitely not loving it), and the end result is refreshed, clean-feeling, balanced skin.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Busy Signal + Ecotools Bamboo Angled Eyeliner Brush
Back to this old faithful and not entirely sure why I stopped. Busy Signal is truly one of the best makeup purchases I've made. It's been years and it shows zero signs of drying out, unlike pretty much every other cream shadow I have. It hasn't even slightly shrunk around the edges or changed texture in any way. It's still soft, smooth, emollient and ultra pigmented. The colour is complex and beautiful, it lasts all day and doesn't budge. I've used it consistently over the years and the surface is only mildly scratched. Not sure if I'll finish it in the next decade. If that isn't value, I'm not eating chocolate every day like it's good for me. I've been reaching for the Ecotools eyeliner brush to apply Busy Signal to my lower lash line every single day. Lately, I've also been playing around with a slightly longer, subtly flicked up shape for my liner using my Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner, and the precision of the Angled Eyeliner Brush is ideal for joining the lower lash line to the upper for an overall larger, more extended eye.

Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve
I've actually had this lip balm since my trip to New York in late 2012, but only opened it recently. It's brought welcome relief to dry, chapped lips during winter. It's powerfully perfumed which I don't mind, though I can see why it would be off-putting to some. While it's basically fancy Vaseline, it does feel soothing and relieving on the lips, and I like that it imparts a fresh, easygoing shine to my naturally pigmented lips which makes it look like I'm wearing a tinted gloss.

And now ... I don't ever do this, but I simply had to include one non-beauty favourite. Because the joy it's brought me at least deserves a mention on this blog.

Gorman Pom Pom Pom Scarf in Grey
Words can't capture my love for this scarf. It is my dream. Because BALLZ. Look at those colourful spheres of fluff and tell me perfection doesn't exist. Whoever said money can't buy happiness hasn't bought this scarf. And I'd understand, since it was damn hard to acquire. Not to mention the kind of expensive that can only be justified in a crazed state. Bank balance says I'm poorer, heart says I am oh so richer.

Favourite Face Brushes

Last time I did a mass brush laundry day, the gorgeous Hollie of Eating Lipstick (a fantastic blog which I thoroughly recommend) asked whether I had a post about my favourite makeup brushes. While I have written individually about the Real Techniques, Ecotools and Sigma brushes I've purchased in the past, I haven't rounded up my most reached for and adored brushes in one post before. I've decided to limit my selections to face brushes only for now, since my eye brush collection, in line with my very amateur eyeshadow application/technique, needs some work. I purchased most of my Ecotools brushes from Priceline and Real Techniques brushes from S.A. Hair, Nail & Beauty Supplies in the Dymocks Building (we're talking way back when they were first released to the Australian market). If you're looking to buy online, iHerb stocks both brands and Ecotools can also be purchased from Luxola.

l-r: Real Techniques Buffing Brush, Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush, Real Techniques Multi Task Brush, Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Models Prefer Mystique Blush Brush, Real Techniques Contour Brush, Ecotools Tapered Blush Brush

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
I've harped on about this brush endlessly, including in my 10 Products I Would Repurchase and Best of 2013 posts. There really isn't anything further to say. It's the best foundation brush I've used and I rely on it most days I wear makeup.

Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush
It's lamentable this brush from a limited edition Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone 5 Piece Brush Set can't be purchased alone and isn't being produced anymore. It's ultra soft and fluffy, with a beautiful shape just made for the cheeks, it picks up product well, blends it seamlessly, and there's zero shedding when washed. I've flirted with many blush brushes in the last couple of years that I thought I liked (namely the Real Techniques one), but simply put, this one's the best.

Real Techniques Multi Task Brush
This brush from the Real Techniques Travel Essentials Set is the closest to the Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush I've found. It's actually a great substitute, though the Ecotools has a more tapered shape and this Real Techniques one is a bit larger. Along with blush, I normally use the Multi Task Brush for bronzer in an attempt to contour the cheekbones. It's a good size for my plump face and the shape strikes an ideal balance between control and softly blended edges.

l-r: Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush, Ecotools Tapered Blush Brush

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
Some would argue this is basically interchangeable with the Buffing Brush, possibly even the superior offering given its more rounded rectangle shape allows you to navigate the contours of the face better. I do appreciate how it performs as a Buffing Brush alternative, but my preferred use for the Expert Face Brush is to apply cream blush. It is the absolutely perfect shape for it, especially blending from the top of the cheekbones down. The thick, slightly firm bristles but relatively narrow shape diffuses product beautifully and doesn't turn your cheeks into a patchy, ruddy mess. It's excellent for cream bronzer/contouring as well.

Models Prefer Mystique Blush Brush
I was on the hunt for an angled blush brush from the likes of Sigma or MAC for quite a while, but managed to satiate my curiosity with this more affordable version from an Australian brand stocked at Priceline. Unlike all the other brushes featured here which are synthetic, this is the only one made with natural bristles. I like it for more pigmented blushes as the brush doesn't pick up too much product and it softens and tones down the colour when applied to the cheeks. Its primary function however, ever since I purchased NARS Laguna, has been in my attempts to contour my face. I'm not entirely convinced whether the angled shape really makes that much of a difference compared with something like the Real Techniques Multi Task Brush, but it seems to make the placement and blending just that little bit easier.

Real Techniques Contour Brush
One of the more versatile and underrated brushes in my collection. I mainly use it as my go-to highlighter brush (I much prefer it to the flatter and smaller Real Techniques Setting Brush for that purpose), but I imagine it'd work equally well for a broad range of uses, including contouring with both powder and cream products, more precise blush application, blending undereye concealer and spot powdering.

Ecotools Tapered Blush Brush
I initially bought this thinking it would be identical to the Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Blush Brush, only to be sorely disappointed when I realised it was significantly flatter, more tapered, not as thick and fluffy, and larger in shape. I would have dismissed it as mostly a failed purchase, except I found it performs one function better than any other brushes in my collection: applying a light layer of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder over my foundation. My other powder brushes are these dense, rounded domes (like the Real Techniques Powder Brush or Too Faced Powder Pouf) which would be too heavy-handed and pack on too much product, but the relative flatness and floppiness of the Ecotools Tapered Blush Brush works to its advantage in gently dusting all over a fine finishing powder for that final, skin-perfecting touch.

June Favourites

June was a month of indulgent spending and not one I care to repeat any time soon. I basically lost my mind trying to acquire one particular item of intense lust, bought an expensive lip balm for no reason (despite an acute awareness of the ridiculous number of lipsticks I own) and decided that I was now interested in skin care. It wasn't all about new acquisitions though — I did fall back in love with a phenomenally good brush and reverted to an old favourite after coming into possession of a backup thanks to a fellow blogger's generosity.

NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Palette
Let's begin with the most exciting favourite of June. The limited edition NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Kit (which includes a mini primer and #3 brush) first made an appearance on the Mecca Maxima Facebook for a mere $95 back in March. Even at that laughable price, it was sold out on their website. I thought I might be able to inspect it in person at Mecca Cosmetica, but one the assistants there swiftly put an end to that hope. After many nights spent trawling through blog/YouTube reviews and searching for places I could buy it online, I finally caved one night and ordered it from Sephora (where it retails for US$59) and had it shipped to me via Price USA. Incredibly, while waiting for my package to be delivered, I spotted just the palette on a local blog sale. A second palette for hoarding/potential gifting/insurance purposes wouldn't go astray...

Putting aside my mortification at how much I'd spent on it, this palette is everything I hoped it would be. Everything about its compact size, portability, shade selection and the quality of the eyeshadows delights me. While all the shades are delicious, I'm especially smitten with Kalahari. It's easily become one of my favourite eyeshadows ever, to the extent that I'm contemplating buying the original duo. I just needed to find the right brush to apply it as it can be a bit sheer and chunky. I'm using the Ecotools Petite Eye Shading Brush from the Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set to gently pat the colour on my lid. I've previously derided this brush for being too small to be useful, but it's come in handy recently so I take it all back.

Lancôme Baume in Love À La Folie, Cherry (130)
I confess I bought this for two reasons: a) the packaging b) it was on sale. I'd always wanted one of the Rouge in Love lipsticks but they were a little out of my price range. The Baume in Love comes in identical packaging but instead of a lipstick inside, it's a tinted lip balm. The colour that I bought (known as Midnight Rose in the US) seems to be the darkest of the four shades available. I thought the plummy, rosy pink might be similar to a very sheer MAC Plumful. It has a relatively thin texture and feels more like an balmy barrier on the lips than anything super hydrating, but it's comfortable enough, smells faintly of caramel, provides a subtle, flattering wash of colour to the lips, and did I mention it looks good in my purse?

Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil
One day, I was struck by an overwhelming need to buy a rose hip oil. I was originally going to get the Trilogy one, but I saw that Chemist Warehouse was having 30% off all Sukin products. I figured how different could the two possibly be? I ended up bringing the Sukin home and I've been really pleased with it. Next to Josie Maran Argan Oil (which I've almost run out of ... sob), I think this rose hip is my favourite face oil. I usually mix 2-3 drops in with my regular moisturiser, morning and/or night, and smooth it all over my face. In the mornings, it injects a subtle glow to my complexion and provides instant, soothing hydration. In the evenings before bed, this is a simple but effective serum/treatment to help improve the condition of my skin and leave it looking plumper, smoother and clearer in the morning.

Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Finishing Brush
This gem came in a brush set that I purchased ages ago when I was first getting into makeup. It's a duofibre/stippling brush that is perfect for mineral powders or anything where you need to evenly buff powder all over your face. I use it to apply my Laura Mercier Mineral Powder — I think it works better than the Real Techniques Buffing Brush which is too dense and more suited to liquid foundation. It's also the only brush I have that can apply bronzer all over my face to darken my skin tone if the foundation I've put on is too light. It works amazingly well for a more soft, seamlessly blended contour along the cheekbones and sides of the face. It's also great for powdering in general, either to mattify the skin or to set your makeup with an illuminating finishing powder. It's one of the softest, if not the softest brush I own. I wish this brush was sold individually, but it came from a limited edition set so it's definitely one to treasure.

Savvy by DB Luxury Liner in Brilliant Bronze
When the very sweet Tram thoughtfully sent me a brand spankin' new one of these discontinued pencils (along with a Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Creamsicle and an adorable hand-written card!), I finally felt I could go back to using my existing one which I'd been saving and rationing so I wouldn't finish it up too quickly. I find it warmer and richer in colour than the Australis 10 Hour Waterproof Eye Pencil in Bombastic Bronze that was my previous go-to, and it just edges out the Australis in staying power as well.

Antipodes Reincarnation Pure Facial Exfoliator
I didn't touch this exfoliator for a long period of time after I initially bought it, but this month I made a concerted effort to pop this in my shower caddy and use it regularly. It's a truly gorgeous product. Since I always use this in the shower, it can lose its creaminess and get a bit watery if diluted, but it feels soothing, calming and nourishing, and leaves the skin cleaner and never tight or dry. Exfoliation is essential to any skin care routine, and without any chemical exfoliant to play around with at the moment, this Antipodes is serving me well. It's extremely gentle (you can barely feel the jojoba beads on your skin) so it can be used daily, though I prefer to use it every second day. The mild sweet orange scent is super nice and I love the fancy toothpaste packaging as well. Every time I use this, I think to myself ... would I pay $42 for this? I scored this as a gift with purchase for spending $39 or more on an Antipodes skin care set at David Jones late last year. It would've been absolutely crazy to me to spend that much on an exfoliator, but the more I use this, the more I entertain the prospect of repurchasing.

l-r: Lancôme Baume in Love in 130, Savvy by DB Brilliant Bronze, NARS Kalahari

How Much Is My Face Worth?

I haven't done a tag on this blog before, and this one seemed to be the easiest one to start off with as it requires no thinking on my part. To my understanding, all you need to do is add up the price of all the products you usually use in the morning, and invariably become shocked at the total cost. I've picked items that I used on a particular day last week, so this is more or less my current routine. If I'd done this tag a month ago, the NARS Sheer Glow would be substituted for Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum or Missha Signature BB cream, the Benefit Hervana would be Rimmel or a Bourjois round pot blush, and the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner would be a Maybelline gel eyeliner or Savvy by DB pencil.

For a long time now, I've been starting off with the eyes and then doing my base. I know that usually it's the reverse, but I just find it easier that way. I've been neglecting my powder eyeshadows for cream products, mostly due to laziness. I'd say that currently, I use cream eyeshadow for at least 3 of the 5 weekdays I wear makeup. I know I harp on about it constantly, but it's really been all about Maybelline Bad to the Bronze, usually darkened slightly with a deeper colour (here, I picked L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe). I've been liking Benefit Busy Signal on my lower lashline and how it seriously doesn't budge. If I can be bothered, once or twice a week I'll use either of my Urban Decay Naked palettes, Wet n Wild Comfort Zone or Silent Treatment, or Revlon Polished Bronze. Cheap dual-ended Sportsgirl eyeshadow brushes, Bourjois Liner Feutre and my Shiseido eyelash curler are staples. Benefit They're Real has been my mascara of choice since I bought it.

I've been alternating between NARS Sheer Glow (applied with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush) and Make Up For Ever HD foundation (applied with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush). I figure I might as well use up my higher end/"better" foundations since I probably won't be able to finish up both before it's technically time to dispose of them thoughtfully. According to the instructions in the box, you're supposed to apply the NARS with your hands (presumably to warm up the product and have it blend more seamlessly into your skin), but I still use a brush for convenience. Lately, I've also been powdering using my Real Techniques Powder Brush with the middle section of the Australis Face-A-Holic palette, which contains their pressed powder in Deep Natural. I never used to powder, but I'm finding it does make a significant difference to how long my foundation lasts.

Lastly, I do my cheeks and highlight. Blush is probably the one thing I change up the most, but I just picked Benefit Hervana (applied with my Real Techniques Blush Brush) as it's a nice all-rounder. I've been liking the 4ml bottle of Benefit High Beam that was included in the Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit for my highlight, though I also frequently reach for my Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème. I'll sometimes use bronzer to contour (Benefit Hoola, NYX Taupe or the matte contour colour in my Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette), usually applied with either my Real Techniques Contour Brush or Multi-Task Brush.

So what's the damage? If something belonged to a kit or set, I've included the price of the whole thing just to make it easier.

• NARS Sheer Glow in Fiji $46
• Benefit Hervana $30
• Maybelline Bad to the Bronze $12
• Sportsgirl eye brush $3
• Ecotools concealer brush (part of their Bamboo 5 Piece brush set) $26 (yes, you read right. The set's $26 in Australia. Crazy.)
• Bourjois Liner Feutre $14 (usually $24, but I purchased it with a $10 off voucher)
• Maybelline Baby Lips in Relieving Menthol $4
• Benefit They're Real mascara $25
• Benefit High Beam (part of the Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit) $30 
• Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Busy Signal $21
• Shiseido eyelash curler $15
• L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe $10
• Real Techniques Blush Brush $15
• Real Techniques Buffing Brush (part of the Core Collection) $30

Total: $281

Cue shock and horror. If I'd included items that I sometimes use (along with primers), the figure would be well above $300. If I'd replaced some of the more expensive items with cheaper alternatives and ditched some brushes, it'd still be over $150. But in terms of cost per wear, I still think I get my money's worth. A more horrendous prospect would be a tag like, "how much is my makeup collection worth?". I don't want to know.

July Favourites

Despite organising my makeup collection, I haven't varied the products I've reached for much this month. Largely in part due to an aversion to experimenting with an established everyday look in the limited time I have to get ready in the morning. It's been the same neutral eye and rosy cheeks, with the introduction of a couple of new products I've been liking and the rediscovery of one of the first brushes I bought.

Revlon CustomEyes Shadow & Liner in Naturally Glamorous
Reviewed here separately, I favoured this palette at the beginning of the month, mostly using the two browns as all over lid colours. This would be an ideal palette for travel as it's streamlined and compact and contains all the colours you need for basic, slightly smokey eye makeup for both day and night. The shadows themselves are nicely pigmented and softly textured.

Maybelline EyeStudio Mono in Iced Fudged (720)
I bought Silken Taupe first, but I couldn't resist picking this shade up on sale as well. Iced Fudged reminds me a lot of Toasted from the Urban Decay Naked Palette, but without the pink undertone. It's a warm and quite frosty brown that works well as an all over lid colour. It's much more pigmented than Silken Taupe which makes it a lot easier to wear.

Revlon Luxurious Color Satin Eyeshadow in Polished Bronze (010)
I'm a little bit in love with this. I think it might be my favourite eyeshadow single. It's such an unassuming colour but it just seems to be the perfect shade for me. It's not too warm or cool, not overly glittery or frosty but just gives a soft, slightly taupey, bronzed sheen. I like to darken it up near the upper lashline with a touch of the first colour in the bottom row from my Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm. The eyeshadow itself is soft and smooth in texture (the Revlon satin singles are superior to the mattes from my experience), but I find that it does wear off a little by the end of the day.

l-r: Polished Bronze, Iced Fudged

l-r: 1st and 2nd blended, 1st shade, 2nd shade, 3rd shade

Rimmel 3 in 1 Powder Blush in Autumn Catwalk (003)
Despite buying a bazillion Bourjois pot blushes this month, it was this little gem from Rimmel (that I found hugely discounted at the feminine hygiene aisle of Coles, of all places) that I enjoyed using the most. The first two shades blended together form a pretty, glowy pink that brightens up the face. The third shade is a very pigmented coral which is a little too dark and orange for my tastes, but makes a good autumnal blush. You could use each of the three shades separately, though the second shade is quite glittery on its own and looks better blended with the first matte pink.

Ecotools Blush Brush
This was from a 5 piece Alicia Silverstone set, so I'm not sure whether it's the exact same as the individual Ecotools blush brush. Either way, it's beautifully soft, ideally shaped and seems to deposit the right amount of product just where you want it. I've been neglecting this brush in favour of my Real Techniques brushes, but it's just as good as the Blush and Multi Task brushes.

Urban Decay Primer Potion
I almost forgot that I have this travel size Primer Potion, which was included in the original Naked palette. While I prefer to use Revlon cream eyeshadows for priming my eyelid, I use this for the bottom lashline area. It's a nifty inclusion to my routine that helps my Maybelline gel eyeliner stay on longer and prevent mascara on the bottom lashes from smearing.

For the Highlight

I bought the Ecotools Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set on sale a few months ago from Priceline for about $16. At the time, I was unaware of iHerb, where you can purchase it for $7.22 (you can probably get it for even cheaper on eBay). The set consists of 5 brushes, with the 6th item being a hemp and cotton case with a mirror that I chucked in my bottom drawer and never looked at again. There's a Large Eye Brush, Angled Crease Brush, Petite Eye Shading Brush, Highlighting Brush and Smudge Brush. Like most Ecotools brushes, they're pleasingly soft, though some are firmer than others. I've ended up not using these brushes to apply my eyeshadow (I'm sticking with cheap, dual-ended Sportsgirl ones to do that), but I do use two of them all the time, one for blending and the other for slightly smudging out my lower lashline.

l-r: Highlighting Brush, Large Eye Brush, Angled Crease Brush, Petite Eye Shading Brush, Smudge Brush 

Large Eye Brush ("Blend")

This brush is wide (just under 2cm across), flat and soft. It reminds me of a mini foundation brush if anything. Given its size and shape, I don't really know who would be using this for blending, or to apply a wash of eyeshadow over the lid. It seems like you'd need a lot of eye space to get use from this brush. I guess it would be better used to apply and blend concealer under the eyes, or possibly as a brow highlight.

Angled Crease Brush ("Crease")
I have a similar brush from this Ecotools Alicia Silverstone set I purchased a while ago, but slightly smaller and firmer. An issue I've found with this kind of brush is that it doesn't pack on colour well. It's large, fluffy and better for blending than applying eyeshadows. The angled shape of this brush is ideal for blending out the outer corner of the eye, especially if you've applied a darker shadow for a gradient effect.

Petite Eye Shading Brush ("Shade")
It goes from one extreme to another in this set. This brush is ridiculously tiny (7mm across). It's also really thin and flat. How it's supposed to do anything (let alone "shade") is beyond me. The only purpose I can think of is lining the lower lashline (but even then, this wouldn't be the best brush as even though it's small, it's too thin and flat), or highlighting the inner corner of the eye.

Highlighting Brush ("Highlight")
The clear standout of this set and probably the only reason I bought it as I was specifically looking for a brush like this one. Ignore the "highlight" label. This is your standard fluffy blending brush. I alternate this brush with a similar shaped but slightly softer and larger one from the Ecotools 5 Piece Brush Set. It's perfect for blending eyeshadows and softening any harsh edges.

Smudge Brush ("Smudge")
My second favourite of the set, I use this to smudge eyeliner and/or eyeshadow applied to the lower lashline so it's a little more blended out and not so harsh. The pointed shape gives precision but is also still soft. Even if the brush only has one function, it serves it perfectly.

In the Bag

After my Revlon Lip Butter haulage at Priceline, I also nabbed one of the Beauty Bags they had as part of their current promotion. If you spend $60 on participating brands, you get a complimentary bag with several full-sized products. From memory, Priceline has been running this campaign for a few years now, and I've made sure to get one each year. There's probably nothing I'd set out to specifically buy in these bags, but it's still quite a generous offering, particularly if you take advantage of the discounts and special deals they have for the brands included in the promotion.