Sam's Club AMAZING BRUSH FIND

Yesterday I stopped by my Sam's Club-- I don't shop there often but I have certain items that pay for my membership fees alone-- #1 being yeast for bread making.  I can't tell you how excited I was to find this in the beauty aisle (Oil of Olay offerings/razors/lotion/shampoo aisle) a 9-piece makeup brush set for $7.91!!!! Yes, I typed that correctly, 8 brushes and a case for $7.91!!!

#1- I do believe this set includes the biggest powder brush I have ever seen. I took photos with my hand in background as an comparison for size.

#2- The pointed foundation brush is exactly like the kind I have been loving lately (from Target that sells for $6.99 by itself) for my foundation/SPF pre-mixed foundation for summer. Since I mix Neutragena SPF & my foundation into a mousse-like consistency & store in hinged paint-pots (like what you get in a paint by numbers set but I buy empty ones at craft stores) this kind of foundation brush is perfect to apply my foundation mix. I then purchased another one & polka dotted the ferrel with nail polish to use for cream blush application. <---Currently been using a Hard Candy highlighter/blush combo that I split apart & melted separately & repotted (blush in MMU jar/ highlighter in lip balm stick.)  Since I am approaching 47, cream blushes seem to just look better anymore.

#3 These are NOT chintzy eye brushes--- the 2 "domed" shadow brushes are densely packed, the 2nd from left brush is nicely shaped & perfect softness/density for almost any eye shadow application. The liner brush is a little larger- so best used for smoky liner look rather than thin lining but can't complain about the price.

 #4 The blush brush is nicely domed and highly dense-- very soft. The skunk brush is same quality of much pricier brushes I have in my collection.

 Seriously I can not believe that the price was $7.91 for the entire set. They are now drying out after my washing them. Looking forward to putting them to good use.

Long Time No Post- some beauty blabblings

Howdy. I know it's been forever since I posted anything beauty-wise. So with summer in the air I will tell you a couple of things I've been doing with my makeup routine.

#1 been mixing my foundation with Neutrogena Clear Face liquid lotion SPF 55 (see post from last year about this) but changed things up a little bit for a more skin like look recently. The beauty biz recommends going lighter on foundation as you get older so on days I'm wanting a more natural look I've been using a new mix. I still use the Neutrogena Clear Face SPF but added a slightly darker golden/bronzer foundation that I had added some golden shimmer (tiny particles not glitter) to. I blended with SPF to a "tinted moisturizer" consistency- still pretty liquid and pale beige (SPF/foundation mix was more creamy consistency & fairly pigmented.) I store in "paint pots" (cut apart)  that one can purchase empty at Hobby Lobby-- remember the paint pots that came with oil paint by numbers-- you squeeze the 2 prongs & that helps pop the lid up.

So here is my makeup a few days ago with this glowy barely there mix. As you can see, it's a sheer look but better than bare skin. Blurs rather covers.

#2 Beauty magazines recommend lip balms during the summer rather than glosses because glosses can produce more sun damage to lips. So I looked all over for SPF tinted glosses and sadly there are not many available. Neutrogena has Revitalizing Lip Balms in a few tints that are SPF 20. Blistex makes Lip Vibrance (SPF 15) in one color. Wet & Wild makes a SPF 15 "Mega Lip Color" in about a dozen colors. So with my Hoozey "try anything" I bought a bunch of high SPF lip balms (like Hawaiian Tropic SPF 45) pulled out the balm & put in small pyrex measuring cup along with various amounts of lipstick (I went cheap Wet & Wild 93 centers for most of the colors) put in microwave at 50% for about 90 seconds to melt. Stirred with popsicle stick and poured into lip balm tube (from my MMU supply I have tubes but you could always reuse balm/lipstick containers)- making my own tinted lip balms. Granted they will not be SPF 45 but at least will be higher than most readily available tinted SPF balms and can make more personalized colors.

#3 I found a E.L.F. HD blush and thought I'd give a try. OMG it was INTENSE color... no way to control from going 100% clown makeup in original form. So again my Hoozey "try anything" kicked in. I took a little Nivea Soft Moisturizing Creme (I use this as a makeup remover- especially in winter with my super dry skin) & mixed into a single pump of the blush until it was diluted enough to give sheer color rather than clown-face intensity. I put this in a small container that I have from MMU supplies so now have my own moisturizing blush to give a nice glow from within look. I am guessing one $3 bottle of this E.L.F. blush will be a lifetime of color but I do like it as it's not glittery color and I do like natural look of cream blushes vs. powders.