2022 – Page 10 – Beauty Diary

8May

Nars Kabuki Ita brush and AliExpress Dupe

by asfe Uncategorized

Finally, the post that many of you requested when I received my AliExpress order back in March. Here’s the comparison between the Nars Kabuki Ita brush and the cheaper knock-off alternative.

• Nars Kabuki Ita brush – C$70 (Sephora) Note: I paid around C$60 for mine about 5 years ago – shocking to see how the price has jumped.
• “Professionals brand Kabuki Ita No 21 makeup brush” – C$2.74 (AliExpress)

(can you tell which one is which from the photo above?)

The answer: the top one is the AliExpress one, and the bottom one is the Nars!

Let me start off this comparison by saying that I’m not a big fan of Nars brushes in general. I find the goat hairs they use to be really scratchy – don’t just take my word for it, I encourage you to test out a Nars brush at the counter and don’t just touch it with your hands, test it on your face – it’s downright rough. I also find their brushes to shed excessively. I understand that they will shed due to the natural hairs but the brushes seem to continue to shed even after years of use and multiple washings.

Yes, this is the real Nars brush – can you see how wiry the hairs are?
And here’s the thing, the Nars Ita brush is made in China! How do they justify charging that much for a brush made with low-cost labour, and what I consider to be inferior materials? Do you know how this brush is made? I inspected it closely and it’s essentially a bunch of black dyed goat hairs bundled together with what appears to be duct tape at the base, then sandwiched between a plastic handle, and a polyester cording is woven through to secure the bristles to the handle. I guess that’s what they call an artisan brush these days.

Now, onto the AliExpress brush. Please note: I bought this brush knowing full well that it wasn’t the real Nars brush. I got it to see how a $2.74 brush would compare to the $70 one. Those of you who are thinking they can get a “deal” on the real thing from AliExpress – they’re all fakes on that site!

On the surface, the AliExpress brush looks identical to the Nars brush – the handles look so similar that when I first received it, I put a hair elastic around the Nars one so I wouldn’t confuse the two. Now that I’ve used both and inspected them closely, I can tell the minute differences straight away.

Firstly, the AliExpress version has a faintly stamped code on the back:

Secondly, the hairs are shorter and very bluntly cut on the AliExpress one compared to Nars:

The wrapping of the bristles are neater and looks more secure on the Nars:

The Nars brush has more hairs (thicker profile) and more spread out bristles compared to the AliExpress brush:

However, there are many similarities – the hairs between the two feel exactly the same – that same course black goat hair. The cording used to stitch the handle also appear the same. And the handles of both feel exactly the same with the same Nars logo – and it has that rubbery finish that is typical of Nars packaging (which attracts fingerprints like crazy!)

I hardly ever reach for my Nars Ita brush anymore, I much prefer my Anna Sui face brush (C$48) for contouring – it provides a much better diffusion of colour compared to the blunt lines of the Nars Ita brush. I never want to look like I’ve got 2 stripes down my cheeks, contouring should be so subtle that it’s not detectable when talking someone face to face. I suppose it’s a different story if you’re doing it for Instagram or for photography – but I live in the real world and I see poorly blended contours on a daily basis! #endrant

The Anna Sui face brush is wider, fuller and the bristles more evenly distributed:

And the hairs are much MUCH softer compared to the Nars or AliExpress!

Here are swatches of the deepest shade (lower right corner) of the NYX highlight & Contour pro palette using the 3 brushes mentioned:

PS. I will be doing a review and swatches of the NYX palette soon, I promise!
I hope the diffusion of the colour is apparent in these swatches:

The Anna Sui face brush deposited the powder much more evenly and softly than either the Nars or the AliExpress brush. The Nars one does diffuse the colour but I found it deposited the colour unevenly. The AliExpress was the most narrow and deposited the heaviest swatch. But honestly, you’re better off buying the $2.74 knock-off brush than paying 25x more for the real thing since I cannot in good conscience recommend the Nars brush. Actually, go get the Anna Sui instead!

Are you still thinking of getting the Nars Kabuki Ita brush? Would you get the cheaper alternative? What’s your favourite brush for contouring?

Saturday Surfing, Dec. 18, 2021

by asfe Uncategorized

Clearly, my aloe plant is one of those souls that’s been able to kick butt during these pandemic times. check her out. She is thriving!

Side note: I’m removing one of the leaves and using it to moisturize my cuticles tonight.

Awkward segue, but you know what I just realized today?? I haven’t given a single thought to the food situation ’round these parts for Christmas Eve. Like, I’m normally all about planning every single food-related detail weeks ahead of time, sometimes months, because I get very excited about eating all teh things at Christmas.

Seriously, it’s such a big part of Filipino culture — good food with family to celebrate the holiday, and there are quite a few dishes you only eat on special occasions — but I haven’t given any thought to it yet. Don’t have any idea what I’m gonna make or bring when we go see my family in the east Bay later this month.

I mean, hopefully, depending on the state of the world next week…

Cats & makeup Sweatshirt ??

$42

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Like they have for most people, the last couple years have changed me PROFOUNDLY. I used to be almost an obsessive planner, but now I’m so hesitant to make plans at all because part of me thinks, “Oh, we’ll have to change plans at the last minute anyway, so why bother planning at all? I’ll just wing it.”

I’m of the mind that things will either be terrific or terrible, but either way, it’s fine! LOL. strange days. strange days indeed…

I wasn’t really a big fan of improvising holiday plans in the “before times,” because planning gave me a sense of control, but now I’m just like Elsa. I let it go.

Seriously, I’m thinking about baking chocolate-chip cookies for Christmas, making homemade pizzas at home and calling it a day. I think that might make me happy! In the end, I know it’ll be fine as long as there’s something a little special at the meal, and chocolate-chip cookies from scratch are always special.

The most stunning thing I ever did see
This week’s reading

If you want glowing skin, Rihanna’s makeup artist recommends pairing concealer with a skin tint. Side note: I totally agree!

Just in case you’re looking for a last-minute fragrance gift for a teenager!

Looking for nail art inspiration? here are 45 ideas.

Speaking of nail art…

Reese Witherspoon hearts Biossance.

I just can’t with TikTok beauty trends… I just CAN’T.

Happy reunions with cats? Yes, please.

Cats and dogs have facial expressions, and we’re only just starting to understand them.

Love this look

I’m low-key obsessed with Marisa.

I don’t really know what’s going on here, but I love it.

Mood music

Trying this…

Feeling festive

What are you up to today? I have some last-minute Christmas shopping left to do, along with some last-minute Christmas returns. You know how when you go shopping, and you don’t plan on getting anything for yourself, but then you buy all of these random “just for me gifts” because you’re out of your mind? and then when you get home, you’re like, “Wait, what was I thinking?”

Yeah, that’s my life right now.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

24Apr

PP12: NYX Powder blush in Taupe PB11

by asfe Uncategorized

happy Halloween! I hope you get sufficiently spooked today as well as likewise eat enough candies for a nice sugar high.

Today’s job pan product is the NYX Powder blush in Taupe #PB11:

It was not by accident that this product is featured today – if you’re in a pinch for ghoulish looking hollowed out cheeks for a costume, perhaps a contouring shade such as this might help!

This is the old version of the NYX Taupe – there is a new version when NYX replaced the whole blush line with the HD Blushes. It was a source of heated discussion when NYX reformulated this specific colour since it’s a much cherished shade. There are great deals of opinions about which version is better: this video shows a comparison between the old versus new versions. She discovered the new one less pink, as well as one more person found the new one warmer, one more person discovered the new formula drier, however yet one more person discovered the new powder to be much smoother.

Not my picture – she discovered the HD powders not to blend as nice as the original. Source.
Who to believe? Unfortunately, I do not have the new HD one to compare right here for you (maybe one day). What I do understand is that the original version, the one I own, has a nice awesome undertone for contouring. Remember: contouring products should mimic natural shadows which is greyish in tone. Bronzers in gerneral are not great for contouring, they’re usually as well orange. You want something with a taupe / grey rather than orange / brown tone.

Both the old as well as new version phone calls this a blush however it’s definitely a contouring colour. NYX now likewise offer a whack of contouring products (including the Highlighting as well as Contouring pro combination which I won from Sandie’s stock giveaway a while back – still requirement to evaluation that!) so I’m not sure why they kept this product as part of the blush collection. It’s confusing.

There is a slight sheen to the powder however it’s not shimmery.
This powder applies smoothly – it’s not as well extremely pigmented however I don’t mind since I want the contouring impact to be subtle. It’s extremely simple to blend out so there are no harsh lines.

Of all of the beauty routine “extras” such as highlighting / strobing, bronzing, etc, contouring is the thing I seldom do (I mentioned this in my 7 Deadly Sins Tag!). I do have naturally high cheekbones (not a boast, just describing my deal with structure) so I don’t requirement to contour. But, since contouring almost daily, I do believe that doing this additional subtle step adds a nice definition to my face. I’ve been utilizing my reliable Anna Sui deal with clean each time:

Since many of you asked about different contouring brushes in my Nars Kabuki Ita clean post, here’s a lot that I own for comparison. I categorize contour clean into 2 types:

Flat contour brushes

These are fantastic for producing a directly line, particularly for the hollows of the cheeks.

Ecotools Deluxe fan clean – before the availability of actual flat contour brushes, fan brushes produced a nice soft diffusion of contour colour in the cheek hollows. this is super big as well as has medium density.

Anna Sui deal with clean – my favourite clean for cheek contouring – the perfect mix of firm bristles as well as diffused edges to lay down precise placement as well as to blend.

Everyday Minerals Itahake clean – method as well dense as well as can’t blend worth crap. Makes a harsh line as well as then you’re stuck with it! This clean is slated to be purged.

Nars Kabuki Ita – not worth the money! See my evaluation as well as comparison to a $2 knock off here.

L to R: Anna Sui deal with Brush, Nars Kabuki Ita, Illamasqua clean Up
Illamasqua blush Up clean – it’s the most compact, blunt as well as has the shortest bristles of all the ones I own. This produces a sharp line as well as is truly great for blending out cream products (I own the Illamasqua cream blush in Zygomatic, which is a gorgeous contour shade).

Round contour brushes

These are fantastic for contouring around the forehead, hairline, jawline, etc. I believe these would be as well big for nose contouring – you’re much better off utilizing an eye shadow blending clean for that purpose.

Quo Contour clean – this was my very first contour clean as well as it was fine of what it is. now that I understand better, it’s rather scratchy as well as it sheds a lot.

Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt clean – the newest addition to my contour clean stash. It’s a bit floppy to do targeted contouring however the directed tip with the bulbous shape is fantastic for diffusing colour. I like it for forehead contouring. It’s likewise extremely soft so it’s much better served with very pigmented products.

Real methods Contour clean – this doesn’t pick up powder pigment as well well. I only utilize this for high pigment powders – mainly blushes.

MAC 109 little Contour clean– it’s as well blunt for precise placement of contour, as well as it feels scratchy on the skin. I utilize this for powdery blushes that have low pigmentation.

Back to the NYX Powder blush in Taupe – I won’t rate it since it’s not offered any type of more, however I do truly like its awesome undertone as a contour product. And based on what I’ve seen online, I would suggest inspecting out the new HD blush in Taupe. It’s an affordable choice for a contour powder that’s not as well orange or ashy.

It’s made in China (P.R.O.C. = People’s Republic of China) like most of NYX’s products.
In the rate of interest of trying to utilize up this product for job pan (as if I’ll ever hit pan on this thing! I’ve had it for more than 5 years as well as the waffle pattern hasn’t even used flat yet), I’ve started to utilize this as a contour for my eye shadows, blending out deeper shades in my crease. It likewise works incredibly for that purpose, however I haven’t made a dent in the weight:

I’m still dutifully utilizing every single product in my job Pan, 5 days a week for my work face. I’m not sure why the Cargo powder didn’t modification last week!

Please inspect out my job pan pals for their updates:
• Ingrid of Curly.Spring.Blossom
• Jodi of A Brash Attitude
• Chanelle of Chanelle Hayleyyy

Do you contour? What’s your favourite contouring product as well as brush?

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, makeup as well as beauty blog Mascot, Vol. 691

by asfe Uncategorized

climate modification is real, as well as Tabs the feline Industries, LLC is doing something about it.

It’s a typical misconception that Elon Musk’s SpaceX pioneered VTOL (vertical takeoff as well as landing) rocket innovation with the Falcon 9, however it was really Tabs who came up with the original idea.

We developed the prototype right in front of the office right here as well as introduced it.

NASA was so impressed they awarded Tabs with an honorary astrophysics PhD.

Rosie

When Rosie took the reigns as the company’s new CFO (Chief Feline Officer) two years ago, she brought a riches of scientific as well as engineering know-how with her, as she was an accomplished scientist in her own right.

Her research study into climate modification directed her to a startling discovery. Humans as well as cats aren’t the only ones at danger from climate change. Turkeys are too! — as well as sooner or later, that will ended up being a huge issue for cats.

Rosie understood she had to do something about it, so she developed upon Tabs’s rocket innovation to style a spacecraft capable of sending big numbers of turkeys to space. This way, even if earth becomes inhospitable, turkeys will make it through on Mars, as well as therefore hungry cats will still have something to look ahead to.

The plan is still being fleshed out, however here’s the gist of it: a group of take on cats led by Rosie will send 500 turkey volunteers to Mars. when there, they’ll work together to terraform the Martian environment as well as develop a sustainable turkey community.

It’s a strong idea!

Hopefully it works.

Your friendly community beauty addict,

Karen

22Mar

MyLipAddiction.com appeal Podcast: Ménage à Trois avec Jodi

by asfe Uncategorized

This episode marks a new chapter in the MyLipAddiction.com appeal Podcast – there were three of us on the podcast at once! Jodi of A Brash mindset joins feline as well as I to talk about new appeal releases, rants about public transit and the us election.

Warning: I’m incredibly crusty on this episode.

Listen to the podcast at any type of of these fine purveyors of podcasts:

♪ iTunes ♬

♩ Google Play ♪

♫ Buzzsprout ♩

♬ Stitcher ♪

Links as well as pictures below relating to what we talked about in the podcast (RANDOM):

Pasties:

Check out Rihanna rocking these flower pasties! You can get pasties with tassels for less than a dollar on ebay – complimentary shipping! (NSFW, obvs)
Scott Pilgrem Vegan Superpowers:

Filmed in Toronto!
Anna Sui collection:

It’s not restricted edition! It’s a revamp of her line. So no requirement to run out to get hold of it immediately.
ColourPop x hey there Kitty:

I’m not feeling it for some reason…
Nuworld Botanicals:

Check out my evaluation on the Cold-pressed organic Seabuckthorn + Jojoba Oil.

Consonant Skincare Ultra Moisturizing organic deal with Cream:

It’s likewise from Toronto!
I want one of these mirrors with the different light settings:

Here’s one of my much-loved bloggers, Karen of makeup as well as appeal Blog, speaking about the Chanel counter mirrors with the different illumination settings.
Related – I saw this ad in the subway:

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