The crease brush is an indispensable tool for applying your eyeshadow. The crease brush completely transformed the method I used to apply eyeshadow both on myself and on clients. The tip of the crease brush tapers towards the centre to form a pointed shape and allow for precise application of eyeshadow. The brush is particularly handy for building colour into the crease of the eye and for advanced make-up looks (like the smoky eye). It doubles as a great smudger brush, working well to blend eyeshadow and eyeliner for a subtle smoky effect.

ARTIST TIP: To get your best smoky eye yet, dip the brush in eyeshadow and tap twice to get rid of any excess eyeshadow. Push the brush back and forth into the crease (the fold of the eyelid). Keep the darkest part of the eyeshadow in the crease of the eye, and blend slightly upward for a smoky effect and to get rid of any distinct edges. Repeat the process to build to your desired intensity.

TIPS FOR ASIAN EYES: If you have gorgeous Asian eyes, the crease brush is a definite must-have for your own daily routine. The smaller surface area of the tapered brush point gives you better control over where eyeshadow colour is applied. This works especially well when trying to do a smoky eye, as part of the trick to making this look work is knowing when to stop! Using too much of a dark coloured eyeshadow can make eyes look smaller, but the trusty crease brush does all the work for you and keeps that colour in the crease! Blend away!

Recommended brushes:
MAC Cosmetics 219 Pencil Brush $27.50
Elegant Faces Pencil Tip ($11)

Related posts:
PRODUCT REVIEW Splurge vs. Steal Part II - Eye Make-up Brushes

Check out the The Body Shop's blog for some helpful tips on how to wear shimmery make-up. Today's blog article features one of my posts on how to rock age-appropriate shimmer make-up!

Thanks to The Body Shop for the blog love!

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ARTIST TIP | Glitter for Any Age. Well, Almost.

Check out the original post on Make-up Junkie!I love the all-encompassing 360-degree approach that Eyes by Design takes towards getting your best eyes yet! The Eyes by Design Ultimate Set aims to simplify the beauty process by including both the eye make-up and treatment products you need - all in one package. The user-friendly set also includes a manual that details how to use each of the set's components and achieve different eye make-up looks with the palette. Check out our review of the Ultimate Set!

Transforming Eye Cream
A light moisturizer that aims to diminish the look of dark undereye circles and fine lines. The eye cream has a light serum consistency, and I only needed two pea-sized drops to cover each eye area. I have to admit I was quite surprised by the size of the 15 mL Eye Cream; it's quite a generous sized jar to be part of a package like this (no complaints, here!). Yet, two weeks later after using it twice per day, there wasn't a noticeable difference in the darkness of my undereye circles. But it did help my trusty concealer to glide on smoothly and give better coverage!

Retouching Cream (Eye Primer)
The eye primer is also formulated to eliminate the look of fine lines and dark circles. It has more of a gummy texture than the Transforming Eye Cream, but really smoothes out the surface of the skin it is applied to. I used it on the undereye area, but also on the eyelid to smoothe out the surface for eyeshadow application. It definitely kept my oily eyelids in check!

Transforming Eye Palette (Blue Eyes - Peach Shimmer, Taupe, Plum Brown, Bronze)
The four pan eyeshadow palette comes in shades that are designed to flatter each colour of the eye. I test ran the Blue Eyes set, and found it worked just as well for brown-eyed beauties! The overall pigment of the eyeshadows was good, but I would have preferred if the three of four shadows weren't shimmer based. The peach shimmer makes for a beautiful highlighter, but may be a bit dark for fair-skinned blue-eyed beauties.

Lining Brush & Blending Brush
The kit also includes two soft-bristled and ergonomically friendly brushes. The brushes are fashioned with a "Design Grip", which allows for easier control of the brush and aids in precise application. The Lining Brush can be used to define the eyebrows or as a subtle eyeliner tool when paired with one of the eyeshadows. The Blending Brush is great for building colour into the crease. I love that the brushes are full-sized and the fact that you can actually use them! How many times do we all buy products where we find the included brush useless?!

Eyes by Design also offers mascaras, brow and eyeliner pencils. You can purchase the sets online through the Home Shopping Network (www.hsn.com). The products are available individually, but scoop up one of the well-priced sets for a better deal! Enjoy!

Here are the photographer's pics from our shoot with the talented and stunning Miss Shalli - be sure to check out her Myspace page and listen up!

Q: Do I apply blush on the apples of my cheeks or do I contour?

A: The answer to this one is really a matter of personal preference. I would recommend the apples of the cheeks method, as it’s the area where a natural flush would occur on the face. Blush applied on the apples gives the face a youthful glow and can instantly make a tired face look more awake.

A classic make-up artist trick is to actually use two shades of blush – one deeper and one brighter. Use a blush brush to contour with the deeper blush right under the cheekbone. Then, smile and apply the brighter shade on the apples of the cheeks. Blend the brighter shade upwards along the cheekbone and towards the ear. Be sure to blend well so that the two blushes fuse together to give the illusion of higher cheekbones.

ARTIST TIP: Be sure to apply a dusting of loose powder all over the face before applying blush. The loose powder will smooth the surface of the skin and absorb excess oil so that you can apply your blush smoothly and streak-free!