February 2018 – Life with Ariana

How to Wash Your Makeup Brushes/Beauty Blender!// Step-to-step Guide

February 27, 2018June 3, 2018BeautyLeave a Comment

Hi friends! Now let’s admit, we probably all procrastinate on washing our makeup brushes… it’s probably the most annoying part about wearing makeup, am I right? I was pretty overdue washing my brushes, therefore I decided to make a post on how I wash my brushes! I will give you my step-to-step guide and tell you what I use. Onto cleaning the makeup dirties off my brushes.

What you’ll need:

Dish soap or Baby shampoo (only had dish soap)
A towel or rag
Paper plate
A brush egg (optional)
Any Brush Cleaner Sprays (optional)

Okay so once you have collected all the makeup brushes you plan on washing, decide which ones you will be washing first and maybe try washing multiple at a time for to go by quicker.

Using your brush egg, any other cleaning device, or hand; make sure to fully wet the surface and a pump of dish soap on the surface.
Make sure to wet your brushes with water for a nice lather when washing. (If you have a brush wash spray, I would recommend to spray onto the brush first, wet it, and then begin lathering).
Remember to wash your brushes in circular and up-down motions, so remove all dirt and build-up on the brush.
Once done lathering, rinse your brushes in the palm of your hand, again in circular motions to remove all soap leftover.
Squeeze all excess water from the brush, following it up by drying them on your towel/rag .
Place the clean brushes on a paper plate to lay overnight to air dry. Occasionally flip over to dry the other side. (never dry upwards, always downwards so that water does not ruin the interior of the brushes).
The next day, your brushes are super clean and good to use!

*Dish Soap/Baby shampoo work best to wash makeup brushes, because they remove dirt/oil, while leaving the brushes incredibly soft and in their best condition.*

Down below is a quick time-lapse, washing my Beauty Blender and eyeshadow brushes, click the links to see the quick video (also please excuse the quality, I am not the best at taking videos and I’m not sure what happened).

Washing my Beauty Blender

Washing Eyeshadow brushes

Link to Brush egg

Okay well that completes how I wash my makeup brushes, hopefully that was useful to you and gave you tips on how to wash your brushes! Do not forget to like and follow! Comment down below how you wash your makeup brushes! If you enjoyed this post then do not forget to like it and please subscribe with your email in the sidebar, to be notified of new posts through your email, (be sure to confirm subscription in email) also make sure to follow me on my social media pages, down below!

with love, Ari. ✨

Check out my last post: Battle of the Skin Cleansing Devices: Foreo vs. the Clarisonic!

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Battle of the Skin Cleansing Devices: Foreo vs. the Clarisonic!

February 25, 2018June 3, 2018Beauty, Beauty Product Reviews2 Comments

Hello darlings, this post will be a little different from some of my other posts, however hope you guys find it as beneficial as I would. Today’s post will be the battle of the skin cleansing devices: The Foreo Luna Mini 2 vs. the Clarisonic Mia 1! I thought this would be a fun post to do, by comparing the two facial cleansing tools. I have had/used both of them and have a final preference. I find that there are both pros and cons to both of the tools. I will also be sharing my personal experience with the two tools, to hopefully give you an insight on which one I prefer.

Okay to begin, I was in middle-school at the time, and of course I was breaking out, my mom and I went to Sephora, and the worker recommended it to me, my mom purchased my first major skin tool, which had happened to be the “Mia 1 Facial Clarisonic”. My first time using this, was honestly pretty life changing, washing your face with a tool that did the work for you. I remember noticing a difference in my skin after a month. So overall my Clarisonic lasted me for a good amount of time, obviously replacing my brush head every few months, after about three and a half years or so, until the battery life permanently died, unfortunately. My Clarisonic did a great job of removing dirt on my face. After some time, I noticed that from using my Clarisonic every day, my skin was drying out, so I had to limit my use to every other day instead of daily. One thing that also happened to be a big pet peeve of mine, was the fact that the bristles never fully dried by the next time I would be using my Clarisonic.

Fast forward some years, to Christmas of 2016, where I received a “Foreo Luna Mini 2” for Christmas from my mom. Before Christmas, I remember debating if I should get the newer version of the Clarisonic or try out the Foreo, since it’s newer. Well after researching, I decided that I wanted the Foreo, (on my Xmas list). Again, this tool was revolutionary, I feel in love with it instantly and noticed improvements in my skin. Honestly my nose was such a huge improvement, my pores minimized and were more cleansed. One of my favorite aspects about the Foreo is that it is a 3-zone brush, with parts for deep cleansing, sensitive skin, and oily skin. Also it is a 2X T-Sonic Power with 8 types of intensities.

Okay so now that I told you about both of my experiences with the two facial cleansing tools, I am going to break it down now into the pros and cons and give you my overall opinion of which tool I believe is better or in this case the winner!

The Clarisonic Mia 1

*Pros*	*Cons*
Different types of brush heads available to suit different skin types.	Must replace brush head every few months.
Portable cases available for the Clarisonic.	A bit large, therefore not really travel sized.
\\No pro for this one//	Not cruelty-free 😦
Exfoliation feeling: You might feel a deep clean, because the bristles give you that feeling.	Not very hygienic: Once wet, the bristles take a full day to dry, and often there is a lot of build-up gunk.
Great for washing off makeup and cleaning your pores.	Can be very drying on the skin, would only recommend using once a day if not every other day.
Customizable options and a variety of colors are available.	With purchasing brush heads every few months, it can get expensive.
Battery life is supposed to last up to 24 uses.	When charging, it takes up to at least 24 hours fully charge, and often dies when using the Clarisonic.
The Clarisonic brand does sell their own facial cleansers to use with your Clarisonic.	Can be very harsh on the skin if using scrubs or other types of face washes.
The Clarisonic brand offers a brush head to use on your body as an exfoliation scrub.	Many users have said breakouts occur throughout the first week of using the Clarisonic since your skin is not used to it.

The Foreo Luna Mini 2

*Pros*	*Cons*
Designed for all skin types.	There is not different types of brush heads to change with.
Portable and travel sized! (Also there is a smaller one that is very compact)!	Not really a con, however they do not sell a portable case to put it in, (I usually just use a ziplock bag).
Cruelty-free! 🙂	\\No con for this one//
Very hygienic, since it is a silicone tool, this allows for no dirt build-up in between. Simply wash with hot water and soap, then air dry. Also it is dish-water safe!	\\No con for this one//
Deeply cleanses the skin while being very gentle.	No exfoliation is felt, since it’s very gentle, which some people dislike.
Pretty colors available, also saves you money since you do not need to purchase brush heads.	No customizable options available, (not a big deal).
Battery life lasts up to 300 uses! Not to mention that charging time takes only a couple of hours.	\\No con for this one//
Works well with all sorts of face washes, cleansers, scrubs, etc.	Only sells their cleansers in a gift set.
Helps clean the pores and reduces their appearance. (Especially on the nose, it’s way better than a pore strip!)	Designed to use only on the face, not the body.

With my chart of comparing the two, I am sure you can figure out which tool I believe is better, which is the Foreo Luna Mini 2! I have preferred this over the Clarisonic Mia 1. The Foreo does a better job for my skin and really has been improving my skin quality, while being cruelty-free! Both tools do their job, it’s up to you to decide what you’re looking for in a facial cleansing tool. I really hoped this post broke down the advantages and disadvantages of the two, and was informative to you. Please feel free to comment any other questions you may have. For more information on the products, check out their websites:

Foreo Luna Mini 2 $139
Clarisonic Mia 1 $129

If you enjoyed this post then do not forget to like it and please subscribe with your email in the sidebar, to be notified of new posts through your email, (be sure to confirm subscription in email) also make sure to follow me on my social media pages, down below!

xox, Ariana. ♡

Check out my last post: Best Beauty Products Under $10/€10 | Cruelty-Free

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Best Beauty Products Under $10/€10 | Cruelty-Free

February 22, 2018June 3, 2018Beauty11 Comments

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well! Today’s post will be the best beauty products for $10 or under! I thought this would be a good post to find some great quality products without breaking the bank. I have included six facial products and two beauty tools. I will leave the prices in US Dollars and in Euros for my European readers! (post is not sponsored).

#1 Essence Get BIG Lashes! Volume Curl Mascara: $3.99 or €3.24

I love this mascara, especially given the price, that you cannot beat! This mascara gives your lashes a dark full look. The wand is designed to give your eyes a curled style to them. Not to mention that Essence has a huge line of different mascaras! If this one is not for you, then try another one, since now you will be able to afford four mascaras compared to the price of one prestige one! Find at: Ulta Beauty or the Essence Website.

#2 Wet n Wild Large Eyeshadow Brush: 99¢ or €.80

Okay honestly, this is probably the best bargain. It’s an eyeshadow brush for 99¢! If you do not know already, Wet n Wild has some of the best brushes for makeup (and even their makeup products) at the most affordable prices. I purchased this at Dollartree along with two other brushes, a while back and since then this has been a favorite of mine. I find that whenever I use this, the color picks up very well onto my eyeshadow, I highly recommend. Find at: Target or the Wet n Wild Website.

#3 Wet n Wild Coloricon Blush in Mellow Wine: $2.93 or €2.38

Speaking of Wet n Wild, the next product is one of my top blushes! This blush is pigmented giving you a beautiful cheeky lush to your face. The affordable price makes this product a double win, it is also ideal for all skin tones, so definitely check it out! Find at: Walmart or the Wet n Wild Website.

#4 Real Techniques Blush Brush: $9.00 or €7.30

Now my holy grail, all time favorite blush brush is this brush right here! Real Techniques brushes are made of 100% synthetic bristles, giving your face only the softest touch. The brushes are priced in the middle, however they last quite some time, because of their quality! Find at: Ulta Beauty or the Real Techniques Website.

#5 NYX HD Finishing Powder: $9.99 or €8.10

This product barely makes the cut-off, but this product is also one of my favorites, I love to set my face in this, it gives you matte skin, decreasing any creasing in your foundation, and gives your skin a smooth look. I highly recommend this for an oily person, or someone who likes their makeup matte, mixing this in with the Laura Mercier powder gives the skin a flawless look, I swear by it! Find at: Ulta Beauty or the NYX Cosmetics Website.

#6 Essence Shine Shine Shine Lipgloss in 03: $2.99 or €2.43

Cue in “Lip Gloss by Little Mama”, girl your lips will be poppin after applying this gloss! I love the beautiful juicy look my lips have when I apply this, I honestly feel like a Queen B and you will too! It’s super inexpensive and super duper cute, you just need to get this for your lips to feel like royalty! Find at: Ulta Beauty or the Essence Website.

#7 Mario Badesco Rosewater Facial Spray: $7.00 or €5.68

Do I even have to explain why this is on the list? Perfect for all types of skin, and only $7.00 for a 4 fl oz bottle. The spray works as a prep spray, finishing spray, and for a refreshing mist throughout the day. Find at: Ulta Beauty.

#8 Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes: $5.99 or €4.86

It’s no surprise that I am a huge fan of Burt’s Bees and if you’ve read my Nighttime Skin Care Routine 2018 |Cruelty-Free, you would have seen that I use these. I honestly just love how soft and gentle these are for the skin, perfect for those with sensitive skin, and get the job done of removing makeup. Find at: Ulta Beauty.

I hope this post was very helpful to you! If it was then please do not forget to like and comment down below one of your favorite inexpensive products or what product you would like to try from the ones above. If you enjoyed this post then do not forget to like it and please subscribe with your email in the sidebar, to be notified of new posts through your email, (be sure to confirm subscription in email) also make sure to follow me on my social media pages, down below!

With love: xo , Ariana. ♡