Beauty Box 5

Let’s be honest: no one likes cleaning their brushes.

However, it’s very important to wash them more than once in a blue moon to prevent a buildup of bacteria, oil, and foundation, so it’s time to buck up!

The first step to keeping your beauty resolution? Pick a day.

You should clean your brushes at least once a week, so go ahead and set a day (and time!) to wash all the brushes you’ve used that week. Sunday evening is mine time slot, but any variation works, as long as you leave enough time for the brushes to dry before you use them again.

To keep your tools bacteria-free, you will need:

• a gentle clarifying shampoo or cleanser
• one shallow bowl
• two clean cloths
• a sink

1. With lukewarm water running, rinse the tips of your brushes. Avoid getting water where the bristles meet the base, which can erode the glue over time.

2. Fill your bowl with lukewarm water and add a little shampoo or cleanser (I’m partial to Purity from Philosophy).

3. Swirl the tip on your brush in the bowl, or dip the brush in the bowl before swirling it in your palm or a harder clean.

4. Rinse your brush under water for a bit. If the water doesn’t run clear, or you can still see buildup on your brush, repeat the process.

5. Gently squeeze our excess water, then wipe your brush with the cloth.

6. Reshape your brush, rub down the handle with alcohol, and lay it flat on another cloth to dry.

BB5 Tip: Between washings, use brush cleaner for a quick clean.

Don’t have time to wash your brushes on the regular? Hey, me, neither. However, I do recommend that you invest in a little bottle of brush cleaner to spritz your tools after each use, or on the go.

May your brushes be ever soft and kind to your skin,

Alexa

Curious about the superhero behind our customer service? Lauren has great ideas for the new year!

1. Unmask myself!

As I have grown older and more secure in my skin I want to let it breathe! Yes, I have a few blemish scars and odd freckles, which I can probably only see as I stand less than a millimeter away from my brightly lit bathroom mirror but still am very aware of, so wearing foundation has become a daily routine. I think it’s time to just let go and embrace these beauty marks of mine and get rid of my foundation! Less is more, right?

2. Focus on my eyes.

I have always loved lipstick and wear it religiously but when it comes to eye shadows I never feel like I can pull them off correctly. I think its time to watch some YouTube tutorials and make my eyes shine with various colors! I honestly have a problem. I buy and buy eye shadows but they never see the light of day. :/

3. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

My mom always told me you better moisturize to keep your skin looking young and smooth. Trust me this was an everyday thing from her but being hard headed I wouldn’t listen. With the winter season it has definitely become apparent that keeping my entire body refreshed is a must!

4. Give myself compliments on a daily basis.

I feel beautiful but it is so much easier to spot out the imperfections. When I see something in the mirror I don’t love I am not putting myself down, I am and going to make it something I am proud of. I am talking about you after holiday belly bump!

5. Keep my nails looking fresh!

If I see a chip in my nail polish I am not waiting for the other nails to catch up. If I have to go bare because I can’t keep up with keeping my nails looking perfectly polished my nail polish obsession will have to be put on hold!

What does Joanna, our super sweet marketing director, want out of the new year?

1. Give lipstick a go

I’ve been a gloss girl all my life, I think it’s time to move on to more pigmented color on my lips. I’ll be looking for the perfect moisturizing, pink lipstick in 2014 to rock on the daily.

2. Focus on hair

I’m facing my fears and I declare that I will not be afraid of haircuts anymore! I must confess, I only get a hair cut once a year because I always regret haircuts after I get them, but split ends don’t look that great either. I’m going to be fearless and get a haircut twice a year now! it’s a start, right?

3. Dress to impress

Austin’s known for it’s very “relaxed look” so we’re very casually dressed in the office. However, the famous Paris Hilton once said, “There’s too many beautiful women in the world to not always dress your best.” I’m taking her advice and making the office my runway!

4. Experiment with eye makeup

I’m a stickler for “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” so there aren’t many variations to my eye makeup. I just stick to one look that I’m confident with. I’d like to grow the variations for my eye looks that I use on a daily basis, perhaps more hints of color instead of sticking to natural shades.

5. Shop more with my handsome man

I recently went to a gala with my fiancé and inconveniently left the dress shopping until 4 hours before I needed to be ready. Yikes! After not finding a dress for a couple of hours, he came to the rescue, pointed out a dress I never would have tried on and it was absolutely perfect! I got so many compliments on the dress at the event. Lots of fashion credit to my soon-to-be hubby!

photo: makeupgeek