If there’s one thing us makeup artists know, it’s what works and the serious short cuts to make things happen. We have to use tools and products that get the job done, get it done right and get it done fast. There’s no time for faffing about when you’re doing a celebs makeup, you’re under the gun, time-wise and you need to know that the tools you reach for will serve you well. So that said, these are my kit essentials, ones I reach for every time I work and ones that will serve you well too.
There are some lashes that can only be defined as deeply stubborn. They may be stick straight, or grow down. Maybe your outer corner lashes resist the curl of a traditional lash curler. Well, they are no match for this one. A few squeezes from this Japanese curler and those lashes of your will be standing at attention.
You only need a few brushes to do your makeup, but quality truly makes a difference. The way the hairs are cut, the weight and balance of the handle, how the hairs are attached to the ferrule, these all determine how well a brush works. The brushes that Surratt makes are unparalleled. The way the Artistique Highlight brush deposits color on the skin is sublime. And the way the Perfectionniste Complexion brush allows you to blend your concealer all but guarantees flawless looking skin. These are the brushes I reach for time and time again because I know I'll always get the seamless application I need for my job.
I don’t like cheap tools for one reason, they are ineffective. Little hurts my heart like drugstore tweezers. How is anyone supposed to get the job done if the tool is subpar? I like my tweezers like I like my friends, SHARP. You cannot get those short hairs that are just growing in if the tweezers aren’t the right shape and sharpness and nothing gives me anxiety like not being able to effectively pull out an errant brow hair (you know those pesky ones that are just popping out and are desperate to evade the tweezers? They make me utterly mental.) These ones from Rubis are thin enough at the tip, and the sides meet together perfectly, that you can get those annoying hairs that otherwise mock you.
Remember in the last paragraph where I talked about ineffective tools? Same goes for a lash curler. This stunner is a multiple time winner of the Allure Beauty Awards and it's as beautiful as it is effective. The curl it gives is gentle, no cranked, 90 degree lashes here, opening up the eyes to let your pretty peepers shine. I promise you’ll get the best curl ever from this little guy, and you’ll never look back.
Last but not least is the best brush cleaner you’ll ever use. Makeup artists b-e-g anyone and everyone they know who’s headed to Tokyo to bring this back for them. It cleans your brushes gently, but seriously gets the job done. Also, if you’ve ever tried to clean your beautyblender with dish soap or shampoo, you know that it’s almost impossible to get all of the suds out. This soap keeps your sponge as clean as the first time you used it, without the sudsy drama. Those brushes of yours will last you a life time if you care for them properly, and this soap is like an insurance policy.
