EcoTools Four Piece Beautiful Complexion Set - A Review For My Pure*

It's done, it's dusted and it's over with for another year. I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas I know I did, the highlight was spending time with my family - it's been a tough year and I'm eternally grateful that we we're all here to celebrate together x It goes without saying that I also got lots of lovely pressies and I am going to try and post a few what I got for Christmas videos, but thanks to a video camera meltdown, you might have to wait a few days for them never the less though I was truly spoilt and I'm so blessed to have such amazing friends and such a generous, loving family.

I got lots of lovely beauty goodies this year but something that I didn't get were make up brushes. I love my brushes but this year instead of asking for some as presents, I decided to treat myself to some new ones for one of December's My Pure reviews.

Thanks to My Pure, over the last 18 months or so EcoTools have probably became one of my favourite cosmetic brush brands, and for someone who has many brushes as I do that's definitely saying something  Created by actress and philanthropist Alicia Silverstone, the EcoTools range, is a range of ethical, and cruelty free make up brushes, and beauty accessories that do exactly what they promise. I've tried quite a few of their make up brushes now but for this festive review I thought I'd pick a set that would make a perfect gift either for yourself or for someone else, no matter what the season or the occasion.

The EcoTools 4 Piece Beautiful Complexion Set comes boxed in the familiar card, and acetate packaging that we're so used to but this set comes with a bit of a twist that makes it perfect for gifting 

Simply turn the box over and you're greeted with a ribbon and full, and easy instruction on how to turn the basic box, into a gift wrapped masterpiece, without the need for scissors, sticky tape, or wrapping paper, and there is even a space to write to and from - perfect for wrapping phobics like me!

Whilst the packaging does look a bit like stars and snowflakes, I think that this set could be gifted  ll year round. As nice as it is though, it's all about what's inside though and being EcoTools, it certainly doesn't disappoint.

The box contains 4 full sized complexion brushes. Each brush has the familiar bamboo handle, soft, synthetic, cruelty free bristles and a recycled aluminium ferrule. Some of the ferrules in the EcoTools, range are in a plain silver or copper tone but these ones are beautifully decorated with a turquoise, blue and yellow honeycomb and leaf design. The four brushes are designed to help you create that perfect, flawless face, and to do that you get a Mattifying Finish Brush, a Skin Perfecting Brush, an Eye Perfecting Brush and a Correcting Concealer Brush.

Mattifying Finish Brush

Despite the fact that it goes in and out of popularity, I love face powder. I have very shiny, (okay oily!) skin and I need a bit of powder to give that camera ready smooth finish. I love a nice, big powder brush and that's exactly what this is.

The natural coloured bristles seem to almost absorb the excess oil, and the softness of the bristles leave a silky, almost airbrushed dusting of powder. This is definitely a full face brush so if you just use a bit of powder say on your t-zone, then you'll need to use a lighter hand but if you use powder all over or if your using a mineral or powder foundation then this brush is ideal.

Skin Perfecting Brush 

The Skin Perfecting Brush is basically your base brush. Appearance wise it reminds me a lot of the similarly named Skin Perfecting BB/CC Brush (read my review here), It's almost identical but this one is probably just a touch fluffier.

It has the same angled head and it has exactly the same purpose. It's designed specifically to apply BB,and CC creams and tinted moisturisers but I've also used it to apply a light, liquid foundations.

It does the job, it blends nicely without too much streaking, and it's soft against the skin but it's firm enough to get in all of those tricky areas, around the mouth and the nose.I've used the other Skin Perfecting brush almost constantly since I got it and this is very, very similar, so I'm a very happy bunny to have a spare.

Eye Perfecting Brush

This brush is an interesting one and I have to  be honest and say I have nothing else like it in my collection. The Eye Perfecting Brush is specifically designed for applying under eye concealer. Normally I either use the brush provided with the product, my fingers or a normal flat concealer brush but this is something quite different.

This brush has quite a large, almost domed head. Initially I was sceptical, but the shape, and the feel of the bristles and the overall firmness of the brush, mean that it fits the contours of the eye perfectly, allowing full coverage,  and gentle blending, without dragging, leaving an almost airbrushed finish. I still like using my fingers but this is almost as good, and probably a bit more hygienic.

Correcting Concealer Brush

The final brush in the kit, is another unusual one and something else that I don't have in my collection. Yes I have plenty of concealer brushes but they either have a rounded or flat tip, this again is something completely different to me.

It has short, almost stubby bristles, and a slightly domed tip. The bristles are soft but again it has a firm feel. The shape of the brush enables you to place the concealer exactly where you need it, and the texture and shape of the brush allow for easy, blending and coverage exactly where you need it.

This brush has really surprised me and over the last couple of weeks it's been my go to concealer brush. I don't use a lot of concealer but the festive excesses are playing havoc with my skin, and I've used this brush an awful lot, and I've been really impressed with how it's performed with a wide variety of different textured concealers. This brush is now my go to concealer brush x 

Yet again EcoTools have come up trumps, this kit contains a selection of good quality brushes that do exactly what they say they do. The brushes are soft to the touch, yet firm enough to the do the job, and despite being used with liquid products, they are really easy to wash, with minimal shedding. This kit is ideal for creating the perfect, flawless base, and although I've already mentioned this quite a lot, some of the brushes really do create an almost airbrushed finish. I think that this kit would be ideal for either a make up beginner or for a make obsessive like me, it contains a good assortment of brushes and a few unusual ones that would be a welcome addition to any brush collection.

If you want to treat yourself or someone else, The EcoTools Four Piece Beautiful Complexion Set retails at £19.99 from My Pure. If you have any questions please let me know xx

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EcoTools Skin Perfecting BB / CC Brush - A Review For My Pure*

Over the last week I've spent at least an hour washing all of my make up brushes. Although I don't always buy the most expensive brushes I do have a bit of an obsession with make up brushes and over the years I think I've developed quite a nice little collection.

One of the brush brands that I've became a little bit obsessed with over the last year or so is Ecotools. Created by actress Alicia Silverstone, EcoTools is a range of both environmentally friendly and cruelty free make up brushes and accessories. As you can see from my Beauty Product Directory I've already tried out quite a few brushes from the range but as all good beauty bloggers know, you can't have too many brushes, so for one of August's My Pure reviews I decided to try out one of the brands newest additions.

The EcoTools Skin Perfecting BB / CC Brush is specially designed for applying both BB and CC creams, and tinted moisturisers but I've also been using to apply foundation.

Like the rest of the Ecotools brushes that I've tried this one comes in a reusable, recycled plastic and fabric pouch to protect your brush.

The brush itself has the familiar embossed, sustainable, bamboo handle and it features a recycled bronze tone, aluminium ferrule.The brush head itself if made from soft, but substantial, cruelty free synthetic hairs and it is cut at an angle.

The way the brush is cut enables you to get into all the nooks and crannies of your face. The slanted side and point of the brush fits perfectly around the contours of your eyes and nose, and the flat side of the brush is perfect for larger areas of the face. It doesn't drag and you're left with a smooth finish with minimal brush marks. I did lose a couple of hairs on my first use but it washed and dried well without any further shedding.

Like the rest of the brushes that I've tried in the range this is a decent brush. It's designed for thinner textured products such as BB and CC creams and tinted moisturisers, but it also works equally well with liquid foundations. I've used it with both a BB cream and a foundation (reviews on my both to come) and I've had similar results. It isn't the biggest brush out there but the shape of it means that it's ideal for both the larger areas of your face, and the areas where you need to be a bit more precise. In my opinion the EcoTools brushes are some of the best cruelty free brushes out there. Not only are they brushes with a conscience but the quality is there, and they aren't too expensive. The EcoTools Skin Perfecting BB / CC Brush normally retails at £6.99 from My Pure, but it's currently on special at just £5.94. Have you tried any of the EcoTools brushes? Leave me a comment and let me know your favourites x 

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Ecotools 6 x Mini Bamboo Brushes - A Review For My Pure*

Over the last few months I've really been loving my Ecotools make up brushes. Thanks to my participation in the My Pure bloggers scheme I've managed to accumulate a nice little collection of their face and eye brushes and I can't recommend them highly enough. If there is one thing that I don't need any more of though it's make up brushes - one day I will get round to showing you my brush collection but for the moment you'll just have to believe. Despite the fact that my brush vases are at bursting point though I couldn't resist getting some more Ecotools brushes as part of my February reviews for My Pure.

To be fair though these brushes are quite different to any of the other Ecotools brushes in my collection. Yes they have the same bamboo handle, recycled aluminium ferrules, and synthetic bristles but you just have to look at them to see the difference, they are tiny!

Measuring just over two inches in length, the brushes in this set of 6 Mini Bamboo Brushes mirror there much bigger cousins not in size but in ethics, construction and quality.

The set comprises of 6 identical brushes. Each brush has soft to the touch, flat bristles with a rounded tip. When used flat, the brush heads are quite firm making the brushes ideal for eyeshadow or concealer application but turn them onto their sides and the thin, precise edge for the brush makes it ideal for eyeliner or even as a lip brush.

I've tried these for both eyes and lips and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Admittedly the short handles do take a bit of getting used to but for travel, your handbag or where space is at a premium, these versatile brushes do a pretty good job. Unlike a lot of mini and short handle brushes the quality is excellent, they wash well and they compare favourably to the full size brushes in the Ecotools range.

I'm not saying that I would choose to use these everyday to do my full make up with but I can definitely see them having a place in my everyday, on the go make up bag and whilst I'm not planning on going on holiday this year, if I was these would be one of the first things that I would pack in my travel make up bag

The Ecotools 6 x Mini Bamboo Brushes usually retail at £4.99 from My Pure but they are currently on special at just £4.49.

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Christmas Gift Ideas - The EcoTools 6 Piece Starter Set - A Review For My Pure*

There are lots of things beauty wise that I can't seem to stop buying including nail polish, blusher, eyeshadow palettes, and make up brushes. I have so many brushes in my collection already and maybe because I hate washing them so much I always seem to buy new ones. I own brushes at all price points and from lots of different brands but at the moment I'm loving my EcoTools brushes and applicators.

Most of my collection has come courtesy of My Pure, and I'm currently using the EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Fresh And Flawless Complexion Set, and the Foam Applicator, both of which I've already reviewed for you, and I'm also using the Retractable Kabuki Brush which I've had in my collection for quite a while now, that I also love.

I didn't really need any more brushes but thinking of Christmas and gifting, I decided to pick an EcoTools brush set for one of my October My Pure reviews

The EcoTools 6 Piece Starter Set is probably the most comprehensive, full sized brush set that they produce. It contains 5 full sized brushes (one of the brushes has two heads and you get holder / cosmetic bag) for face and eyes, all with bamboo handles, recycled, bronze tone, aluminium ferrules, and synthetic cruelty free bristles.

The brushes comes packaged in a small,  hemp and EVA reusable cosmetic bag. It has two compartments, a zipped clear section on the front and a fabric section which fastens with a press stud. It isn't essential but it's good for storage, and a clear section means that it's quick and easy to find what you're looking for.

This starter kits and contains some of the key brushes, that you'll always use in your daily routine.

Blush Brush

Everybody needs a good blush or bronzer brush in their collection. Blush and bronzer can make such a difference to your face shape and your overall look, just try going without it for one day and see how flat and shapeless your face looks.

This brush has quite a wide almost fluffy, fan shaped head, that fits the contours of your face perfectly. The hairs are super soft, and they pick up product with ease.

This is a good brush, that does exactly what it should. The head is quite large so if you want a more precise or specific application this may not be for you. For the majority of people though this will be a perfect blush or contour brush.

Concealer Brush

Whether you use a stick, a cream or a liquid a good concealer brush is a must. You can either use it apply the product directly to the skin or you can use it to blend your concealer to create a seamless finish that just doesn't happen when you use your fingers.

This brush features almost duo fibre, synthetic bristles, which are perfect for applying liquids and creams. It feels soft against the skin, but at the same time, it has a degree of firmness which is essential for precise application. It also has a slightly pointed tip so you can get into all those nooks, and crannies, for example around your mouth and nose. 

Again this brush does exactly what it promises, the shape is perfect, and the synthetic fibres are easy to wash and to care for, an essential when you use creams or liquids. Oh and if you really wanted you could also use this as an extra eye brush.

Eye Shading Brush

In my opinion this is the most important brush in the kit. Most things can be fiddled either by using your fingers or by choosing your product more carefully, but not eyeshadow, even if you use a stick or a pencil you still need to blend it.

The bristles again are synthetic and silky smooth, but like with the concealer brush there is a degree of firmness. The hairs are quite densely packed so the eyeshadow goes exactly where you put it. It works equally well, whether you use it to apply a single shadow or whether you use it to blend a couple of shades together. It works brilliantly with powder and loose shadows, but being synthetic you can also use it for cream, liquid and mousse shadows, without causing any damage to the brush.

I love my eye brushes and unsurprisingly this is the brush in this kit, that I've used the most. It works perfectly and it feels gentle on the skin. It's a good quality, versatile brush that I would easily pay the price for the whole kit for.

Angled Eye Liner Brush

For the product I'll use the most to the one I'll probably use the least. There's nothing wrong with the brush I'm just not really an eyeliner girl.

That said this is a pretty decent angled liner brush. The synthetic bristles are ideal for gel and cream liners, and the angled head is cut evenly, and smoothly, meaning you get a really clean line, with no strays hair causing wobbles. I've had a little play with this and it's pretty easy to work with. The fibres again are firm enough for precision but at the same time their flexible enough to negotiate the contours of the eye. You never know this brush might make me start playing with my gel eyeliners again ;)

Lash & Brow Groomer

The final brush in the kit is another kit essential, a lash and brow brush. I can't find an awful lot of information on this brush unfortunately. Like the other brushes it features the bamboo handles and the recycled ferrules but I'm not entirely sure what the brush and comb components are made out of.

One side of the applicator features a traditional plastic lash comb, and the other side features the traditional style brow brush which I believe is made from strong, taklon fibres. 

Again this brush does what it promises, the comb element easily separates lashes and removes mascara clumps, and the brow brush, smooths, separates and controls the brow hairs with minimum effort. If I was being really picky I would have liked the brow side to be a little firmer but it does the job as it is.

I have to say I really like the brushes in this kit. The 6 Piece Starter Set name though  is a little bit misleading because you technically only get 5 brushes, but I guess one does more than one job and you get a cosmetic bag as well, so it's still pretty decent value for money. The eye brush was a particular favourite and in my opinion is easily comparable to brushes costing more than the price of this whole kit. All of the brushes, were well made and good quality. The cruelty free and eco friendly aspect is also a good selling point and yet again this set proves that synthetic brushes don't need to be scratchy, or poor quality.

I think that this kit would make a great starter kit for someone who is quite new to make up I especially like the fact that the name of each brush is stamped onto the bamboo handle.

Don't think of it as just for beginners though I think that most people who wear make up would find a use for most, if not all of the brushes in this set. I think that this would be a great Christmas pressie for any make user no matter what their age. You may not always know what colours or textures to go for but you can never go wrong with some decent make up brushes, and I for one would have been pretty happy to see these in my stocking.

The EcoTools 6 Piece Starter Set retails at £14.99 for My Pure, but it's currently on special offer at just £13.49.

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please leave me a comment x

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A New Way To Apply Foundation With The EcoTools Foam Applicator - A Review For My Pure*

I'm going to let you into a little secret - I'm very lazy when it comes to applying foundation, nine times out of ten I'll end up applying it with my fingers instead of with a sponge or a brush. Don't get me wrong it works, but it's messy and you usually end up having to buff your skin with a sponge or a brush to make it more seamless anyways. So lately I'm trying to make more of an effort to actually do it properly but what do you choose, a sponge or a brush? Well how about a brush / sponge hybrid.

For one of this months My Pure reviews I decided to try something that I've already seen a few reviews on - the EcoTools Foam Applicator.

To put it simply, it's a foundation sponge on a stick but it's so much more than that. Like the majority of brushes in the EcoTools range it has sustainable bamboo handle, and a recycled aluminium ferrule, but instead of cruelty free bristles, instead you get a firm, double sided, PVC free, foam sponge.

One side of the sponge is flat and pointed making ideal for getting into the smaller areas around your eyes and nose

and the other side is more rounded making it ideal for buffing and for larger areas of the face.

I'm going to be honest this takes a little bit of getting used to but once you've got the knack it makes foundation application quick and easy. I like to dampen the sponge a little bit first as this stops the sponge absorbing too much foundation, Then I pop a bit of foundation on my hand and the use the sponge to dot it on to my face, before using both sides of the sponge to blend it in to my skin. The sponge feels very soft on the skin but at the same time it's firm enough to create a seamless finish.

I have to say like all sponges it isn't particularly easy to wash but the best way I've found is to wash it in warm soapy water as soon as I've used it, giving it a good squeeze to get as much of the foundation residue out as possible. I then leave it on a flat surface to dry, which to be honest takes less than an hour in my experience, and it's clean and ready to use again. It also comes complete with a PVC free storage pouch which makes it ideal for travel.

I initially thought that this product was quirky and probably wouldn't perform but how wrong was I. This applicator for me, makes foundation application a breeze, and it's definitely less messy than using your fingers - even Jasper is a fan :) 

I would definitely recommend this product to anyone that wears any sort of liquid or cream base, be it a BB cream, a tinted moisturiser or a foundation. The EcoTools Foam Applicator retails at just £4.99 from My Pure, which is a good price to try something new.

How do you apply your foundation? Does this sound like something you would use? leave me a comment and let me know x 

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The EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Fresh And Flawless Complexion Set - A Review For My Pure*

It's been a little while since I did a review for natural beauty site My Pure but I hope that you'll be pleased to hear that from now on I going to be doing two reviews a month. The site has improved a lot since I last did a review for them, as well as a slick new design, they've also introduced lots of new brands including Balance Me and EcoTools.

I only have one EcoTools make up brush in my extensive collection - the retractable kabuki, but it's a firm favourite. I have to say I didn't know a lot about the range, but did you know that it was co created and endorsed by actress Alicia Silverstone? I didn't but it makes perfect sense; Silverstone is known for being vegan and being a long term and virulent supporter of animal rights and animal charity PETA. EcoTools are a cruelty free and environmentally friendly brand that promises quality and consciousness.

The My Pure site sells pretty much the full range of EcoTools make up brushes and applicators but being a relative newcomer to the brand I decided to dip my toes into the water by going for one of their sets.

There are number of different sets to choose from but I went for The EcoTools Bamboo 5 Piece Fresh And Flawless Complexion Set.

As the name suggest this kit is all about creating the perfect base, and perfect finish to the skin. The brushes come packaged in a cardboard / EVA case, with a magnetic closure that's perfect for storing your brushes and for travel. It also features a section that tells you exactly what each brush does, perfect for beginners.

Each brush features soft, cruelty free, synthetic bristles which are embedded in different coloured, floral patterned, recycled aluminium ferrules. There is the odd brush in the wider range with a recycled aluminium handle but EcoTools are know for their signature, sleek, varnished bamboo handles and that's what's the brushes in this set have. The brushes in this kit are probably what you would class as mini or short handled brushes but what do they all do?

1. Flat Concealer Brush

The first brush in the range is the basic flat concealer brush, that everybody needs in their collection. The flat, slightly curved head is ideal for applying and blending concealer into the skin. The bristles are soft, but the brush is firm enough to do the job and apply a bit of pressure.

2. Buffing Concealer Brush

This is an interesting brush and something that at first glance that you probably wouldn't consider an essential but believe me it is. The most obvious use of this flat headed, fluffy brush is to gently buff liquid or powder concealer into the skin and specifically under the eyes, to give it a more airbrushed, perfected finish, with no harsh demarcation lines. You can also use it though with some of the long wear concealers that need to be set with a finishing powder I have a couple in my collection, the Mally Cancellation Concealer and some professional concealers from Veil Cover Cream, and both of these need to be set with a specific finishing powder to ensure their long wear, and durability. This brush allows precise application of the setting powder, allowing you to set your concealer before finishing the rest of your base, with a larger powder brush.

3. Precision Foundation Brush

Probably the essential brush is any base kit, is a basic foundation brush. Okay I'm going to be honest, doing your full face with this one will take a bit of time because of the small size and thickness but don't write it off. The small size and the almost pointed tip means that this brush is ideal for precision foundation work. You can get it perfectly to those awkward areas around the nose, ears and eyes. The brush would also be perfect if you're one of those lucky people who don't need to use foundation all over their face, this brush would be perfect for smaller areas and areas that need a bit more coverage.

4. Complexion Blending Brush

Despite it's size this is a great brush. It works really well for buffing liquid foundation into the skin but personally I loved it for powder / mineral foundation. I normally use a much bigger brush for minerals but with this one I was able to get a more precise application in areas that needed more coverage, and the shape was ideal for that swirl, tap, buff application method.

5. Full Powder Brush 

The name describes this brush perfectly. It's a perfect mini finishing brush, ideal for applying face  powder to your nose or your t-zone, or in areas where you need to powder down. I don't know about you but I normally use a huge powder brush to finish off my make up, but I have oily skin, so generally my whole face needs powdering down, if your skin is drier and your skin only has a little bit of shine or doesn't need touching up as often, this brush is ideal.

This kit is all about precision and perfection, and in my opinion versatility. Okay the brushes might be too small for some to use over the whole face but when used alongside some full sized brushes this kit does exactly what it promises. The brushes are great for those problem areas producing, great precise results in minutes. Although this kit is all about the perfect complexion these brushes are remarkably versatile, and would make great eye and cheek brushes too. The synthetic bristles mean their ideal for liquids, creams and powders, and they wash like a dream, which is exactly what you expect from a high quality tool. With the smaller size of these brushes, some manufacturers inevitably would cut corners but not EcoTools, they are pleasing on the eye and the quality is first class and I'll definitely look into picking up some more brushes from the brand in the future. The EcoTools Fresh And Flawless Five Piece Complexion Set retails at £11.99 from My Pure. If you have any questions or if you've tried any other EcoTools brushes please leave me a comment and let me know xx

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