Brown Girl Gumbo

We all know the importance of tossing out old makeup, but how often do you wash your makeup brushes? With every brush stroke, countless bacteria are clinging to those bristles. The nasty bacteria can clog pores and lead to unsightly blemishes and breakouts.

The only way to prevent dirty skin deposits is to clean makeup brushes on a regular basis. The general rule is to wash them at every month to kill germs. I usually wash my brushes every two weeks with warm water, antibacterial soap and let them air-dry overnight. Another option for disinfecting brushes is to use an alcohol-based cleanser on your brushes.

TIP: Make sure you continue rinsing until no color leaves the brush.

How often do you clean your makeup brushes? Do you use warm soapy water or a specific cleanser?

Check out some of these:

MAC Brush Cleanser available at www.nordstrom.com for $11

Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser available at www.nordstrom.com for $16.50

Beauty Blender Blender Cleanser available at www.drugstore.com for $17.95

Cover Fx Brush Cleanser available at www.sephora.com for $13

Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser available at www.dillards.com for $13

Origins Brush Cleanser available at www.dillards.com for $11

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Hormonal changes are something that we all go through, but lately those changes have been wreaking havoc on my skin. In addition to having acne flare-ups, I’ve been trying to steer clear of certain products that are filled with harsh chemicals so I’ve been on the prowl for organic products that can help manage my unwanted breakouts.

LUSH’s Mask of Magnamity has been the answer to my acne angst! This vanilla-mint scent mask looks like green goop, but this hand-made cleanser does an excellent job of deep cleaning & toning while gently exfoliating. Surprisingly, after removing the mask it doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight and dry like most masks, but actually soft and refreshed. After only using for three weeks, I can already see a change in my complexion.

Mask of Magnaminty Cleanser available at www.lushusa.com for $11.55-$20.45 (depending on the ounces)

**Please note: because this product is hand-made with fresh ingredients such as honey, peppermint oil, evening primrose seeds, etc, it only has a 4-month shelf-life.

Have you ever tried this mask? Would you? What’s your favorite mask? Have you ever tried Lush products?

**BTW, the winner of the Thevi lipstick is SoniaB. Please email me your mailing address within 7 days. Congrats!!

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I wrote about Thevi Cosmetics last year and have continued to be impressed with their products. Since the beauty line was created with BGs in mind, it’s easy to fall in love with their array of colors that complement the wide spectrum of hues that represent women of color. Their new Godiva High Impact Lipstick is perfect for that super pigmented pop of color (a mahogany/raisin) that is certainly going to be all the rage this upcoming fall season.

Godiva High Impact Gloss is 25% off the regular price ($13) and is now $9.75 until August 28th) visit www.thevicosmetics.com

Would you try Thevi Cosmetics since it’s an ethnic cosmetics line?

One lucky winner will win one. Just leave a comment today and tomorrow and a winner will be selected randomly and announced on Monday. Good luck!

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