There are some beauty tools that every woman needs in her kit. We highlight our picks for the best tools to keep your look polished...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tweezers – our top pick: The Kupis Plucking Perfection Kit
Battery operated, the illuminated tweezers makes precision plucking a breeze. Combined with Kupis’ powerful 10x magnifying mirror, which has suction caps so that you can focus on the job at hand, even the smallest, lightest hairs can’t hide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crystal nail file – our top pick: Kupis Manicure Limelight
This gorgeous glass nail file comes with a built in light, keeping you focussed on the task at hand. Because it’s made of glass, this little gem reduces nasty chipping and splits making nail shaping a breeze, and can also be used to remove rough, hardened skin around the edges of nails. To clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth, and it’s as good as new.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makeup Brushes
With so many makeup brushes available it’s hard to know which ones you really need and most of all how to use them… Unless you’re a makeup artist, you don’t need a tonne of brushes. Stick to the following four and you’ll be set, no matter how complex or simple your look is. We love MAC brushes - you can rely on them for quality tools.

 

Foundation Brush
Looks like: A wide flat set of bristles with a rounded tip and a fine smooth texture.
Used for: Applying foundation over the face. It’s best to avoid using your hands unless they are super clean as you don’t want any nasty bugs getting on the face and causing breakouts.

 

 

 

Powder Brush
Looks like: This brush has a broad rounded set of bristles with a soft texture. They are usually medium packed to allow for movement.
Used for: Applying pressed powder or bronzer over large areas of the face or body. You can also use it to apply your blusher rather than buying another brush for that one purpose. Don’t forget to tap off excess powder before using applying.

 

 

Angled Brush
Looks like: A thin line of firmly packed angled bristles with a thin edge along the top of the bristles.
Used for: Angled brushes are ideal for applying eye liner, brow powder, smudging eyeliner to create a smokey eye and for applying highlighter to the brow bone/arch.

 

 

Eyeshadow Brush
Looks Like: A long handled brush with short or medium packed rounded bristles.
Used for: This type of brush is ideal for applying eye makeup in a way that is neat, clean and flawless. The way these brushes are created allows them to pick up the shadow and apply it to your lids more efficiently and evenly than most sponges or the typical eye shadow applicator that comes with the compact

 

Washing your brushes...
If you are going to spend some big dollars on your brushes it’s important to take care of them, you don’t want to be replacing them constantly and good brushes are an investment – they will last you for years.

It’s important to clean your brushes properly, firstly it rids the brushes of dirt build up that can damage the bristles as well as any nasties that can cause breakouts.

However you do have to be careful as over-washing or washing them incorrectly can cause your brushes some serious damage. We suggest washing your foundation brush weekly and fortnightly for all other brushes. Start with wet brushes and apply a dab of shampoo and massage through the bristles gently (just like washing your hair). Once the brushes are clean (the water should be running clear) rinse them in some running water (warm) and reshape, then lay them flat to dry. They usually take a few hours to dry so it’s always a good idea to clean them at night, before bed. Avoid drying them in an upright position as the water gets into the glue (used in most low to moderately priced brushes) and can make them fall apart faster.