AStorePlus®: 8 Pcs Nail Art Design/Detailing Painting Brushes with Dotting Pen Set #Review #NailArtBrush

As a nail polish enthusiast……okay, I have dozens of bottles and sometimes even accidentally buy the same color because I forget what I own! I have also been down the nail art alley of products, to now have a sense what works and what does not. Price wise, I have also paid well for brushes that their art was leaving bristles behind when used. I called it “surprise brushes” because you never knew when they would come apart and/or how many bristles they would surprise you with. This taught me when one brush shows any sign of failure, just trash the thing!

In comes AStorePlus with an assortment of 7 brushes and 1 dotting tool. I have a set that came in a zipper pouch and love that set. Never a surprise bristle attack and because the brush sticks are made of plastic that can be wiped to clean, acetone is not a something to fear when cleaning up my supplies. The AStorePlus collection features:

• Smooth Wooden handles painted in a White color with a black design
• A Dotting tool made of metal tip
• The 7 brushes come in different sizes with an assortment of thickness and angles
• A long metal shaft/sleeve, which holds the bristles tightly and allows the user to get a nice angle for easy use and cleaning

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Retail Price Point: A collection of nail art 7 brushes and 1 dotting tool for $5.25 with free shipping on Amazon.

Verdict:
When I received these, I noticed they feature painted wood handles, but what these brushes feature that others of like kind don’t, is that long metal shaft/sleeve to allow cleaning without seeping onto the painted wood area. Cleaning is a major concern both for hygiene purposes but also to keep the tools clean enough for longevity and re-usability. Other brushes feature a short metal shaft that can cause the consumer to accidentally come in contact with the wooden painted handle, making the manufacture’s paint bleed and disintegrate. Thankfully, the AStorePlus brushes avoid this from occurring and had the forethought of having long metal shafts to avoid this from happening. I use acetone because I don’t want residue on my nails from glycerin or additives that may not allow polishes or nail art to last, causing a short lived manicure. This means a brush has to be able to soak (short-term) in a cap of acetone, which I save the older caps from used bottles to do this with. The AStorePlus brushes sat in acetone and not once did the liquid wick up towards the top to meet with painted handle. I found the handles to be a comfortable length and ergonomic enough to allow my left hand to work on my right hand’s nails with ease. I have used the brushes 4 times and every time they clean and return to their natural shape and point when dried. I saved the plastic sleeves for each brush, so this allows me to keep the points in shape when stored in the same pouch I keep all my nail art brushes in. I have paid more for 3 brushes than what the 8 tools here cost on Amazon. The price point makes this an affordable hobby and also makes a perfect beginner’s set to own. Like with make-up brushes, I don’t use everything in a collection but I learned with time what heads I used more and later purchased duplicates of the sizes and angles I wanted. The same applies here and so far this set has the finer points I seek, so that means I use more of the brushes than I thought I would. I was able to let go of any cuticle wooden sticks, as now I use 2 of the brushes in this set to clean around my cuticle with acetone for a clean edge look. It goes beyond art and also a may to get the best looking manicure you can get without issues and this set from AStorePlus was problem-free for me. I did my Halloween nails using just the brushes and they cleaned up black and dark red garnet polishes with ease, as they did at making fine white roses on a black background. With the holidays approaching, these are the perfect stocking stuffer to add and a welcoming site for any nail art beginner!

 

Connect with AStorePlus on:

• Amazon
• Facebook
• #NailArtBrush

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from AStorePlus.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

Advertisement

Essence Cosmetics: Essence Lip Stick in Miss Peachy (67) #Beauty #Review #ExpressyourEssence

• Essence Lip Stick in Miss Peachy (67):

Product Retails for about: $2.99

I did not wear any foundation around my lips or lip liner in these pictures but thankfully the subtle shimmer takes attention away from all that. They say a good mascara and a good colored lipstick can be used when you are in a hurry and out the door!  You know those mornings you hit the off button versus the snooze button, and this peach with a touch of coral hues would do the trick. Easy to apply and not long wearing, but once you gather your thoughts and make it to work, you can touch-up and smile like nothing happened. The nice part is when it wears down, you are left with super soft lips that look beautiful.

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest–http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Cosmetics: Essence Kajal Eye Pencil in Beach Bum #Beauty #Review #ExpressyourEssence

• Kajal Pencil in Beach Bum (26):

Product Retails for about: $0.99

Being new to the Essence eye pencil line, I trusted the formula because of my past experience with the Long Lasting Eye Pencil and I was so right! I could use the eyeliner and without a hiccup you get a nice smooth line that did not break or bump when applied. It just flows with the shape of your eye and no tugging on the skin. I usually do best on my first strokes, so this gave me a flawless liner that looked beautiful. The blue color is gorgeous and perfect for a day at the beach or for me, a day by the pool. This is a pencil you will be happy with and I purposely broke the tip to see how well it sharpens and it sharpened as smoothly as it applies. I again use it and no breakage or pieces dusting off that turn into smears (ooooh, can that ruin a perfect look). At a dollar a piece…….again, I want to kick myself for spending more on eyeliners that did not work half as good as this one does!

 

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest–http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Cosmetics: Essence Lash Mania Reloaded Mascara #Beauty #Review

• Essence Lash Mania Reloaded Mascara

Product Retails for about: $4.99

 

Wand’s brush

I used this mascara in all the pictures! I love the brush and formula. I know they say non-department store mascaras perform the same or even better but that has not always been the case for me. I will find a great formula but it would come with a lousy brush and I have resorted to using a brush from another brand to make it work. I sort of did not really like having to wash it each time after use. Essence got both right and it all comes packed in one tube! Yes!!!! Finally, because black icky hands in the morning made me cringe at thinking of washing that wand again. The formula on the Lash Mania lengthens and also plumps your lashes, but without a fake-o look. I look like I was born with naturally long lashes. I only applied one (heavy) coat first, then the second coat used mostly for directing and setting the lashes. I did not want to obscure the eye shadows I was testing but when I was done taking pictures, I did apply a good 2-coat application and you can get some long looking lashes that are minus the clumps. Me-likey 🙂

Lash Mania Reloaded Mascara with Metal Glam Frosted Apple (03) from the Essence Spring 2014 collection

 

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest–http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish in Give me Nude, Baby (152) #Review #Nails

• Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish in “Give me Nude, Baby (152):

 

Product Retails for approximately; $1.99

This color of nail polish  is not your typical nude/sheer and actually gives your nails a touch of shimmer. It’s very soft and think of a white colored pearl effect, minus the rainbow hues. I was able to test out and this polish in an easy one-coat application. You get nice settling and an even finish due to that unique brush Essence uses. You can also build up and intensify the white color by adding a second coat. The picture reflects how many coats I used and the #2 nail looks whiter because I used a thin first coat and a thicker second coat. Nail #3 is three coats, all thin and waiting in between for the polish to dry. I experienced a quick dry and by the time I completed polishing on my tenth nail, I could start again. 10 minutes under a fan and this testing was done with zero clear top coats, base or ridge filler polishes. Essence’s nail polish also lasts and you can’t beat the price point of $1.99 a bottle! The 2 buck price point makes the Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish line great when it comes to those trendy colors you want to try and are unsure about, to even using them as part of your Nail Art formulas.

 

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest–http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Cosmetics: French Manicure & Pedicure Pen for #Nails #Review

• French Manicure and Pedicure Pen:

Product Retails for approximately: $2.49
Finally, an art pen that works as it should! The pen dispenses a beautiful white colored nail polish, which dries quickly. The flow of the polish is steady so you can easily control how much you want. Coverage evens out nicely and you can even do designs, so this pen for your nails is not limited to a French Manicure. I enjoyed using it and was able to get a white perfect tip with ease on my first try.

I found using Essence’s “Give me Nude, Baby (152)” gives you a nice perfect finish and also fills in any voids, for a flawless look. The shimmer is soft so you get a nice day to night look that is classy and different from the typical pinks with white French Manicures. I never thought of buying a pen and usually would “free-style it” but I always goofed on one or two nails and needed a redo. No errors means I can finish quicker and no awkward moments while trying to take off the polish of the nails you error on, while keeping the ones you are happy with untouched.

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest–http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Cosmetics: #Essence Metal Glam in Jewel Up Ocean (01) #Review #Beauty

With Spring in full swing and experiencing close to 100 degree weather in California, the heat has definitely arrived. A new season means a new look and time to play with colors. Essence Cosmetics offers you to play with beauty products at a very economical price point. Affordable does not mean you should overlook this brand because it does deliver performance and I’m always for less “ouch” on the pocketbook and more glam added to my beauty box.

Pictures are untouched and I did not even put foundation on or any eye primers. I wanted to test the colors and products on their own, so I could attribute quality and performance 100% to the product I was trying. No fake lashes and just some brow gel and pencil because a girl must have tamed eyebrows 🙂

Essence Metal Glam in Jewel Up Ocean (01):

Product Retails for approximately: $2.99

Jewel Up Ocean

Don’t be fooled by the blue and sparkle. Yes, you get a shimmer glow but not crazy like a disco ball. Pigmentation in this line varies by color and this one was medium but can easily be built up or down to suit your needs. Easy to apply and not like other shimmer/glitter pods, this color does not scratch. The shimmer is kind to your eyelid and stays nicely in place. I went with an ocean waters look by swiping the blue eye shadow and then using a black colored liner to get a nice “cat eye” look. I did the same on the lower lashes.

Swiped first with Jewel Up Ocean and then with black pencil and touched up with more eye shadow

Before applying mascara, blend colors to create a “wave” look.

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http:// essence-cosmetics.com
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics
• #ExpressyourEssence 

 

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence: Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Hot Scorch (19) #Beauty #Review

With Spring in full swing and experiencing close to 100 degree weather in California, the heat has definitely arrived. A new season means a new look and time to play with colors. Essence Cosmetics offers you to play with beauty products at a very economical price point. Affordable does not mean you should overlook this brand because it does deliver performance and I’m always for less “ouch” on the pocketbook and more glam added to my beauty box.

Pictures are untouched and I did not even put foundation on or any eye primers. I wanted to test the colors and products on their own, so I could attribute quality and performance 100% to the product I was trying. No fake lashes and just some brow gel and pencil because a girl must have tamed eyebrows 🙂

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Hot Scorch (19):

Product Retails for approximately: $2.49

• Hot Scorch (19)

Love this pencil and I’m not always a user of the non-sharpening kind but the glide and pigmentation of copper and golden tones is just too beautiful to pass up. You can use it as an eye liner or even blend it in for a smoky eye look. The formula lasts no matter the weather and I have used this paired with eye shadows or just alone. The color is gorgeous and the metallic flecks add life to your liner but not like you went to glitter town. I will definitely be picking up more in this collection and I feel foolish for paying so much and not nearly getting the staying power this liner has. I used it with the 3D Duo Eyeshadow to give my daytime “natural look” a little touch from the copper goddess. Looks so beautiful outside when the sun hits your eyes……almost seems a shame to wear sun glasses!

 

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http://essence-cosmetics.tumblr.com/
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Essence Cosmetics: 3D Duo Eyeshadow #Review in Irresistible Vanilla latte

 

With Spring in full swing and experiencing close to 100 degree weather in California, the heat has definitely arrived. A new season means a new look and time to play with colors. Essence Cosmetics offers you to play with beauty products at a very economical price point. Affordable does not mean you should overlook this brand because it does deliver performance and I’m always for less “ouch” on the pocketbook and more glam added to my beauty box.

Pictures are untouched and I did not even put foundation on or any eye primers. I wanted to test the colors and products on their own, so I could attribute quality and performance 100% to the product I was trying. No fake lashes and just some brow gel and pencil because a girl must have tamed eyebrows 🙂

Essence 3D Duo Eyeshadow in Irresistible Vanilla Latte (08):

Product Retails for approximately for: $3.49

• Irresistible Vanilla Latte

Each compact provides you with two options when applying, wet or dry and the colors do look different with either application. Easy to pick-up onto the brush and I used both a natural and synthetic brush head. I noticed the eyeshadow has a beautiful shimmer effect and you can play with the intensity of color by building it up, so great for day looks that can pop with a little touch-up for a night out. The formula feels soft on the lid and settles smoothly. I used the dry method on my lid with the wet application on the crease towards the outer corner of the eye. It took me 5 minutes to get a nice natural look and I paired it with Essence’s Hot Scorch color from the Long Lasting Eye Pencil line.

Connect with Essence and their entire beauty collections at:

• On-line– http://essence-cosmetics.tumblr.com/
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/essence_US
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/essence.north.america
• Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/essencecosmetic/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/essence_cosmetics

I received the above product free of charge from Essence.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.