One of the key techniques in creating flawless eye makeup is blending. Blending could make the colors flow naturally on the skin instead of the ugly, harsh, clownish, highlighting-pen lines we always see. Blending colors impeccably is achieved not just with the perfect blending hand but also the perfect tools. The #1 spot to blend colors is the crease. As we all know, Asians have a very shallow crease as compared with Caucassians hence the obsession of simulating hollows with contours. Done the proper way, a proper crease contour could result in an eye-opening subtle contour. Done wrongly, it's just going to look weird, clownish, and drawn-in.
So what's one secret of good eye makeup? TOOLS! I believe in investing in the right tools because they really make a difference. I've bought cheap makeup brushes but I end up hurting my face or getting really bad makeup blending because they weren't the right tools to use. For blending, it's best to use a fluffy brush. A dense, flat brush is good for depositing color. Fluffier brushes are best for blending. Plus, they poke the eye less.
Here are my top 3 weapons for eye blending, which have been tried and tested. I only got to reviewing this now (one of them I've owned for a year) since I really do test runs plus discover new ways of maximizing them.
As you can see, they've been already used for quite a while, and so I've got more to say with these babies. :)First up is MAC 217.
MAC 217 retails for Php 1,100. I've had this for a year now, and in fact, it's my first MAC brush ever. I love how soft it feels, and also, it's very much raved about by a lot of people but I only got to really discovering its efficacy from MAC artist Owen Sarmiento. He used it to blend color, especially if I'm using only two colors on my eye. It's fluffy enough to blend colors seamlesly, yet it still picks up product so I could use this for sheer deposits of color. He even uses this to blend paint pots and MAC Prep+Prime eye. MAC artists call it the Harry Potter wand, and it sure is. I guess it was the right choice when I chose this as the first MAC brush to own. It's just stained from colors yet the quality of the hair is still the same from when I first bought it.
This pink baby caught my eye during the Rockwell Moonlit Bazaar last October when I visited the Beauty and Minerals booth. I was looking for a new tool since I was then gonna be off to do makeup for Spring Awakening that day when I saw this baby. Made of goat hair, this can deposit pigment since it's stiff enough to grab products such as powder eyeshadow (like the blue blush in my Feathers post) yet it's fluffy enough to blend crease and contours for smoky effect. Another use for this is nose contour. I dab it a bit on my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in dark and run it lightly on the sides of my nose. It looks like a hybrid of MAC 217 and 224. The pink handle is cute in my brush roll too.
Another thing to love about Charm is that they're affordable. This baby retails for only Php250. However, this does not sacrifice quality, as they've performed at par with my expensive brushes.
For those who are having a hard time maneuvering with the 217, I recommend this deluxe eye brush, which retails for Php380, also from Beauty and Minerals. 
I like the fact that it's small so those with smaller eyes and shallow creases could use this better. The hair is made of pony hair, which is softer. It could deposit color too but it's soft enough to blend. I use this to put color and blend on my outer crease and further blend colors with my 217. This is helpful for creating my 3d smokey eyes. since after I do my contour color, I deposit a tad of black on the outer edge of my eye and blend upwards.
Always remember though, that to make sure the brushes really last a lifetime, that we should always take care of them by cleaning them at least once a week and storing them safe in brush rolls so they retain their shape. :)
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