STICK ‘EM UP: DIY MAGNETIC MAKEUP ORGANIZER

Magnetized makeup boards (not to mention magnetic palettes like Z•palette!) are a dream solution for those of us who want to streamline and simplify our routines. Unlike an overstuffed makeup bag, a magnet board allows you to keep your favorite and most-used products easily reachable and organized. And you can make one yourself! We loved the idea so much we decided to give it a whirl. We found the perfect frame at a second-hand shop, and our local hardware store was happy to cut us a piece of sheet metal to fit perfectly inside. The fun part was customizing the piece with fabric to coordinate with our living space!

While we could never fit all of our makeup onto one board, it still made our morning routine fast by putting our best-loved products right within reach. We recommend whipping one up for yourself on a rainy afternoon.

You will need

hanging frame with a snap-in back (no glass)
sheet of metal cut to the measurements of the frame (any hardware store can do this)
Mod Podge or a similar brush-on glue
decorative paper or thin fabric
heavy-duty magnetic dots

Steps

1: Brush Mod Podge over the surface of the sheet metal.

2: Carefully lay your decorative fabric or paper over the wet glue and smooth the material across the surface, making sure there are no bumps or air bubbles. Fold the excess fabric or paper around to the back of the metal sheet and allow to dry.

3:  Press the covered metal sheet into your frame and snap the frame’s back into place.

4: Stick magnets to the board and attach each of your favorite cosmetics. Arrange them on your new makeup board! (For makeup in plastic pots, you can get adhesive metal plates from our Z•Palette shop).

5: Hang it up in your bedroom or bathroom for a decorative main makeup attraction!

SHARING = MORE FRIENDS = AWESOME!

THE EASIEST MESSY BUN IN THE WORLD!

Celebrity hair stylist Creighton Bowman showed us a simple way to put your hair up into messy bun that's pretty and full. We love undone updos— don't you? 

You Will Need

• Hairspray
• Mousse or a volume-boosting product
• Shine spray or leave-in conditioner
• Dry shampoo
• bobby pins, clips, and a comb

Steps

1: Before you get to it, you'll want to give locks some texture to get the best results. Bowman recommends combining products that will give your hair a piece-y look. Here, he combined René Furterer VOLUMEA Volumizing Foam with René Furterer FIORAVANTI Detangling Spray to add shine. If your hair is really fine, don't use too much product. If it's thick or naturally curly, use a little more. Put your product on before you dry, either by air or with a diffuser.

2: Start by pulling your hair through a ponytail holder. On the last loop, instead of pulling the locks all the way through, leave the ends sticking out toward your face. You'll use this to create a loop of hair over the elastic.

3: Grab the ends that are sticking out of the elastic, separate them, and pull them toward the back, around the base of the ponytail holder. This will create a bun shape around the top loop of hair.

4: Pin the loop on top so that it sticks to the head and holds its shape. You may need to play with it a little to get the look you want. Use hairspray to hold it all in place. 

5: Tuck the ends in or let them stick out—whatever looks good to you. Once you get the basic move down, you just pin and shape until you like what you see. Super easy!

SHARING = MORE FRIENDS = AWESOME!

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES

We turned to Katrine Lieberkind a Danish-born, L.A.-based makeup artist to learn how to properly clean our makeup brushes! You might remember her as Billy B.’s on-set assistant from our June profile. A makeup artist with a busy schedule like Kat has to stay on her toes, cleaning brushes quickly and effectively between clients. When we heard how passionate she was about Parian Spirit’s brush cleaner, we knew we had to start carrying it in our boutique, because Lieberkind knows her stuff!  

Kat took some time out of her action-packed day to tell us why she loves the brush cleaner and to teach us her favorite brush cleaning techniques.

Why Parian Spirit?

I like Parian Spirit Brush cleaner because it cleans my brushes better—it even gets out latex/eyelash glue from the brush! It also contains natural citrus oils that condition the brushes. I get so many compliments on the way my brushes smell, and to me the citrus-y scent also signals that they are disinfected and ready to go.

Some brush cleaners are more watery, and that means it takes longer for the brushes to dry. When I have several looks to do, or when I am assisting, it is important for me that my brushes dry quickly.

How to Clean Your Brushes

Because this cleaner removes glue, I don’t recommend soaking brushes. The bristles are glued inside the brush, so soaking could dissolve the adhesive.

LARGE BRUSHES

Separate out the big fluffy powder brushes and blush brushes from the rest. I use the Parian Spirit 2 oz. spray bottle on these, spraying the bristles and brushing them against a paper towel until it is clean.

For a deeper clean, pour a little brush cleaner into the lid of the Parian Spirit jar and dip the tip of the powder brush into the liquid, gently twirling the brush in the cleaner. The capillary action of the bristles will pull the cleaner into the brush without having to immerse the whole brush into the liquid. Gently wipe dry with a paper towel.

SMALLER BRUSHES

I clean the smaller brushes with the Parian Spirit Jar, using the little net inside of it. Fill the jar a little above the net and dip the dirty brushes into the liquid, gently brushing against the net.

The cool thing about this is that because of the netting, pigment comes out easily. So, when I go to clean the next brush, the pigment has settled to the bottom of the jar. I wipe off the liquid on the inside of the jar (like with nail polish) and wipe them gently on paper towel.

I usually reshape small, fluffy brushes (like eyeshadow brushes) into their proper form while they are still moist, so when they dry, they are like new. After you are done, you can put the lid on the jar and use the same liquid later. It evaporates a little, so just add a small amount of extra brush cleaner liquid when using next time.

BEYOND SANITIZING

I use Parian Spirit Brush cleaner between each model, of course, but every so often I also shampoo my brushes and use a little bit of hair conditioner in the big soft powder brushes. Shampooing your brushes will not disinfect them, so I ALWAYS use Parian first.

Even if you only use your brushes on yourself, I still recommend that you disinfect your brushes. Creamy makeup left in brushes can grow germs that can cause your skin to break out. Also, powder brushes will pick up sebum from your skin. In addition, I find that brushes stay more "new" when you take good care of them, which makes for an easier application and a better result.

POST-CLEANING CLEANUP

When it is time to discard the brush cleaner in the jar, use paper towels to soak up the liquid and wipe out the pigment.

How do you like to clean your makeup brushes? If you have a favorite brush cleaning tip or brush cleaner you like to use most be sure to let us know in the comments. Happy brush cleaning!