Review: Sigma Travel Kit + Giveaway

Hey all, I recently purchased a Sigma Travel Kit in Naughty in Black and wanted to do a quick review on it. I had first heard about these brushes from YouTube Gurus and honestly, I was a bit skeptical about whether or not they were worth all the hype. I decided to go ahead and purchase the travel kit since I didn't own any travel sized brushes and do travel every now and then. The kit came with 7 brushes (click the link for more detailed info) and also a complimentary SS187. To my surprise, I also received a full size Indian Girl eyeshadow (a shimmery brown) for free. The brushes come with a leather-like pouch for storage and comes shipped in a purple baggie as well as instructions on how to care for them. So far, I'm really happy with the quality of the brushes. I own a few MAC brushes and the quality between the two brands is very comparable. They are very soft and durable. I've washed them a couple times and I haven't experienced any excessive shedding- just a couple hairs here and there.

My two favorite brushes from the kit are the SS187 and SS150. The SS187 is a Duo Fibre brush, like the MAC 187 (Sigma brushes are number in relation to their MAC counterpart). I actually own the MAC version (which I love). When comparing the two, there are very similar and actually produce the same results for me when applying my liquid foundation. I also love the SS150, in terms of quality and density. It's a great full brush that is really soft and great for applying powder.

The best part about the kit is that it only cost $49 + $4 shipping. If you do the math, that is a under $7 per brush, plus you get a carrying pouch as well as a full size eyeshadow. It is also very handy and easy to pack if you're on the go. If you want an even better deal for everyday use, purchase the full size complete kit....I just might :)

Now, for the fun part...Sigma Makeup were gracious enough to offer a free giveaway to my readers. This is great for those of you who want to test out their products.

One winner will receive a SS217 Blending Brush as well as an Eyeshadow in Indian Girl. Here's how to enter:

1. Follow my blog (link located in the right sidebar)
2. Leave a comment with your name and email address (please make sure to use the same email as the one you used to follow this blog). And voila, you're entered!
   
3. For one additional entry, you can post this on your blog or twitter (Include the link to the post with your name and email in a separate comment)

I will accept entries until January 31st, 11:59PM/ EST. One winner will be chosen through Random.org. The prize will be sent directly from Sigma Makeup. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at littlemisssavvy@gmail.com. Thanks for entering and good luck!

Note: Products reviewed above were personally purchased by myself. However, the giveaway is sponsored by Sigma Makeup

Forever 21: Designer Knockoffs?

I've always had a love/ hate relationship with Forever 21. I do love to shop there since it is so inexpensive and they have a huge (albeit messy) selection. Being a typical money-challenged college student, I don't have a lot to splurge on all the designer goodies I want. Forever 21 has helped me look fashionable at an affordable price. However, it's hard to ignore the very apparent knockoffs that Forever 21 has produced in recent years. Earlier in 2009, F21 was sued by Trovato for ripping off their designs. It wasn't the first lawsuit brought against the company- Anna Sui, Diane Von Furstenberg, and others have all brought up cases against the savvy-chic retailer. For instance, there has recently been some controversy over a sweatshirt design that looks very similar to that of British graffiti artist Banksy [image courtesy of CocoPerez.com]...

F21 has had far more similar knockoffs in the past, but this leads me to wonder how often they 'borrow' from other designers. On one hand, I love Forever 21 because it has provided millions of girls and young women fun fashion that doesn't break the bank. But on the other hand, is it really fair to the designers that they are knocking-off? On a smaller scale, I would hate for my designs, ideas, and hard work to be copied for someone else's gain. The legal line for patents and copyright is very blurry in the fashion industry, which makes it that much harder for designers to protect their work. So what do you think, is it fair for Forever 21 to take ideas right off the runway?

Here are more examples....

Anna Sui VS. F21

F21 VS. Marc Jacobs

Diane Von Furstenberg VS. F21

Best Dressed at the Golden Globes Goes To...

....Sandra Bullock!

For some reason, I was totally surprised by this choice of dress and color for her. Hate to say it but she usually looks a little drab and boring on the red carpet. I think she looked amazing last night in this Bottega Veneta dress. Purple is my favorite color and I love it on her. I also love that the bottom half of her dress is a bit sheer so it adds just the right amount of sexiness to her look. She totally stands out from the crowd. Sandra's had such an awesome year, including The Proposal and The Blind Side. Yay for her taking home the Golden Globe. Love!

Honorable mentions go to Drew Barrymore (love the old Hollywood glamour) and Kate Hudson (Hard dress to wear, but she did it).

So did you guys watch the Golden Globes last night? Who were your best dressed?

Help Haiti

We have all probably heard by now about the terrible earthquake that has hit Haiti this past week. It is such a tragedy, especially thinking about the lives that were lost and the long and difficult road ahead for those who have survived. In the wake of this, the generous people over at one of my favorite blogs, The Budget Babe, has vowed to donate $1 for every comment received on their post, Fashion Helps Haiti (up to $100). Please click the link and make a quick comment (Right now, there are 54 comments, let's get it to 100!). I think it is such a great thing they are doing in this time of need and I definitely want to commend and applaud them on their efforts to make a difference. For the rest of us, we can text HAITI to 90999 and a donation of $10 will be given to the Red Cross (you will be charged on your phone bill). If you are interested in finding out other ways of helping, you can look into other organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, United Nations World Food Program, Salvation Army, Action Against Hunger, etc.. Please do what you can to support the emergency relief efforts in Haiti- every little bit helps.

How To: Clean Your Makeup Brushes

I found that a cheap, effective way to clean your makeup brushes is by using baby shampoo. Before this, I tried brush cleanser which was a bit too expensive for me to repurchase. I also tried regular ol' shampoo, which worked fine as well but took a bit of time and effort to completely wash off. I had a bottle of Baby Magic Hair and Body Wash lying around (awhile back, I had tried it for my damaged hair because I needed something more gentle...long story). I heard about people using baby shampoo for their brushes so I decided to give it a try. I really liked the results. It deep cleaned my brushes really well and didn't give my them any weird smell since it is scent free. The formula is super gentle so you don't have to worry about it damaging your brushes. It's also dirt cheap. I purchased a 15 oz. bottle for around $3. I clean my brushes with it about every 1-2 weeks (depending on how lazy I am) and lay them flat for about a day to dry. On other days, I will just spray water on my brushes and wipe away any leftover makeup residue on a paper towel. If you don't mind spending the money on brush cleanser, that is probably the way to go, especially if you use expensive brushes that require extra care. Otherwise, this is a great, cheap alternative. ELF has also come out with a brush cleanser and shampoo in their studio line, which I'm hoping to try out soon (if you have, let me know how it is!).

Hope this was helpful, have a great weekend everyone!