Shopping for makeup brushes can be quite a daunting tasks with so many different brands, shapes, and styles to choose from, and with prices ranging from practically nothing to barely affordable.  In time, your brush collection will start to tell a story about your journey through the cosmetics world, but if you are buying brushes for the first time, you can get away with five good brushes.  With brushes, you get what you pay for, so don't be afraid to fork up that extra dough for quality, otherwise you will end up with stray bristles on your face or worse!

My basic rule of thumb when it comes to brushes is this: natural fiber for powder, and synthetic for cream or liquid.  Brushes should be cleaned with SD Alcohol for quick changes  - don't fall into the gimmick of expensive brush shampoos, they are a marketing ploy.  For a deeper cleaning (I recommend once a week, unless you are using them on people besides yourself, and then clean before each use) to keep your brushes sanitary use any conditioning hair shampoo.  Alcohol from the quick change dries out fibers and can lead to breakage so using a conditioning shampoo is crucial to extending the life of your brushes! Synthetic fiber brushes are best cleaned with DAWN dish soap - it works the best to remove the oils contained in cream and liquid makeups.  For best results, allow brushes to dry thoroughly overnight before using.

THE 5 ESSENTIALS

MEDIUM ROUND POWDER BRUSH
These can be used to apply powder foundations, blush, bronzer, and powder highlighter.  Dip the brush into the powder and tap off excess before applying to your face in a circular motion.  For cheek contours, use your fingers to squeeze the brush into an oblong shape.

Now that you have removed the clutter of old and unused products, and sanitized everything to like-new condition, your logical next step will be to organize everything.  My recommendation: purchase a train case from a cosmetic supply company to store everything, or get clear plastic trays where everything can be easily found.

Start by dividing your products by type and color.  I like to separate EYES, LIPS, FACE, and NAILS into separate trays, so everything can be found with ease.  Within these trays, organize by color and subcategory: Keep all eyeshadows together, eyeliners, and mascara together, blushes, concealers, and bronzers should also be kept together.  If you have as much make-up as I do, you can further subdivide into powder vs cream makeup within your subcategories.

You may find it helpful to color-code your makeup, as most brands don't utilize transparent packaging.  I recommend getting small white round labels and adhering them to the visible portion of the container and them applying a sample of the makeup onto the label.  Spray with hair spray to avoid smudging and further mess.

Get a washable fabric brush organizer that you can roll up and store with your makeup.  This will keep their shape and maintain cleanliness of brushes.

A few MUST HAVES for organizing your makeup:

SEPHORA Metro Train Case in Gunmetal Croc
Both stylish and utilitarian, this way all of your cosmetics will be easily accessible and organized!

$110 Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

TASMERAH Makeup Organizers
Keeps everything organized in great see-though bags.

$39-$43 Alcone Company www.alconeco.com

JAPONESQUE Custom Lip Palette Kit
Allows you to rescue those bits of lipstick taking up space in your kit, and add them perfectly into a compact palette.

$18 - Japonesque www.japonesque.com

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So I know that all of your bathrooms don't look like a page out of Martha Stewart Living, so here are a few essentials that will make your beauty routine (and your bathroom) much more orderly.

If you have enough makeup to fill an aisle at your local drugstore, you should invest in a good quality train case, which will keep all of your product organized and at your fingertips. You will find trendy ones from brands like Caboodle, but I find that investing in a good one the first time saves money in the long run - you will have this SEPHORA Midnight Train Case for the rest of your life, with enough storage for your ever expanding makeup collection!

$92 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

Ok, now that you have your fabulous case, and all of your makeup is organized, you can start to get the proper tools together.

1. Everyone knows the value of Q-Tips in their beauty routine, but what most people don't know is that there are specialty cotton swabs specifically designed for makeup application and touch -up.  EYE TEES can be purchased at any drugstore and have one pointed and one rounded tip for precision of use.  I find that not only are they great for makeup touch-ups (using with makeup remover), but they are also good for cleaning up excess nail polish!

$3 - Drugstores Nationwide

Cotton Balls are a standard in almost everyone's bathroom, but I personally think that COTTON ROUNDS are a far superior beauty tool.  Cotton Rounds can be used to remove makeup, apply toner and lotion, remove nail polish, and much, much more.

$3.50 Drugstores Nationwide

Cosmetic Wedges - an antiquated tool which no longer needs any relevance in your standard beauty kit (this does not apply to makeup artists, and I will explain why in a minute).  The newest trend and eco-friendly solution is reusable cosmetic sponges.  BEAUTY BLENDER makes a fabulous reusable sponge which comes with cleaning fluid which allows you to use these over and over for foundation and other liquid makeup application.  NOTE: While these are perfect for personal use, re-use of sponges by makeup artists is not sanitary and they should continue to use the disposable ones.

$40 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

BRUSHES, brushes, brushes.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to have good quality makeup brushes (the ones that come with your shadow ARE NOT brushes!).  A good quality brush can take your everyday makeup application from blase to brilliant, trust me!  Now, I understand that not everyone can afford to spend $400 on brushes so here are a few options for you.

The MOST IMPORTANT good brush to have is a POWDER BRUSH.  This will make the difference between a flawless finish and a flawed flop.  I love the brushes from JAPONESQUE, as they are soft, pick up a lot of color, and provide a smooth finish.  TIP: Tap off excess powder before applying to the face, and apply in a circular motion.

$37 - Japonesque www.japonesque.com

As far as the rest of your brushes, the Touch Up Tube, also from JAPONESQUE, is a great affordable option for your general blush, eye, and lip needs.

$19 - Japonesque www.japonesque.com

My last essential......the SHU UEMURA Eyelash Curler is a cult classic and a favorite among makeup artists worldwide.  Lasts almost forever and gives that perfect curl every time with no pinching or pulling!

$19 - Shu Uemura www.shuuemura-usa.com

This is your ESSENTIAL list only! If you have other tricks or tools that you can't live without, please send them to me! matthew@stetsondesigngroup.com

So you are in your 20's and the world is your oyster...beware. This is the time in your life when irreprable damage is made to your skin. Right now its important to flaunt and protect your greatest asset...your face! There are some important beauty musts for those in their 20s to ensure a youthful glow well into your 40s!

1. DON'T SMOKE! Smoking is the second highest risky behaviour for your skin, and causes an excess of free radicals, which cause premature aging.

2. WEAR SUNGLASSES! Sunglasses will protect your eyes from dangerous UV rays. Wearing some large, stylish frames will not only prevent UV radiation, but will also reduce squinting, another cause of aging to the eye area.

3. WEAR SUNSCREEN! Every Minute. Every Day. Use at least SPF 15 on your face daily, and if you wear makeup, make sure there is some sun protection built in. One of my favorites is the JOUER Luminizing Moisture Tint, which offers a lightweight coverage, moisturizer, and sun protection all in one!

$38 - Jouer www.jouercosmetics.com

4. DRINK WATER! Water flushes toxins from the body and keeps the skin moisturized, and therefore fresh and youthful. If you don't like water, the antioxidant power in green tea is an excellent alternative.

5. WASH OFF MAKEUP! Every night, even if you are a little tipsy from the party....use a good quality makeup remover to clean your face. Makeup left of the skin can seep into pores and cause irritation and blemishes. JAPONESQUE makes a great wipe that is perfect for when you might not want to spend the time. They are alcohol free and contain vitamin e to sooth irritated skin!

$12 - Ulta www.ulta.com

6. WEAR LESS MAKEUP! You are young and your skin looks the best it ever will, so don't cover it up! If you have uneven skin, use a tinted moisturizer, but avoid heavy foundations that cover up skin, and avoid powder, as it can make you look older. Try some of these favorites to keep your look fresh and young, like you!

BLUSH: Try NARS cream blush in Enchanted. This vitamin e rich cream will give you a fresh, dewy look with its subtle shimmer.

$28 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

GLOSS: Keep lip color neautral, as bold and/or dark lip colors can make you look older. YSL Golden Gloss in Golden Macadamia is a very good place to start, with gold flecks to enhance the natural color of the lip

$30 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

MASCARA: YSL Everlong Mascara in #2 Brown is a great mascara that won't leave your lashes clumpy or too dark. MY TIP: After several coats on the upper and lower lashes, run a dry mascara brush through the lashes to separate flawlessly and nobody will even know you are wearing it!

$30 - Sephora Stores www.sephora.com

That's really all you need in your beauty bag at this point. Wearing excessive makeup in your 20s can make you appear older...so if you don't want to be a walking punch line...less is more!