Gleam: By Melanie Mills- Face and Body Brush

For over a year now I have been a bit obsessed with the makeup from Gleam. I’ve been using the Body Radiance to highlight my face and the lip radiance gloss for brilliant, trendy color! If you haven’t tried this brand yet then you can often find it at IMATS ( The International Makeup Artist Trade Show) and of course if you miss the show you can get everything online.

Gleam was created by renowned Makeup Artist Melanie Mills who won an Emmy for her work on Dancing with the Stars! After using her products it's quite clear that Melanie infuses her passion and experience of the beauty industry into her brand to create cosmetics and tools of exceptional quality.

The Face and Body Brush by Gleam has been referred to as “the Rolls-Royce of makeup brushes” and it definitely lives up to that title. You can own some of the most expensive and best makeup on the market but if you don’t have the right tools you may not achieve the results you want. Investing in a few great brushes will help enhance your application and stand the test of time.

The first thing I noticed was how big, fluffy and soft the brush is! It is about the size of my palm with ultra-thick, dense bristles that feel luxurious against the skin. The hair fibers are taunt yet flexible for great application and the quality of the long, plush bristles is superb!

Made with high quality, natural hairs and extra thickness the brush is designed to hold a lot of powder which lets you achieve great coverage in a single swipe! When I dip the brush into my products the particles latch onto the bristles effortlessly and after a quick tap to shake off the excess it distributes my powders expertly and efficiently onto my skin. I love the flawless finish it creates without disturbing the underlying makeup.

The tapered shape of the brush allows you to sweep or dab product around the nose and into the contours of the face and although the brush is large it isn't too big and feels quite lightweight. I also like the extra width because it distributes the right amount of makeup exactly where I need it for amazing full-coverage.

When I first took the brush out of the packaging a few hairs began to shed but after I started using it the shedding was reduced. The quality and craftsmanship of this brush is amazing, it is very sturdy and the amount of bristles packed into the handle is impressive!

For applying makeup to the body this is definitely the brush to have! You can use it to highlight, contour and shape the neck, arms, legs and pretty much anywhere else.

Although this is a great addition to a professional kit you don’t have to be a Makeup Artist to use it; anyone who is looking for a quality brush and wants to enhance the finish of their makeup will benefit from having it.

I've been using the face and body brush almost everyday since I got it and I love the results, it is the perfect tool for applying the finishing touches!

I like using it with powder foundations both loose and pressed, and it works wonders with my HD setting powder for an airbrushed glamorous finish.

The brush retails for $120 and it sure is a worthy investment! You can find it by clicking HERE.

**Disclaimer: product provided for review

Gleam by Melanie Mills the Secret to Glowing Skin

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner! It’s time to peel off some layers of clothing and tuck the snow boots away. It is also the time of year when we all crave healthy, glowing skin. Today I have a review on some great products from Gleam. Gleam is a brand I was first introduced to at IMATS Toronto last year and then at The Makeup Show L.A I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Melanie Mills, the brand's founder. I like these products so much that I just had to collaborate with Melanie and her team to bring you a review.

Dancing with the Stars, and the Creation of Gleam

Melanie Mills is an Emmy Award Winning Makeup Artist for her work on Dancing with the Stars. If you have ever wondered how the celebrities and professional dancers on the show achieve that beautifully bronzed skin that is always highlighted and luminous in all the right places then look no further than Gleam!

Gleam Body Radiance is a body lotion that enhances the skin, prefects skin tone, fills wrinkles and gives skin a healthy glow. "It has been an industry secret for go-to face and body makeup" and is made with natural ingredients. The line also includes the Lip Radiance collection; “seven couture lip glosses that visibly improve lip texture” and the Gleam Radiance Dust.

More on Melanie

Melanie has worked on That 70’s Show, Reno 911, Six Feet Under, The Office and more. She has also worked with celebrities including: “Ariana Grande, Jennifer Grey, Kim Kardashian, Susan Lucci, Pamela Anderson, Nicole Sherzinger, Kelly Osbourne, Lil Kim, Margaret Cho, Toni Braxton, Mario Lopez, Joey Lawrence, and Wendy Williams" to name just a few.

Gleam Body Radiance

Last year at IMATS I missed the opportunity to purchase Gleam at a discount, my mom however purchased the largest bottle she could find. Since then I knew I just had to get my hands on some. At the Makeup Show L.A I had the chance to test many of the products with the help of Melanie and Joanna and I left the show with gleaming skin!

Shades

There are four Body Radiance shades to choose from: Light Gold, Rose Gold, Bronze Gold, and Deep Gold.

Gleam Body Radiance is makeup, moisturizer and glow all in one. The unique thing about this line is that there is a shade for every skin tone and ethnicity yet all the colors can be used by everyone! Whether you want to tan, highlight or enhance the lotion makes skin look dewy, healthy and radiant. The deeper shades can darken to create a gorgeous sun kissed glow and the lighter shades illuminate and perfect. It also helps diminish flaws like “small stretch marks, varicose veins and discoloration.” The lotions are scented with natural vanilla essence and smell pleasant. 

How to use Gleam

Gleam can be applied to legs, arms, shoulders, decolletage, the back or anywhere else you want to accentuate and add a beautiful, healthy sheen for every occasion. The shades can also be mixed together to create your own unique, customized look! I absolutely love these product because they appear quite natural and create an alluring effect. The formula is easy to work with, blends effortlessly and covers well.

These cosmetics are cruelty free, and contain no parabens, phthalates, petroleum and sulfates. Once applied and dry the lotion does not transfer, stain or streak.

The tubes come in 3 sizes:

1oz-$15

2oz-$30 

3oz-$40

Deep Gold looks fantastic on the legs, arms and shoulders. Those with fair skin tones can use it for a bronzed, tanned appearance and for deeper skin tones it looks great as a highlight for the face and body

I like to use this color on both the face and body as well. 

 I use Rose Gold as a brow bone highlight, cheek highlight and to highlight down the center of the nose. This shade appears most natural on my skin tone and illuminates without much bronzing.

Lip Radiance gloss in the color: Uncontrollable

I have reviewed many lip products but when I swatched the Lip Radiance collection I was impressed. Usually in a line there may be a few colors that don’t appeal to me as much but in this line all the shades are gorgeous!

The color I have coincides with Pantone’s color of the year and is called Uncontrollable. This is a stunning pink/purple orchid that has great pigmentation and is shiny, smooth, non-sticky and anti-feathering. They also contain vitamin E, jojoba and aloe to provide moisture. As far as lip gloss go these have become some of my favorites!

The glosses retail for $24 each and you can find them HERE 

Where to buy

If you would like your skin to gleam this summer you can get these products on the website by clicking HERE

You can also stop by the Gleam booth at IMATS or follow them on the social media accounts below to find out where they will be next!

TWITTER 

YOUTUBE 

FACEBOOK 

**Disclaimer: Deep Gold, Bronzed Gold and the Uncontrollable lip gloss were provided for a sponsored review courtesy of Gleam. Rose gold was purchased by me. All opinions stated in this review are my own and based on my experience with the products. Results may vary based on individual use.**