Because I don’t want to cause you physical pain, I figured I’d review these brushes all at once.
In sort, it’s because they. Are. Fabulous.
Overview: I love the look of these brushes – sleek and sophisticated. They’re subtle and well-made, bit what irks me is that fact that they’re not individually labelled! Imagine trying to rebuy your MAC 219 without that number. What a nightmare! But we won’t (sadly enough) have to worry about that.
I also loved the fact that the ferrule is super-long. Not only does that add to the luxe factor, it means that they’re less of a chance you’ll destroy your brushes while washing them! (Water in the ferrule = weakened glue.) All of these brushes are great quality (none of them have shed yet) and feel sturdy. The weighting is great, and they all deliver!
Foundation brush
Two-second rundown: Synthetic, fairly wide, and with a thicker base than the others.
Details: The bristles are stiff, but not to the point that they’re abrasive. I’ve never been much of a foundation brush fan (you know that. I hate foundation!) but I can say in all honesty that this is a pretty darn good one! The application hasn’t streaked at all for me thus far, no matter what I’ve used it with.
Grade: A-
It’s lovely, but not a must-have.
Brow brush
Two-second rundown: Natural bristles, very short and stiff. This is a thick brow brush. (Some are like liner brushes, but some have more bristles – think 1mm dense vs 3mm dense.
Details: Wow – talk about stiff! I’m not joking, folks, this is the most hardcore brow filing brush I’ve ever seen. That means that it holds up brilliantly, though, and the colour is always very even! And it’s not stiff to the point that it’ll hurt you.
Well, that’s a lie. I was uncomfortable. But I mean, 99.9% of brushes hurt me.
Grade: B+
Great results, but it’s a little… utilitarian, to say the least.
Crease/pencil brush
Two-second rundown: Natural, domed bristles. It’s quite small – this is thinner than my pencil, and the bristles come straight out of the brush, continuing the line. Think MAC 219, a pencil brush.
Details: OH MY FREAKING GOD. Does that clear it up for you? This brush is LOVE. It’s super-soft, and blends amazingly. It’s perfect for working in the crease or in the V, and can do everything from sheer and blended to super-dense and blended colour. Due to the small size, it’s great for those of us with very little lid space!
Grade: A+++
Can I put more plus signs on? Because if I’m allowed, I totally will.
Concealer brush
Two-second rundown: Synthetic and flat; the size of a normal concealer brush! Perhaps a little wider.
Details: This does a pretty good job of applying cream shadows and concealers, as well as blending them out a bit. You won’t get a super-neat, super-precise application with this, but it will be smooth and even. Because it’s a large concealer brush and not a precision one, you’ll only be able to use this for large patches of discolouration, applying colour or primer to your lids, and on your undereye circles. But it does all of the above quite well!
Grade: B+
Again, it’s a nice brush, but it’s nothing special.
The verdicts: I know they’re not being sold anymore, but if you have a chance to buy some for a great price… do. It’s as simple as that! They’re wonderful basics if they’re well-priced*, and the pencil brush is defnitely worth it, no matter what!
*read: cheaper than MAC, or in the same price range. The exception? The pencil brush — I’d honestly pay above retail for that thing, I love it so much.
