Let us start with the elite, pink set from The Makeup Brush Company. These are high quality natural hair brushes (except the foundation, concealer and lip brushes which are synthetic) and also quite expensive. These are the only high-end brushes I have. Blush brush (5th) is soft only when freshly washed - so I do not use it often. It's very fluffy and allows even the most pigmented blush to be applied without looking like a clown. Eyeliner brush (4th) has a very nice precise tip but I prefer e.l.f's studio angled liner for lining - easier. This one would be good for detailed work.
 |
| The Makeup Brush Company: (top to bottom): Large Concealer, Foundation, Retractable Lip-brush, Eye-Liner, Powder/Blusher, Brow Comb/Lash Spoolie, Socket Shader, Pencil Softener/Blender, Chisel/Shadow |
Brushes I actually use every day are the last 3: I've never met a better shaped eyeshadow brush then the small tapered one, last on the pic. It grabs pigments so well and the size is just perfect! e.l.f.'s studio C-brush is almost three times it's width. Next to it lies "eye pencil softener/smudger" that I use for packing color on the lid. It's a tad narrower then e.l.f's studio C-brush. 3rd from the bottom is the "blender/socket shader" - it has long bristles and therefore I only use it if I want a very slight sweep of color on the brow-bone. Most of my blending is done with EDM's smudge brush.
Ecotools (ParisPresents/Looduskosmeetika)
Ecotools' set has fallen from grace, especially after the arrival of the e.l.f set. I still use the concealer brush for swatching pigments, the angled brush for eyebrows (when I actually remember to do my eyebrows) and the thick blush brush for blending out blush when applied too much. The only HG brush amongst these is the mineral series small blending brush, last one on the picture.
The reason I do not use Ecotools eyeshadow brush is that the bristles are a bit too stiff and they do not grab dry pigment too well. I rarely use my pigments foiled. Recently I've heard and read a lot of good about the bronzer brush (looks like a kabuki on a stick) and the big powder brush. Kabuki from Ecotool's mineral series is much too small and flimsy.
This is the Synthetic series, Coastal Scents carries them too. They look nice, although I'd prefer black ferrules - metallic ones get scratched too easily. These brushes have excellent bristle-material - soft and grabs loose pigments well.
 |
| Synthetic oval smudger brush, synthetic angled blush brush, synthetic oval shadow brush (2 of them, first one is a bit mangled up), synthetic crease brush,synthetic oval taklon lip brush |
The first one on the pic was a disppointment - it's ferrule scratches the lid. Size-wise it would have been perfect. I do not use this at all, it's utter crap.
Blush brush is good: soft, does not shed and is light and fluffy - unfortunately I have the e.l.f. stippler now so this one just sits there. I use it occasionally for contouring.
Blush brush is good: soft, does not shed and is light and fluffy - unfortunately I have the e.l.f. stippler now so this one just sits there. I use it occasionally for contouring.
Next two are rather good eyeshadow brushes of the same design - bristles are softer and thinner then Ecotools eyeshadow brushes' bristles and grab powdered pigment better. It's rather amazing, but the defective brush is actually better for patting the eyeshadows on.
Crease brush reminds me of EDM's smudger but the latter one is more stiff, allowing more precise application. I use it to blend when I have put too much color in the crease - it tends to remove some of it while blending.
Everyday Minerals brushes are coming up next. Got plenty of brushes from there and I must say - quality of bristles is a lot better then Ecotool's brushes and the design superior to the Synthetic series.
