I don't think I've done a review about a particular set of
brushes yet on my blog so to start out with this limited edition, Sonia Kashuk, 15th Anniversary, fifteen-piece
brush set is more than perfect. There's
lots to discuss about this collection as it's an affordable product and to save
you some reading, I'd recommend it to both newbies and makeup aficionados
alike.
I went on the hunt recently to find the 15th Anniversary edition collection of Sonia Kashuk's brushes. I came across it enough times on Instagram which has been the determining factor of whether I want a product or not. Sad but true. I do wish I had a better system but It's just as important to rely on other people's opinions versus my own, otherwise I wouldn't be writing a blog about makeup and makeup tools. Insert self promotional message here.
I had purchased several brushes from her product line before
and I hadn't been disappointed yet, so when I saw the collection of fifteen
purple brushes (my favorite color; how apropos), I knew what my next mission in
life was going to be. Acquire brush set,
test said set, then review for my inquisitive readers, following procedure, in
that exact order.
Those seemed like three easy steps that I should be able to
do because the sentence is so short. No
such luck, for me at least. I tried
three stores locally and I guess there are lots of really big Sonia Kashuk fans
living within a 30 mile radius of me because Target was all sold out at each
store I tried. Target is the only store
that sells Sonia Kashuk products other than online (Target.com) and that seemed
par for the course when it comes to my makeup purchasing luck.
I'm kind of against paying more than ten dollars for makeup
products at a drugstore however if the same product was sold at Sephora, I'd
buy 12 in case that was some sort of pricing mistake that I'd have to take
advantage of. So $10 at drugstore, of
course not. Ten dollars at a
makeup/department store, give me 50. Is
this rational...no? Is it what I'm gong
to write about...yes. So stop reading
here if you're not interested in severely biased opinions.
Truly and honestly, my opinions are based on several
factors; the packaging, the quality, and the price. Some of those factors hold more weight than
others. And I'm a true believer in finding
products sold at a lower price, that do the same job or better, than high-end,
designer-label products. That's not to
say that I don't appreciate and enjoy those high-end products too, I just think
everyone should have access to the tools and makeup products that can create a
beautiful look, that can give you the confidence, for which I rely on through drugstore purchases.
Let's get to the meat and potatoes of this blog; fifteen
brushes for $39.95 before tax. If my
calculator is accurate, that's $2.66 for each brush. For that price, I had no choice, my hands
were tied. I had to make the purchase
and review, as my mission in life suggests.
But as I mentioned earlier, it wasn't that easy. The makeup Gods placed these brushes about
100 miles from my home, so that I could get out and enjoy some scenery, while
on the hunt for these gems. I appreciate
that, I really do. However I would
appreciate it more when gasoline goes down a little so that could have the
money to have the a/c turned on, as well as drive to Target on the other side
of Florida.
I got my set at a Target in Naples , FL
So what did I think of the brushes once they were in my possession? Let's refer back to the variables that I judge my drugstore purchases on.
Packaging: For me
this was a big fat yes. I love purple
and I love that the bristles themselves are purple however I did question
whether the dye would affect the quality of the bristles.
Quality: Not as
impressive as the singular brushes that I have purchased from her line. I have purchased a four-piece set from her in
the past which I liked just fine as these compared to that set. They were soft but not quite as soft as the
individual brushes. I do feel like the
quality was compromised in order to offer 15 brushes for the lower price. Also the collection is a mixed collection of
synthetic brushes as well as natural fibers. For my taste, I like synthetic
brushes over natural brushes. The package doesn't state which are which, but
from my experience, I can tell.
Synthetic brushes absorb less product as they aren't porous while
natural brushes are. I don't like my makeup sucked up into the bristles which I will have to later figure out how to remove. But I digress. Keep in mind that
the natural brushes can be made from goat hair, raccoon hair, and other
rodent-like animals. I try to block out the
image of me brushing the hair off of a rodent, closely related to a rat (in the
name of beauty) while applying blush or eye shadow.
Price: I can't complain for $2.66 per brush but I'll definitely give my honest opinion. It's a steal, in short. Truthfully, I will probably use half of these which still puts them at about $5 per brush. I REALLY like the short bristled brush that compares to the NARS Ito brush. That's a gem that'll do great contouring if you even know what contouring is. That's this one below:
And there are several blending brushes that would be
dynamite if you're into eye shadow looks and truthfully, every makeup novice
should have, in order to step your game up to the next level. All of the brushes are useful but I'll
discuss the handful that I love.
As I mentioned above, the wide, short bristled brush is a
favorite as it also came in the last 4-piece collection that I purchased. It's great for contouring and since the
bristles are short and dense, it picks up more product, so beware, a little
bronzer will go a long way if you're using this brush.
Next up is the short pencil brush perfect for blending under
the eye. It's a great size to smoke out
underneath your eye and still keep you from looking like a raccoon. They're nice soft bristles which are a requisite when
applying makeup to the area that has the thinnest skin on your face. You definitely want to use extra soft
bristles in this sensitive area. And
here she is:
Up next is a brush I would use as a foundation blending
brush. It's got nice edges that can get
into smaller areas like your temples or around the eyes. And the bristles on this one are also short
and dense which makes for seamless blending.
When trying to achieve the airbrushed finish with foundation, you're
going to want to use a brush with dense bristles which prevents visible brush
strokes on your face. This brush didn't
absorb too much product in my opinion so I'd guess this one is synthetic. Two thumbs up on this one.
The next two are both eye shadow brushes. The one shown below is perfect for
blending. Its bristles are a nice
length and texture perfect for the crease area, right where your eye lid tucks
in when it's open. Of all the brushes in
the collection, this one is a necessity for flawless eye shadow looks. So if you can't pick up this collection and
you can't figure out why your eye shadow isn't coming out like a pro's does,
get your hands on this type of brush.
You'll thank me later. Keep in
mind that the key is to blend...a lot.
So if you use this brush, and don't use it appropriately, you won't be
happy with the results. Both tools and
technique are critical to extraordinary makeup looks.
And lastly, the other eye shadow brush can be used to pack
on eye shadow on the lid. It's wider shape allows you to cover a
greater area with less reapplication. So
you shouldn't have to dip into the product as much. I wouldn't say these are the softest bristles
but I'd venture to say that you won't really notice as much since you shouldn't be
stroking this brush on your eye too much, it's more of a patting motion. A short tip for getting more vibrant color is
wetting the brush with a little water or MAC's Fix Plus spray (if you have it)
which will also assist in the longevity of your eye shadow. I do this with
shimmery shadows or even bright colors when I'm going for a more dramatic look. For either of these looks you'll need a good
base too. Look for that in one of my
future blogs where I'll discuss eye shadow bases.
I hope this blog post was descriptive enough to aid in your
purchase if you were on the fence about this one. It's certainly a nice collection to have as a
makeup enthusiast if you're like me. Makeup
artistry is much like any other type of art in that you'll need good tools
even if you are well skilled. Overall
I'd give this set a 7.5 out of 10 which may seem like an average rating except
that it's hard to offer the perfect brush set at this price point. However I will continue to be on the hunt for
it, in my quest for affordable, high quality products that I can review and
share with the public. In the
meantime...
Stay beautiful,
Makeup Maverick
