My Favorite Brushes

You can use any brand of makeup you want (from the cheapest dollar store makeup to the most expensive makeup in the world) it really doesn’t matter. But without the right tools to apply the products, the finish look won’t look half as great as someone who uses the same makeup but with amazing brushes. Today, I am going to share my favorite brushes. I have soo many, so to prevent this from going on forever, I narrowed them down to my top 3 or 4, for each part of the face. I also noted the reason I love each brush.  

Face: 

Ecotools Bamboo Bronzer Brush 

This brush is by far one of the most effective and efficient brushes I have used to apply my powder. It is great for pressed or loose powders and bronzers. I use it to apply my MAC Minerialize Skin Finish Natural, and I love how it buffs the product into my skin and give me a great glow.

Sigma Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki -F80

I use this to apply my liquid or cream foundations. Mehnnnn…this stuff is great. The website says“…was designed to deliver a flawless makeup application…The short and dense bristles make it easy to buff your liquid foundation. The long handle adds comfort to your makeup application. The synthetic fibers are ideal to be used with liquid products and can be easily cleaned“. I totally agree with their claims because it does all that and more. It does not shed and the finish of my foundation is flawless after each application. The closest to an airbrush finish that I have found.

MAC 109 Small Contour Brush

I love using this brush when I contour my cheeks. The rounded dome tip blends powders and blush with ease. Apart from using it to apply blush, I also use the 109 to apply highlight colors to my face. I have to admit this brush does sheds sometimes, but the bluffing “power” of the brush overshadows the shedding “issues” in my opinion.

 

Left to Right: Ecotools Bronzer Brush, Sigma Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki, MAC 109

Eyes:

Sephora Platinum Lash & Eyebrow Comb #21

When we talk about lash grooming brushes, this has got to be one of the best, if not the best out on the market. The website claims “The metal lash comb separates each hair to remove mascara clumps and create uniformity. The lash comb has tapered metal teeth, which divides and defines individual lashes easier than plastic combs.” That to me is what I love most about the brush. It is also great after I apply fasle lashes. I comb through my lashes  to blend my natural lashes to the falsies. The other side of the comb is for the eyebrow. It has very firm bristles which is great for putting very single hair in place.

MAC 266 Small Angel Brush

I love how precise this brush is. I use it to apply gel eyeliners, but I also use it to apply concealer under eyebrows to give a finished look after applying eyebrow pencil. The fibers are thin enough to use when doing detailed work around the eyes, but sturdy enough to make perfect lines.  

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush

By far my favorite eyebrow brush…It is great for packing on color but it is also flat enough to apply color on the lower lash line (when used at a angle). The close runner up is the Sonia Kashuk, Small Eyeshadow Brush. 

MAC 217 Blending Brush

So, I use this brush for many things. I use it to apply creamy products like paintpots, paints and eye primers, but I also use it to blend and shading around my eye crease. It is smaller than the MAC 224 brush, so it really gets into the corners of the eye.

 

Left to Right: Sephora Lash & Eyebrow Comb, MAC 266 , MAC 239, MAC 217, MAC 224

Miscellaneous:

 MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush

This brush is meant for blending eyeshadow in the eye crease, and I do use it for those purposes, but mainly use it under my eyes to blend my concealer and for setting power. I found that it give a great airbrushed finish and it helps to prevents creasing, especially under my eye.

MAC 184 Duo Fibre Fan Brush

I use this to apply highlighter under my eyes (just on top of my cheeks). I also use it to remove any eyeshadow “fall out” or excess powder from any areas of my face.

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Also, check out my previous post about the ecotool brush set. This is a great option for someone who is just beginning with makeup and needs some affordable brushes. 

If you have specific questions that I didn’t cover, please leave me a comment or send me an email and we can talk about it 🙂

Thots,
Tiwa

ECOTOOLS Brushes and Cosmetics Bags Review:

I been receiving questions about where to find good quality, affordable brushes that can be used to achieve a finished look when applying makeup. Below is a review about a brush set and some fabulous cosmetics bags I received back in January from Ecotools:  

Finding affordable brushes that are environmentally friendly and great in quality is not something that happens everyday. Well…not until I got my hands on the EcoTools by Alica Silverstone brush set. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was quite impressed with their brushes and the cosmetics bags.  

I have used them for over a month to apply my makeup and I think they are amazing. When I washed them they didn’t have a weird smell, like some of the store-bought brushes I have tried in the past. The bristles are very soft and did not shed. After washing and drying them, they felt just like the first time I touched them…soft. The shape was not distorted after the bristle dried like some cheaper brushes.  

The EcoTools brush set comes stored in an earth-friendly cosmetic bag. I love the bag because apart from the elastic compartments to store the brush handles, it also has a clear plastic pocket on the side where I store my concealer, lip gloss and any other touch up products I might need during the day. The four brushes that came in the set are listed below in the order they appear in the picture (L to R):  

The EcoTools 5 piece Brush Set

1. The Blush Brush: As the name suggests, it is supposed to be used for blush. It works very well with blush application, but I have been using it as a powder brush. Because of the rounded tip of the brush, it really helps to blend my mineralized powder. I also use it to contour my face. It gives me an amazing glow… I just love it!!
2. The Finishing Brush: It is also called a stippling brush which is used to blend makeup into the skin for a flawless finish. This brush is supposed to be used to apply mineral face makeup and loose powers, but I use it for more than that. I use it to apply my blush and bronzers. You can also use it to stipple wet makeup like liquid foundation. The light touch gives an airbrushed finish.
3. The Angled Eye Shadow Brush: This brush is great for applying eyeshadow to the outer corners of the eyes, giving a smokey eye effect. But I love it even more for applying highlight colors under the eyebrows (the brow bone).
4. The Lash & Brow Groomer: This brush is great for controlling stray brows. You can also use it to separate and lengthen your lashes after applying mascara.

Below are some pictures I took of my brush set:  

The Brush set...please note, the makeup is not included, lol

Closer view of the brushes

The Brush set with zipper closed

The Cosmetics bags: I also got the other bags from the EcoTools by Alica Silverstone collection. The bags I got were the Overnight bag, Train case and Cosmetic bag. All the bags are made of natural hemp material, which I thought was unique. According to Ecotools, they are lined with recycled plastic and all the designs on the bags are printed with non-toxic inks.  The overnight bag, is my new go-to bag for traveling… it holds everything I need, from the moment I brush my teeth to the moment I get out of the shower. The Train Case is my new favorite makeup bag. I love the size because it is large enough to store my makeup, but small enough to leave in my car, in case I need to change my makeup look after work. It has a nice size removable clear case inside that I put items I need easy access to. I also like the fact that my Brush set (mentioned above) fits into the train case with ease.   

My new favorite train case...it stores all the makeup I use on a daily basis

Pros:   

Environmentally and Earth friendly brushes and bags   

Because of the color of the bags, they handle stains and dirt very well. I got a pink stain on my brush set and I can hardly see it. It kinda blended in.   

AFFORDABLE…YESSSSSS!!!  

The brushes are Super, Super soft… and feels soo good on the face  

Easy to clean and no odd odor to report like some other drugstore brushes  

No shedding of the hair bristles   

Added bonus: The brush case can double as a cosmetic bag which fits perfectly into any purse.  

Cons:  

I can’t think of any…well, expect that the brush set is meant for mineralized makeup, so it does not pack on a lot of makeup, but that’s what using mineralized makeup is about….you want to look natural.. so it works as a positive in my opinion. If you are looking to apply heavy or dramatic makeup, this might not be the brush set for you.  

Verdict:   

You should get this brush set if you are a beginner and are looking for tools to apply your makeup. I think it would be a great addition to your personal makeup bag.  You can pick up the brush set here. EcoTools, also has another brush set that might be of interest to some because it includes three other brushes that are not in the brush set I reviewed above. That brush set can be picked up here.  

Price: 5 out of 5 (All the items in EcoTools by Alica Silverstone collection are reasonably priced)  

Creativity: 5 out of 5 (Ferrule is made from reuse aluminum; The handles are made from Bamboo)  

Packaging: 5 out of 5 (Comes in a nice bag with instructions; packaging is made from post-consumer recycled content)  

Quality: 5 out of 5   

Functionality: 5 out of 5 (It gets the job done!!!)   

Thots,   

Tiwa

FTC Disclaimer: This review contains my honest thoughts and opinions. The products were sent to me by EcoTools. I am not affiliated with EcoTools. I was not paid to use or review these products.