 |
MAC Brush Cleanser
by thehonesttruth
Most people, when they wear makeup, make a point of removing it every night - if left to build up, makeup can clog the pores and damage your skin. So it always amazes me when I talk to friends who don't make a habit on cleaning their brushes - after all, a build up of makeup on brushes can not only make them dirty, stiff, and less ... precise, but also result in the build up coming off on your face when you're applying new make up, ruining your look.Not to mention that there is obviously a risk of bacteria build up over time leading to eye infections, skin breakouts etc.
There are quite a few brush cleansers out there, one of my favourites is MAC, which is £9.50 for 233ml, which I first received as part of a gift along with a couple of nice brushes a couple of years ago, but which I've gone on to purchase for myself since. This product cleans, disinfects, and conditions your brushes.
It comes in a nice see through bottle which is handy, as it allows you to see at a glance how much of the product is left. The cleanser is an attractive purply pink colour, and the bottle has a smart black push down lid to dispense the cleanser. It's very smart looking really. The instructions for use are very simple - simply dampen the brush a little before applying the cleanser, then coat the bristles in this (be careful not to get any on the metal part of the brush as it may damage it) and leave to air dry naturally, with the bristles flat. The bottle isn't too specific about precisely how much to use, I tend to make sure my brushes are nice and coated to be on the safe side, by decanting a few mls of this into a glass and swishing the brush around. If a brush is particularly grotty or clogged, I do tend to give it a good run under the tap first to get rid of any obvious excess muck.
It's worth noting that the liquid has the consistency of water, so you do need to be careful not to spill it. It also has quite an unpleasant chemically smell, but luckily this is never detectable on the brushes once they have dried.
I do find my brushes seem to last a little better since I have started using this. The bristles seem in much better condition and I find tapping a dry brush onto white paper I have very no residue coming off. I also find my brushes seem to keep their shape a little better, and I have noticed a reduction in eye irritations which can only be a good thing.
Although at £9.50 this is not the cheapest product on the market, I do think you get what you pay for, with MAC being a very reputable brand. The bottle also lasts me a good long time - I get at least 6/7 months out of every bottle, though obviously this will depend on how many brushes you are cleaning (I have quite a pitiful collection) and of course on how often you clean them, so the expense doesn't seem as bad when spread out this way, especially when you consider that it is cheaper to look after your good brushes than to keep replacing them.
There aren't many products I'm loyal to, but MAC brush cleanser is one of them. 5 stars.
Read the complete review |
 |
MAC Duo Fibre Brush
by jade1517
I recently bought this brush as i have heard amazing reviews about it and i am so pleased i did, it is a bit expensive at £32.50, but it is one of my make up essentials.
The brush has a black handle with the brand name is white on the inside, the bristles are made from goat and synthetic fibers which are black with a white ... tip. The length of the bristles vary in length making them prefect for blending in even the creased areas of your face.
I squirt a small amount of foundation onto my hand and dip the brush into it, i then place 5 strokes on my face; one on my forehead, one on my nose, one on each check and one one my chin. I then proceed with circular motions all around my face, blending in the foundation you previously placed. I think this brush is brilliant for creating an even tone and you find yourself using less foundation ad the brush blends it out thinner than any other i have tried before. The brush did molt a little bit in the first few uses but it no longer does this.
I also find the brush works best when it is clean, and foundation does clog the brush up. This can easily be done easily with Macs brush cleaner.
Overall i would definitely recommend this brush as it is fantastic for creating an even tone with no streaks. I do agree that it has quite a high price tag, but it is worth spending the money out on as it hardly ever needs replacing.
Read the complete review |
 |
EcoTools Bamboo Powder Brush
by linzeelou
As part of my new make-up set, I had to get a whole new set of brushes too. With there not being many options at the local Boots branch that I visited, I ended up buying the Ecotools bamboo powder brush, which matched the foundation and blusher brushes I also bought. As I mentioned, I bought my brushes from Boots and they can also be ... purchased at Boots.com.
The Ecotools bamboo powder brush costs £9.99.
The special selling point of this brush is that it is by Ecotools, a brand which specialise in eco-friendly make-up accessories. Not only does the brush come in a reusable pouch, but the bristles are made from synthetic taklon, the handle made from bamboo and the metal part is made from recycled aluminium. Although these are not my reasons for buying the brush, I think this a great idea for those more concerned with these kinds of things than I am.
This powder brush feels nice to hold. The bamboo handle is lovely and smooth and just long enough to grip your hand around. Above the handle is the recycled aluminium which holds the handle and the bristles together. This is very smoothly fitted to the handle so it doesn't stick out at all nor can it scratch your hands while you are holding the brush.
As a user of face pearls for many years, I haven't really used much pressed powder so therefore, not used a matching brush either. The brush I use for my face pearls is very compact and round, making the bristles quite stiff. However, the powder brush is very different. Instead of having compact bristles, this brush has very soft and loosely fitted bristles. The brush head is also quite wide, meaning you can cover a lot of your face at once without applying too much powder anywhere. As the bristles are super soft, using the brush feels really nice on my face.
As the bristles are quite nicely spread out, this means that you can also easily shake or tap off any excess powder. My powder is a really light colour too so I am able to see it really well on the bristles. I find that because the brush is large in size, I am easily able to cover my face with powder in only two or three sweeping motions. I find using this brush so much easier than the application pad provided with my powder as it doesn't take nearly as long to use.
Overall, this is a great powder brush and well worth the money.
Read the complete review |
