My Essential Beauty Tool (Ruby & Millie Eye Shadow Brush)

Member Name: pink_glitter

Product:	Ruby & Millie Eye Shadow Brush
Date:	13/06/08 (247 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great shape, soft bristles, perfect everyday brush

Disadvantages: quite expensive

I don't know what it is about Ruby and Millie brushes or why I started buying them, as I have never used any of the Ruby and Millie cosmetics. For some reason though, I now have a large collection of Ruby and Millie brushes, and their Eye Shadow brush (M) which I can only assume stands for 'medium' is the brush I use most often, and wouldn't be without.

~About the brand~

Ruby Hammer is a make-up artist, who often pops up on daytime TV makeover shows. Together with Millie Kendall, a business woman who specialised in taking professional products and making them widely available to all women, they set up brand Ruby and Millie.

~About the brush~

Ruby and Millie say on the Boots website, 'If you only have one brush, then this is it'. I couldn't agree more. This is a fantastic brush for everyday use. It is dome shaped and slightly tapered which means that it can be used for all sorts of different effects from subtle, to more dramatic.

The handle is silver coloured, is made of solid wood, and is fairly short to make it easy to use. The bristles are incredibly soft, but at the same time quite firm. The bristles feel quite natural, but it doesn't tell you anywhere on the pouch what they are made from, so there is a possibility they could be synthetic.

~Packaging~

All Ruby and Millie brushes come in resealable pouches. While that may, perhaps, seem a bit strange, I have actually kept all of the pouches and find them useful for keeping the brushes clean. The back of each pouch has tips for application on there as well, which is useful.

~My Experience~

Before I started using Ruby and Millie products, I wasn't particularly fussed about which make-up brushes I used, as I didn't think it was all that important. In fact, I think, before I was using this I was using a set of about 6 brushes that I had bought in a pound shop!

I remember when I first started using this, I thought that the bristles were a bit stiff. Although they have got a bit softer over time - possibly with me washing the brush - I now prefer the fact that the bristles are a bit stiffer than you may normally expect. I find that it makes applying eye shadow easier, as the bristles do not splay out when pressure is applied, meaning that you get a more precise finish,

I also love the shape of the brush. It is slightly rounded at the top and also quite flat, and I find that the shape means I can get right into the corners of my eyes. The surface area of the bristles is quite large, which I think makes it perfect for day time use, as it can cover the whole eye area quite quickly.

I have also used this brush for applying more dramatic make-up on nights out, and the tapered edge makes it great for blending, and also great if you want to apply a darker shade to the crease of your eye, because the edge is so flat.

~Price~

This brush costs £9.00 and I think the Ruby and Millie range is only available from Boots, however I may be wrong. Whilst £9 may seem expensive for a brush, I definitely think it is worth it. This is probably the most used item in my make-up bag, and mine has lasted a good few years now.

~Conclusion~

As I said, this is the make-up brush that I use the most often, and I really do love it. The bristles are soft but firm, and it's fantastic for every day use. The main issue, is that it's a little bit pricey, but as I've said mine has lasted years, and has retained its shape, hasn't shed any bristles and is still as great as it ever was.

Summary: Ruby and Millie Eye Brush