Aubrey X.
Aubrey X.

Beauty Product Reviews

Smith Cosmetics 253 Arrowhead Laydown Brush Small

Nothing interesting about it other than brush shape

I was intrigued by the arrowhead shape of this brush, and after hearing several BGs rave about Smith brushes, I decided to purchase this as a first try for the brand. I'm not impressed. First, this brush is incredibly floppy and airy, which defeats the whole point of it having the firmer thicker bristles of pony hair and being able to really get into the shadow and grab pigment. It actually ranks one of the lowest in my collection of laydown brushes as far as depositing color. Second, the arrowhead shape doesn't translate to application on the eye all that recognizably since the bristles have no resistance. The thing is, this brush will be able to pick up un-problematic ultra-creamy shimmers just fine, but literally any brush in the world can do that. But Pat McGrath glitter pans? Forget about it, you won't find your tool for that here. The sensorial experience is also super average, especially because I've been spoiled by the other Japanese handmade brushes Beautylish offers. Set aside a few more dollars and purchase a Sonia G Builder brush, Hakuhodo J-series laydown brush or Chikuhodo GSN-9 instead.

Also I strongly disagree with another reviewer's assessment that this is way better than the MAC 239. The OG MAC 239, with its uber dense albeit a teeeeeny bit prickly bristles, is one of brushes that without fail will always deliver intense, fallout free pigment to my lids. I own a ton of fude that were supposed to be "better than MAC 239" dupes, and while some may be softer than the MAC, they don't perform the same.

Surratt Beauty Face Brush

Most used face brush

I have several coveted squirrel face brushes including several Chikuhodos and the Suqqu Face - and this Surratt is my most used.

Not that it’s the softest (that would be Suqqu) nor the densest (Chikuhodo Z1), but it provides the most utility. It is the perfect balance of firm/springyness of the bristles combined with softness by virtue of the squirrel hairs that make it amazing for powder foundation, buffing finishing powder, flawless bronzer application, and blush! I couldn’t get any sort of pigmentation or buffability with the wispy uber soft Suqqu so it’s only usable for dusting finishing powder, and while the Z1 also buffs, it is still not firm enough to apply bronzer. This is the jack of all trades. Imagine a softer, more roundly domed, looser packed Koyudo Fu-Pa14 and you have the Surratt Face. I indiscriminately love all of my squirrel babies so it’s not a matter of which one is the “best”, but the Surratt has more functional value than any other large face brush I own, period.