Makeup Brushes Help

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

I'm looking to buy new brushes. I have beauty blenders but I really want a nice brush set. Any recommendations on a good set that blends well and cleans up nicely?

Jun 7, 2016

Lainee I.

I use the eco tools brushes, and love them. They are super soft (affordable) and wash well.

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

Where can you buy them at? And thanks:)

Jun 7, 2016

Vickie P.

I personally like bh cosmetics brush set, Royal care cosmetics, Royal and langnickle and sigma Brush sets. Not sure what your price range is but I gave you a variety of low to more expensive costs. Hope this helps!

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

Thank you Vickie P. I am willing to spend up to 250. Thanks a lot I will look those. :)

Jun 7, 2016

Paola B.

I purchased the make me cool essential kit from sigma and it was under $200. Some people don't like these brushes and some do, so I wasn't sure if I would like them, but I really do. They're my go to brushes. I also prefer a couple of the more affordable brushes like the eco tools and the Morphe brushes. I know miss Jacqueline can give you some awesome info on buying brushes!

Jun 7, 2016

Sam R.

bdellium tools!!

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

Thank you so much ladies for all of your input. I will definitely check these different ones out!! I just had no idea where to start so I really appreciate your help. :)

Jun 7, 2016

Aurora S.

I definitely like the Ecotools and BH cosmetics brushes. You can get Ecotools at target, Walgreens and Ulta that I know of.

Jun 7, 2016

Anais W.

ShopMissA.com has some really nice inexpensive brushes

Jun 7, 2016

Anais W.

I got a set of 10 brushes for $10

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

That's a good deal!!

Jun 7, 2016

Jacqueline H.

You can get a nice set that will last you many years for $250. Do you want natural or synthetic bristle?

Jun 7, 2016

Megan B.

@Jaqueline H. I'm not sure. I want which one cleans up the best. Do you know of synthetic or natural are better?

Jun 7, 2016

Lainee I.

I buy the Eco tools brushes at Ulta, but I am sure you can find them online.

Jun 7, 2016

Jacqueline H.

Do you mean which kind of brush material is actually easier to physically clean? Natural bristle brushes and synthetic bristle brushes are very different in terms of how they pick up and lay down product, that's why some people have a preference for synthetic, and some people prefer natural bristle brushes.

Jun 7, 2016

patty s.

Eco tools, and real techniques.

Jun 7, 2016

Mar F.

I personally have been interested in the Natasha Denona big brush set for a while... 21 brushes for 290$ seems like a great deal! And there seem to be a nice combination of natural and synthetic :) (I usually don't care for all synthetic sets, but then again, that's just my personal preference)
Has anyone tried them? I'd love to hear your opinions!

Jun 11, 2016

Jacqueline H.

Megan: Synthetic versus Natural bristle... In my opinion, it just comes down to preference. I'm not a huge fan of synthetic brushes because for the most part, they don't pick up or put down product like a natural bristle does.

Two most common synthetics used in makeup brushes today are Nylon and Taklon. Unlike natural hair, Nylon and Taklon do not have the scales or cuticle (see natural hair above) hence are not so 'absorbent' and will not 'trap' makeup media the way natural hair will. As such, taklon makeup brushes, which are usually orange or white in color, are commonly used as concealer brush or liquid or cream foundation brush. Taklon is used as a more affordable substitute for Sable but lacks durability as it tends to 'fan out' and become stiffer with each use. Nylon, on the other hand, is commonly used for eyebrow groomer or eyebrow brush as it is harder than Taklon. Nylon is a common cheaper substitute for natural bristles (see bristle) which are naturally stiff. But, some big cosmetic companies are using nylon for concealer brushes, eyeliner brushes, etc, and not as a substitute for natural bristles but for Sable instead.

Natural bristle brushes tend to get softer with each use, whereas synthetic brushes tend to get stiffer with use. Two most common synthetics used in makeup brushes today are Nylon and Taklon. Nylon and Taklon don't have the scales or cuticle that natural bristle brushes use so they just aren't as absorbent. They won't 'trap' makeup media the way natural bristle would. Taklon makeup brushe are usually orange or white in color, and are generally in concealer and/or liquid /cream types of brushes. Overall, Taklon is a more affordable substitute for Sable; however, it lacks durability and fans out. Nylon, on the other hand, is commonly used for eyebrow brushes as it is harder than Taklon. Nylon is a common cheaper substitute for natural bristle; however, some companies use nylon for concealer brushes, eyeliner brushes, etc, etc. because it's a cheaper alternative to using something like sable. Companies also will use synthetic bristle material as filler (usually polyester filament) with natural bristle to cut down on cost, and some companies use synthetic material with more delicate types of natural bristle like Blue, Gray and Canadian squirrel to support and give the brush a bit more snap for certain types of makeup applications.

Nowadays, the manufacture of synthetic makeup brushes has become more more sophisticated, and SOME synthetic brushes give natural bristle brushes a run for the money. There was, and there still is a part of me that cannot comprehend any synthetic material in use today performing any better than natural bristle would. Lots of people like the IT Cosmetics brushes; however, they are grossly overpriced in my opinion, and they are just your average 'run of the mill' synthetic brushes. The only synthetic brushes that I have come across that actually perform on a natural bristle level are Royal & Langnickel's Revolution brushes. The material used in these brushes is Natrafil which was created by DuPont. It's a polyester filament with a textured surface that really does a great job of mimicking the pick-up and deposit of natural bristle.

I have several Revolution brushes, and let me tell you, not only are they reasonably priced, they are next to indestructible: Titanium plated brass ferrules, acrylic handles with a rubberized coating...It would be very hard to even intentionally try to challenge the integrity of these brushes. They are one of a kind, and very very reasonably priced. Here's a link:

https://beautyusa.royalbrush.com/collections/revolution

I have several of these brushes, so if you'd like to see a photo, let me know. :)

Natural bristle: I'm a big fan of BDellium Tools brushes. I have used them for years, and they prove that it is possible to get well crafted brushes without paying an arm and a leg. I have 4 sets of BDellium brushes, and I have yet to have any BDellium brush fall apart on me, and believe me when I say this: I am tough on makeup brushes. Since you are looking for a set, I'd recommend the Maestro 12pc set. These brushes are constructed with nickel plated brass ferrules and the handles are heavily lacquered, so you won't have to worry about corrosion. Here is a link to the set if you are interested:  

http://bdelliumtools.com/maestro/maestro-complete-12pc-brush-set-with-roll-up-pouch.html