Mid-priced high-end brushes / Pennelli di qualità di medio costo

Hey girls! :-)

I am back with another post on... make up brushes!! :-D They are a must in any woman's make up drawer and I just can't get enough of them! O_o Shame on me! :-)

Moving onto MID-PRICED BRUSHES, if you don't want to spend a ton of money on a make up brush, but still you are searching for a quality brush I think you could go for...

1. Zoeva Eye Set (link) 33€

The set has just been put up for sale.

2. Zoeva Face Set (link) 46€

Same as before. I YEARN FOR BOTH SETS! They are simply  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I'm obsessed with synthetic brushes because they're extremely soft, they're animal-cruelty free, they never shed, they don't cause allergies and they provide flawless make up application. I LOVE them.

3. Lauren Luke brushes (link) 42€

Those are DIVINE! So shiny and classy. They do seem high-end brushes but, I don't know, I can't make up my mind on buying them because of their natural bristles - I prefer by far synthetic bristles because they are easier to clean, they don't shed at all when I wash them and they are softer (the only natural bristles I tried were Sigma brushes). I heard a lot of good reviews on this set, so I would have bought it right away if it wasn't for the natural bristles.

If you tried Lauren Luke or Zoeva sets, could you please leave a comment with your opinion? I would appreciate it a lot because both of them are trusted brands but I don't know if it's better to put money into a natural brush set or a synthetic brush set.

Sigma Travel Kit (link) 49€

The only natural brushes I own are the ones included in the Sigma Travel Kit Nice in Pink (now discontinued). They are pretty much the same as the new travel kit apart from 2 brushes (in italic).
The old kit in pink included:

E30 - Pencil
E40 - Tapered Blending
E55 - Eye Shading
F30 - Large Powder
F40 - Large Angled Contour
F70 - Concealer
F50 - Duo Fibre
+ F60 - Foundation (for free)

(The ELF powder brush is to give a comparison) Sigma Travel Kit 2011

Downside - the three brushes with the black bristles lose colour everytime you wash them and almost all of the brushes tend to shed while being washed. I heard that natural brushes tend to have this problem... but they're still quality brushes!

The new travel kit includes:
E30 - Pencil
E40 - Tapered Blending
E55 - Eye Shading
F30 - Large Powder
F40 - Large Angled Contour
F60 - Foundation
E65 - Small Angle

It doesn't have a brush roll but a brush holder.

I think that the new set is much better than the old one. Well done, Sigma!

Hope this helps! ;-)

x

Roby

Good and affordable brushes / Pennelli buoni ed economici

Hi there! :-)
I am one of those girls who doesn't want to spend a lot on good brushes.
Here are some good cheap alternatives that work just as great as the high-end brushes.

INEXPENSIVE BRUSHES 

1. ELF Studio and Bamboo brushes (link)

The ones I prefer are the Studio line brushes because they are SO soft and they last SO long. I bought most of my ELF Studio brushes about 4 years ago and they still have their shape and their softness. I just had to repurchase ELF Studio Powder Brush and ELF Studio Complexion Brush because I use them EVERY SINGLE DAY and initially I washed them with hot water, that is probably why the handles were about to come off and before it happened I bought them again. The price ranges from 1.70€ to 4.50€ but when I purchased them they were way cheaper (the highest price was 3€ maybe?!).

Personal opinion - I noticed that lately ELF quality has been decreasing but the prices are rising... Isn't that weird?! I found it out when I bought my second ELF Basic Blending brush. The one in the picture was bought 4 years ago and it is PERFECT but the following two blending brushes (which I wanted just as reserve brushes when that one was dirty) shedded TOO MUCH without even washing them, so I have NEVER used them. By the way no shedding at all with the Studio line and Bamboo line brushes.

I think I will also buy the Studio Mineral Powder, Studio Flawless Concealer, Bamboo Powder and the Bamboo Eyeshadow sooner or later. The last one in the picture is the Bamboo Blending Eye and it is AMAZING.

(ELF Studio) retractable lip,
angled eyeliner,
powder,
complexion,
blush,
eyeshadow c,
angled contour,
contour,
small precision,
small angled.
(Basic) blending,
concealer.
(Bamboo) blending eye  

2. MUA brushes (link)

I have just two of them - E2 Eyeshadow Contour (£1.95)  and  E3 Blending and Shadow  (£1.95). Super soft, no shedding. There are other interesting brushes but I already have the ELF versions, so I'm leaving them out. The price ranges from 2.30€ to 3.70€ (the kabuki costs 6€).

(THE ALL NATURAL FACE) Synthetic Vegan Eyeshadow/Concealer.
(NO BRAND) Lash and Brow.
(COASTAL SCENTS)Liner, Oval Camouflage.
(BED HEAD) Foundation.
(MUA) E2 Eyeshadow Contour,
E3 Blending and Shadow.
(THE ALL NATURAL FACE) Synthetic Baby Buffer

3. The All Natural Face brushes (link)

I just LOVE my two brushes from The All Natural Face - first and last one in the above picture- because I paid NOTHING (like 3$), I've had them for 3 years and they are still perfect and "kitten soft", as stated in the website. Apart from being soft, they didn't shed at all, and they are 100% synthetic! Same as ELF and MUA brushes. Eco-friendly products are definitely a plus for me.
I can't stand natural hair - I've got just 7 of those (from Sigma) and, believe it or not, I rarely use them.
The two I own are the Synthetic Baby Buffer $8 and Synthetic Vegan Eyeshadow/Concealer $5.75. I would like to buy the Vegan Bamboo Handled Angled Eyeliner $5.75 because I think the bristles are as firm as the ones of the eyeshadow/concealer brush, so perfect for the cream/gel eyeliner. Anyway, the prices are between 4.30€ and 6€ (the kabuki costs you 7.60€ but I bet it's awesome)

4. EcoTools brushes

BAMBOO 5-PIECE BRUSH SET - 10$ (4 brushes)
"That is a mineral brush set. It includes 4 brushes:
- Mineral Powder Brush
- Concealer Brush
- Eye Shading Brush
- Baby Kabuki
- Zip Cosmetic Case
Brushes feature bamboo handles, recycled aluminum ferrules and soft, cruelty-free bristles".

BAMBOO 6-PIECE BRUSH SET (5 brushes) 13$
That should be the set used by Michelle Phan in her old tutorials.
"Whether you want to hide imperfections, define eyes and brows, or create a rosy glow, our set of five beautiful and incredibly soft brushes is the perfect start to your makeup routine. Brushes feature bamboo handles, recycled aluminum ferrules and incredibly soft, cruelty-free bristles. 
Set Includes:
- Blush Brush
- Eye Shading Brush
- Angled Eyeliner Brush
- Concealer Brush
- Lash & Brow Groomer
- Hemp & Cotton Case (Room for both brushes & makeup essentials!)"

5. Zoeva bamboo pinsel set vegan (link) 25€

12 vegan brushes. I heard that the bristles are really soft and it can be a good set for starters. Very similar to EcoTools brushes, which are simply adorable!

6. Zoeva Mini Bamboo Pinselset (link) 16€

A nice travel kit. Again, very similar to EcoTools brushes.

7. Coastal Scents brushes (link)

Well, I don't really know the brand because the only three things I bought back in 2009 were the 88 original palette and two synthetic brushes (which are still GREAT) - the Liner Brush $2.99 and the Oval Camouflage Brush $3.49 but I've heard that they sell some good brushes (I imagine the synthetic ones). I prefer the Coastal Scents liner brush to the ELF one because it has pretty firm bristles, so it makes the application of the cream/gel eyeliner easier.
By the way the prices are between 2.30€ and 10.50€ (but the kabuki, as always, costs a bit more - around 14€).

Hope this helps a bit! :-)

x

Roberta