I have been online stalking the Sephora Collection Pro Airbrush Perfector #51 for about a year, and didn't purchase it until now principally because I already had more than enough multipurpose foundation and blending brushes, but I kept returning to this one because it really resonated with me. I love that the brush itself is quite compact, it measure a little under 4" inches in length, and that it comes with its own plastic case to protect it while traveling. In fact, between its compact size and plastic case, it is the perfect travel companion.
This brush has densely packed cruelty-free synthetic bristles with a beveled edge, making it a perfect blender brush that can efficiently get into hard-to-reach places. The bristles are soft, but not so soft as to be ineffective. It picks up, lays down and blends out products to perfection, and it truly does achieve an airbrush finish– as the name suggests. It can be used to apply foundation, bronzer, highlighter and finishing powder, and I have found that it works equally well with cream, liquid, and powder formulas. That said, I tend to use it the most to apply foundation, and because the bristles are synthetic it does not waste foundation by unwanted absorption. The dense plastic handle is comfortable in the hand, and the brush is quite well-balanced and user-friendly.
According to Sephora,
A multi-use, multi-formula precision brush that can be used all over the face to achieve flawless results. This brush allows you to apply any of your complexion products from foundation to contour products to highlighter and blush. It's the perfect universal complexion brush that fits in your makeup bag. It can be used with creams, liquids, powders, and translucent powder formulas. This product is not tested on animals.
Suggested Usage: Place product on one side of the brush. Blend in one direction for fuller coverage. Use the clean side to buff off any excess product or sheer out coverage. To use as a contour brush: Place product on half of the tip of the brush and blend in an angular motion in one direction. Can also be used to apply bronzer our highlighter to décolleté.
Note the extent to which the bristles are densely packed.
Overall Assessment: I love this brush, and the only regret that I have is waiting so long to buy it.
Purchased. All views expressed are categorically my own.
A long-time reader sent me an email asking if I could review the bareMinerals Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush for her because she wasn't sure if it was the right brush for her, and wanted my advice. She neither uses the bareMinerals Loose Powder Foundations, for which this brush was specifically made, nor does she use any other powder foundations. Instead, she uses a liquid foundation and then often uses a light dust of a setting powder afterward. Giuliana stated that while she certainly didn't need this brush, she was intrigued by, and attracted to, its unusual design.
Given that I have a rather fetishistic desire to collect unusual brushes, I was similarly intrigued by this brush. I should also preface this review by stating that I don't ever use powder foundations, of any sort, but instead prefer liquid and cream variants. I occasionally use a setting powder very sparingly, but more often than not I do not. That said, I really like this brush a lot, and do, in fact, use it.
bareMinerals Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush is a cruelty-free brush made from synthetic bristles, and it has an unusual convex domed well in the center that is designed to hold their loose mineral foundations. The bristles are very soft and comfortable against the skin, and they do an exemplary job in their ability to apply and blend powder formulas. I have found that it is excellent for applying and blending all powder formulas, and find great utility in using it to blend out blush, highlighters and any other powder products when I seek a seamless finish.
Most people who use the bareMinerals Loose Powder Foundations seem very happy with this brush, but I think that there are other people, like me, who don't use powder foundations who would still enjoy using this brush. Do you need it? Of course not, but that doesn't mean that you won't enjoy using it.
The brush measure 3 1/2" from base to tip, and the densely packs head of bristles measures a little over 1".
According to bareMinerals,
Specifically engineered to hold loose powder foundation like water in a sponge, the patent-pending Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush features a skirted silhouette with a rounded center that provides impeccable, even coverage. Designed to fit perfectly into the lids of our award-winning ORIGINAL and MATTE Foundation pots, and to be used with the Swirl, Tap, Buff application method, this makeup brush captures and contains more product with less effort, giving you a fast, flawless finish. Incredibly soft to the touch, this unique-looking makeup brush is made with luxurious synthetic fibers that stay intact with its included clear plastic sleeve. The elongated fibers on the outside and the convex dome center are designed to hold loose minerals to provide even, sheer-to-full coverage and reduce makeup application time.
Features:
- Distinctive makeup brush design is precisely sized to fit in the ORIGINAL and MATTE -Foundation pot lids
- Foundation brush provides buildable, sheer-to-full coverage
- Ultra-soft synthetic fibers and unique convex center hold loose powder like water to a sponge
- Delivers fast and even coverage, reducing application time
Overall Assessment: If you are intrigued by this brush, but are on-the-fence, it might be worth going and looking at it, in person, before taking the plunge. However, I will say that I am getting a lot of use out of mine.
I recently received a request to review, "an impressive, effective, cruelty-free foundation brush that is very affordable"– and normally such a request could present a challenge. However, I just so happened to have been testing a brush that fit that criteria at about the time of the request.
The EcoTools Wonder Cover Complexion Brush, which was designed with 100,000 soft bristles for full coverage of liquid and cream foundation coverage, can be used wet or dry for a stunning steak-free finish. The thick and wide oval brush head is very densely packed with synthetic cruelty-free bristles that are tapered for ease of use and impressive efficacy. I tend to dot my foundation directly onto my face with my fingers, and blend it out for a flawless finish with the brush. Unlike natural hair brushes, that tend to be more porous, and therefore absorb, and waste, foundation, synthetic bristles do not. For more coverage, simply use the dry brush to blend foundation, but if you seek a more sheer finish– then dampen the bristles for lighter coverage. The thick bamboo handle is also tapered, and it is very comfortable in the hand, and the sturdy ferrule is made of recycled aluminum. The brush, in its entirety, is very nicely balanced, and very easy and pleasant to use.
According to Ecotools,
The Wonder Cover™Complexion brush is designed with 100,000 bristles for full coverage of liquid and cream foundation coverage in less time. Brush can be used wet or dry. With a simple sweep, camouflage common skin issues like rosacea, hyperpigmentation and blemishes. Dampen bristles for a more sheer application. Use brush wet or dry. To start, dab top of brush in small amount of foundation. Gently glide color starting in the middle of face working outward towards the hairline. Use long and short strokes to cover entire face and prevent streaks.
Features:
Handcrafted with Wonder Cover Technology bristles for full, natural-looking coverage.
Cruelty Free: EcoTools loves their furry friends! Their products are PETA certified, meaning they are 100% cruelty free and vegan.
Recycled Materials: EcoTools believes in giving a new purpose to old things. That's why EcoTools' products are made from recycled aluminum and their packaging is made from post-consumer recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable.
Renewable Bamboo: The handles on EcoTools' products are made of renewable bamboo, one of the fastest growing plants on the planet!
4" L x .5" W
Note the extent to which the head is oval and densely packed with synthetic bristles.
The handle is made from Bamboo, which is a sustainable, eco-friendly material
Overall Assessment: I am really impressed by this foundation brush, and I use it all of the time. At $8.99 it is a real bargain, and it was a very worthwhile purchase. In fact, I use it so often that I plan to buy a second one so that while one is being washed the other will be in use. A+
In my recent Sephora VIB Rouge haul I sought out several new makeup brushes, and the Kat Von D Lock-It Edge Foundation Brush was undoubtedly one of my best, and most reasonably priced, purchases of 2017! I am obsessed with high quality makeup brushes, and this one is definitely worth the hype that surrounds it, and in fact it was an Allure Best of Beauty award winner this year.
This exquisite foundation brush has a very densely-packed head of synthetic cruelty-free bristles, and it boasts a sculpted shape, with perfectly symmetrical beveled edges, that enables you to effortlessly maneuver the planes of the face from every angle. The quasi-dome shaped brush effectively traverses all of the curves and contours of the face, lays down and blends out liquid and cream foundations, and leaves the skin with a perfect airbrushed finish.
According to Kat Von D,
Never before have we gotten this damn excited about a BRUSH! Introducing the Lock-It Edge Foundation Brush—an original, custom design featuring a sculpted shape that conforms to the curves and contours of your face. With perfectly symmetrical tapered bristles (cruelty-free synthetic of course!), and consistent density throughout the head, this brush reaches every nook and cranny, from every angle, for 360 degrees of the most amazing blending ever. Designed with high-performance formulas in mind (ahem, LOCK-IT), the Edge Foundation Brush brings out the best in your formula for optimal coverage, wear and finish. Superb-quality soft, synthetic bristles are like a thousand tiny fingers seamlessly blending foundation into skin for buildable medium to full coverage. The sleek stiletto handle—inspired by a witch's broomstick—provides an ergonomic grip for ultimate control and also doubles as a mixing tool!
Kat Von D's Tips:
This brush works well for cream contouring. The sculpted shape effortlessly hugs the curves of the face for a seamless application. Use the Lock-It Edge Foundation Brush to contour larger areas, such as sculpting cheekbones, and the Lock-It Edge Concealer Brush for smaller areas, such as the nose. The brush's long tapered handle performs double duty as a mixing spatula. Dispense your shades on the back of your hand or a palette and swirl together with the handle. This technique is perfect for on-the-go artists who need to travel light. Use the brush handle as a line guide for your Kat Eye. Hold it along the outer eye to get the perfect angle before creating your wing with Tattoo Liner.
“I’ve teamed up with my KvD Artistry Collective artists to create the most effective brush formations, using the highest grade synthetic fibers that mimic the same product distribution you would get from animal-based bristles.” –Kat Von D
"I am proud to say that Kat Von D Beauty products are never tested on animals—and never will be."—Kat Von D
Overall Assessment: I love this brush so much that I am thinking about buying a backup to use when this one is being washed. A+
HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($46.00 for .25 oz.) is a very creamy and ultra-emollient stick foundation that is a long-wearing, lightweight waterproof formula that offers 12 hours of coverage. It can be sheered-out for light coverage, or built up for full coverage, and it is formulated to work as a concealer as well as a foundation. Furthermore, there are 26 colors from which to choose ranging from pale to dark shades.
HOURGLASS has taken the guesswork out of selecting the right shade by creating a very helpful "Discover Your Perfect Shade" guide that provides color descriptions, and details whether they are warm or cool shades. I definitely recommend referring to it before selecting your shade.
The two shades that I tried, Vanilla and Ivory, are on the lighter end of the spectrum, and I have tried them individually and I have also mixed them together.
Vanilla, which is described as fair with cool undertones, is a great color match for my cool-toned skin.
Ivory, which is described light medium with cool undertones, is a little darker than my skin tone, but when mixed with Vanilla it is a great match.
It is very important to note that this is an ultra-concentrated formula, and as such I would definitely take a less-is-more approach. I dot a small amount from the stick directly onto my face and then begin blending and buffing it with the HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush, and I only add more if I desire added coverage.
As soon as you apply this foundation to your warm skin. its creamy, luxurious texture, facilitates effortless application. It gracefully glides across the skin without incident, blends and buffs with ease, and it neither emphasizes pores, nor does it settle into fine lines. In fact, it is its very blendability that allows this full-coverage foundation to be sheered out– which is the way that I tend to wear my foundations. Furthermore, the creamy, emollient formula stays put, rather than migrating or melting away– even on the oilier regions of my normal/combination skin. While I seldom wear full coverage foundation, it is worthy to note that when I have worn HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick at maximum opacity, it still feels comfortable and lightweight on the skin. I often feel as though full-coverage foundations are wearing me rather than the other way around, and that simply is not the case with this wonderful foundation formula. On my skin, without fail, this foundation last all day long. I will also say that as a concealer it does an exemplary jog in concealing dark circles and imperfection, and it does so without becoming cakey, and without emphasizing or settling into fine lines.
According to HOURGLASS,
A revolutionary foundation stick with the coverage of a concealer, the fluidity of a liquid, and the weightlessness of a powder in a long-wearing waterproof formula for undetectable full coverage. The unprecedented concentration of pigment in this foundation provides maximum coverage with minimum product, concealing all discoloration and imperfections for flawless skin with a seamless finish.
• A foundation and concealer in one, this concentrated formula contains double the amount of pigment versus traditional foundations for instant coverage in one application.
• Long wearing, waterproof formula provides 12 hour coverage.
• Innovative formula adjusts to your body temperature to effortlessly blend into the skin.
• Designed specifically to be used with the Vanish Foundation Brush for the most seamless finish.
• Available in 26 shades to perfectly match every skin tone.
HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush ($46.00) is an ultra-soft brush with synthetic Taklon bristles that was specifically created to be used in tandem with the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick, and there is no question that they work exceptionally well together. The slightly angled brush head, that boasts very densely packed bristles, is very soft and smooth against the skin, and yet the sheer density of the bristles are firm enough to create a flawless airbrushed finish. Furthermore, the short handle, the brush is almost 4.5 inches long, allows for meticulous control of the brush– which facilitates perfect application. The results are consistently streak-free– whether the brush is used with Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick, or any other foundation that I have tried, and it has quickly become my Holy-Grail foundation brush.
HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush is very easy to wash, and in the two times that I have cleaned it it has not shed a single bristle.
According to HOURGLASS,
A high-performance foundation brush designed with ideal shape, density, and texture to achieve the most seamless finish. Vanish Foundation Brush is designed specifically to work with the Vanish Foundation Stick for the most flawless foundation look. The bristles provide an ultra-soft texture that recreates a luxe microfiber feel on the face. Designed with a unique shape to fit into all the contours of the face, including around the nose and under the eyes, it features uniquely crimped bristles that provide the ultimate control so you can easily sweep the foundation across the face. Features:
• Formed in a unique shape to fit into all the contours of the face, such as around the nose and under the eyes
• Features uniquely crimped bristles that provide the ultimate control to easily sweep across the planes of the face
• Supremely soft texture recreates a luxe microfiber feel on the face
• Designed specifically to work with the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick for the most seamless finish
• Features PETA-approved, high-grade, ultra-soft Taklon bristles - an excellent alternative for those who suffer from animal hair allergies
Overall Assessment: I am so impressed by this foundation and foundation brush, and definitely recommend taking a closer look at them. If you are shopping the upcoming Barneys New York and Space NK bag events, then these should definitely be on your radar as you begin selecting your goodies!
I have to tell you that I am so excited about the new HOURGLASS Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick & Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush– HOURGLASS has long been one of my very favorite makeup lines, and I am always delighted when they have new launches! I have been testing the foundation and the brush since the launch, and am extremely happy with both. I will be posting my full review very soon, but thought that I would post a sneak-peek in the meantime.
A revolutionary foundation stick with the coverage of a concealer, the fluidity of a liquid, and the weightlessness of a powder in a longwearing waterproof formula for undetectable full coverage. The unprecedented concentration of pigment in this foundation provides maximum coverage with minimum product, concealing all discoloration and imperfections for flawless skin with a seamless finish.
• A foundation and concealer in one, this concentrated formula contains double the amount of pigment versus traditional foundations for instant coverage in one application.
• Long wearing, waterproof formula provides 12 hour coverage.
• Innovative formula adjusts to your body temperature to effortlessly blend into the skin.
• Designed specifically to be used with the Vanish Foundation Brush for the most seamless finish.
• Available in 26 shades to perfectly match every skin tone.
• $46.00 for .25 OZ / 7.2 G
A high-performance foundation brush designed with ideal shape, density, and texture to achieve the most seamless finish. Vanish Foundation Brush is designed specifically to work with the Vanish Foundation Stick for the most flawless foundation look. The bristles provide an ultrasoft texture that recreates a luxe microfiber feel on the face. Designed with a unique shape to fit into all the contours of the face, including around the nose and under the eyes, it features uniquely crimped bristles that provide the ultimate control so you can easily sweep the foundation across the face. This brush has vegan, high-grade, ultra-soft taklon bristles.
Formed in a unique shape to fit into all the contours of the face, such as around the nose and under the eyes
• Features uniquely crimped bristles that provide the ultimate control to easily sweep across the planes of the face
• Supremely soft texture recreates a luxe microfiber feel on the face
• Designed specifically to work with the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick for the most seamless finish
• Features PETA-approved, high-grade, ultra-soft Taklon bristles - an excellent alternative for those who suffer from animal hair allergies
