Makeup Brushes 101: Part I

Makeup brushes can range in price from $2 - $200!! With such a vast price difference, what should you look for when buying a brush?

Whether you pay $2 or $25, you are paying for the materials that have gone into the brush. Make-up brushes consist of three parts: the hair, the ferrule (the metal tube that connects the handle and the hair), and the handle.

A quick lowdown on the handle and ferrule - better quality handles are made out wood. For longer lasting ferrules, typically metals like brass, copper, or aluminum are used. All MAC brushes feature nickel-plated brass ferrules - the nickel makes them look nicer and prevents corrosion.

In terms of hair, the brush will be made out of either synthetic hair or natural hair. Synthetic brushes are made out of two types of material: nylon and taklon. The upside of synthetic hair brushes is that they are inexpensive, but can still be very effective. The downside is that they don't last as long, they stiffen over time, and they don't pick up as much color.

Brushes made from natural hair come from many different sources. The most popular include: goat, pony, sable, badger, and squirrel. What type of hair the brush is made from depends on its purpose. For example, goat hair is best for bluffing and blending while sable hair is great at depositing color. To learn more, check out this article that covers all these hair types:

http://www.bellasugar.com/BellaSugars-Guide-Makeup-Brush-Hair-Types-685574

There are typically three places women go to buy makeup brushes and ,depending on which venue you go to, you'll be looking for different things:

1. Specialty Cosmetic Stores (like MAC or Sephora) - when you shop at places like these, you are automatically spending more money and getting a higher quality brush - even Sephora brand brushes are pretty pricey! The advantage of stores like these is that professionals work there who can help you choose the right brush. They'll recommend different brushes that do the same thing and let you try them all out. Keep in mind that just because you are in a place like this does not automatically mean you are buying a natural hair brush - I know that Sephora sells several Shu Uemura brushes that are synthetic. ALWAYS ASK what the brush is made out of and, if it is made out of synthetic hair, make sure you are getting some cost savings as it likely won't last as long!

2. Drugstores - buying a drugstore brand brush is trickier. Some are decent...others are well, shitty! I personally have bought the $2.00 "Simply Basic" brushes from Wal-mart and I definitely got what I paid for - the hair mats easily and they shed like a sheepdog! When purchasing from a drugstore, I would suggest taking the brush out of the packaging and pulling up on the bristles to see how easily the hair falls out. If you can, use a nearby tester to pick up some product and try it on the back of your hand to see how the brush deposits color. I have checked out Shopper's Quo brand of brushes and I was pretty impressed. These brushes range from $10 - $20 which means they are most likely synthetic. Remember that a synthetic brush does not necessarily mean it won't get the job done - it just means it won't last you as long.

3. Internet - there are a number of websites that sell quality brushes for less. Two examples I can think of are Coastal Scents and Sigma Makeup.  Coastal Scents tells you exactly what type of hair the brush is made out of. Sigma simply says either "synthetic" or "natural bristles". Both of these brands have extensive reviews - do a Google search and there is a review for almost every type of brush these companies make! I personally have not tried either of these brands; however, I did just order a buffer brush and fan brush from Coastal Scents (for less than $15 including shipping and exchange!) so I will keep you posted on how they work out!

Personally, I use MAC brushes almost exclusively and have never been disappointed. In fact, the first MAC brush I bought is just about to celebrate it's 7th birthday (it's #217 in case you're curious)! However, as per my previous post, I do enjoy cheap stuff that gets the job done which is why I am trying out Coastal Scents' brushes. Stay tuned for Part II - I'm going to blog about must-have brushes and brushes you can live without!

On a side note, I may be the only blogger out there who uses a semi-colon in my posts...