Beauty on a Budget: E.L.F. Studio Brush Collection Review
The Muse happens to be a firm believer that splurging on certain makeup items is a good thing that includes makeup brushes.
Brushes are such an important start to makeup application so dropping a little cash on some good ones is always in order as far as I�m concerned.
Not everyone has a lot of cash hanging around to splurge on a $30-$45 dollar blush brush though which is completely understandable particularly in this economy.
Solution?
The E.L.F. Studio Brush Collection will set you back $3 for a brush and they are pretty nice!
Jump!
This is my first test out with E.L.F. Brushes, even after many recs from everyone I never really bothered to try ’em out as I�m quite happy with my costly MAC Brushes. But hey, I�m always up for the next best thing in the beauty world so I gave them a test out this week and so far what I see, I like.
The brushes will set you back a mere $3 each or you can get a complete 10 piece set for $30. Obviously part of the appeal is the price tag however the question remains whether or not the quality is as cheap as that price tag.
The good….
The brushes are nice pieces. They have a strong handle and are well made and crafted. The bristles are soft yet dense where need be and have absolutely no shedding. They take to a good washing well and bounce right back to their original shape. They apply product just as well as any of my more expensive brushes. So far, so good.
The bad…
Out of the package they stink. This isn�t too big a deal as I normally wash any new brushes prior to using them but they do have a very funky odor prior to a good washing. The complexion brushes I tried aren�t as soft as my MAC brushes. Now, this isn�t to say they are scratchy but they don�t feel as comfortable on my face as some of my other brushes.
I tried a few different brushes from the line which were the following.
- E.L.F. Studio Complexion Brush
This is good for finishing your face by brushing on loose or pressed powder. The brush features longer bristles that are a tad more flaccid and less dense which allows you to comfortably sweep powder across your face in an even strokes.
- E.L.F. Studio Powder Brush
I liked this brush the least. Could be because it arrived squashed but the brush didn�t hold its shape well for some reason. It good for contouring and creating a sculpted look but neither technique is something I personally embrace. However, you can easily use it to buff on color when all else fails.
- E.L.F. Studio Concealer Brush
A great brush! Honestly, I hate spending a lot of money on concealer brushes because I don�t utilize them nearly as much as my fingers. But for $3? Hells yes. This is a nice dense brush for working above and below the eye so if you have a MAC Paint Pot that you use as a base or a concealer for your lid, this will work well at applying it smoothly and evenly.
- E.L.F. Blush Brush
A very handy brush indeed this one is. I like this one a lot. It�s smaller than many of my other blush brushes but that�s one reason to love it. It sits easily in my hand and applies blush with a tiny stroke or a dapping motion. Color comes out smooth sans clown cheeks since the brush is so tiny you can�t over do your look!
- E.L.F. Eyeshadow “C”� Brush
A dome shaped brush that eases the way for a perfect smoky eye look. Quite dense and packs color on the lid or can be used to create a smoky eye by using the tip on the outward corner of the eye by pressing color in a C shape from lash line up and flipping the C on the right eye so it creates an outward curve.
Overall, the E.L.F. Studio Collection contains some nice selections for those on a beauty budget. At $3 per brush, you probably won�t fine nicer or cheaper brushes at this cost. I felt like the eye brushes were better than some of the complexion brushes I tried but for the most part all of them brought something good to the table. These won�t replace my MAC brushes by any means but they have found their own special spot in my makeup brush collection and as I said for the price, can�t really beat it.
If you�re looking to extend your own makeup brush collection, seeking inexpensive brushes, or looking to experiment with makeup brushes as your own collection is a bit small, the E.L.F. Studio Brush Collection may appeal.
Available now from www.eyeslipsface.com
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Disclosure: The following item was provided to Musings of a Muse by a PR firm for review purposes. For further information please see my FTC Guidelines or my Disclosure/Disclaimer posts.