Make up brushes good xmas present?

OMGYSL · Dec 9, 2010

hi people, my girlfriend mentioned to me while ago that she needed new make up brushes but i have looked round the internet and in the faq and still dont really know what im doing. so i am hoping you can help me out. so the things i would like to know are:

1. most important. is this something my girlfriend will be excited about? to me they are just little brushes but to her it might be a whole new world of make up experimentation and possibilities.

2. do more expensive brushes make a difference?

3. how long do they last?

4. is a Â£500 set >>>>>Â£100 set >>>>Â£25 set or is it more like Â£500>Â£100>>>>>>>>Â£25

basically i dont want to spend a fortune if she has to replace them again soon or the extra cost doesnt reflect the increase in performace.

i think the best idea would be to buy a set so if you can link me or recommend something that would be awsome.

thomas

purple.haze · Dec 9, 2010

hi thomas,

I think it's pretty awesome you remembered your girlfriend wanted brushes. when I talk about makeup, my boyfriend starts to yawn, so I try not to around him, although I think I taught him a thing or two

/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />. For me, price doesn't necessarily equal quality, although brushes of higher price are usually fairly good, but I have found some cheap brushes here and there over the past few years that work well. Cheaper brushes are usually either a hit or miss.

makeup brushes can last a long time if your girlfriend takes good care of them, which means frequent cleaning with a brush cleaner or something similar, and making sure when they're drying, she doesn't place them upside down on the handle (once moisture gets into the handle, the hair might start to shed).

I own a couple of sigma brushes and they're fairly good, you can buy them either separately or as sets. following is a link where you can look at some of the sets that are available but you can also go through their site and take a look at other sets/brushes. hope this helps =)

Lysette · Dec 9, 2010

A lady in UK has a brush shop, I have some of her brushes, she's quite expensive though. But you'd be supporting an UK entrepreneur

/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> http://www.themakeupbrushcompany.co.uk/Home.asp

I'm more into cheap e.l.f brushes myself but I think your gf might be offended if you get her e.l.f. brushes... although they're good, they are also dirt cheap. (the reason why I can say they're dirt cheap is because I got them from the US store - price difference is impressive)

http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~170.htm, if you think of getting this set, try to get the small black kabuki brush too: http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~169.htm. Too bad the stipple brush has not made it to the UK store yet.

And before you present it to her - air it. it has a funky chemical smell when first opened. e.l.f. also has some quality control issues...

Sigma is excellent choice, those are good copies of MAC brushes and MAC's brushes are pretty highly coveted and expensive stuff.

Find yout gf's preference, does she prefer synthetic or natural bristles? e.l.f. is synthetic, synthetic brushes have 99% guarantee of being soft while natural bristles can be scratchy. There are other companies too offering wonderful synthetic brushes, I have some from Everyday Minerals and can recommend those. Ecotools is also on the cheap side and offers good quality.

1. she will be excited (perhaps not about e.l.f, but sigma or MAC should get the sparkle in her eye)

2. I have not noticed a BIG difference, I have the expensive set and cheapo set, I ended up using the cheapo one because the bristles are synthetic and do not scratch. My most expensive brushes are not the ones I use most. Under 10Â£ set was godawful.

3. 4-5 years at least, I would not be amazed if they'd last 20. there could be an occasional handle falling out of ferrule but that can be taken care of with some glue. Careful washing is very important, especially when it's natural bristles. purple.haze has listed some crucial points that should be followed.

4. it's very individual, I'd make it so: 500=100 and in some cases =25 but any set below 15 is very likely to be utter crap. It's all about reading reviews and finding good bargains.

KeLLsTar · Dec 9, 2010

Awwww so lovely! Your girlfriend will love them!

If you're featuring the brushes as a main gift you'll want to get a good quality set that will last. It would be better to have a smaller quality set of brushes than a large set of cheapies. I haven't used them but I've heard a lot about Sigma brushes lately. I have also heard good things about Inglot brushes. Put them in your "to look at" list.

Good luck & please let us know what you ended up getting!

magosienne · Dec 9, 2010

Good makeup brushes are a must indeed, they do help having makeup applied the right way. But you don't have to spend an arm and a leg. MAC sets for Christmas can be a good idea (MAC brushes are considered as the top), otherwise Sigma brushes are good too, i have a couple and they're very comparable to my MAC brushes, you can even find dupes.

Look in her stash when she's not around. Does she like to apply foundation ? Or can't she go out without any eye makeup ? That should guide you in which brushes to buy.

Another thing, brushes can last a very long time, if washed on a regular basis (i mean years). Getting a brush cleanser is a good idea, but regular shampoo works perfectly too so don't feel obligated to buy a bottle