Synthetic or Natural?

[vanja]

My favorite kabuki happens to be made out of animal hair but apart from that one, my preference is synthetic.

 

[saitoyf]

My brushes are all synthetic,only the finishing podwer is natural hair

 

[ticki]

you do realize that hair grows on animals like it does on humans? you don't necessarily have to kill animals to harvest their hair for use.

that said, i like the duo fibre brushes for foundation application.

 

[Fataliya]

I used to use natural hair, from BE, and when I started using EDM, I went with synthetic. They are much softer and don't scratch.

My new loves are my studio brushes from E.L.F. Man, I love those things!!!

 

[Annelle]

synthetic. I use mineral make up and synthetic just does a better job of picking up the minerals (without creating a dust cloud everywhere) and applying the minerals (doesn't get absorbed as much by the brush)

I bought a few naturals recently thinking they might be "better" but they're a little scratchier and they can do a pretty big dust cloud if I'm not careful, that my synthetics don't do so much.

 

[horsienut]

I switched to synthetic a few years ago and won't go back to natural. Synthetic is MUCH softer and doesn't irritate my skin the way the natural hair brushes did. Plus they seem to hold their shape better too. I have a synthetic kabuki and a flattop and love them both

 

[pinkchicken90]

I definitely prefer synthetic. No question.

 

[Lysette]

Synth for all, especially eyes because natural hair can't handle foiling.

IMHO natural hair can not handle minerals very well at all - needs washing at least once a week to be tolerably soft. products with kaolin in it are deadly for natural fibres.

 

[blueangel1023]

All my makeup brushes are synthetic. I do have some natural brushes for doing my artwork, however synthetic brushes are just as good. I use them when painting larger areas, but with fine, detailed work (like with my portraits) a synthetic brush simply does not hold of keeps it's point nearly as well as a natural hair brush. Regarding the killing animal for their hair part, they don't kill them. What they do is the manufacturers collect hair from when the animal molts. Personally, it wouldn't make sense for them to kill the animals as it would be more expensive when the animal would naturally regrow and subsequently molt again. Its a self-sustaining business.

 

[laurie_lu]

Synthetic works best for me.

 

[Flowind]

I used to think it was animal hair that does the job. Only to find out that synthetic hair is much more softer for my sensitive face. I used some animal hair, and they didn't cause allergy.

Actually, animal hairs do grab a lot powder more than Synthetic hair, just depending on people's preferences. Some people would like this, some people don't. However, Synthetic eye brush has a defined point that I find can be scratchy on my eyes. Animal hairs shed more and Sythetic hair doesn't smell. I just alternate between the two.

And I don't see how people come up with idea that they kill animals for hairbrush... Come on, animals hair is making a lot of hairbrushes; animals grow it back again, duh! These are brushes not leather or fur coats!

 

[vanja]

Originally Posted by blueangel1023 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Regarding the killing animal for their hair part, they don't kill them. What they do is the manufacturers collect hair from when the animal molts. Personally, it wouldn't make sense for them to kill the animals as it would be more expensive when the animal would naturally regrow and subsequently molt again. Its a self-sustaining business. Thank you for this information!

I've been wondering how they collect the animal hair - I had a really hard time picturing them shaving, say, a squirrel for the hair. Collecting hair from molting animals makes a lot more sense.

 

[macupjunkie]

Hm, I seem to be the opposite of most. I find that while synthetics are incredicbly soft, they don't pick up powders as well as natural. I started off using synthetics and it never picked up the powder so I always had to apply everything wet, but then I started using natural brushes as omg everything applied so much better (however they are more scratchy). I see this mostly in mineral foundation. I started off using a synthetic set (kabuki, powder, blush brushes) but once I switched to natural flat top, the foundation actually gets picked up int eh brush a lot more and then onto my skin, and blush application has been a drastic change. I always thought there was a problem with my blushes because they never showed until after many many layers, but with a natural brush, I only need a tiny bit of product.

 

[casualfriday]

Synthetic. It's cruelty free!! ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[szie]

Synthetic for me! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[makeupmadhatter]

I'll be a dissenting voice here. Synthetic brush hairs do not hold the minerals as well as natural hairs. For concealers and treatment brushes, Taklon (a synthetic) is best used because the hairs do not grasp the minerals as well and the minerals, or other products, can thereby be deposited in specific spots. Natural hair brushes distribute the minerals more evenly on the skin. The synthetic ones may feel soft on the skin but may be distributing minerals less evenly, for a blotchy look a few hours later. There are many natural hair brushes on the market that do not feel soft on the skin, and they tend to be the less expensive ones. The best brushes for mineral makeup in my opinion are the ones made of highly processed goat hair - extremely soft like squirrel but hold the minerals better than squirrel because of the porous tip on the hairs, and goat hair is less costly than squirrel. In the manufacturing of high quality natural hair makeup brushes, animals are neither killed nor maimed. All natural hair brushes will shed for the first half dozen or so washings but then will last for many years if cared for properly.

 

[Justice]

SYNTHETIC!! I really like my brushes from EDM. There the best.

 

[HollyC]

Originally Posted by makeupmadhatter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll be a dissenting voice here. Synthetic brush hairs do not hold the minerals as well as natural hairs. For concealers and treatment brushes, Taklon (a synthetic) is best used because the hairs do not grasp the minerals as well and the minerals, or other products, can thereby be deposited in specific spots. Natural hair brushes distribute the minerals more evenly on the skin. The synthetic ones may feel soft on the skin but may be distributing minerals less evenly, for a blotchy look a few hours later. There are many natural hair brushes on the market that do not feel soft on the skin, and they tend to be the less expensive ones. The best brushes for mineral makeup in my opinion are the ones made of highly processed goat hair - extremely soft like squirrel but hold the minerals better than squirrel because of the porous tip on the hairs, and goat hair is less costly than squirrel. In the manufacturing of high quality natural hair makeup brushes, animals are neither killed nor maimed. All natural hair brushes will shed for the first half dozen or so washings but then will last for many years if cared for properly. I'm glad to read someone else have this experience because I love the softness and look of my synthetics but find that my natural hair brushes apply makeup much better and use less minerals.

 

[Flowind]

Originally Posted by makeupmadhatter /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll be a dissenting voice here. Synthetic brush hairs do not hold the minerals as well as natural hairs. For concealers and treatment brushes, Taklon (a synthetic) is best used because the hairs do not grasp the minerals as well and the minerals, or other products, can thereby be deposited in specific spots. Natural hair brushes distribute the minerals more evenly on the skin. The synthetic ones may feel soft on the skin but may be distributing minerals less evenly, for a blotchy look a few hours later. There are many natural hair brushes on the market that do not feel soft on the skin, and they tend to be the less expensive ones. The best brushes for mineral makeup in my opinion are the ones made of highly processed goat hair - extremely soft like squirrel but hold the minerals better than squirrel because of the porous tip on the hairs, and goat hair is less costly than squirrel. In the manufacturing of high quality natural hair makeup brushes, animals are neither killed nor maimed. All natural hair brushes will shed for the first half dozen or so washings but then will last for many years if cared for properly. You certainly gave the most thorough review here. Do you know any high quality goat hair brush, is MAC considered one of them? (I don't use MAC) And I felt kind of ripped off by mineral companies claiming that synthetic brushes apply mineral makeup better just to promote their line of brushes... I buy brushes from Coastal scents.. haha