Review: Sigma E45 Small Tapered Blending Brush

I've been testing out the Sigma E45 Small Tapered Blending* brush and I can't say I am absolutely in love it. However, I don't hate it. Keep in mind, I am a very picky individual.

The bristles are not flimsy, which is a major concern when I'm purchasing a brush. They're dense and firm. I find that it fits really well on my crease area and I like using it to apply color on my crease. Also, the pointed end is good enough to apply color to my outer v area, but I still prefer my Crown Brush Backstage S217 Round Contour brush (review) when I want a really precise application.

You can see the difference between the Sigma E45 and the Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush (review) in the pictures. The bristles of the Sigma E45 is pointy and longer, while the Sonia Kashuk brush is shorter and wider. Although the Sigma E45 has a pointed end, it is firm enough to blend out harsh lines; however, I still prefer the Sonia Kashuk brush for blending because it is wider.

I would recommend the Sigma E45 brush if you are just starting out with makeup and want to build up your collection. This is a decent brush to use when your other brushes are dirty.

The only thing that turns me off about this brush is the price. It's $9 and you can only buy it online at Sigma*. So, you also have to pay for shipping, which mine came up to around $2. The shipping increases if you add more things in your cart and they only provide free shipping for orders over $1,000. 

Sure, it may be cheaper than other higher brands, such as Mac, but $9 + $2 shipping for an eye brush is still not cheap enough for me, considering that the quality is average and there are many other brands, such as Sonia Kashuk, that are cheaper and even superior than Sigma. The Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush costs $5.99 at Target and works even better. So, why should I pay more for a lesser quality brush?

However, I have to admit that I like the black handle of the Sigma brush over the white handle of the Sonia Kashuk brush. The Sigma E45 looks prettier and more professional. I'm a sucker for nice and classy packaging.

If you still want to place an order with Sigma, please remember to use the 10% off coupon, which can be found on my blog's sidebar. The Sigma coupon code is updated every month.

*affiliate link

What do you think about the Sigma E45 brush?

Review: Mac 217 Brush vs. Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff Brush vs. Sigma E25 Brush

I already reviewed the Mac 217 brush here. I don't like using the Mac 217 for crease work or for blending out harsh lines. However, it is my go-to brush for applying transition color underneath my highlight color and above my crease area. That being said, I bought the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff brush and the Sigma E25 brush* with the intention of using them the same way that I use my Mac 217 brush.

The bristles of the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff brush are the same size as the Mac 217. The only difference is that the Coastal Scents version is less denser, and a little bit flimsier than the Mac brush. I prefer the Coastal Scents brush for adding transition color and for crease work because it's easier to control since the tip of the brush is not as wide as the Mac brush.

As for blending, I didn't like the Mac 217 for blending. So, I knew I wasn't going to like the Coastal Scents brush for blending either. Both of them are just not firm enough for blending out harsh lines. However, I do prefer the Mac 217 for blending out light colors, such as transition colors, since the tip of the brush is wider than the Coastal Scents brush.

The Sigma E25 brush* really disappointed me. I heard so many positive reviews, but it is actually worse than the Mac 217. The bristles are wider, flimsier and not as dense as the Mac 217. I don't like the Sigma E25 for adding my transition color or for crease work because it's so hard to control. My eye makeup messes up easily if I don't be careful because the brush is too big for my crease area. I would only recommend the Sigma brush if you found the Mac 217 to be too small, which would really surprise me.

Instead of letting the brush sit on my vanity and go to waste, I actually found a good use for it. I use the Sigma E25 mainly for blending out light colors. However, it does not blend out dark harsh lines because the brush is too flimsy like the other two brushes.

I also found that all three of the brushes do not pack color onto my lids that well. They only add a light wash of color onto my lids.

Bottom Line: If you want a great alternative to the Mac 217 brush, which costs $22.50, then get the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff brush. It is $3.95 and cheaper than the Sigma E25 brush*, which is $9. Moreover, Coastal Scents has sales all the time, so you could get the brush even for less.

If you still want to place an order with Sigma, please remember to use the 10% off coupon, which can be found on my blog's sidebar. The Sigma coupon code is updated every month.

Note: The Mac 217 measures 6.5 inches. The Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff brush is 6.7 inches. The Sigma E25 is 7 inches.

*affiliate link

In response to the comments below: I don't like the Mac 217, Sigma E25 or Coastal Scents' version for blending HARSH lines because they are too flimsy. I only like to use them to add my transition color and then use it to blend the transition color. I only like to use them for blending out LIGHT colors.
 
I have a heavy hand; therefore, I usually add too much color to my eyes. The only brush that can blend out HARSH lines is my Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush (my holy grail blending brush). Click here to read my review.

Do you prefer the Mac 217, Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff brush or the Sigma E25 brush?

Swatches: Coastal Scents Hot Pots Eyeshadows S03 and M25

Coastal Scents was having a sale like usual. I bought some eyeshadows and their Mac 217 dupe, which I will be reviewing soon (review). For now, this post will be about the Hot Pots. =)

Natural Lighting

Coastal Scents Hot Pot S03 is a shimmery light champagne with a gold undertone. I was hesitant on buying this color because I thought it was just going to be a boring champagne shade, but I was so wrong. The gold undertone makes this eyeshadow look so pretty and different from my other neutral eyeshadows. Moreover, the color is very safe and it is the perfect lid color for an everyday look. You can't go wrong with this eyeshadow.

I swatched Urban Decay Blunt next to S03 for comparison. Blunt is a more vibrant gold color with a slight yellow undertone. I would use Blunt more for a going out look.

I wouldn't say S03 and Blunt are exact dupes. Both are must haves if you love gold eyeshadows. If I had to choose one out of the two, then I would get S03 for an everyday school or office look, but if you want something that is bold, then I would recommend getting Blunt.

With Flash

Coastal Scents Hot Pot M25 is a matte burgundy shade with a reddish berry undertone. It is much lighter than Stars Makeup Haven (SMH) Taz, which is a true burgundy shade. I prefer Taz because it looks better on medium to darker skin tones. I can still make M25 work on my skin tone, but I think it'll work much better on lighter complexions. I've also swatched Mac Sorcery to compare.

Natural Lighting

Note: Mac Eyeshadows in pan form cost $11.00 for 1.5 grams (some of the eyeshadows have 1.3 grams). Urban Decay Eyeshadows cost $17.00 for 1.5 grams. Stars Makeup Haven (SMH) raised their price from $4.95 to $6.00 for 1.3 grams. Coastal Scents (CS) eyeshadows cost $4.49 for 1.3 grams.

The formula of Urban Decay eyeshadows is different than Mac, with the exception of some Mac eyeshadows. Urban Decay eyeshadows are much smoother and buttery, and the shimmery eyeshadows look much prettier than the Mac shimmery eyeshadows. However, I do get some fallouts when I apply certain Urban Decay eyeshadows (the ones with the microglitters), but I don't get as much fallouts as I do with my SMH & CS eyeshadows.

The quality of Mac eyeshadows are better than SMH & CS eyeshadows. I hit pan faster with SMH & CS eyeshadows because the formula is smoother. They also get really dusty and crumbly in the pan and a lot of the product tends to fall down to my cheeks and under eye area when I apply them on my lids. It's much more worth it to invest in a Mac eyeshadow since they last longer in the pan and I don't get any fallouts. I would only purchase from SMH and CS if they have shades that Mac doesn't carry, but I wouldn't purchase "Mac dupes" from SMH & CS because the quality of Mac eyeshadows are far superior.

Have you tried any of these eyeshadows? 

Review: Sigma F80 Flat Top & F82 Round Top Synthetic Kabuki Brush

I have been hearing so many raves about the Sigma F80 Flat Top and the Sigma F82 Round Top Synthetic Kabuki brush. Alot of people have said that they are the "best foundation brushes ever." However, I have to disagree. They aren't horrible brushes, but I definitely wouldn't call them the best liquid foundation brushes.

The F82 Round Top is a little bit denser and can get around small areas more easily than the F80 Flat Top, but they work essentially the same when applying liquid foundation. When compared to the Everyday Minerals Flat Top brush (review), it's much easier to buff in a circular motion with the Sigma brushes because the bristles are not too long. (The bristles are about an inch long. The total length of the F80 is 6 inches, while the F82 is 5.75 inches.) 

The Sigma brushes buff in liquid foundation really well, but my Mac 187 brush (review) gives me a more airbrushed finish and more coverage, while using less foundation. With the Sigma brushes, a little bit of foundation gets wasted because it's being absorbed by the bristles when I buff. Although I use a little bit more foundation with the Sigma brushes, the coverage that I get is not as good as the coverage that I get from my Mac 187 brush.  

Another thing worth mentioning is that the brushes stain easily when using cream or liquid products, and take forever to dry. To get the stain out, I have wash them a couple of times. Then, I use a paper towel to absorb as much water as I can, but they still take about 15 hours to completely dry.

The only good thing about these brushes is that they are super soft and they make applying liquid foundation easy and quick. I would recommend these brushes if you are someone who is always in a rush or if you are just starting out with makeup and don't want to invest in a higher end brand yet.

I also recommend getting these brushes if you are an avid cream foundation user. These brushes blend cream foundation into your skin effortlessly and there is no streaking whatsoever. I cannot use my Mac 187 to stipple cream foundation onto my face because cream products are thicker in consistency. You need a really dense and synthetic brush to apply cream foundation and the Sigma F80 and F82 are perfect for that.

I also like these brushes for applying mineral foundation or setting powder because it picks up alot of product. When compared to a traditional powder brush, I find that the Sigma brushes gives me more coverage when I use them to apply powder products.

 

You can buy the Sigma F80 Flat Top* and the Sigma F82 Round Top Synthetic Kabuki* for $16.00 each. They are not cheap, but are much more affordable than Mac brushes and other higher end brands. 

If you are placing an order with Sigma, please remember to use the 10% off coupon, which can be found on my blog's sidebar. The Sigma coupon code is updated every month.

*affiliate link

How do you use these brushes?