From Left to Right: Coastal Scents C138 Sable Contour brush, NARS #14 Eye Contour brush, Japonesque Professional Eye Shadow Crease brush, Ulta Pro Tapered Crease Eyeshadow brush, Studio Gear #35 Blending Crease Contour brush
*Description*
Coastal Scents Sable Contour Brush $1.79 - This brush is made from soft natural bristles. It's thicker and denser, but not as firm as the NARS brush. The Coastal Scents brush is also similar to the Japonesque brush in terms of application; however, the head of the Coastal Scents brush is a little shorter, more pointed & less denser.
NARS Eye Contour Brush $28 - This brush is made from 80% pen super goat hair and 20% pony hair. The bristles feel soft when I run my fingers through them; however, when I use the brush on my eye area, it feels a bit prickly. This brush has a very tapered point and is firm. I wouldn't consider the Coastal Scents brush to be a dupe for this because the Coastal Scents brush isn't as firm and it isn't as pointy or thin as the NARS brush.
Japonesque Professional Crease Brush $17 - This brush is made from soft natural bristles. It's similar to the Coastal Scents brush in terms of application; however, the head of the Japonesque brush is a little longer, more rounded & a little denser.
Ulta Tapered Crease Eyeshadow Brush $14 - This brush is made with a blend of soft squirrel and pony hair. It has a tapered point and is dense & firm. It's similar to the Studio Gear brush in terms of density; however, the head of the Ulta brush is more pointed and is a little shorter. In comparison to the other 3 brushes, the Ulta brush is wider, denser and firmer.
Studio Gear Blending Crease Brush $30 - This brush is made from squirrel hair and is super soft. The bristles are dense and firm. It has the largest head compared to the other 4 brushes. The Studio Gear brush is similar to the Ulta brush in terms of density; however, the head of the Studio Gear brush is more rounded and is a little longer.
From Top to Bottom: Coastal Scents C138 Sable Contour brush, NARS #14 Eye Contour brush, Japonesque Professional Eye Shadow Crease brush, Ulta Pro Tapered Crease Eyeshadow brush, Studio Gear #35 Blending Crease Contour brush
*Application*
Coastal Scents Sable Contour Brush $1.79 - This brush is great for crease work, defining the outer v, blending product on the lower lash line, and adding color to the outer corner of the eye & a highlight color to the inner tear duct. However, it's not my favorite brush to use for adding eyeshadow onto the lower lash line because I find it to be a little too wide, thick and flimsy for that purpose.
NARS Eye Contour Brush $28 - This brush is ideal for adding eyeshadow on the lower lash line and defining the outer v. It gives better precision than the Coastal Scents brush because the NARS brush is pointier and thinner at the tip. The only gripe I have is that it feels a bit prickly during application.
Japonesque Professional Crease Brush $17 - This brush is great for crease work, defining the outer v, blending product on the lower lash line, and adding color to the outer corner of the eye & a highlight color to the inner tear duct. However, I find it to be a little too wide & thick to use for adding eyeshadow onto the lower lash line. I only use it for that purpose when my Royal & Langnickel BC410 Silk Eye Shader SM brush (mini review) & Mac 239 Eye Shader brush (full review) are dirty.
Ulta Tapered Crease Eyeshadow Brush $14 - This brush is great for crease work, blending product on the lower lash line, and adding color to the outer corner of the eye & a highlight color to the inner tear duct. It's similar to the Studio Gear brush in terms of application, but I prefer the Ulta brush more because the tip is slightly pointed and fits in my crease better. However, I find it to be a little too wide & thick to use for adding color onto the lower lash line.
Studio Gear Blending Crease Brush $30 - This brush is great for crease work, blending product on the lower lash line, and adding color to the outer corner of the eye & a highlight color to the inner tear duct. However, I find it to be a little too wide & thick to use for adding color onto the lower lash line.
From Left to Right: Coastal Scents C138 Sable Contour brush, NARS #14 Eye Contour brush, Japonesque Professional Eye Shadow Crease brush, Ulta Pro Tapered Crease Eyeshadow brush, Studio Gear #35 Blending Crease Contour brush
Bottom Line: I recommend getting the Coastal Scents brush if you're on a budget and the Japonesque brush if you have a little more money to spend because the bristles are slightly fuller & offers better control for crease work. However, i would skip the NARS brush because it feels a bit prickly during application and I would also skip the Studio Gear brush because the Ulta brush works the same, if not better, and is cheaper. Also, it is important to note that I have not experienced any shedding, dye bleeding or funky smell with any of these brushes.
From Left to Right: Coastal Scents C138 Sable Contour brush, NARS #14 Eye Contour brush, Japonesque Professional Eye Shadow Crease brush, Ulta Pro Tapered Crease Eyeshadow brush, Studio Gear #35 Blending Crease Contour brush
Note: The Coastal Scents Sable Contour brush measures 5.5 inches and is available for purchase on Coastal Scents' website. The NARS Eye Contour brush measures 7 inches and is available on Nordstrom. The Japonesque Professional Crease brush measures 7 inches, while the Ulta Tapered Crease Eyeshadow brush measures 6.25 inches. They are both available at Ulta. The Studio Gear Blending Crease brush measures 7.5 inches and is available at Studio Gear's online store.
Have you tried any of the brushes that I have mentioned above?
What brush do you use for defining and crease work?
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