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Saturday, May 12, 2012

Review + Comparison: Tapered Crease Blending Brushes

1. Inglot 4SS Brush
2. Sonia Kashuk Small Multipurpose Powder Brush
3. Studio Gear #34 Crease Brush
4. Inglot 6SS Brush
5. Burberry No.9 Socket Line Brush

Most of the brushes that are marketed as a blending tool, such as the ones pictured above, are too flimsy and take too much time and effort to blend out dark harsh lines. However, they work well for blending light colors and for apply setting powder under the eye area and around the small crevices of the nose. Read on to find out which one is the "best" and how they differ from one another. 


1. Inglot 4SS Brush $22 (full review) - The bristles are made from natural hair and feel very soft. It is the densest and largest out of the bunch, which makes it most suitable for face application. I love using it to highlight my face because it fits perfectly on top of my cheekbones. I also like using it to apply setting powder under my eye area & around the small crevices of my nose. It's not too flimsy or too firm, but it is definitely too big for any type of eye application. (The brush measures 7.25 inches in total length.)

2. Sonia Kashuk Small Multipurpose Powder Brush $10.79 (full review) - The bristles are made from natural goat hair and feel softer than all the other brushes, except for the Studio Gear #34. The brush is tapered at the tip and is not as flimsy as the Studio Gear, Inglot 6SS or Burberry brush. It's suitable for blending light colors and for crease work, if you have a big eye shape. However, it's too big for me to use to define my crease. I mainly use it to apply setting powder under my eye area & around the small crevices of my nose. Because the bristles are slightly more densely packed and the brush is smaller than the Inglot 4SS, it applies a more concentrated amount of product, which is great when I want more coverage. (The brush measures 7.2 inches in total length.)

3. Studio Gear #34 Crease Brush $23 - The bristles are made from natural squirrel hair and are the softest out of the bunch, along with the Sonia Kashuk Small Multipurpose Powder brush. The Studio Gear #34 is not as firm and not as tapered as the the Sonia Kashuk one, but it does blend out light colors and define the crease, if you have a big eye shape; however, the Sonia Kashuk version works better because it offers more control. I personally use the Studio Gear #34 to apply setting powder under my eye area & around the small crevices of my nose when I want a light coverage. (The brush measures 7.5 inches in total length.)

4. Inglot 6SS Brush $19 - The bristles are made from natural hair and feel just as soft as the Inglot 4SS brush. It is slightly smaller than the Studio Gear #34 brush and offers more control when defining the crease, but the Sonia Kashuk version still works better because it's more tapered at the tip and is firmer. (The Inglot 6SS brush measures 7 inches in total length.)

5. Burberry No.9 Socket Line Brush $38 - The bristles are made from natural goat hair and feel the least softest out of the bunch, but it is by no means scratchy. It is also the flimsiest; therefore, it doesn't work as well as the other "blending" brushes for eye application. The bristles are also slightly longer and narrower at the base compared to the Sonia Kashuk, Studio Gear and Inglot 6SS brush. Thus, it doesn't offer as much control. However, if you want a light dusting of powder to set your under eye concealer, then this brush would be ideal because it doesn't pack on too much product. (The brush measures 6.6 inches in total length.)



Bottom Line: I find that the Inglot 4SS and the Sonia Kashuk Small Multipurpose Powder brush work the best out of the bunch because of their size and density. The Studio Gear, Inglot 6SS and Burberry brush are flimsier and the bristles are not as full. If you are in the market for a brush to highlight your face and to apply setting powder under your eye area and around the cervices of your nose, then the Inglot 4SS is your best tool because it is the perfect size and density. If you have a big eye shape and you're looking for an eyeshadow brush to blend out light colors and for crease work, then the Sonia Kashuk brush is the best option out of the bunch because it offers the most control. Those with a smaller eye shape would find smaller brushes, such as the Japonesque Pro Crease brush & Ulta Tapered Crease brush, to be more appropriate for crease work. Keep in mind, none of these brushes will get the job done if you are looking for an eyeshadow brush to blend out dark harsh lines because they are all just too flimsy. For this purpose, I highly recommend the Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush, which costs $5.99. (It blends out all harsh lines and dark pigmented eyeshadows effortlessly because the bristles are dense and firm.)

Note: The Inglot 4SS and 6SS brush are available at Inglot stores and at limited counters in Macy's. The Sonia Kashuk brush is available at Target. The Studio Gear brush is available at their online store. The Burberry brush is available at their online store and at Nordstrom.

What brush do you use to blend out dark harsh lines?


*This post contains affiliate links. None of the products mentioned are sponsored.

9 comments:

  1. I also use blending brushes. They work really well. Currently I am using one by Bobbi Brown.

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  2. I own just a couple blending brushes, one from Sephora, a couple from Coastal Scents and one from Sigma. The one I own from Sephora is the sofest but it's too big to use on my lids so I use it to contour my nose. lol The ones from Coastal Scents are a little too rigid so I don't really use them to blend. The bristles in the Sigma one are spread out so much so it's sooo big. I usually use it to set my underye concealer with powder. I always pass by the Sonia Kashuk one and look at it because I like the way it's shaped. According to your review it seems like it's a really good one to buy, especially since it's the lowest priced out of the ones you reviewed in this post. I thought I was the only one that couldn't use these brushes because my eyelid space is small...lol...you made me feel better. :)

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  3. I've used the "traditional" blending brushes on those with a bigger eye area, but I find that they still don't work as well the Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush $5.99 because they are too flimsy for blending dark harsh lines and pigmented eyeshadows. It takes forever to get a smooth transition and a polished look when I use those "blending" brushes. So, I always recommend the Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush, regardless if you have a big or small eye, because it's the perfect size for any type of eye shape and it's firm & dense, which makes blending a breeze.

    Let me know if you end up buying it! =)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I forgot to mention my current favorite brush for blending out eyeshadows.....ELF's Blending Eye Brush! I like it since it's a bit smaller and less fluffy than your typical blending brush but I love it. And of course it's only $1! I have like 3 of them, lol.

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  5. I tried the ELF Blending brush a few years ago and that was my tool for blending eyeshadows until I found the Sonia Kashuk one. I also liked using the ELF one for crease work. It's a great brush for a buck! =)

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  6. i may wanna use the 2 one coz it got vary and cute grab...:D

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  7. great post! I love my sonia kashuk blending brush. I use it the same way you do, to set my under eye concealer. sometimes I use it as a final blending brush on my eyes, like after I have already blended with my mac 217 brush. what do u think of that brush btw?

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  8. The MAC 217 blends out light colors nicely, but it is too flimsy for blending out dark harsh lines and pigmented eyeshadows. I still prefer to use my Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush $5.99 to blend out dark harsh lines and pigmented eyeshadows because it gets the job done quick and with barely any effort.

    I usually use the MAC 217 for adding my transition color.

    http://www.makeupbyjoyce.com/2010/10/review-mac-217-blending-brush.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. thank you for this post it's very helpful :)
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    ReplyDelete

 
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