Natural Matte: Kat Von D Lock-it Setting Powder* & Setting Powder Brush* Review

This just goes to show what a bad beauty blogger I am - previously to having been sent the new Kat Von D Beauty Lock-it Setting Powder in Translucent* ($30 for 0.67 oz/ 19g) and the accompanying Lock-it Setting Powder Brush* ($38 each), I hadn't owned a loose face powder. I know the beauty sphere is all abuzz with the baking techniques and what not, but yeah... I was not on board of that particular bandwagon.

It's been such a nice change of pace though to once again experiment with setting my face using a loose powder. My loose face powder experience is a little limited - I only used Makeup For Ever HD (disliked) & bareMinerals Mineral Veil (alright) in the past - so I was curious to see how the Kat Von D Lock-it would perform on my combination skin type. The product comes in a generous 19g jar with a screw-on lid and a sifter (how do you like that star-shaped design?); very sturdy and straightforward although I wish there was an option to close the sifter for travel/ storage like in the Laura Mercier loose powders. This powder comes in one universal Translucent shade; in the jar, it looks very fair with a slight yellow undertone, but it is colorless on my fair skin (can't comment how it would perform on deep skintones - best to give it a swatch at Sephora). The product is also vegan, cruelty- and fragrance-free.

 The claims for the Lock-it Setting Powder include a 'smooth, seamless look' thanks to more weightless mica powders used in the formula, 'softly diffused pores' and a 'velvety matte finish'. For setting the entire face, the brand recommends the Lock-it Setting Powder Brush (reviewed below), while for the purpose of under-eye baking or setting, they've created a Precision Powder Brush. When you take a closer look at the INCI list, mica is indeed the first ingredient, followed by talc - beware if you're allergic. The powder also contains corn starch, jojoba esters and soybean oil.

As for the performance of this powder on my face after testing it for over a month, I like it but I'm not entirely in love with it. What I like is that indeed, this powder feels more lightweight and less chalky on my skin than something like the silica-based MUFE HD. I also enjoy the soft matte finish; it's definitely not a dry, flat matte but it still helps to blur the appearance of pores or skin texture. When used lightly with the brand's Setting Powder Brush, it does set and prolong the wear of my foundation but it doesn't completely stop the oilies from coming through a few hours after application (which is more or less standard across all setting/ mattifying powders I've tried to date). And while I can't quite push myself to do a proper heavy 'bake' with the Lock-it powder on my face, I have tried a more low-key version - setting my T-zone and under-eye area by pressing the powder into the skin on a damp Beautyblender. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the results; I expected my face to look cakey but instead I got a smooth, natural-looking velvet finish that managed to diffuse the pores on the center of my face as well as fine lines under my eyes. I've also noticed that I got a lot less shiny throughout the day when I used this method. So I guess low-key baking is my new favorite thing :)

And while a damp Beautyblender seems to give me more impressive results when used with the Lock-it Setting Powder, that is not to say that I don't like the Kat Von D Setting Powder Brush. Quite the opposite in fact; it's a beautiful, high-quality, soft, fluffy powder brush that's fantastic for lightly dusting the face, getting rid of excess product or even blending out a strong blush, bronzer or contour. Like other brushes in the Kat Von D range, it's synthetic with a long, tapered acrylic handle.

The shape of the bristles is a little different than a standard large domed face powder brush; instead, it's more elongated and a little less dense/ more floppy than what you may be used to. It just so happens that I have two other brushes with similar shapes - the Zoeva 101 Luxe Face Definer (reviewed here) is slightly stiffer, more dense and comes to more of a point, while the DUcare Powder Brush from their 10 Piece Essential Travel Collection has shorter bristles and a rounder dome profile. While I enjoy using my Zoeva for bronzer or contour, the Kat Von D Setting Powder Brush definitely feels softer and gentler for setting my whole face, and it picks up just the right amount of powder.

Overall, I like both of these Lock-it Setting products from Kat Von D, and they've become new staples in my everyday make-up bag. I do enjoy the increased versatility that a loose setting powder has to offer in comparison to a regular pressed one (being able to use it as a base under foundation, to lightly set over liquid bases, and to 'low-key bake') but I'll stick to my powder compacts for travel and touch-ups. The brush is a lovely addition to my collection and I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for high-quality synthetic bristles. Now tell me - do you do the bake? Or only when we're talking about muffins, scones, cookies and cakes?

Disclaimer: Items marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from Influenster for testing purposes. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Affordable Travel Brushes: DUcare 10 Piece Makeup Brushes Essential Kit*

Last year, I was pretty obsessed with finding the perfect make-up brushes to fill in the gaps in my existing collection. I've been buying brushes for years now and after a lot of trial and error, I do feel now that I know exactly which shapes and types of brushes are essential for my make-up routine. Which is why I'm not hugely interested in brush sets anymore; although I will say that I often wish I had the ideal kit on hand for travel so that I wouldn't have to worry about washing and drying my pretties in time for the trip. Well then, DUcare was probably listening when they offered to send me their 10 Piece Makeup Brushes Essential Kit Travel Collection* ($22.49 on Amazon here, available for Prime members with Free One-Day Shipping).

Before we dive right into the review, let me point something out: yes, these brushes are made in China. I realize some people have a problem with that, and often equal products made in China with bad quality. However, the reality is that a vast majority of make-up brushes on our market from well-known and respected brands are manufactured in China as well, for example the Real Techniques, Crown (and most likely Morphe), Coastal Scents, EcoTools - this list is not complete by any means, but man, it's so hard to find the country of manufacture for most popular make-up lines. What I'm trying to say is that I completely respect anyone's decision not to purchase products made in China, but before you automatically turn your nose up at something from a Chinese manufacturer, just be aware how much of the stuff you're already using comes from factories located there. Okay, I'm getting off my soap box now.

The DUcare 10 Piece Essential Kit comes very nicely packaged in a carboard box, and the set includes a quilted faux leather brush case. I've had a different pleather brush case in the past that I bought specifically for travel, and to be honest, the DUcare one is much nicer quality than that one, and I like how the quilted design provides more padding around your brushes. There's also a little pamphlet explaining the function of each brush included in the box as well.

Inside, there are 10 separate slots for each brush - 4 slots on the left side for the larger face brushes and 6 slots on the right for the 6 eye brushes. As you can see, all the brushes inside came individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve, while the tiniest eyeliner brush additionally had a hard clear cap on to protect the bristles.

The 10 Piece Makeup Brushes Essential Kit Travel Collection consists of 100% synthetic duo-fiber bristle brushes with tapered wooden handles. The set includes a flat top foundation brush, a domed powder brush, a paddle-shaped and an angled cheek brushes for blush and bronzer, two eyeshadow brushes for packing on the shadow and blending in the crease, a straight edge eyeliner brush, a wispy 'script' type gel eyeliner brush, an angled brow (or eyeliner) brush, and a lip brush. Overall, the set does include enough brushes for a basic full make-up application; I will admit though that I often end up using more than 10 brushes in my routine or at least some of my brushes are different shape/ purpose than those included in this kit. But let's take a closer look at each brush:

I think a good foundation brush is an absolute must for any brush set, and DUcare's flat top performs its function very, very well. The bristles are soft and flexible enough to allow for both a stippling and buffing motion without leaving streaks on the face. It's a little less dense than my favorite Real Techniques Buffing Brush and a lot less dense than the Zoeva 102 Silk Finish (reviewed here - but in short, I find that brush too dense to comfortably use for blending out foundation). As far as the tapered powder brush in this set, I can't find any fault with it either; it's fluffy but picks up both pressed and loose powders very well and I like the smaller size for setting specific areas of the face. It's a similar shape but smaller and less dense than the Zoeva 101 Luxe Face Definer (here).

I also really enjoy both of the cheek brushes included in this set. You can obviously use either one interchangeably for bronzer/ contour and blush, according to whichever shape you prefer for those purposes. I've been using the angled brush for my bronzer for the past three weeks and I like that its smaller size allows me to control the shape of the areas I wish to bronze up a little better; I have to be a bit careful though because it tends to pick up more product than what I'm used to. The pinched paddle brush works great for my blush; in this case, I really like that it picks up enough product from the pan without having to go back and forth, and blends everything out seamlessly. It is better suited though to sheerer or more hard pressed blushes, if you're using something with a lot of pigment I'd probably recommend you tap off the excess on your hand before applying the blush to your cheeks.

Now when it comes to DUcare's eye brushes from this kit, I'm not quite as impressed as with the face ones. The pinched eyeshadow brush and the domed crease are my favorite of the bunch: the former reminds me of my favorite Real Techniques domed shadow/ crease brush because just like the RT, it can be used both to lay down the color on the lid and blend it out into the crease. It can also be used as an undereye concealer brush. The round crease blending brush works well for more defined crease looks or the outer corner as it's not super flexible and tends to pick up quite a bit of product - if you like a very subtle transition or work with a lot of pigmented shadows, it can be a bit tricky to achieve a seamless diffused look with this one.

The tiny eyeliner brush works very well with my Clinique Cream Eyeliner; the point is small and very precise and it's easy to draw even lines with it as long as you're used to working with this brush shape. As for the lip brush, I have to admit I haven't actually tried it on my lips; I very rarely reach for a lip brush so I've been using it for spot concealing instead, and I enjoy working with it. I don't see why it wouldn't be a good lip brush though because again, it's very precise with a nice sharp edge.

Now, the two eyeliner/ brow brushes are my least favorite of the whole set. The flat edge brush is just way too stiff for both my brows or to line my eyes with; it feels too firm and pokey on the skin and I find that when used with gel or pencil eyeliners, it drags the product too much, creating gaps. The angled brush is a little better: I like the smaller width because it's easier to maneuver, and it's a little less stiff than its straight edge cousin. Still, it doesn't come close to the performance of my favorite Zoeva 317 Wing Liner (here).

To sum up this rather lengthy review, I'm happy with this travel set from DUcare. I find the quality of these brushes to be very much on par with my Real Techniques or EcoTools synthetic brushes, and the length of the handles is much more comfortable than most other travel brushes on the market - in fact this 10 piece set would also make a good gift for a make-up brush noob. In addition, I have washed these brushes a few times already and haven't noticed any shedding, misshaping or bleeding of the dye, and there's no suspicious smell to the bristles either. Are all the brushes included in the kit my absolute favorite for their assumed function? No, but then again I wasn't really expecting them to be - I have specific preference for the types of brushes I use in my daily routine and have yet to come across a premade set that would do it all. So overall, I think the DUcare 10 Piece Makeup Brushes Essential Kit is a really solid option and I would recommend it if you're looking for an affordable travel or make-up beginner set.

Do you use a separate set of brushes for travel? Which one is your favorite?

Disclaimer: Product featured in this post is a press sample I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the product featured was purchased with my own money or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

New Staple: Kat Von D Lock-it Concealer Crème* & Edge Concealer Brush* Review

It's been so nice this month to have a few brand new products to play with in my everyday make-up routine, especially after reaching for the same old, same old from my 4 months-long Project Pan. While making a concentrated effort to use up older concealers in my stash, I came to the conclusion that I was no longer happy with how they were performing on my skin and I was more than ready to find a new staple for my daily make-up bag. Lo and behold, my wishes have been answered when I was selected to review the new Kat Von D Beauty Lock-it Concealer Crème* in the shades L3 Warm and L5 Neutral ($26 for 0.22 oz, available at Sephora and katvondbeauty.com), together with the brand's Edge Concealer Brush* ($24 each).

You may find this hard to believe but these are my first products I've ever tried from Kat Von D Beauty. I was strongly tempted by a few other items in the past (in fact, I gifted my BFF her Shade & Light Eye Palette for Christmas and she really loves it!) but never actually pulled the trigger. The brand has been generating a lot of buzz for the past few years and it's easy to see why: great shade range and broad availability, staying on top of the trends and building customer loyalty through consistently high quality products (ekhm - maybe with the exception of those now discontinued blush duos). So yeah, I don't really know why I never purchased anything from the brand, especially that it has a major plus for me personally - it caters to a wide range of skintones including very, very fair, and I mean even fairer than me in the middle of the winter.

In the past I wasn't feeling very inspired by KVD's design aesthetic but I have to say that once I unpacked my new goodies, I found myself really drawn to the look of these products. I like the black and silver color scheme, the Gothic lettering, the wax seals for the logo on the boxes and the ink drop on the actual concealer tubes (all of those things combined remind me of the World of Darkness role-playing games I used to play, especially Vampire: The Masquerade).

But the designs are also practical; the concealers have labels on the bottom indicating the shades, and most of the tube's been kept clear to allow you to see the shade inside at a glance. Moreover, these Lock-it Concealer Crèmes have very good stoppers that dispense just the right amount of product onto the applicator and prevent any messes or spilling at the neck of the bottle. I'm also quite fond of the shape of the doe foot itself: it tapers down towards the tip, allowing for a more precise application.

The product claims for the Lock-it Concealer Crème include 24-hour wear, instant full coverage, smooth, even finish, and a crease-proof but hydrating formula (it does contain glycerin and hyaluronic acid). It is meant to be used for all areas of the face (and body): under the eyes, on blemishes and discoloration, and even to contour and bake (huh?!). These sound like rather lofty goals to me, so obviously I was very curious to see if the concealer actually performs to such a high standard.

After 3 weeks of testing this concealer in different conditions, I now feel I have a pretty good grasp of how it works on my skin and for my individual needs. I have worn it under the eyes, on blemishes and hyperpigmented/ red areas of the face, alone and layered with other concealers, on top of two different eye creams, on its own as well as set with powder. The final verdict is that I really like it, although it's not my Holy Grail (still remains to be found). My review is pretty much a comparison to my previous staple, the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, which is also a high coverage cream concealer with a doe foot that can be used for under the eyes as well as spot concealing.

Between the NARS RCC and the Lock-It, I do prefer the Kat Von D. It has a slightly thinner texture with maybe a touch less coverage that I personally find much more flattering on the skin. With the NARS concealer, I had to be very mindful of the amount I was using because anything more than a tiny dot would result in a cakey, dry, aged-looking under eye area, and it would also crease and gather in my fine lines quite a bit by the end of the day. I liked the NARS a lot more on hyperpigmented spots and blemishes, but again had to be careful because it had a tendency to look heavy and textured. The Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Crème looks a lot more natural and seamless on my skin and I do find my under eyes look more rested & hydrated after application than with the NARS. However, it performs slightly worse on blemishes than the NARS RCC; it seems a little too emollient and can slide off the area if not applied properly; I like best to quickly dot it around my problem spots, wait for a few minutes, and then come back and blend it into my foundation. The Concealer Crème also definitely benefits from setting with powder (I've tested it with both MAC Blotting Powder and the Kat Von D Lock-it Setting Powder*, review coming soon), both on the face and under the eyes, where it unfortunately still creases for me - but I have yet to find an under eye concealer that doesn't crease.

L-R: KVD Lock-It Concealer in L5 Neutral, KVD Lock-It Concealer in L3 Warm, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Surratt Beauty Concealer in no.2

As for the shade match, both Light 3 Warm and Light 5 Neutral are currently great matches for my very slightly darker summer skin tone. In theory, depending on your undertones, one shade should work better for the under eyes and the other for elsewhere on the face, but in practice, I have found very little difference in how L3 Warm and L5 Neutral look once blended in. As you can see from my arm swatch, both are definitely darker than my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly (but both of them are the same depth, regardless of the L-number); if you're looking for something truly fair, KVD also offers the shade Light 1 (Neutral) as well as a pure white shade (White Out).

I have also been very pleasantly surprised by the KVD Edge Concealer Brush*, and it has quickly become my favorite tool to blend out concealer on larger areas of the face (under the eyes, around the nose).

It's a dense duo-fiber synthetic brush with a pinched ferrule but a cut tapered edge; hopefully you can see what I mean in the close-up photo. When I first saw the shape, I thought it was a little gimmicky - I remember when Sigma first came out with their 3DHD brushes, which for the most part weren't reviewed very favorably. However, in the case of the KVD Edge Concealer Brush, I do think this design works very well - the sharper edge allows you to get very close to the contours of your eye/ nose without sacrificing softness or blendability.

I also enjoy the larger size of this concealer brush; compared to my other concealer blending brushes, you can see that the head of the KVD one is much wider, which allows it to cover a larger area quickly. The bristles are not as dense as to drag the product around (as is the case with my Zoeva Concealer Buffer) and the brush can be used both with a stippling and a buffing motion. Overall, I find the quality of this brush to be very good - I've washed it several times since receiving it and there's been no shedding nor any other issues. One thing that takes some getting used to is the length of the handle - most brushes I own are much shorter so I sometimes find myself hitting my mirror with the brush's end. But the elongated, narrowing shape certainly looks very cool... or even slightly lethal :)

I hope you enjoyed this rather lengthy review of these new products from Kat Von D; I realize they're gathering a lot of interest at the moment so I wanted to cover most potential questions. If there's anything else you'd like to know about these, please ask in the comments, and stay tuned for my review of the Lock-it Setting Powder* and Lock-it Setting Powder Brush*. Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received for free from Influenster for testing purposes. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided free of charge. Thank you for reading!

Make-up Investment Piece: Surratt Artistique Cheek Brush Review

I did it - I bought one thing and one thing only from the latest Sephora VIB sale, and it's this Surratt Artistique Cheek Brush ($115 each). When I first laid my grubby little fingers on Surratt's brushes last year at their launch (read my initial thoughts here), I was the most impressed with the large Powder brush and it's smaller companion, the Cheek Brush. I have a thing for blush brushes, and Surratt's version with its silky soft bristles and cute pom-pom shape beckoned to me from the counter. BUT! But. This beauty comes at a price.

It's easy to see the reason behind investing in quality versus quantity when it comes to your possessions, but I find it's another thing entirely to actually act upon it. In the past, I would have never dreamt of spending over a hundred bucks for any make-up product or tool; I'd be thinking, 'how life-changing would it have to be to justify the price tag?'. Truth is, very few things in life are game-changers, and I personally wouldn't classify anything make-up related among them. However, I do see the value in supporting genuine craftsmanship, something that's becoming rarer and rarer these days - so I bought this beautiful handmade Japanese brush, and it gives me joy to use it every day. Was it necessary? No. If you'd hate to part with your hard-earned money for just this one little object and later nit-pick why the brush isn't the most perfect tool in all of creation, don't do it. It's not worth it.

As soon as you hold the box with your precious Surratt brush, you can see and feel where your money has gone: there's minute attention to detail and luxurious elegance in the presentation of this brush. I know some of you would probably rather pay a lower price and just get the brush, but that's never an option with high-end make-up, is it? In the past, after a few months of procrastinating the painful decision, I tossed the box that my Medium Smokey Eye Brush (review) came in, but now I kinda regret it - I could have used it for jewelry (the length would be perfect for bracelets or necklaces), or to organize make-up in my narrow drawers, like I did with this box. You can also see I've reused some boxes from my TATCHA skincare; they too are too pretty to discard.

But, back to the Cheek Brush. Do I even need to comment on how amazingly soft Surratt's brushes are to the touch? I believe the bristles are grey squirrel, and like most Japanese-made brushes, they haven't been cut to create the brush's shape but hand-selected instead, so the hairs taper down and feel even softer on the skin. If you've never seen Surratt's brushes in person, the handles are a bit on the shorter side, which I like for applying make-up on myself. The glittering ombre detail at the end of the handle has stood the test of time on my other Surratt brush through a year of use and brush laundry.

Another important fact you need to know about this brush is that's it's SMALL.  I have included a photo of it resting in my hand for size reference - I hope that you can see that it's without a doubt rather diminutive for a blush brush. If you're a fan of something like Real Techniques Blush Brush, the Surratt is not for you. If, however, your face and features are on the small side and you like to be able to carefully control your blush placement, this is a fantastic specimen.

I didn't have any other blush brushes similar in size or shape to compare, because the Surratt Cheek Brush is in fact closer in size to my highlighter/ contour brushes - a little larger and denser, but still. You can see here that the domed shape is comparable to the Real Techniques Contour Brush, but the Surratt has longer bristles (= more flexibility) and doesn't fluff out as much. It does become a bit rounder as you use it (it's freshly washed in my photos) but definitely not enough to try to 'stipple' your powders on. Compared to the Zoeva 105 Luxe Highlight, there's no taper to Surratt's bristles, and there's definitely a lot more bristles packed in the ferrule.

I've been using this brush for close to two weeks now and I do enjoy how it applies my blush. The density of the Cheek Brush allows it to pick up quite a bit of pigment from the pan, but it's flexible enough to blend everything out seamlessly. I usually use one side to place the powder on my cheeks, and then I swirl it around using the head to diffuse it around the edges. The first time I used it I was surprised to see two hairs stuck to my cheek, but I believe it must have been just some loose hairs left over from the manufacturing process as I haven't noticed any shedding since - also, no shedding on my Smokey Eye Brush.

L-R: Surratt Cheek Brush (squirrel), Zoeva 105 Luxe Highlight (goat), Real Techniques Contour Brush (synthetic)

I'm very happy with this brush, and I'm glad I decided to splurge on it during the VIB sale (I'm also glad to see Surratt sold at Sephora, although Kar Yi (here's a link to her review of Surratt's angled Sculpting Brush) told me it's difficult to get any sense of his brushes' feel in Sephora store displays - much easier to play with the fluffies at Barney's). I can see this blush becoming a daily staple, be it for blush, highlighter or more precise setting powder placement. What have you picked up during recent sale events? What is your favorite brush to use for powder blushes?

More Zoeva Brush Reviews: 101 Luxe Face Definer, 102 Silk Finish, 142 Concealer Buffer & 226 Smudger

My first Zoeva brush review (click here for more information on the company, the ordering process and 105, 109, 227, 231 and 317 brushes) is currently one of my most popular posts, so I thought it may be helpful to share my thoughts on four more Zoeva brushes I purchased recently. This year, I've been really focused on sorting through my make-up brush collection and updating some brush types that I reach for frequently, and having had great luck with my first Zoeva order, I decided to get just a few more.

Let's start with 101 Luxe Face Definer Brush ($24, also available in vegan bamboo edition). I actually don't have a similar brush to compare it to, but it's a larger face brush with long natural (I'm assuming goat) bristles that taper down, giving it somewhat of an egg shape. The Face Definer can be used for applying setting powder either to specific areas of the face or all around, but I find it especially useful for bronzing and contouring powders.

101 Luxe Face Definer next to 105 Luxe Highlight for size and shape reference

The brush picks up product easily, either using just the tip or a side of the brush, and blends powders seamlessly on the face. The length of the bristles make it a bit more floppy, which works well for avoiding a harsh contour/ bronzer line; it gives a subtler, more diffused effect than the 109 Face Paint brush from my last order, but it also covers a larger area of the face. The natural bristles feel very soft and plush on the skin (obviously not as soft as Japanese blue squirrel brushes, but hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves here...), and wash well with soap and warm water. To preserve the tapered shape and avoid stray hairs, I dry it overnight in a plastic mesh brush guard.

I ordered the 102 Silk Finish ($15.50, vegan taklon bristles) as a back-up for my beloved Real Techniques Buffing brush (pictured), which is a favorite for applying liquid and cream foundations. However, the Zoeva version turned out to be a little different. The Silk Finish brush is incredibly dense with a domed shape, and works well both for pressing/ stippling the product into the skin as well as blending it out in circular motions. Compared to the Real Techniques, it is much denser and thus less flexible on the skin, which is why I like the Zoeva better for stippling rather than buffing motions (the opposite being true for the RT). The 102 Silk Finish doesn't absorb too much foundation, doesn't leave streaks or brush marks, washes and dries well even without the brush guard.

The 142 Concealer Buffer ($10.50, vegan taklon bristles, also available in the Bamboo Edition) is pretty much a scaled-down version of the 102 Silk Finish. Again, it's very dense and has a domed head, which works well to blend out concealer under the eyes and on other areas of the face without losing coverage. Because the bristles are so dense, the brush can also be used to stipple the product on the skin; I really enjoy using it around my nose and on some larger marks/ blemishes elsewhere on the face. Compared to a standard eye blending brush (even the Real Techniques domed shadow/ crease brush), the bristles on the 142 Concealer Buffer are twice as dense and the ferrule is round, not pinched, which translates into a more opaque application.

Lastly, the 226 Smudger ($9.50, synthetic taklon bristles, also availale in the Bamboo Edition) is your typical brush for applying and smudging out darker shades along the upper and lower lashline. The main difference between the Zoeva Smudger and my other eye smudging brushes is the length of the bristles - the ones on the 226 are much shorter, and the ferrule is wider. This makes this brush a lot firmer, which on one hand, feels a bit stabby on the sensitive skin around the eyes, but on the other, makes blending out even the most pigmented pencils or liners incredibly easy. The tip of this brush is also finer than on my other smudgers (see below, compared to Bdellium Tools 772), so you can get a very precise application.

Again, I'm very satisfied with my purchase, and have been using these brushes nearly every day for the past month. I still think that Zoeva has remarkable quality brushes for a great price, even taking into consideration the gradual price increases and the high shipping costs (at least for North America). I feel that I have now achieved a well-edited, high quality brush stash tailored to my specific needs and preferences, so I'm not intending to purchase more brushes from Zoeva in the immediate future, but if I ever need to replacement, I'll happily order from them again. What is your favorite inexpensive brush brand? What are your go-to brushes for applying foundation and concealer?

Dupe or No Dupe? BornPrettyStore Waterdrop Shape Beauty Blender Regular & Mini*

I love my original Beautyblender. I really do. But you know, it feels absolutely ridiculous to spend $20 on a frikkin' make-up sponge you have to replace regularly. I mean, it's just a sponge, as soft and squishy as it may be. So I've been looking for some decent dupes for a while now, and while I enjoyed using the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (reviewed here), with frequent usage it started falling apart on me much faster then the original BB.

So when the BornPrettyStore contacted me to see if I'd be interested in any of their new products, I spotted this cute 'Waterdrop Shape Beauty Blender Expansion with Water Liquid Cream Foundation Sponge'* ($2.19 each, you'll be getting a random color) and thought - heck, why not. Because if it really turns out to be a good dupe... It's precisely $17.76 cheaper than the real deal. That's a BIG DIFFERENCE. The adorable mini version ('Mini Beauty Blender Double In Size When Damp')* is for some reason more expensive than the big guy, but still not exactly a splurge at $2.32 each. Both BornPrettyStore sponges were securely packed, shipped out to me by air mail and delivered very quickly - no problems whatsoever on that account.

I'll try to do my best now to make this comparison review as easy as possible to digest. As you can see in the photo above, the BornPretty Waterdrop Blender is both similar size and shape to the original pink BB (sorry, mine's a bit stained at the bottom) - the end is a bit more pointy and it's more egg-shaped than conical, but that's about it. In the photo below, you can see how much the sponge expands when dampened with water; the first photo on the left shows a dry Beautyblender and a damp BornPretty Blender, the photo on the right shows both sponges when damp. I'd say they both expand to about the same size. The BornPrettyStore Blender is made in China; the Beautyblender is made in the USA. Both leak dye when washed with soap.

Now, the biggest structural difference between the original bb and the potential dupe is the actual material. I've tried to show it in the close-up shot, but the surface of the original pink Beautyblender is more porous, while the dupe is more uniform. There is also a significant and observable difference in the softness of these two sponges: the original is more squishy and bouncy both when dry and wet, while the BornPrettyStore Blender is firmer and more resilient when pressed (the mini is made out of the same material). This results in a different application experience - you can lightly press and stipple the original onto the skin, while the 'dupe' needs stronger pressure for the same effect, which is simply not as pleasant or quick. The end result is about the same in both cases; but in all honestly, I prefer the softness of the Beautyblender.

I think that while the quest a couple years ago for all the companies trying to dupe the original Beautyblender was to find a similar sponge material that expanded when wet, now when that has been mastered, it's more about the actual softness/ texture of the sponge. The RealTechniques sponge turned too soft and floppy with regular use for my tastes. This BornPrettyStore dupe is a bit too firm. Obviously, these are quite minute differences, so I say if you're on a budget or just want to try out a make-up sponge for the first time, the less expensive options are still fabulous; but for me personally, so far I like the original best of all (darn you, expensive tastes!).

Do you use make-up sponges to apply your foundation? Have you tried any of the 'dupes', and if so, which one is your all-time favorite?

Disclaimer:  Items marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the BornPrettyStore for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!

Inexpensive & Effective: Zoeva Make-up Brushes Review

When I first started seeing Zoeva's brushes on a multitude of YouTube channels, I immediately assumed it was another make-up brush company just like Sigma. Sigma, when it first started, became popular for making inexpensive dupes of MAC brushes right down to the same numbering system, then affiliated half of available beauty gurus, got greedy due to the success it's been having, and gradually increased their prices. I wouldn't even mind all that if the quality of their brushes was any good - but it's not, and I also have no patience for gimmicky products like a brush-cleaning oven mitt. So, by the same token, I had absolutely zero interest in trying Zoeva brushes.

But then I watched Lauren's overview of Zoeva brushes that she ordered and paid for herself, and she was very satisfied with the quality and performance even compared to brands like Hakuhodo. And then I started watching a Polish beauty channel where Zoeva's brushes were reviewed in detail and used regularly for a variety of looks. Those two things, combined with Zoeva's reasonable pricing and a wide variety of brush shapes and types available, made me finally pull the trigger and order five different brushes to try for myself.

Zoeva is a German cosmetics and brush company; currently their products are only available for US folks via Zoeva's own website. The biggest downside of ordering from Germany is that Zoeva charges a flat shipping fee of $16. That's quite steep if you just want to try a couple brushes; you could of course convince a friend to place an order with you and divide the cost that way, but it's a bit of a pain. Good news is that my package was dispatched very quickly and arrived in New York about a week later. More good news is that if you're in Europe, not only are Zoeva's own shipping fees much lower, but they also distribute their brushes through a lot of domestic online stores - for example, Zoeva's retailers in Poland charge about $3 for the shipping. You do have to pay VAT though, unlike us here in the US.

The brushes came packaged in a (slightly ripped) cardboard box with a company logo, padded with some additional tissue inside. Each brush has its own ziplock pouch, and the bristles are further secured with a little plastic sleeve. You could absolutely reuse that paraphernalia for travel, the pouches especially seem very sturdy and useful - I thought it was a nice touch.

I orderded two face brushes and three eye brushes. Let's start with the face: I got the 105 Luxe Highlight ($15.50) and the 109 Luxe Face Paint ($15.50). Both of these brushes are a blend of natural (I'm thinking goat) and synthetic hairs, and the bristles are very fine and soft, with a comparable feel to my goat-bristled Hakuhodos but perhaps a touch more springy/ resistant. I was actually hoping to use the Luxe Highlight for both highlighting and setting with powder on smaller areas of the face, but the more elongated and slightly tapered shape is definitely better suited for highlighting or contouring (I use the more domed Real Techniques contour brush for setting). I like that the brush head is on the smaller side, so that I can highlight only the specific areas that I want targeted.

I don't have another brush even remotely similar to the 109 Luxe Face Paint, which is the reason I was particularly excited to play around with it for contouring my face. It's a flat brush with a blunt edge, and the bristles form an oval shape when you look at the brush in profile. I suppose it's very similar to the popular NARS Ita brush, or the new Real Techniques Bold Metals 301 Flat Contour, although significantly cheaper than both of those. I also decided to get Zoeva's version because I'd heard that the NARS bristles are a bit scratchy, while the RT is a bit too dense and stubby and not flexible enough to allow for blending. The Zoeva Face Paint doesn't poke my sensitive skin and allows for both precise placement of a contouring powder directly under the cheekbone as well as some light blending, especially when you turn the brush vertically. If you like very subtle and diffused contour or have a larger face, it may not be your favorite - but I've really been enjoying mine.

Onto the eye brushes: whenever I order brushes from a new to me company, I can't resist purchasing their version of a staple crease/ blending brush (a MAC 217 dupe, if you will), which in Zoeva's case is the 227 Luxe Soft Definer ($9.50). Again, this is a natural and synthetic hair mix, and the design is a bit different than my favorite Bdellium Tools 776: the bristles are slightly longer and fan out more, giving it more of a paddle shape. Functionally though, it performs exactly like the 776, and it's great for both placing shadow in the crease and blending it out. In comparison, the Wayne Goss 06 is more pinched and flat, while the Sigma E25 has a rounder shade and unsurprisingly, a lot scratchier bristles.

I also purchased another crease brush, the 231 Luxe Petit Crease ($9.50). At the time I was placing my order, I didn't realize this brush was a Zoeva fan favorite, but I can definitely see why: the natural bristles are soft but resistant and cut with great precision, with all the hairs perfectly aligned and coming to a point. I find the Luxe Petit Crease to be an incredibly versatile brush as well: it could be used for precise placement in the crease, or as a softer pencil brush, or for placing and blending out inner corner and under the brow highlight (which is what I've been using it for). It's more flexible and tapered than the Bdellium Tools 781, and longer and slightly bigger than my trusty Posh (sic!) Crease brush (I believe Essence of Beauty makes a brush duo that comes with a similar brush).

Lastly, I also needed a new angled eyeliner brush, so I ordered the 317 Wing Liner ($8.50). It doesn't specify on the Zoeva's website, but I believe this a syntethic brush, with a small head and a very fine edge, allowing for precise lining of the upper lashline and drawing cat eye flicks with both powder and cream/gel products. In comparison, my beloved but discontinued EcoTools brush has a thicker edge, so it's better suited for brows rather than eyeliner. I'm still playing around with the Wing Liner, but so far it's been great - it really makes eyeliner work a lot easier.

I have already cleaned my Zoeva brushes a couple times both with soap and water as well as MAC Brush Cleanser, and they wash up beautifully with no shedding or staining of the white bristles (in fact, the bristles look cleaner and whiter than my Hakuhodo goats). I've dried them mostly using the Brush Guards, and they keep their shapes well between washing - no problems there at all. All of the ferrules fit very tight and snug on the handles, and so far I haven't experienced any issues with the letters rubbing off the handles (hello, Wayne Goss 06!).

As you can probably tell, I'm very happy with my purchase, and I enjoy using all of the Zoeva brushes I ordered. They are without a doubt better quality than the Sigma brushes I own, or even than my thus far unparalleled affordable favorite, the Bdellium Tools. I also think Zoeva has an edge over many other brush companies due to the variety of interesting brush shapes they have on offer, and they continue to further expand their brush line (for example, they now also offer many of their brushes in vegan bristles). I will definitely try to get my hands on some more of their brushes, maybe by requesting a couple from my mom in Poland for a birthday or Christmas gift - I'd rather not pay $16 in shipping again if I can avoid it ;) Have you tried Zoeva make-up brushes? Which ones do you reach for the most often?