Quality ≠ Expensive (Makeup Brush Haul and Review)

If you're a makeup lover and still looking for quality makeup brushes, this post is for you!

 Another long overdue product haul and review but better late than never! Last October, I tweeted about the super cheap yet quality brushes in Landmark. They were having their Cosmetic Sale back then and all makeup brushes were discounted by 10%.

Though I have a collection of trusted brushes with me, I can't help myself to get hold of at least a couple of new brushes every now and then. One of the biggest investments of MUAs is a good set of makeup brush. And good ones don't normally come cheap. Even a basic set for everyday use can be quite expensive. That's why after visiting Landmark and seeing these brushes, I immediately raved about it on my Twitter account to let my friends know how SULIT it is.

1) Eyeliner Brush 2) Mini Concealer Brush 3) Small E/S Brush 4) Smudger Brush 5) Kabuki Brush 6) Marionnaud N°38 Brush

1. Marionnaud N°38 Brush

Let's start of with my Marionnaud N°38 brush, which by the way is not part of Landmark's Cosmetic Sale. Oh before anything else, can I just say that Marionnaud brushes are so awesome. I recently bought 2 other great brushes (N°32 and N°37) but let me save that for another post. As I was saying, the No38 double ended brush (a spoolie and an angle brush) is used for your eyebrow makeup. However, the spoolie can also be used to remove excess mascara from your lashes. The angle brush on the other hand is also handy for gel liner application. I am in love with the brush and it's been part of my everyday Kikay Kit, replacing my old angle brush.

PROs:
- Cheap cheap cheap! (Retails at Php59.75 I think?)
- Multi purpose
- Great quality and very durable
- It's double ended (You get two brushes for the price of one)
- I love how the spoolie can be bent for better use
- Very nice packaging (the angle brush even comes with a protective tube that's very secured)
- Locally available


CONs:
- The bristles of the angle brush is a bit soft

Overall: 4.5 out of 5
I'd like to recommend this for girls who want a reliable eyebrow brush that won't hurt their pockets. I swear, you will love this brush as much I as I do. It's been helping me a lot in achieving the perfect brow. You can see this product in my Eyebrow Tutorial (Click here).

2. Generic Eye Brushes

Item #1 I am not really a fan of the eye brushes I currently have. They're decent enough to function but I am very sure that there are better ones. I especially observe it whenever I do a lot of smudging and shading for my look. But I finally found a good smudger brush that does the trick (Item #1). Doing smokey eye is so much easier now and it doesn't hurt my eyes unlike my other eye brushes. Thumbs up and definitely recommended! (How cheap? Php84.75!!!)

Item #2 which is a small E/S brush is good for applying E/S on the crease or at the corners of your eyes. It transfers the product on your eyes and doesn't remain on the brush. Great for packing loose shadow on your lids and lower lash line (Yuh-uh less fall out) . It's so soft so no need to worry about premature wrinkles especially under the eyes. Another good bargain! Definitely recommended! (Believe it or not it's Php79.75)

Item #3 Another thing I've been looking for is a new small concealer brush that I can use on my clients because it's hygeinic that way. The concealer brush I've been using streaks a lot and defeats the purpose of concealing corners because it's too big. So when I saw #3, I knew that I'm buying it because I need one. It's one of those decent brushes and not as good as I was expecting. So what I would normally do is use this brush (make sure it's clean) to pick up the concealer from the container and apply it on the areas that need concealing. Then I use my fingers (again...clean) to blend the streak marks it left. If you're concealer brush is still functional, no need to get one like this. (Price is Php39.75)

Item #4 Ugh! I'd say that this one was a big disappointment. I'm not sure if you remember me saying in my past post (Click Here) that the Maybelline's Gel Liner brush could have been better if it was thinner. Well, I thought that this brush will be the answer to that. Turns out, it's not functional at all. The bristles are too soft for application. It'not dense enough to create a smooth opaque line on your eyes. What a waste of money. Good thing it's really cheap. Haha! (Php29.75? Not sure)

3. Generic Kabuki Brush

Let's save the best for last! This has to be my most favorite purchase. It is so soft and dense that it can compete with other drugstore and local brands. Definitely a Kikay Kit staple and must-have for every girl.

PROs:
- Dense enough to pack powder on your face
- Blends the powder well
- Super soft that you're skin will ask for more
- CHEAP!!! (Php139.75 Seriously!)
- No SHEDDING

CONs:
- Doesn't come with a small pouch/bag :(

Overall: 5 out of 5
Need I say more? Go now to the nearest Landmark and buy one!

Girls, you really need to pay a visit to Landmark and check out the makeup brushes. They even have small brush rolls that you can buy. You can customize your brush set and not worry about storage. However, make sure that you inspect well the brushes that you see. Here are some tips that you might need:

1. Check the density of the brush.

2. The ferrule (metal in the middle of the handle and the bristles - usually silver) should be glued well to the handle.

3. Softness of the brush should also depend on its use. If it's a liner brush, bristles should be a bit stiffer for stable application.

4. Get only what you need especially if you're not planning to be a MUA.

5. Analyze if a brush can be multi-purpose (You'll surely save a lot).

There you go readers! You don't need to buy a set and end up not using most of the brushes. Just go to Landmark and Watsons and pick up the individual brushes that will suit your makeup needs. I hope this brush haul and review made you realize that you don't have to pay high for quality. Just like clothes and shoes, you can find bargains for makeup. Yes, it works that way too! Let me know what you think after you buy a Marionnaud (available at Watsons) or a generic brush from Landmark.

Comments? Suggestions? List them down below. :)

Follow me on Twitter or GFC!