Magazine Title
Brushing Up on Makeup Tools Why knowing the differences between Natural and Synthetic Makeup Brushes is important |Victoria Patricia Kelly
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very product we buy has their pros and and cons. When this product has to do with our faces or involve the environment, those benefits and drawbacks have to be taken into considerations Makeup brushes are essential to professionals and flawless application, but many don’t think twice about what brushes they buy. One foundation brush must be just as good as another, right? Consumers are going to have to consider a little more than just a price and function when buying their cosmetic tools. What’s the difference between natural or synthetic brushes? 1 | April 2014
The advantages of natural brushes have to do with the fact that it is biological fiber. The bristles have a natural cuticle from an animal, which can help to apply makeup delicately. They are great for variety as they range from very firm to delicately soft. Even the softest of brushes are very durable. As for application, the freely moving hairs can gather up powder products very well. This makes for better blending ability as well which is especially helpful for eyeshadows. Different animals produce different degrees of precision or softness. Badger, for instance, is coarse but defining
making it ideal for filling in eyebrows. While other brushes, like high-end Kolinsky (mink) hair, are extremely soft and hold purer pigments for eye makeup.
Synthetic brushes are very affordable ranging from inexpensive drugstore brands to the luxurious professional tools. They are also extremely durable. If you love colors or unique styles, then synthetic brushes The cons consofofnatural naturalbrushes brushes The “Unless companies can be dyed or stacked to create also have with thethe factfact that that they are also have totododo with any style you want (Sugarpill say their brushes they are biological fibers. This their natural biological fibers. This means Cosmetics just released their are Vegan or 100% means their cuticles cannatural give cuticles troublecanby absorbing ombré pink 4-piece set in late absorb theproducts, oils from products, or with animal-cruelty free, oils from or struggling liquid March and Japonesque even struggle in with liquid Natural makeup brushes in makeup general. canconscious get be of what has leopard print bristles). general. Naturalsometimes brushes can very expensive, inget the hundreds of buying.” you are very expensive, sometimes up cost, to they can be Like natural brushes dollars. To cut on production hundreds of dollars. To cut on though, cheap synthetic a mix of cheaper, less effective hair. Ox hair is production cost, they can be a mix of cheaper, brushes can be prone to shedding. Another popular filler, making brushes less accurate. less effective hair.hair Ox hair a popular filler, downside is that because these fibers like to Mixing cheaper canis lead to shedding, making brushes less accurate. Mixing cheaper stick together, powder products struggle to interfering with application hair can lead to shedding, interfering with hold on to the bristles. There are outcries that application. fibers like nylon and poly-based materials are causing issues like cancers. Luckily, U.S. and The most serious con of natural brushes is European cosmetic brands go through heavy possible animal cruelty. The natural fibers screening for inflammatory or harmful come from a variety of animals and these chemicals. animals have to treated properly, be mature enough before having their hair harvested, and Makeup brushes are mainly up the the hair has to be cut not plucked. consumer. Sometimes the most useful tool Unfortunately, not all companies follow these you’ll buy will be a $3 synthetic brush, and standards. So unless companies (like Too sometimes you will pinch your pennies to buy a Faced or Christopher Drummond Beauty) say new Shu Uemura natural brush. So long as you outright that their brushes are Vegan or 100% clean and care for brushes regularly, they will animal-cruelty free, be conscious of what you keep delivering you perfect application. are buying. Of course you should always ensure that the products you are buying did not involve cruelty Synthetic brushes have come a long way to an animal. If a direct statement is hard to that what they used to be. Early Synthetic find, products must have a stamp of approval brushes were noticeably stiff and plastic-y. from humane organizations stated on their Synthetic fibers are usually nylon or polyesterwebsite or the Cruelty Free logo on the product based and are treated or baked for different degrees of softness. Unlike natural bristles, itself. ! synthetic brushes do not absorb products meaning better application of liquid makeup. Because synthetic fibers like to stay close, precision is easier to achieve. Another advantage of synthetic brushes is that they are much easier to clean than natural brushes, making them more hygienic. April 2014 | 2