EcoTools Beautiful Expressions Kabuki Set Review

Firstly, I would like to apologise for not posting yesterday. Christmas eve got a little out of control with my family and such so I actually forgot until around 11pm that night! Anyways, I'll be sure to let all of you guys know beforehand next time I do something like this! Just a heads up, I will be going out a few times this week but everything should go as per usual! Sorry again and here's the review which I was planning on giving you yesterday! :)

Urgh, so many calories! :)

EcoTools is a well-known, inexpensive, drugstore brand. Its main selling point is the length it goes to when promoting environmental awareness and support. Today I will be reviewing the EcoTools Beautiful Expressions Kabuki Set (limited edition 4 piece set): a completely environmentally friendly, synthetic brush set.

 The set features four full-sized kabuki brushes.

To be honest, I believe that this set must be one of their best-selling of all time. I've seen these four kabuki brushes on basically every dresser/bathroom/make up table in history nowadays. So if you don't own this set, someone you know probably does!

The brushes are all very small and will easily fit into any type of travel bag invented. Don't be surprised when they arrive because despite being sold as "full-sized", I own travel-sized kabuki brushes which are larger then these!

I bought these off iHerb for $13.95 USD and I paid $12 USD shipping (I choose a quicker shipping option for my first order since it was very large), CLICK HERE to go to the site. You can use the code: VAF312 for $10 off your first order over $60 or $5 off your first order under $60! That's pretty much free shipping since the cheapest shipping option is $4.

DISCLAIMER: All products have been bought and paid for with my own money and I am not endorsing/paid for by iHerb at all, I have the code which will discount your first offer which is provided to everyone after their first order. I wish I knew a code when I first ordered but I didn't use one so I paid the extra $10. Feel free to use any code at all that you wish, I'm not going to force you to use mine! :) Okay, back to the review! :)

Bronzed Angle Kabuki Brush.

The bristles on this brush are too soft and flexible to be used to apply bronzer. I use this brush for either applying setting powder or blush colour. I prefer my contouring/bronzer to look defined rather then "snooki" (everywhere on the face - if I wanted that I'd get a fake tan) if that makes sense. ;)

Conceal Round Kabuki Brush.

This brush is incredibly soft and dense which makes it ideal for use with liquid and cream products since it will not absorb too much product into the bristles; and the softness means that it doesn't disturb your skin during application too much! It is a nice brush to have for concealer or liquid highlighter application when contouring your face.

Contour Domed Kabuki Brush.

This is the brush which I would use to apply and blend out bronzer if I used this kit. Although it isn't my favourite bronzer brush, it does a good job of precisely applying the bronzer or powder highlighter to the areas of my face which I want to focus on. A very decent brush - especially considering the price.

Buff Flat Top Kabuki Brush.

This is a semi-dense flat top brush but it's too flexible and soft for liquid and cream product application. I find that if I use this brush for liquid and cream foundations it absorbs most of the product and leaves a streaky application. Best for application and dispersion of powder make up since it prevents any cake face with it's large amount of bristles. In other words: the bristles are dense, but not dense enough for use of foundation application (unless it's mineral powder foundation)! :)


In conclusion, this brush set is definitely worth the money. Although none of these synthetic brushes are revolutionary or have made it into my favourites collection of brushes, it is still a brilliant brush set to work with when you are beginning to explore with different kinds of make up brushes and learning different techniques. If you can use these brushes well - you can use any brushes. ;)

Kabuki-Sized Brush Guards!

I also thought I'd also share how I maintain the Kabuki brush shapes and store these Kabuki Brushes (since they do not come with their own carrying case)! These will prevent any damage or splaying of the bristles and maintain the density of the brush. :)

I wash my brushes after every single use: no shedding or bleeding of colour was observed! The shape is maintained through brush guards so I don't know how they'll do without them (since they are very easily splayed during make up application). :)

Thank you once again for taking the time to read this review on my blog, much love goes out to all my readers. xx

Feedback and comments are much appreciated and loved, thank you to everyone who does!

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Stay Beautiful! xx

Sigma 7 Piece Synthetic Midnight Lace Brush Set Review (comparison to Sigma version)

On Black Friday Sedona Lace had a sale with 50% all their items (including their brush sets!). As I already owned most of the brush sets from Sedona Lace, I decided I'd purchase the 7 piece set after I fell in love with the style of brushes from my Sigma Set.

Order arrived after 1 week! :) I also bought the primer and the eyeshadow palette was a free gift.

The 7 brushes included in the kit - all come with a clear cover for the bristles.

This set retails for $59.95 USD but I paid half of that because of the sale (I was so very happy!), you can visit the site by CLICKING HERE). The other set I own which includes these types of brushes is the 10 piece synthetic essential brushes kit for $131.00 USD (CLICK HERE to go to the site - I am not a sigma affiliate).

Sedona (above) and Sigma (below) brushes of the same style. As you can see, both are very similar in size and packaging!

So let's start the review:

Sedona 773 - Synthetic Small Angled & Sigma P84 - Precision Angled Brush.

I always use these brushes to contour my nose (since I have a very Asian nose), I like to emphasise the shadows to create a more angular face. Both these brushes work well, I find the Sedona Lace 773 works better for blending out the contour with natural make up due to the higher slant of the bristles (if that makes sense!).

Sedona 224 - Synthetic Small Tapered & Sigma P86 - Precision Tapered Brush.

I've really developed a love for tulip-shaped, highly tapered brushes. They work very well for all face shapes and blend liquid and cream products like a dream! I prefer the Sigma version since it does not have a sharp ending to the tapered bristles which prevents streaking. The Sedona version has a sudden point when the tapered top ends and just becomes straight whilst the Sigma one is smoothly designed into the brush (as you can see by my image).

Sedona 312 - Synthetic Small Round & Sigma P82 - Precision Round Brush.

Perfect for buffing in concealer/any cream or liquid products, out of all the brushes, this one seems to best imitate your finger so it would also be good for application of the product to the skin before blending/buffing. Sigma wins this round, they both work very well but the bristles on the Sigma brush are a lot more soft and less irritating for my sensitive skin. I'm sure if you're skin isn't a mine field like mine, you should be fine with using either brushes. :)

Sedona 847 - Small Round Flat & Sigma P80 - Precision Flat Brush.

These types of brushes are good for stippling on concealer and blending the edges when spot concealing. I have to say I prefer the Sedona Lace ones out of these two because the density and amount of bristles in the Sedona version just seems to deposit the right amount of concealer evenly without absorbing as much product as the Sigma one.

Sedona 618 - Small Angled Flat & Sigma P88 - Prevision Flat Angled Brush.

I rarely reach for these types of brushes but when I do, it's usually for blending in hard to reach areas such as the nose, mouth (especially when concealing around bright/dark/bold lipstick colours where precision is a must), and just under the eyebrow (on the brow bone concealing/highlighting). There are no favourites, to me they both work as well as each other! ;)

Sedona 847 - Small Round Flat Brush.

Sigma does not have a version of this brush yet, it's a larger fluffy brush which is similar in density to the  Sedona 312 - Synthetic Small Round Brush included in the same kit. Good for blending out contouring of the nose. It's too large for my eye space so besides that, I have no uses for it.

EDIT: This is the absolute best brush for blending in concealer. I'm not even joking, this brush has become one of my favourites out of the entire set! I reach for this brush daily and am planning to buy back ups of this single brush later on. Very good brush, I can't go back to using a concealer brush for my under eye area anymore!

Sedona 217 - Small Round Dome Brush.

This brush is even fluffier and larger then the Sedona. I'm still not entirely sure what use this brush could have. I'm sure there are plenty of professional MUA which can put this brush to use but for the everyday person like myself, it's really a very large blending brush. It's much too large to use as an eye brush and much to small for a face brush. If anyone have any idea how to use this brush and ways you use the other brushes, please let me know in the comments below! You will be very much appreciated. :3

EDIT: This brush is amazing for setting areas where you apply concealer such as your under eye area and around your nose and mouth! It's soft enough that it does not move the concealer and firm enough to pick up the right amount of powder for a flawless finish. Very happy with this brush!


In conclusion, I think this Sedona Lace set is a great addition to any make up kit (and definitely a good gift for anyone aspiring to go into the make up industry or has a general passion for make up)! I would honestly hesitate to pay the full $59.95 for this set, although I've paid much more for brushes in the past, and wouls suggest that you wait for the next sale to purchase (especially because these are not "must have" brushes for basic make up application)!


These opinions are my own, I have not received any benefit from using these/reviewing these products. Since this is all personal preference, what works well for me may not work well for you. I'm not always right - and that's what makes life interesting! All the differences we have. :)



Stay Beautiful! xx

Sigma Synthetic Essential Kit 10 Brushes Review

Time for another brush review, I decided to do Sigma's Synthetic Essential 10 Brush kit because I couldn't find a lot of them before I bought mine which I found useful for my needs. I'm not a MUA so these brushes are only for my own personal use! And the odd times where I do make up for a family member/good friend.

All the brushes come with clear covers.

So this kit comes with a total of 10 brushes, all of them are face brushes. They're all incredibly dense but the bristles are the perfect level of soft/firm for me (personal opinion). I also own the Sedona Lace version of these brushes which I will review later on. :)

From what I have personally observed, none of these brushes shed or bleed when/after washing. I wash my brushes after every single use (being a germaphobe) and these have survived brilliantly. These brushes are made with sigmax synthetic fibers which pick up product without absorption into the bristles. Same as the Mrs. Bunny Complete Kit I reviewed earlier (CLICK HERE to see what I wrote).

I am not a Sigma Affiliate, this brush set retails for $131.00 USD on the official Sigma website, CLICK HERE to go there in a separate window. Shipping time for myself in Sydney Australia was less than a week (incredible right? But then considering the amount of shipping I paid...)

You can also buy the larger brushes and smaller brushes in their own sets or separately on the Sigma website.

F86 - Tapered Kabuki Brush.

The tapered tulip shape of this brush makes it easy to reach and blend cream and liquid products in hard-to-reach areas of the face (such as around the eyes precisely). It is incredibly soft, quick-drying, and not streaky. It doesn't absorb a lot of product when used and is easy to clean due to it's highly tapered design.

F88 - Flat Angled Kabuki Brush.

The flat angled kabuki brush is excellent for full coverage foundation looks. It dispenses and blends the liquid products into the skin very quickly and allows for fuller coverage then other brushes in the kit. It works best for me when I apply it to the flat surfaces of my face and blend outwards. I like using the pointed tip for precise blending. This brush takes a long time to clean but it is still possible! ;)

F84 - Angled Kabuki Brush.

The round top kabuki brush is the excellent for precise contouring and blending. You can also use it for other things such as applying foundation but I just prefer it for contour.

F80 - Flat Kabuki Brush.

This flat top kabuki is good for packing on and blending out powder foundation, there is a risk of CAKE FACE. :(
But if used correctly and with a light hand, powder application can be flawless and last all night. :)

F82 - Round Kabuki Brush.

My favourite brush for foundation application, this round top kabuki brush will buff and blend foundation flawlessly into any skin type. For medium to high coverage foundations but you can easily use less product for a lighter coverage. A nightmare to clean but well worth the effort, trust me ;)

P80 - Precision Flat Brush.

The smaller brushes are exactly the same as the larger brushes in shape and density. :) This small flat top kabuki is good for spot or blemish concealing (remember, spot concealing prevents cake face)!

P82 - Precision Round Brush.

 This smaller round top kabuki brush mimics the shape and feel of fingers so it's perfect for buffing and blending in concealer or other cream products.

P88 - Precision Flat Angled Brush

This small flat angled kabuki brush is good for precise application of cream products in areas such as around the nose and mouth.

P84 - Precision Angled Brush.

The best brush for nose contouring ever! I can't believe I managed to live without this brush, it's amazing, I won't ever go back. This is the small rounded precision angled brush. ;)

P86 - Prevision Tapered Brush.

Perfect for the placement and blending of concealer around the eyes (especially the under eye area), this is the small precision tapered brush.

In conclusion, these brushes were created with the idea of professional uses in mind. It would be a bit unnecessary for the daily, personal make up looks but it great for dramatic, special occasion looks where there will be plenty of photos being taken and flawless and dramatic make up is required!

Keep in mind that these opinions are my own, I enjoy some of these brushes greatly but they may not work for you like they did for me. :)




Stay Beautiful! xx

Beauty Problems! - Sigma Stained Brushes! (RESOLVED)

Shortly after receiving my much-wanted Mrs. Bunny Brush Set from Sigma, I washed them with some soft baby shampoo and dried them completely. The day after they had dried, I used these brushes for make up application for my little sister's formal.

My Sister's Teal Eyeshadow look! :)

It suited her dress very well and these photos really don't do it justice! :(

Now here's a little fact about Synthetic/Vegan brushes, they are incredibly multi-use because they do not absorb product into the actual brush bristles, especially when compared to animal hair brushes (even high quality natural bristles have a higher rate of product pigment absorption). After using a brush for an extended period of time (usually this means years), the staining of a make up brush is basically inevitable (there are many methods to prevent this for many years though which I will explain in a future blog). Cream and liquid products are a lot more likely to stain bristles then powder/dry products. Therefore, synthetic bristles are well-suited to being used for all types of products (cream, powder, liquid, etc.) without the same risk of staining as natural brushes.

Anyways, back to my Sigma brushes. I used a lovely teal blue colour which suited my sister's dress as an powder eyeshadow for her look that night. It turned out beautifully and I immediately spot cleaned all my brushes including my F70 Concealer brush. After an hour, I went to deep clean my brushes and the F70 was stained. It didn't matter how much I deep cleaned that brush, the stain would not budge! I owned multiple make up brushes at the time and I had never had a problem with staining or the eyeshadow which I had used. I had also used that exact powder eyeshadow with my other brushes from the same kit and there was no staining. I am aware that this brush is intended for concealer use but the beauty of synthetic brushes (or any kind of make up brush) is that you can use it for whatever function you want! This rule applies more  with synthetic brushes!

Brush after several deep cleaning sessions, the bristles are clearly stained with a deep teal colour! >:(

My biggest frustration with this is: a synthetic brush which I used for the first time after cleaning with a powder eyeshadow managed to stain, an hour after usage and spot cleaning, when other brushes from different brands and even brushes from the same set resisted staining.

Now don't misunderstand: the F70 brush applied product like a dream and was incredibly soft and precise. Also since staining is inevitable over time, it doesn't matter how "pretty" a brush is, as long as it does an amazing job, it should not be thrown out. However, I was still frustrated so I emailed customer support at Sigma and received a reply within 24 hours offering support with the situation. Once they realised that the brush was clearly stained, they sent me a new one which arrived today!

Aaannnddd... you're officially forgiven. :)

Now I'm not sure if I had received a faulty brush (considering synthetic bristles should not have stained that easily/quickly), or if it was to do with the white bristles (despite the other brushes with the white tips being stain-free after using the same way), or that the brush is really not for eyeshadow (concealer can stain too! So I'm not entirely sure what this brush is 'for'). After much searching and asking around I found that a lot of people have had the exact same problem with teal blue powder shadows staining! So it may have been the colour selection and I just got unlucky.

Anyways, the lesson is:
> Be careful with using white tipped bristles with pigmented shadows.
> Be wary of the beautiful vibrant teal blue colours as they are the colour which is most likely to stain even the most expensive of brushes (e.g. MAC).
> Sigma has good customer service and will graciously offer a replacement brush.

Stay Beautiful! xx

Make Up Tools - Sigma Brushes Mrs. Bunny Review

I've decided to start off with a review of possibly the most over-reviewed item in the world: Sigma Brushes.

If you haven't heard of sigma brushes before, I congratulate you because that must have taken quite some effort. The main - and most obvious reason - why Sigma brushes are so incredibly popular is due to the affiliate program which basically means if you sign up to Sigma, you'll be given a link and when someone buys from Sigma through that link - you get commission from that sale to use on even more Sigma products. In other words, you advertise for them, if the buyer buys through your link from advertising Sigma, you get rewarded with money to spend on more sigma products, and Sigma ends up making a whole heap of money from it.

I honestly really admire the pure simplicity and genius of that form of advertising. It really is a win-win scenario for the company!

So does it live up to the hype?

Some points I should clarify before we continue:
> I am not a sigma affiliate
> All products were purchased with my own money

Okay, lets' start!

Also I'm waiting for more brushes to arrive soon *excited*

So pictured above is my current brush collection (not including the cheap eco-tool travel brushes I keep in my car in case of super emergency touch ups - don't lie, we all have done make up in an emergency before).

And of this collection, 22 brushes are from Sigma (24 if we include the travel sized ones included in the kit and as a free gift).

My First Ever Sigma Order <3

I had ordered the complete Mrs. Bunny Essential Kit, the 10 piece Synthetic Essential kit, and the Beauty Expert Brow Design kit. The free gift for their Fall 2012 season was a travel size E05 (eyeliner) brush. For the sake of not making this entry too long, I'll only be reviewing the Mrs. Bunny kit, which is a synthetic 12 brush kit and case collection.

I will go through all the brushes of this kit in no particular order because I'm not that orgranised.

Sigma Bunny Brush Set ($120 USD). The larger brushes come with a plastic protector and the kit comes in a baby blue hard case which I use to display my brushes on my vanity.

F70 - Concealer Brush

Perfect sized brush for spot concealing, it deposits the perfect amount and is easily controlled. Doubles as a good eye shadow base brush. However I did have a massive issue with it that I have blogged about HERE!

F60 - Foundation Brush

Every person who does make up must have at least tried one of these before. I'm not a fan of using this brush for foundation because I hate foundation brushes for foundation application in general. I prefer other brushes so I use this for application of moisturiser/treatments if I don't want to use my hands.

F50 - Duo Fibre/ Stippling Brush

I found this stippling/duo fibre brush to be small in width. The bristles are soft and long so they allow for easy blending without streaking. I prefer to use this brush for cream blushes since using it for foundation application can be time-consuming compared to larger stippling brushes I own such as my Sedona Lace brushes.

F30 - Large Powder Brush

I do like that the brush is an oblong shape which encourages powder application without risking the dreaded cake face that many powder brushes risk. A large and very soft brush.

E05 - Eyeliner Brush

This is the softest eyeliner brush I own. I have overly sensitive eyes and what many people consider to be soft for eyeliner application is actually very harsh to my own eyes. So if I say this brush is soft (yet firm enough for good gel lining), believe me.

E70 - Medium Angled Shading Brush

A good brush for the crease and highlighting of the brow bones, you can never really have enough of these brushes. That being said, you can get these brushes of this quality with many cheaper brands such as Sedona Lace.

E65 - Small Angle Brush

This is small for increased precision but unfortunately, I find it to be a bit harsh and scratchy for my sensitive eyes. So I only use this brush for pressing liner/eye shadow into the hairline of my lashes for a subtle liner effect.

E60 - Large Shader Brush

A basic eye brush for application of cream or colour over the eye. It's made to cover large lid area in minimal time/effort.

E55 - Eye Shading Brush

This is my favourite brush of this kit! It has easily made it into my favourite brushes of all time. The entire kit is worth it for this brush. It is perfect for my crease and the blending of this brush is borderline orgasmic. Enough said. If you're only going to buy one brush, buy this one.

E40 - Tapered Blending Brush

A basic brush, didn't really impress me that much but it does it's job.

E30 - Pencil Brush

A very soft brush (even with my extreme sensitivity to many eye brushes), very good for inner eye highlighting or smudging/smoking out looks.

F40 - Large Angled Contour Brush

Good for blush application or a very soft, blended out contour of the face and body.

And that's everything - finally! ;)

Here's some closing tips:
- Sigma always has a 10% coupon code. Always. Just Google it since it changes quite often.
- Sigma always has a free gift with every order over $30USD, I got a travel eyeliner brush (which is good since I can actually use this brush without crying) but previously eyeshadows have been given out.
- Apparently this website: redefining beauty, is an authorised Australian reseller. The reason I didn't use this site despite being in Australia is because there's no discount code, the range was limited and didn't have what I wanted, and when I compared the cart of both sites, Sigma somehow ended up cheaper even with shipping! Also I'm one of those people that would rather buy from the original so I know what I have is the real thing. *paranoid*

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SIGMA (Remember I'm not an affiliate so I do not benefit from this is any way, shape or form).

Stay beautiful! xx