As I did share in a blog post not too long ago, I definitely don't think good quality makeup brushes need to be expensive. I use a wide array of cruelty-free and vegan brushes from a number of different brands, such as BH Cosmetics, Ecotools, Wet n Wild, and Real Techniques. While affordable, these are all foreign brands. So I thought about looking into locally made brush sets.
So sometime ago, this gorgeous brush set that Anne Clutz came out with became popular. She's a well-known local YouTuber who specializes in beauty- and family-related content. I can admit that I was really intrigued when I saw these brushes because they looked so luxurious and high-quality.
Getting these brushes was a challenge because the set would always sell out. So it took me some time to buy them, and I've been using them in rotation with my other brushes since October 2018. This review will detail what I think about the brushes and how I've been using them.
The Brushes
The brushes have light gray synthetic bristles that are soft to the touch. They have rose gold ferules and white plastic handles that have Anne's name emblazoned on them in rose gold. The set came in a black cloth pouch, and each brush was individually wrapped in plastic and some even had a brush protector.
When you first unbox them, Anne gives instructions in her video to wash them first so that the bristles become even softer. I honestly didn't notice a difference in softness because the bristles are already super soft to begin with. However, I went ahead and washed them anyway because they had a really strong and off-putting chemical scent on them that could only go away with a good washing.
Anyway, you get 10 brushes in this set, five face brushes and five eye brushes. So really, everything you need to cover your face in makeup. While Anne did intend for all these brushes to be for a certain product or function, I took them as suggestions and used them for what I found made them work for me, and I will describe why.
The Base Brushes
By base, I mean concealer, foundation, and powder, and these brushes were perfect for that. The Flat Angled Kabuki brush is quite good for foundation because it's dense, doesn't soak up too much product, and does apply my foundation quite evenly.
And the foundation I always use (Too Faced Peach Perfect Comfort Matte Foundation), usually doesn't work too well with a brush unless it's dense and soft. It's not too bad to use for concealer either though it's a bit big. Additionally, the bristles don't get stained with product after washing.
I thought the Blush Brush was way too densely packed to use for blush (unless it's a really hard to pick up blush, which is not a good thing), but I found that it's perfect for using pressed powder to set your whole face (especially your under eye concealer). It picks up a lot of product and distributes it evenly across your face.
Lastly, there's the Fan Brush. While it was originally meant for highlighter, I find that it's too flimsy to apply any type of powder highlighter properly on your cheeks, especially if you want the glow to be concentrated on a certain area. I have found that it's not too bad to use for sweeping away excess powder after you bake your face.
Highlight Brushes
Since the Fan Brush isn't so great for highlighter, what brushes did I use for that product then? Well, I used three brushes, the Small Angled Brush, Concealer Brush, and the Big Blending Brush. I did use the Concealer brush for its intended purpose, I think it's the best thing to use to cut your crease because of the stiffness of the bristles and its shape.
For spot concealing or covering up your dark circles, I think it's always better to use a sponge. Aside from that, it's the perfect brush to use when you want a concentrated highlight on your brow bone.
I thought the Small Angled Brush was also too short for me to use comfortably for eyebrows since my fingers are really long, and I generally prefer using longer brushes. Since I liked its shape, it was nice to use to put highlighter on my brow bone.
Lastly, I think the Big Blending Brush is the perfect highlighter brush. I find that it's way too big to use as an eyeshadow blending brush, but it's the perfect size for my face. It picks up a decent amount of product and really blends it out well on your skin so you can have that soft glow on your face, rather than cheek stripes.
Face Powder Brushes
For blush, contour, and bronzer, I really liked using the Powder Brush for bronzer and love using the Contour Brush for blush. I find that the shape of the Powder brush was better suited for the cheeks and the other contours of your face so it made sweeping bronzer in those areas easy.
While I don't wear bronzer on a daily basis, I do wear it for more special occasions. You can also use this brush to apply blush too, especially if you have an extremely pigmented blush. The shape of the brush and the loose bristles allow this brush to sweep a subtle amount of color on your cheeks, so you can avoid the time-consuming act of building up the blush using a light hand.
Eyeshadow Brushes
For eyeshadow,I did think the Small Eyeshadow Shader and Eye Shadow Shader brushes were really nice to use. The flat shape and short bristles of the Eye Shadow Shader brush is great for picking up metallic shadows and swiping it on your eyelid, especially if you're working with an eyeshadow that's particularly stiff or firmly pressed.
I also found that the densely packed bristles of the Small Eyeshadow Shader brush makes getting a concentration of pigment and color on your crease really effortless, especially if you're in a hurry. It also makes blending out matte shades a lot easier too. If you like more natural-looking makeup or love bold and dramatic looks, these brushes are perfect for both those looks.
Brush Care
Because these are made of synthetic hair and are really soft, it's recommended that you use a baby shampoo to wash these brushes as opposed to a solid brush cleanser or the usual brush shampoo. A solid cleanser might especially leave a residue on the brush hairs and give them a rancid scent, especially for the more dense brushes of this set (this is based off my experience, btw).
I personally now use a moisturizing shampoo to wash these brushes, not necessarily a baby shampoo but it can get the product buildup off the brushes and keep their bristles soft. After running them over the ridges of a brush egg and rinsing them thoroughly, I then put them on a brush tree and leave them to dry.
My Final Thoughts
I think most of the face brushes are great for beginners, particularly the Flat Angled Kabuki Brush for foundation, the Blush Brush for powder, and the brushes that I mentioned for face powders. I think the only dud is the Fan Brush. It's just way too flimsy as it can barely pick up product or blend anything out well, which can definitely be frustrating to use, especially for a beginner.
I also think the eye brushes leave a lot to be desired. This set could have benefited from having a smaller blending brush because the Big Blending Brush is just too big to use on your eyes, especially if you want to try incorporating more than one eyeshadow color in your crease. It's really better for highlighter. However, I did like the brushes I mentioned for eyeshadow.
There's a lot to improve on in this set but aside from that, I do think these brushes are well made and rival my other brushes in quality, and most definitely worth your money if you decide to pick them up.
I know Anne also came out with a brush set just for eyes and the diversity of the brushes in that collection is definitely a lot better just off my first impressions. I'm definitely considering picking it up, but again, they're sold out at the moment along with this brush set. The waiting game continues...
Where to get them:
Philippines
Anne Clutz Brushes (Official Retailer)
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