Now, I thought the Zoeva Complete Brush Set brushes were/are gorgeous, but I was floored by the brushes in the Sonia Kashuk Brush Couture Brush Set ($21.99)!
The brushes in this four-piece set all have colorful floral-print handles and coordinating bristles, and they’re a sight to behold, but looks are nothing when it comes to brushes. What I want to know is how do they work? Do they make it easier to apply my makeup? Does my makeup look better when I use them? Let’s see…
The Sonia Kashuk Brush Couture Brush Set comes with a domed powder/blush brush (purple), synthetic contour/buffing brush (orange), tapered powder/highlight brush (pink) and a duo fiber foundation/concealer brush (yellow), and I think we can all agree that these are some super cute brushes.
Are they as good as they look?
Well, the domed powder/blush brush works nicely as a blush brush. It’s a little smaller and more dense than what I typically reach for, but it picks up pigment nicely and is very, very smooth.
Here’s a comparison of it to other blush brushes in my collection:
The Sonia Kashuk domed powder/blush brush is larger than the Zoeva Luxe Highlight Brush but smaller than the Zoeva Luxe Cheek Finish Brush, so it’s on the small size for a blush brush. That being said, it does a fine job of applying my blush.
And since the powder/blush brush works so well, I had high hopes for the synthetic contour/buffing brush (orange). Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this one. The bristles are very dense, and the brush is quite small, so I don’t love it for buffing in my foundation. Also, after washing the brush just once, some of the orange color bled…
I don’t contour, but it may work well for blending in cream contour products, since the brush is so incredibly soft.
Here’s a comparison to the other buffing brushes in my stash:
Sadly, the duo fiber foundation/concealer brush (yellow) doesn’t work well for me either. I find it a little too large to smoothly blend my under-eye concealer, and too small to efficiently blend my foundation. I prefer a makeup sponge for both tasks, but like the other brushes in the collection, the bristles are incredibly soft.
Lastly, the tapered powder/highlight brush.
Wow, it’s very fluffy, so it doesn’t pick up too much product, and after washing, it loses some of its shape. So it’s not the best brush for precisely applying a highlight, but it’s still good for dusting powder all over.
The Sonia Kashuk brush isn’t as dense as the Zoeva Luxe Face Definer Brush and not quite as soft, but it still feels comfortable on my skin (and it’s less than $4 as part of this set).
Overall, I think these brushes are good, but not great. I do think they’re very good for the price.
The purple blush brush and pink powder brush are quite good, but the orange contour brush and yellow foundation brush are misses for me. But if you like using synthetic brushes for contour and/or foundation, they may work better for you.
I can’t deny that I LOVE the packaging.
The Sonia Kashuk Brush Couture Brush Set is available now at Target for $22, and the super cute makeup bag shown is available for $16.
What do you think are the best brushes out there now?
Kiss & Make-up says
Hmmm, two out of four, not sure if that’s worth the investment then. But yeah, can’t deny that they look sooooooooooo pretty!
Adia says
Yeah, I think they could make a nice gift for a makeup newbie. Or if you really like synthetic brushes for foundation/concealer, the set may work just fine for you. I just wasn’t blown away despite how beautiful these look 🙂
Nivedita says
I am always hunting brushes… and by now, I think I have a problem. These look so colorful! I was hoping to see a high recommendation though, so that I can get hold of a set.
Adia says
I was really hoping I could rave about these because they’re stunning!
Fran || FrannyMac says
These look gorgeous, I hope they bring them over to the UK. Even if they’re not as good as certain others, I’m a sucker for buying cute bits for my dressing table.
♥ Fran – http://www.frannymac.com xx
Adia says
If you’re a brush collector, they may be worth having just because they are too cute. Plus, the orange and yellow brushes weren’t BAD, they just didn’t work for me.
Agata says
Thanks for the review. I almost bought this set a few things ago only because the brushes are so pretty. Now I am glad I didn’t.
Adia says
You’re welcome Agata! If the orange and yellow brushes were larger, the would have worked much better for me.
sarahc says
These are the most adorable brushes I have seen and they are right in my budget. I can’t bring myself to spend $30 a brush from Mac, that’s crazy.
Adia says
Aren’t they cute??
Chris25 says
I think this would be good as a gift for someone who is just starting out in makeup and needs brushes.
Adia says
I agree! I was thinking one of my nieces (or all of them really) would love this. P.S. Your review makes me want to buy Tansy and Panda! I already have (and LOVE) Frick n Frack 🙂
Erin says
I tend to prefer her brush singles.