Sunday, April 20, 2008

Review: Coastal Scents brushes

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I've finally tested most of the brushes I bought from Coastal Scents. There are two I still haven't had the time to make use of - the refillable dispenser brush and the angled chisel eyshadow brush. These are what I've tried so far.

1. Eyeliner brush
2. Facial Cleanser Brush
3. Italian Badger Buffer Brush
4. Duo Fiber Stippling Brush


1. Eyeliner brush

I was annoyed with this brush at first because when it arrived the bristles were bent due to the inadequate packaging of the shipment. However I managed to reshape it after washing so it looks alright now.

This brush works well for lining. The tip is firm enough that you can draw either a thin line or a thicker line depending on the pressure you put on it. Also I like that the handle is short, that way it doesn't get in the way when you're leaning close to the mirror to draw that line.

Overall: Decent lining brush

Here I used it with Indianwood Paint Pot to line my upper lashline.

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2. Facial Cleanser Brush

The brush head is a good size for exfoliating my face, and it does come with a cap which would be handy when travelling. However, I don't like this. The ends of the bristles feel rough on my face. I would use this only with a light hand, but still I feel a bit paranoid I might be doing more harm to my skin than good.

Overall: Definite no-buy

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See those little fibres that are longer than the rest? Looks like sloppy worksmanship to me.


3. Italian Badger Buffer Brush

From L-R: MAC 188. MAC187SE, Sephora Stippling Brush, Coastal Scents Duo Fibre brush, Coastal Scents Italian Badger Buffer.

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The italian badger buffer is quite fluffy yet dense at the same time. The bristles are nice and soft. This is my first flat top/buffer brush, so I'm no expert at using it. I find that I need to use a stippling brush first to apply the mineral makeup on my skin, before using this to 'buff' the foundation in. I can't use this to apply the foundation directly otherwise my skin looks cakey. But for buffing purposes, it works quite well.

Overall: Great buffer brush, especially at that price.



4.
Duo Fiber Stippling Brush

You might notice from the previous picture, and this one, that the CS brush looks a bit more fluffy than the other duo fibre brushes.

L-R: MAC 187SE, Sephora Stippling brush, CS Duo Fibre brush

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Actually, in real life the brush head is quite a bit more fluffy than my other duo fibre brushes. The bristles do feel very soft and gentle on the skin. However I actually find it hard to apply mineral makeup with it. Its hard to blend foundation on the skin with it because the bristles don't offer much control over the application. As a result, my makeup looks quite cakey if I try to use this.

I don't like using this for blush either. The head is too fluffy so it distributes blush over too large of an area, over my entire cheekbone which I don't want. I want the colour to just be on the top 2/3 of my cheekbones because otherwise my face just looks too red/pink for my taste.

So....I didn't think I'd say this, but I dislike this! I don't even know what to do with it now, since I can't use it for foundation, blush, or powder. Maybe I'll try it applying liquid foundation with it and see how it does.

Overall: Would not repurchase or recommend.

Note that a common complaint for this brush is shedding and some bleeding of the black dye during washing. The brush shed a little when new, but after washing it 1-2 times it didn't shed anymore. It does turn the water a little grey when washing, but not much. Doesn't leave a stain on the paper towel on which its drying either so that isn't a problem.

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I have noticed though, that Coastal Scents brushes tend to generate very polarized feedback. Either you love them or hate them. It seems that the quality of their brushes can vary widely from batch to batch. So...read up on other reviews first before you decide to buy!

25 comments:

ilurvemakeup said...

I def got the crappy batch from them twice! Ugh. The facial brush was by far the worse besides the badger flat top. I threw the facial brush during use cuz the strands of bristles falling off annoyed me.

EoB > CS

♡ Nic Nic ♡ said...

OMG.. do not get me lemming over badger! haha im going to really resist :P but im glad it didnt bleed and all that like it did for Lurve.

Aww your lucky to have a fluffy duo stippling brush, mine was quite sparse compared to my se187!! But their powder version is a lot more dense... i agree its like a potluck in receiving different quality of each brush - very inconsistent! lol.

Stephy said...

lizz from lizz1901.blogspot.com uses the duo fiber brush to apply liquid foundation in one of her videos and i think it worked quite well on her! maybe u would wanna try that and let us know if it's better to be used that way?

Anonymous said...

hey there so I see you have the seporha stippling brush, just wondering how do you liek it Compared to your maC brush?.. I've been eyeing on it but not sure I want to get it?...Does it apply MMU's okay? What about liquid foundation??..please Comment baCk, thanks!

Anonymous said...

I got the badger buffer brush with my first order a month ago. It's my favourite brush from Coastal Scents so far. I use it to apply loose powder and it really helps buff the powder onto my skin and make it look translucent.

I got the refillable dispenser brush today with my second order. And I hate it! It shed a bit when I tried it on the back of my hand, and as I was washing it, it started shedding even more. :( The brush itself also felt flimsy, so I'm sceptical as to how good it would be for my loose powder... I also got the pink oval shadow brush, and while I like the density and softness of the bristle, I was appalled by the smell of the hair and handle. It reeked of moth balls (which I hate!), which reminded me of granny's closet... I washed it with face wash a few times and still couldn't get rid of the smell. Now the brush is soaking in warm water with lots and lots of shampoo. I'll see if the smell goes away after a few hours.

Overall, I was happy with my first order and rather disappointed with the second one. We shall see how well these brushes work after they've dried and the funky smell gone.

IchigoBunnie said...

if you haven't tried out EM's new brushes yet, you gotta try them out! They're pretty good. I've got the Flat Top brush, and if I can get my hands on money on a card, I'm gonna order more samples and the long handled kabuki...the brushes are just so soft! and they don't bleed on me either and the shedding is so minimal after you wash it the first time.

watercoloursky said...

anonymous: i find the sephora one to be better for mineral foundation because its firmer. The mac one is ok for mineral and better for liquid because it is softer, so i usually reserve it for liquid. i'd go with the MAC one if you want a duo fibre brush that can do both. Keep in mind the MAC one I own is the SE version, so the quality of the full size MAC one will be different (probably for the better). I hope this helps! Brushes also are a matter of personal preference...so I'd suggest you buy both and try them out, then return the one you don't like :P

watercoloursky said...

thanks for all the feedback guys :)

ilurvemakeup: i feel sorry that you got crappy stuff twice :( thinking about it its probably safer to go with EM brushes :P

nicnic: lol well in light of Lurve's experience, maybe I shouldn't be promoting CS as much :P EM's brushes seem a lot more consistent so try those first...and let me know what you think ;)

stephy: yup i'm def going to try using the CS stippling brush for liquid foundation, hopefully it'll do well!

liz: that sucks :( my dispenser brush doesn't feel that great either. i'm actually wondering how i'll wash it. it would have to be empty before I could wash it again or the powder inside would get wet :S

ichigobunnie: hah, i actually was ABOUT to order some EM brushes last week with their 10% promo. But I managed to talk myself out of clicking the Checkout button :P I'll definitely try them in the future but I really need to get more use out of my existing brushes first :)

Bliss said...

Great review,i was lemming for the Badger brush set heheh, the cleanser brush , does it hurt when you use that to clean your face ?

Anonymous said...

Oh, the dispenser brush, I twisted off the handle and only washed the hair bit. There's a spongey bit inside the tube that gets wet, so this way, the sponge gets a chance to dry. I suppose you could do the same? That way, you won't have to worry about the powder in the handle.

It's been 24 hours and that pink brush still stinks! I'm going to write them and ask for advice!

♡ Nic Nic ♡ said...

Hey Blu3! yeah I have one EM brush the long kabuki!! I totally love it, its my staple to using MMU, I wanted to get the flat top buffing brush but the p&p costs too much since there's nothing else I want from there so far and Im trying to cut dow on international buying cos it takes waaaay too long for some (EM takes 10 days but still!) lol.

(g)ezebel said...

hmm. i don't want to risk it and get crappy brushes i hate! thanks for the review.

maybe you could use the badger brush to wipe e/s fallout?? *shrugs*

jing said...

Definitely check out EM's brushes. It's so soft, I love using it. My MAC 182 was luxuriously soft, but shed like there's no end to it. So I returned it. Before shedding, it was really great in buffing powder. I have 180 also, which is great in buffing but not as soft. Still, I can skip them as long as I have EM.

I added you to my blog, I'm a newbie, I hope you don't mind.

na said...

My face is prickling at the image of that facial brush! It just looks so tough and scratchy.

I'm glad I held off on ordering from CS. I was tempted to so many times, but kept waiting to hear more reviews, and am glad I did.

Thanks for the review! :)

Tracy Roa said...

i have the badger buffer brush, and i use it a lot for my foundation. the EDM flat top works really well, too.

i also like the duo fiber stippling brush for blushes. i never thought to use it for liquid foundation. maybe i'll try it...

i saw that coastal scents now has some new synthetic brushes. i think i'm gonna get me some.

Chiara said...

Hrmm. great comparison Arashi! I take it your badger brush doesn't stink? I remember Lurve and others complained that it had a horrible wet dog stench :/

priincesspeach said...

Great reviews! I've been on the search for an affordable duo-fiber brush so this review was helpful. Thanks <3

Grayburn said...

I use the my coastal scent one for liquids and the real 187 for powders. I agree with you about the hit or miss about their brushes. The badger sounds tempting though....hmm..

Oh, I'm so excited cause I'm leaving the end of next week! Eventhough I do have to work while I'm there, I'm looking forward sneaking away for some shopping.

take care,
Grayburn

Vanessa said...

Yeah I am not a fan of coastal scents brushes, they are very cheaply made to me, smell and shade within time. Id rather pay more for quality...

Iambrigitte said...

hi, i bumped in to your blogsite. i love your blog and your makeup..i like how you apply your eyeshadows! mind if i link you up?

tia!

Virtuous Blue said...

I've been so curious about the Coastal Scents badger hair brushes, thanks so much for doing a review.

I love this blog!!!

Teneasha (VB)

starlit said...

The new EM brushes are awesome...really...I molested a lot of kabuki/dense powder/bronzer/buffer type brushes and EM really is incredibly soft! Also, I'd say they're pretty sturdy and well made. AND no smell and no shedding so far and I'm the type who washes her brushes a lot. :)

watercoloursky said...

bliss: yep it feels scratchy on my face. Not horribly sharp, but still unpleasant.

liz: ahh that helps! i didn't even try opening it yet because i haven't figured out how to open it :P i didn't want to break it...

nicnic: i know what you mean, i just want 2-3 items from EM too but don't feel like paying shipping just for that.

gezebel: the badger brush is ok for me, i guess you meant the duo fibre brush that I dislike? yeah that could be another use for it :)

jiejie: no problem, thanks for linking me!

emilee: lol it is.

tracy: ah thats good the duo fibre works for you. i wish it was smaller...

chiara: thanks! nope it only has a lacquer-ish smell (which doesn't smell funky to me at all).

her.peachieness: np :)

watercoloursky said...

grayburn: i didn't realise a lot of people use it for liquids. i hope it works better then. About the badger, its okay....not awesome but alright. I think if you already have the EM flat top you don't have to bother.

vanessa: lol I'm starting to find that out the hard way.

iamsutil: np :) thanks i'm going to check out your blog too

virtuous blue: you're welcome, thanks for stopping by!

starlit: everyone above you is telling me to get EM lol. Its not good for my makeup ban...

Grayburn said...

Oh, thanks that's great advice :)!

Hope to see you soon!
Grayburn

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