I never used makeup brushes until several years ago. The only brushes I had were those cheapo ones that came in equally cheap kits. You know, the ones that don’t actually pick the product up, they just move it around in the pan? As such, I always had better luck with using those tiny sponge applicators. Then one day, that all changed.
Jerry kept playing around with all the brushes at Sephora, and told me I should get some. I told him brushes sucked and they didn’t work. He looked at me, kind of dumbstruck, and was like wtf…?!?!? He was not only in an 80s hair band and did his own makeup, but he was a photographer and often did makeup for his subjects.
Jerry, circa 1980-something
Anywho, Jerry reminded me of when I was in art school, and asked if I thought a good brush was different from a $hitty brush (his words, not mine, hence the “$”). I was like, well heck yeah, duh!! I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before, but it’s like comparing those little brushes that come with a kid’s watercolor paint tray to a professional brush used for oil painting. A good brush makes all the difference in the world!
Good tools aren’t only necessary for painting, but they allow for much easier makeup application. I tend to gravitate toward really soft, fluffy brushes. Unfortunately, those don’t always do the best job of picking up product, and you may have to sell a kidney to afford them.
Fortunately, Bdellium Tools (the “b” is silent) produces professional, high-quality brushes at reasonable prices. Their Maestro Series features their most luxurious brushes; the Bambu Series are eco-friendly, all vegan, and feature bamboo handles; and the Studio and Travel lines feature professional brushes with yellow lacquered handles. They also have an SFX Series developed specially for special effects makeup (Bdellium Tools, n.d.).
Since Bdellium Tools produces their own brushes, there is a wide variety available. If you can’t find what you need from Bdellium Tools, chances are, you’ll be unlikely to find it at all. (I also just noticed that they now have lip crayons, so of course, I definitely want to try them!)
I had tried some of the Bdellium brushes before, and I really liked them. The best part was that each brush was specifically tailored to its purpose. For example, certain brushes are more silky or soft; while others are less so, enabling them to pick up product better (although none are actually rough). The materials used also vary, depending on the series and purpose.
Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I got a package from Bdellium Tools– it felt like it was my birthday!!! I received the Maestro 990 Angled Face Brush, Maestro 959 Powder Blending Brush, and Studio 964 All Purpose Blusher Brush. I was so excited to try them out, that I washed them immediately, and used my hair dryer on a low, cool setting, so I could use them right away…lol!
The Maestro brushes are bit more weighted than the Studio, but both lines are sturdy and equally well-made. One mark of quality in brushes is how well they hold up when washed. While a certain amount of shedding and color run-off is to be expected no matter what they are made of, all three Bdellium Tools brushes held up remarkably well. Only the Maestro 990 had a very slight amount of color run-off at first, but the water turned clear very quickly. And shedding was very minimal- coincidentally, only one hair per brush was shed!
I know, I know, you’re thinking these must be pretty pricey, right…??? Nope. The Maestro 990 retails for $24, the Maestro 959 is $22, and the Studio 964 is just $14.75. And guess what? All three Bdellium Tools brushes out-performed many of my $50-$60 brushes. I’ll be posting individual reviews soon, so be sure to keep checking back!
See also:
Bdellium Tools Maestro 990 Angled Face Brush
Bdellium Tools Maestro 959 Powder Blending Brush
Bdellium Tools Studio 964 All Purpose Blusher Brush
Source:
Bdellium Tools (n.d.). About us. Bdellium Tools. Retrieved February 12, 2016, from bdelliumtools.com.
I want 2 try these brushes! Are the yellow ones just as soft as the black maestro ones? Do they work as good?
Welcome back!!! Yes, the yellow Studio brushes are just as awesome as the black Maestro brushes. The brush heads and fiber materials are the same, the only differences are the handles and the metal ferrules. 🙂