The way I feel about products in general, including beauty tools, is it’s better to purchase what works, not just what’s expensive or what’s cheap. I do find that I quite enjoy makeup brushes to the point where I definitely splurge there regularly, but I don’t buy too much in the way of hair tools or skincare tools as I know myself… I’ll never use ’em so it’s not worth the money for me usually.
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I tend to keep my beauty tools on the more affordable side, but once in a while I’ll splurge if I find the need. I’d love to try some Smith eye brushes at some point, but I can’t justify spending the money right now.
Sometimes. My favorite makeup brushes are made by Sephora, MAC, and Sigma, but I also have a few Real Techniques and black-handle e.l.f. brushes that I love (the white handled brushes are terrible, in my opinion). I don’t like spending more than $40 on a makeup brush, and since I only use synthetic, it’s easy to stay within budget.
After years of using an Olay face brush, I splurged on a Clarisonic Mia earlier this year and absolutely love it. What a difference between the two! As far as hair tools are concerned, I hate spending time styling my hair, so I like to get it done as efficiently as possible without spending tons of money. I have a good dryer, a good flat iron, and a couple of inexpensive brushes from the drugstore, and that’s all I need.
I also had bad experience with ELF white handle brushes… the paint/wood chips, bristles fall off fast; but they somehow are still good brushes… just they don’t last long. I would recommend people to buy them if they want to try out a new brush type (especially make-up newbies), than splurging on a similar shape from another brand or the ELF black handle line.
A bit of both. While I won’t spend the sky high prices of some brushes, I do “indulge” on some mid-priced (MAC, Shiseido, etc.) brushes and the original Beauty Blender, I love it when I find more reasonably priced bushes that perform as well if not better. Some of the original Real Techniques brushes, for example, are every bit as good, IME, as much pricier ones.
I like my real techniques and sigma brushes for base work and liquid products, but I much prefer higher end brushes for powder work because they are a little bit more gentle.
I find myself purchasing a lot of luxury brushes but only using luxury face brushes and not the eye brushes. This is because I don’t like washing my squirrel hair brushes as often and eye brushes always needs to be cleaned (I use quite a bit of deep colors). Face brushes, on the other hand, handle much lighter colors so I don’t care as much.
Given your point about cleaning, I would personally consider not investing that much in foundation brushes, especially dense buffing ones. They’re so hard to deeply clean, that I sometimes feel the urge to just throw them after a while. 😆
Sincerely I don’t like to skimp on beauty in general, but I’m also in a good position financially. I sometimes find good drugstore/cheap products that to perform almost as good as more expensive products; but I’m willing to buy more for the small extra better performance.
In my collection I have make-up brushes varying from ELF, Sephora, Real Techniques, MAC, Anastasia Beverly Hills. I’m currently replacing anything that `break` with fully MAC brushes because I find them durable and they all work well for me (I love your point on buying what works for you); I have a small brush collection and I find it more aesthetically pleasing to have them all from the same brand.
I have both MAC and ELF brushes that I bought 4+ years ago still standing still; but for the ELF 2-3 brushes that lasted ages, I have probably 10-12 that deteriorated in less than a year. I also have Real Techniques brushes bought 2-3 years ago still working fine, while others lost bristles after 3-4 months.
I still prefer to splurge; good brushes are an investment and the cost per use ends up minimal. But given that said, I’ll still purchase MAC brushes only when they have 20% off promos. 😀
While I’m not the biggest user of beauty blenders and I tried similar products from ELF or Real Techniques, the `original` always last me more… cheaper sponges seem to disintegrate on me faster (or maybe I’m just rough with my sponges). But… I really have to take care and hide the sponges… my cat loves to play with them… I hate when she gets her claws on a new sponge. 😆
I have a mix of price ranges in tools. Sometimes I can really tell the difference, other times not so much. I have no desire to replace my EcoTools powder brush or the RT setting brush (pink handle), both of which I really like and work great. But at the same time, no other eyeshadow brush I own holds a candle to the Chikuhodo Z-5 I recently splurged on. I have one small cup that all the brushes live in and everything I own has to fit in it so I don’t get too crazy with the collecting.
While I don’t necessarily “skimp” on tools, I don’t often find it necessary to spend an exhorbitant amount of money, either. In most cases, because of the formula of the makeup brands I favor, I often find the “cheap” brushes work best; a soft, delicate eyeshadow brush, for example, doesn’t work with a dense, dry formula such as NARS mattes, or MAC Carbon. I also love experimenting with different brush shapes/textures, so the most feasible way for me to do so is to buy budget-friendly brands, and if necessary, I can “upgrade” if I like the shape, although I haven’t found it necessary to do so.
If we’re talking makeup brushes…I rarely buy high end anymore. Aliexpress dupes come pretty darn close to branded brushes if you find the right ones. That’s spoiled me 100%.
I will spend the money for Tweezerman tweezers and Beauty Blenders though.
I generally go skimp-to-middling. I haven’t used many high end tools, though the few I do have I appreciate, but overall my skills and needs are not up to point where higher end returns much value.
Two of my favorite brush brands (that I am still able to access) are both fairly inexpensive or mid-range, I suppose: Royal & Langnickel and Luxie. Both brands provide brushes that work exactly how I want them to, plus, they’re synthetic bristles, which I require due to a peculiar allergy I have to goats and goat hair. No splurging on HE or Lux anything in the tool department yet! Including hair, nails, etc. I still use an old Conair blow dryer I bought roughly 7 years ago. And a very old Revlon flatiron from Idk when!
I tend to skimp, but the quality still has to be there. I just find e.l.f., Real Techniques, and Eco-Tools work really well for me, so there is no point in spending more. I do own a few higher end brushes for special jobs. For example, nothing beats my old MAC 239 for packing color on my lids. My Tarte Tarte Maracuja Miracle Foundcealer Brush is my favorite foundation brush.
I don’t do much with my hair. The last “splurge” there was a Tigi Bed Head Deep Waver set, because it makes waves that will actually stay in my super-straight hair. That wasn’t terrible expensive, though.
For the majority of my life I applied my face makeup with my hands and my eye makeup with the foam applicator that came with the shadow. I was young and had good, clear, firm skin. After 50 I started noticing that my makeup application just wasn’t getting me the results I wanted and I didn’t know if it was due to the changes in my skin from age and sun damage or whether it was my application technique and I should invest in some better tools. Fourteen years ago when I was 50, there weren’t a lot of options available except brushes so I picked up a few quite cheap brushes and used them until about 1.5 years ago. A few years before that my daughter had started using a Beauty Blender and talked me into getting one and I was pretty much hooked. It didn’t cure my face woes but I was getting better application. I also started investing in better quality eye brushes and really noticed the difference in how my makeup looked. In retrospect, I think that if you are in your 20’s and have decent skin, you can make almost anything work. It also depends on your level of experience and a bunch of things that are too lengthy for this forum. Now, I use either a BB or my Artis #7 brush, depending on the foundation. I almost exclusively use the cushion that comes with cushion foundations when I am wearing a cushion foundation. I don’t use any of the usual mainstream brushes for my foundation application. I have always just preferred the look with the BB or Artis. I did invest in a more expensive eye lash curler after a recommendation from Lisa Eldridge and found it to be much better suited to the shape of my eyes. I do use a good quality pair of tweezers as after 55 hair starts growing willy nilly and I was getting tired of accidentally getting skin caught and damaging my skin. I guess my take away would be similar to Christine’s as you should go with what works for you and meets your needs regardless of cost. If I could find an eye lash curler that worked for my eyes at a cheaper price point, I would buy it! As for other tools, so far I haven’t started using any anti-aging tools. I use a pretty cheap hair dryer and a regular old curling iron and flat iron. I have been watching all the infomercials on YT about the new Dyson Airwrap and have to admit to a desire to buy it. Thankfully, it is obscenely expensive so I think I can fight the urge!
When it comes to makeup application, I think the biggest change you can make is to invest in a small set of the best eye shadow brushes you can afford. If makeup is your hobby or passion, then having good tools to use will make a difference in your application. I have a small set of Hakuhodo, Sonia G and Wayne Goss brushes and have since thrown away all other brushes, except my unnamed, can’t remember where I got it, black and silver blender brush!
Not really, but I pretty much have the same view as you do. I’ll pay (within a certain reason) for quality tools (mostly makeup and sometimes a hair brush or two), but if something works and it’s expensive (from eye shadows to tools) I’m all for it!
There was a time when I had to wash and blow dry my hair daily and I went through four or five hair dryers a year until I finally broke down and bought a professional model. It was an expensive lesson to learn but after that I tried to buy high quality devices. I have both a Clarisonic and a Foreo for my face (the latter for travelling.). But it was only after I started reading Temptalia regularly that I started paying attention to sponges and brushes. I bought some Laura Mercier eye and concealer brushes in the mid 90’s and I still have them but when I bought more brushes, they were more likely to be e.l.f. Then I graduated to a set of Sonia Kashuk brushes during a Target sale and I like the face brushes kurt fine but the eye ones not so much. I have been buying ones from Sigma, great for my smallish eyes, and I am pleased with those. Still, I know I will succumb to some Sonia G brushes one of these days because they are just so freaking pretty.
I don’t think the Beauty Blender makes my foundation look better than the sponge from Beauty Junkees.
Generally I purchase what I need more of. In the past I have purchased beauty brushes as a set and found that I only used half of them. So now I selectively purchase individual brushes, which is more expensive, but purposeful. I tend to buy Real Techniques, particularly when they are on sale.
Skimp. I minimize my tools to whatever degree I can, and I get what seems decent but inexpensive when I find I have a need for one. The most expensive tool I own is a Beauty Blender. I minimize tools outside of my makeup vanity as well — I don’t even own a brush or comb.
I agree, buy what works for you. I finally broke down and bought a Clarisonic Mia, I loved that thing so much, it stopped working a few days after the warranty ended. I haven’t bought a new one yet, I brought out my old Oil of Olay brush, it still works and that’s what I’m going to use until it dies. High end isn’t always the best. I have high end makeup brushes because they perform beautifully and I can afford them. I am almost 60 and the beauty blender helps meld and diffuse my foundation and concealer, I might try a different sponge to see how it works when I need to replace it. I have high end hair tools because my hair is fine and thin and they work fast and the curl holds in my hair. I research everything I buy, read reviews etc. if it is something that will work for me fine, if not I won’t buy it.
I agree you have to go with what works for you, either high or low. I do think better made tools make a difference especially the older you get, or to go up a level in your technique. Then again, if what you have works for you, then great!
I have a combination of elf black handles, real techniques, all the way to Chikahodo z series and Wayne Goss and Hakuhodo. I tend to use synthetics for cream/liquid, and real hair for powder, and mostly goat rather than squirrel because you can clean it more often, but it’s still quite soft. Some of those squirrel hair brushes is really like sweeping a cloud across your face though- luxe!
I’ve bought my fair share of skincare tools, since I am older and am wanting to help combat the signs of aging without going under the knife. It’s not easy to get myself to use them, but I have to say for a couple I’ve really noticed a difference, which makes it much easier to use!
Hair is wash and go, no tools involved- not even a brush usually!
I have some amazing inexpensive brushes like the Wet n Wild Pro and high end like Wayne Goss so it depends on what I’m using them for. I have hooded eyes so I use a lot of matte shadows and I find that natural hair brushes like the Wayne Goss #18 and MAC 217 blend the best and I haven’t found easily accessible inexpensive natural hair brushes in the US. I think great quality tools can be found at all price levels and, depending on function, can perform similarly.
I don’t actively do either. If a tool or brush really stands out to me (which doesn’t happen frequently), I’ll probably find a way to get one. Since tools and brushes can basically last forever with good care it’s not hard to justify it when I want something nice, but I have stuff I love from lots of price points.
I have a mix of several types of brushes which fill up to 4 cups the most expensive brush I have purchased was a Bobbi Brown blush brush and it is excellent, also one from Body Shop with case for traveling. The rest I have found at TJ Max or Target, drugstores Elf & WetnWild the rest don’t remember the brand names but they perform great also and I have them for a few years. Is no shedding of hair good lasting soft bristles brushes. I have also from Ecotools the bronzer @ blush ones I love, Elf the black blush, contouring and slanted ones are good, I have a set from Sonia Kashuk somehow I don’t use those as much the handles are heavy and just not my favorite some how. I found some at TJ Max from a Prestige name they have a pink colored tin on wooden handle those turned out good dense, so soft and no shedding. Also a few of eyeliner those very small stiff ones which I forget to use but from some Asian name I forgot, good quality also. I love to put of rack type on each cup containing blush, bronze, contoure, eye shadow, highliter brushes and I rotate while letting dry the others after cleaning them which I don’t do as often as I should but also don’t wear heavy makeup.