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Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush Review & Photos

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush ($20.00) is described as a “pre-cut, fan brush with 8 sections used to create multi-line effects.” It’s part of the 400 series, which is the artistry/professional range. It is, quite possibly, the most unique brush I’ve come across. This is definitely not a brush that most people will be rushing out to grab, because it is specific and more of an artistry tool than anything else. Make Up For Ever says it can be used to create artistic patterns on the face and smaller areas of the bodies, and it is appropriate to use with creams and liquids. It’s 23mm wide, 15mm tall, and less than a 1mm thick. The ferrule clasps the bristles in the middle of the base, and then the brush fans out with eight distinct tips. The brush head is heavier than the handle, which is very long and skinny (total brush length is 6.5 inches/17 centimeters, and comes to a slanted point at the end. The bristles were soft when dragged across the skin and had a good amount of give and spring.

Dubbed “the rake” by my husband, you can dip it into a cream or liquid product and than drag it across the skin’s surface. I think it would work better with a liquid or very thin cream/gel, because it needs to be fairly saturated and have a product with a lot of slip, so it can create even, opaque lines. I tried with NARS new Eye Paint in Solomon Islands, and though I felt like I loaded up the brush, the color ran out quickly. I’m thinking body paint would be a far better product to be used with this (which I do not have). I hope the brand will put out a few videos of artists in action, particularly one where they’re using this brush! The brush was easy to clean, and I didn’t experience any dye washing out, shedding, or unusual smells post-wash.

I have a few other brushes from the new Make Up For Ever brush range that I’ll be putting through the paces, but I thought I’d share this early look at an unusual brush (as I will not be testing this one extensively).

See more photos!

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush

Make Up For Ever #402 Artistic Fan Brush
In practice…

40 Comments

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Elana Avatar

Weird. The clusters of bristles aren’t even even (is there a better way to say that?). This feels very much like a novelty item. At least it’s not too expensive.

jo Avatar

for me that is just a huge waste of money. If I had a sort of token item to spluge on, it would be the Inglot 15 dollar refillable compact, w/magnet base, but I would not use Inglot I would fill it with drugstore pans of my own stash, there by making my own collection. BTW, Macy’s State Street Chicago and Water Tower Place now sell Inglot

Sasha Avatar

Still somewhat surreal hearing you call him your husband, even though it’s been a bit now since you got married. After being engaged for 5 years and no wedding date in sight that’s probably going to be really strange for me.

Jo Avatar

I admit I stumbled at husband and thought “But what about Shaauuunnn!?” Then realised you were married to him >.< I still forget sometimes!
I'd love to see a make up artist with lots of editorial experience get ahold of this and see what they did with it.

Mariella Avatar

Not anything I would need and my guess is that most people who are just trying to do a makeup that enhances their looks and masks imperfections would have no need for this sort of thing. I remember doing crafts with my children when they were little and using plastic forks and all kinds of weird stuff to get this sort of effect with paint but that was for arts and crafts….on paper!

Mariella Avatar

Actually, now that I think of it, I wonder how well it might work for touching up my roots/regrowth. I don’t like my hair all one colour and feel it looks much more natural if I leave a bit of grey showing here and there! I’ve been letting my stylist work her magic with foils and 2 colours of dye but it’s pricey and as my hair grows fast, it needs doing fairly often. Maybe a brush like this might allow me to do in-between maintenance on my own!

Rigor_Mortis Avatar

This sort of brush isn’t that unusual for certain professional makeup artists (and some regular artists, too) and yes, for makeup it is mostly used to create patterns with body paint.

However, I must say that for such a hyped product, it looks wonky as hell. The bristles are far too uneven, and given the price, it looks sub-par.

TrippyPixie Avatar

I’ve heard of makeup artists running some mascara along the top of a fan brush and then using the fan brush to apply mascara to models’ eyes at fashion shows. Perhaps this brush is supposed to be used for a similar purpose?

Vicky C. Avatar

Cant someone just cut a regular fan brush with a scissor making the same thing as this one? Cut a little every two mm or whatever you prefer.

Mariah Avatar

Weird but cool… I guess, like the rest of the odd brushes in the “artistic” section of the new brushes, it seems like they were made for body painting. I bet this would look interesting with calligraphy.

adonna Avatar

These brushes are not a ‘new’ concept for people who paint.
Local art supply stores carry a variety of brushes just like this.
good for SFX.

Robyn Avatar

This looks like a total waste of money to me. You can buy large fan brushes from nail art supply stores on eBay for aroung £1, and when you saturate these brushes with a wet product they tend to clump into the spiky bristled shape you see anyway, or you could cut the brush. I don’t see that there is enough need for these for MUFE to have brought them out!

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