I think they’re particularly good for someone who has trouble being light-handed or likes a sheerer, less-pigmented effect when working with most powder-based products. Sometimes, they can be overly large or give too diffused of an application.
— Christine
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My only experience with fan brushes is with the stripy metallic highlights of the early to mid 2010’s… I’ve never found one that was the right size to use with other powder products, but that particular vibe was so scarring that I’ve stayed away from them ever since 😂
Fan brushes are odd to me because aesthetically I like the shape, but I never liked to actually use them.
I’m a big fan of very subtle highlighters, but I still prefer a small precise brush like the ABH A23 or Real Techniques small Setting Brush. They’re perfect size for my face. My issue with fan brushes is that they are too big for my liking for highlighting my face, and I find it difficult to get the placement of product due to how flimsy and long they are.
I somehow like the more dense fan brushes for contouring, especially when they don’t spread too much.
As a pro MUA I absolutely love fan brushes. They are my weapon of choice to apply highlighter to myself and my clients for a soft and diffused highlighter.
I always use them to highlight my cheekbones and with what’s left I lightly swipe accross my forehead, bridge of the nose and even the cupid’s bow.
I own one only because it was part of a set. It was handy used when I was dealing with a bronzer that was too pigmented for me (as I recall this advice came from you) but eventually just replaced the bronzer. Now the fan brush is buried in a drawer.
I like the one I have for one single purpose – loose highlighter. I’m one of those heavy-handed people and loose highlighter gets away from me when I use my regular highlight brush. But fan? Perfect.
Having said that, the cashmere powder brushes from Real Techniques are a godsend for those of us who just can’t calm down when applying powder products. I love them for setting power, highlight, blush, etc. I have a great big face and diffuse applications look a lot more flattering than precise.
Always rather liked them, though many times they’re too big to be used other than all-over bronzer. I got a few eye brushes and maybe 3 face brushes from Sonia G. For me, all the eye brushes are a bear, except for packing. The fan (sculpt three) is my favorite of all of them, if a tad firm. I like it better for blush than HL. Also use the Zoeva small fan. Finally replaced an old Sephora mascara fan with another tiny one from Beautylish. The folding metal teeth thing scares me terribly. Jussi barks at a squirrel and hello to ophthalmology for surgery! That mascara fan gets use each time I do m/u.
Fan brushes are OK for delivering pressed powder to your face, but really I don’t use them at all. I find them too big to use properly and they don’t seem ‘dense’ enough.
I haven’t found one that is the right size for my small face. I’ve often thought they are more made for people with larger wide faces. My face is narrow so probably why I’ve never felt comfortable using them.
I love fan brushes! I have Sonia G Sculpt 3 & 4 as well as Wayne Goss 2019 holiday fan brush. I use each with my application. Sculpt 3 is for highlight, Sculpt 4 contouring and WG fan for bronzing (with Marc Jacobs Tantastic bronzer only). I will also use WG fan brush for buffing on loose finishing powder.
I have a very sparkly highlighter that I use on special occasions and my fan brush allows me to apply it with a light hand whereas when trying to apply it with other brushes led to a much heavier application and it was not a good look! So it’s a keeper to me even if I don’t use it on a daily basis.
The only fan brush I use is a short, stiff bristled one I picked up on a whim at an art supply store that I use instead of an eyelash comb. Beyond that, I’m not a fan (ha!). I like the idea of them but I have yet to find one I actually like in practice. So far they’ve all been too wide to both fit in a pan easily and fit on my face with the kind of control I prefer. I do like that they can give a very sheer wash of color so I keep hoping I’ll find one that will work for me, but until then I’ll reach for other brushes.