For someone who writes about beauty, I’m pretty slapdash about my make-up tools. I don’t have a particular set, I just use whatever is kicking about at the time. Granted this isn’t as useless as it sounds: I get sent lots of things to try out & my kit has recently included brushes from MAC, Space NK, Bobbi Brown & Sonia Kashuk.
But the brushes I keep returning to are, surprisingly, the cheapest. They are also the most ethical. Eco Tools have bamboo handles (a highly replenishable resource), cruelty-free, high performance taklon fibres, and recycled aluminium is used to construct the brushes’ ferrules.
I was a little dubious: received wisdom is that synthetic brushes don’t measure up to natural ones. But I found these taklon fibres soft, pliant but with just enough stiffness to hold sufficient pigment for my needs. In particular, the small angled eyeliner brush is great for using eyeshadow to add colour to my eyebrows, and for concealer, and I like the eye shading brush for sweeping neutral colour over my lids. It’s not quite as good with densely pigmented shadows or for building up colour as the smooth hairs don’t trap as much pigment as natural ones.
They also wash like a dream and, after a month or so in my make up bag still look pretty much as they did when I first used them. (Apart from the cream holder which is absolutely filthy.) For a set of brushes that costs around £14/$15, that’s pretty impressive
EcoTools donates 1% from the sale of every item to 1% For the Planet
EcoTools products are available from Tesco & Superdrug stores nationwide in the UK, online in the UK here
& in the US here
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Very interesting… thanks for sharing.
They sound good! Will have to keep an eye out when I find a summer job and can lift my debit card ban (which is ruining my life!)
xo
I use these brushes alongside ones from the Bodyshop and between the two brands, I think that they are the best ‘high street’ make up tools around! x
I can vouch for these — they’re great. x
these are such great brushes… i swear by them!
I’ve used this line for years as well. I find with shockingly minimal care on my part they have lasted amazingly for quite some time now aaaand as you say they are very inexpensive! Definitely worth getting.
I’ll vouch for them too! Also they can be found at Target here in the US.
Hello,
I’ve just checked the Tesco and Superdrug websites and can’t find these brushes… Are you sure they sell them? Do you know where else I could find them in the UK?
Thanks.
Hi Hazle You can buy them here
Hi Hazle,
Boots also definitely have them, I picked them up a few days ago.
Hi Hazel,
Do you know where else I could buy this brush set in the UK? I checked Tesco and Superdrug websites but they don’t have them and Boots only have the one big brush.
Thanks
can i ask which one of the ecotools brush sets is the best?
I’ve only tried this one of them I’m afraid LLGxx
I use the Shielo Hydrate Mist (its a spray) mainly to set my makeup after applying. Not surprisingly, my makeup always used to wear off throughout the day and I’d come home looking like I did before getting ready that morning. If I spritz a little of the Shielo Spray on after applying my makeup I still have a fresh face of foundation, bronzer, shadow, etc. when I get home. It’s also great to spritz on your eyeshadow brush before applying if you want to get a creamer, more dramatic color.