I instantly threw out my older brushes because I was so pleased with them. I anticipate I'll have these for a long time. I'm disappointed I didn't splurge and get the larger set!’ wrote one of the 601 people who reviewed the £11.95 kabuki make-up brushes currently grazing the top of the popularity list at Amazon. Everyone knows the mega-site sells everything thing you need from tech to toiletries, so when one product becomes overwhelmingly popular its worth taking note.
Designed by Lamora, this six-piece travel kit of eyeshadow, foundation and blush brushes costs less than half the price of a single Mac kabuki brush. The product description says, they are ‘[p]erfect for stippling, blending, contouring, buffing, and finishing’ and the reviews back this up! They are synthetic and cruelty-free, so vegans are safe to use them.
Sometimes ironic, often very accurate, there are many reasons why the reviews are one of the best things about this mammoth retailer. While some cult products may excite A-Listers and the press in kind, that’s not always enough to ensure they get a healthy set of reviews. That’s the thing about Amazon, the brave souls that put their reviewer status on the line to speak up for an easily overlooked item can be the sole reason we hit the ‘buy’ button. And, that’s certainly the case here.
The only review less than four stars (it was a mere three stars) complained not about the tool itself, but its packaging. They lamented that the sticky label on the base of the brush’s box wouldn’t come off. And, even then the reviewer favourably wrote: ‘On the plus side for all six brushes no bristles have fallen off (touch wood). All the brushes are, hands down, the softest I have ever touched to my face. Also, I really like how it says the name of each brush on the handle - that makes it easy for me to know what each brush is meant to be used for, especially considering how many different brushes I have in my make-up drawer.'
A great brush can be the element that pushes your make-up game to amazing new levels. If you’re not familiar with kabuki brushes then as a beauty editor I’d recommend you change that ASAP. The densely packed bristles of these nimble short-stemmed tools allow contour chiselling, highlighter sweeping and the general airbrush effects that are out-of-reach with just your fingertips.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.