MACalike Brushes from Sigma

Up until very recently, I struggled to find a great brush set at an affordable price. There are some good contenders (e.g. Gosh have lovely concealer / cream shadow brushes, Jemma Kidd does a great fibre-duo brush and the No.7 foundation brush is excellent) - but I couldn't find a complete set that (a) didn't require a second mortgage, or (b) didn't contain at least 4 duds!

However, thanks to a tip off from the excellent http://www.makeupandbeauty.ie/ blog, I've finally discovered a high-quality, affordable brush set from Sigma.

Sigma make-up brushes are - how can I put this delicately - well, eh, they're blatant rip-offs of MAC brushes! In fact, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between MAC brushes and their Sigma doppelgangers as they are virtually identical - same colour, same shape and same brush numbers.


"Ah, but are these MACalikes any good?"

Good? They're grrrrrrreat! I bought the 'Professional Complete Set' a month ago and I have gone all Tony the Tiger since.

Sigma earned their first 'brownie point' from me when they delivered my brushes within 4 working days (that's good going, considering they were shipped from the US).

Brownie point #2 was awarded when I opened the package to discover a host of lovely goodies, including; 15 beautifully-packaged brushes, a buttery soft leather brush roll, a handy storage bag, a guide for caring for my new brushes and a lovely brochure (pictured below).


Brownie points #3, #4 and #5 quickly followed when I discovered not one, not two, but THREE FREE GIFTS from the kind Sigmatons; a large make-up bag, a travel-sized SS217 eye-shadow blending brush and a free eye-shadow (pictured below).


Finally, brownie points #7 through #99 were issued when I discovered how wonderful these brushes were to work with and the fact that they didn't shed after cleansing!

All of this, for the bargain price of $89, which is €65 in my lingo. What a bargain!

Yours in style,
Caroline

Flora Oil - not just for frying!

I was cleaning my make-up brushes tonight at the kitchen sink and for the umteenth time I despaired at how hard it can be to remove waxy/oily residue such as foundation, concealer and lipstick, even when using a proper make-up brush cleaner...

Then, it hit me. That bottle of Flora Sunflower Oil sitting on the kitchen counter might just solve the problem...

I gently massaged a dollop of the aforementioned oil into each of the affected brushes...and BANG, the dirt was gone. (Sorry Cillit Bang, it's too late on a Friday night to be coming up with my own catchy catch-phrase).

To remove the oil, I cleansed thoroughly with my MAC Brush Cleanser, followed by a rinse of water.

Remember that old adage re. oil and water...yep, it's true, they don't mix! If using oil on your brushes, don't rinse them with water; instead, gently massage the brush with make-up brush cleaner. If you don't you'll be left with greasy brushes.

Now, my brushes are positively gleaming and not a trace of foundation/concealer/lipstick in sight. Plus they are as soft as silk!


Tips when cleansing brushes

• Clean your brushes regularly (at least every 3rd use).
• Use a proper brush cleaner (not washing up liquid / shampoo).
• Use warm water (not hot).
• Try not to immerse the brush handle in water as it could cause the brush hairs to become loose.
• Lay the clean brushes on a towel to dry naturally.
• Store the brushes in a clean, dry place.

Tune in next week for my top make-up brush recommendations (which will make for a great Christmas gift for the make-up junkie in your life).


Yours in style,
Caroline