Random eBay Brush vs Everyday Minerals

While I was trawling eBay for cheap crap a while ago and happened across the Real Techniques dupe brush, I also found a flat top kabuki brush that looked a hell of a lot like an Everyday Minerals brush. Once again, these are available from a bunch of different sellers, and I chose this one for no particular reason. The cost was $2.59AU with free postage - well under my $5 'nothing to lose' budget.

When I received it, I was surprised to see that it actually is an Everyday Minerals brush - right down to the stamp. I have a fair few EDM brushes, and I've talked before about how much I like them, especially the face brushes. I don't know whether it's overstock or maybe a second, but it's definitely an EDM brush.

I can't do an exact comparison because my original EDM flat top died a year ago, and I never bothered replacing it (until now!) because I had a Crown brush that was pretty much the same thing.

Everyday Minerals round top kabuki, eBay flat top kabuki

eBay flat top kabuki, Crown flat top kabuki

I decided to compare in action with the Crown brush, as I would be using these two for the same thing.

Differences: 

• The eBay brush is soft, but not quite as soft as the Crown brush. 

Washing: 

• I have had the Crown brush for at least a couple of years and washed it many times with never any shedding. 
• I washed the eBay brush before and after using. There was no shedding, though there were one or two unevenly sized hairs that came loose when I tugged at them. 
• Both brushes cleaned more easily when used with powder than when used with foundation - the foundation gets down into the bristles and you need an oil-based cleanser of some type to get it out. 

Application: 

• The eBay brush was slightly stiffer than the Crown brush, which I felt made for easier application of both foundation and powder. 

Conclusion: 

• This is litereally an Everyday Minerals brush - there doesn't seem to have been any attempt to fake it, as there was no mention of EDM in the description, and they are not really a brand that would attract fakes. I guess as I said above it's either overstock or a second, though there wasn't anything wrong with it, and it felt and looked like every other EDM brush I have. 
• As for whether I would recommend it, if you're looking for a flat top brush and you're willing to risk a couple of dollars on something that might be a second and therefore inconsistent in quality, then yes - I would absolutely recommend it.

Rocktober Empties and Chuckers

Apologies for the blurry picture - I really must get 'my' camera back from Ben one of these days.

I haven't done an empties post for a while, and not because I haven't had any - I've actually been ploughing through stuff. I just couldn't be arsed, to be honest. 

EMPTIES

Silk Naturals Oatmeal Serum, Super Serum, Apricot Cleansing Oil x 2, AHA Toner

These have been floating around for a while and all were almost used up but still a bit leftover, so I made the effort to finish them all and get them out of the cupboard. I really like Silk Naturals skin care products, and I used them faithfully for quite a few months, but no matter how much I like something I just get bored with it after a while and I want to go off and try something else. I'd definitely repurchase any or all of these in the future though, when I'm done sowing my skin care oats. 

Palmer's Gentle Daily Cleanser

I bought several Palmer's face care products a while ago when they were 30% off in a supermarket, and I HATED them. They're really thick, but not at all moisturising, which is very strange. The others were moisturisers, and I detested them so much I just threw them out. This one I threw in the shower to use in the mornings. It was really thick and hard to get out of the packaging, but the product itself wasn't too bad - a nice, creamy, semi-lathering cleanser that didn't dry out my face. I wouldn't buy it again though. 

Nivea Soft Hand Cream

Meh. As usual I bought a cheap hand cream on the fly and it didn't do much of anything. I'll probably buy it again some time just because that's what I seem to do. 

Maybelline Express Care Eye Makeup Remover

This is a staple - it's cheap and it does the job. I haven't replaced it as yet because I wanted to try a Garnier one that was on special (it's crap), but I'll definitely go back to this when the Garnier is done. 

Elixia Night Renew Complex

Worst. Packaging. Ever. This has a pump thing on top of a jar, so you have to press it down and the product comes out of a hole in the top and just sort of sits there - you have to swipe it off with your finger or a brush or a spatula. It's unbelievably stupid and all sorts of unhygienic. The product itself is nothing special, and certainly not worth the hefty price tag. I would not repurchase it. 

Lancome Genifique Youth Activivating Concentrate

This was a trial size that came in a set of serums from Adore Beauty. I've used this serum before and I find it pretty meh. According to Paula Begoun, it's almost identical to one of the L'Oreal ones - Youth Code, maybe? Same company, so that makes sense. Anyway, not worth the price tag and I would not buy a full size.

CHUCKERS

L'Oreal VolumeMillion Lashes Mascara

L'Oreal mascaras always smudge on me, which is annoying enough, but this one also had a rubber brush, and I was continually poking myself in the eye with it. The formula was wet and made my lashes clumpy, so I had to always comb through with a lash comb after. In short, I hated it. I lasted about a month and couldn't stand it any longer. 

Essence Clear Brow Gel

This is looking really gungy so it's going. It was cheap - maybe $3 - and I bought it along with a handful of other Essence things when they first made an appearance in Target just to see what the brand was like. I wasn't really impressed with any of it, and this was the only thing I've really used regularly. It doesn't do much - you could do a better job with a bit of hair spray on a spoolie, which I'll be going back to doing now. I just used it for the sake of using it, really. Definitely not a repurchase. 

ELF Eyelash Curler

A lot of people rave about this, and for the price it's a bargain ($1.25US from Nonpareil), but I didn't find it anything special. The little black thing died and I can't remember if it came with any spares, and if it did I don't know where they are, so I'm chucking it. I wouldn't bother repurchasing this.

Everyday Minerals Flat Top Brush

The handle broke off and the brush started to shed dramatically, so I think the glue has died. I'm a bit sad about this, as I love my EDM face brushes. I considered buying another one immediately as I use this several times a week with my MAC MSF Natural, but I have one of those Crown Flat Bronzer brushes that does the same thing, so I resisted. I might buy another one one of these days.

Everyday Minerals Brushes

Long time readers will know I haven't much time for Sigma brushes, thanks to this and this. The eye brushes are not bad, but the face brushes - in my experience - are pretty craptacular. However, I had been considering the Sigmax brushes, as even people who had previously disliked their standard brushes said these were good.

While cleaning out a drawer the other day I found some Everyday Minerals face brushes I had forgotten about, and they seem like a pretty close dupe of the Sigmax ones (well actually, these are pre-Sigmax, so technically the Sigma ones are the dupes). I used to buy a lot of things from EDM, but it's one of those indie companies that seemed to be endlessly surrounded by drama, and the owner's habit of putting pictures of herself EVERYWHERE irked me no end. With every order there would be 2 or 3 postcards featuring photographs of her, and when you go to the website there she is again. I don't know why it bugs me, but it REALLY bugs me. Anyway, the point is I drifted away and kind of forgot about them, but I have to give credit where it's due - the brushes are really nice. These are the ones I have.

concealer brush, pencil/smudge brush, flat shader brush, angled fluffy brush

Although EDM is primarily powder products and presumably that's what these brushes are meant for, the concealer brush in particular is great for cream products. It has a bit of a pointy end so you can get right into the corners. I don't use the pencil/smudge brush much, but it would be good for someone who puts a bit of eyeshadow under the eyes (I don't - it would draw attention to the dark circles and the lines). Again, the flat shader brush is good for cream eyeshadows, and powders of course. I've never really used the angled fluffy brush much - it's very soft and I've never quite figured out how to use it effectively. Something to work on this year, I suppose.

eye kabukis and junior eye kabukis

I think I first heard about these from Anissa. I bought one of the eye kabukis and loved it so much that I bought another one. The junior eye kabukis both came with eyeshadow kits. The eye kabukis are soft and very dense, and fantastic for blending and softening shadows - if you've been a bit heavy-handed in the crease these are great for toning it down. Because of their density they're not great for precise blending as they do tend to remove some of the eyeshadow if you go crazy with them. I use the junior eye kabukis for applying a highlight to the inner corners, and also for blending concealers and cream highlighters like Touche Éclat. Of all my EDM brushes, these ones get the most use and are in constant rotation where I'm using one while waiting to wash the other one.

flat top kabuki, round top kabuki, angled kabuki

These look like Sigmax brushes, don't they? Not sure what's going on with the shiny shininess there - they don't look like that in person. It's very overcast here today so my flash might just be going nutso. These are suuuuper soft and dense and lovely for applying either powder or cream products. I use the flat top kabuki for cream foundation, the round top for a light brush of powder when necessary (I hate powder, so I only use it if I have to and with a really light hand), and the angled brush with both cream and powder blushes.

All of these brushes are very soft, very dense and very sturdy. The handles are made from bamboo. I've had most of these for several years, but most of them are still available and range between $6US-$12US.