Sigma Brushes: First Wash

With the week coming to an end and my Saturday being very busy (as well as very exciting). I figured I better actually wash my Sigma Makeup Brushes.

As I have stated in previous blog, I purchased the E-25 and the E-65 (with my own money). However I received the Face and Eyes Kit from Sigma to review for my blog and YouTube channel.

Considering Saturday is going to be my first trail run of being a Make Up Artist for a local photographer's Photo Shoot, I want to make sure I have the best possible products available to use.

My own personal brush collection isn't necessary huge, however it does have alot of variety (containing both higher brand brushes...IE MAC to Drug Store Brands IE ELF). Since I have been slacking when it comes to actually getting my brushes in gear to give a through review of the Face and Eyes Kit from Sigma...I saw this as a perfect opportunity. Not only would it force me to wash and sanitize the brushes, I can use them tomorrow at the shoot (and after cleaned again...use them for/on myself to be able finish my review).

I have heard quite a bit of commentary on Sigma Brushes especially when it came to washing them. Most are complaints about the scent, the extreme shredding, and the dye washing out.

I am including a newly posted video from Sigma of how one is to proper care and wash Sigma brushes.

Keeping this all in mind...I'm going to share with you so far my thoughts and experience with washing my Sigma Brushes for the 1st time.

I want to state that I watched the above video first, before cleaning my brushes. For soap I used Johnson & Johnson Gentle Baby Shampoo and warm clean water from the sink. They are currently laying elevated on a folded up down to dry (see above picture).

Something I do also need to mention is most of the brushes have a strong paint scent, I personally believe it's from the actual brush handles. And since the brushes (when shipped were placed together, causing some to be extremely stinky and others not so much).

Worst shedding brush is the F-50 Duo Fibre Brush, however it wasn't necessarily that bad. I found a total of about 5 hairs overall, including both small short and large long bristles. There was an extreme amount of dye wash out that also occurred when I was washing. I lathered this brush twice times, getting it very sudsy and still the water when rung out had a slight discoloration to it.

Worst dye wash out brush is the F-30 Large Powder Brush, though I honestly expected it to since it is the most bristled brush of the collection. Very little shedding a total of two hairs (and I when I ring out the brush of water, I actually purposely used my fingers from top to bottom to get as much water off/out of the brush). I actually had to suds this brush up 4 times to get the water as clear as possible, though I do believe the dye washing out will be a problem with this brush.

For the rest of the brushes: the E-30 Pencil brush, the E-55 Eye Shading Brush, the E-40 Tapered Blending Brush, the F-45 Buffer Brush, the E-65 Small Angle Brush, and then E-25 Blending Brush did all pleasantly well for being washed. No shedding, little to no dye washing out!

Overall, I was some what surprised at how well the eye brushes did for being washed. I do realize that some dye washing out and some shedding is completely normal, it means that it is being properly cleaned. I just don't want them to completely get yucky before I get to throughly use them.

I DO want to point out, even after washing these brushes (and some several sudsy) they still have a scent to them of the paint from the handles. I'm hoping that airing them out will help a bit, will report more tomorrow.

Other than that, I need to get my beauty sleep I have a long (but exciting) day in store for me tomorrow.

If it is okay with the photographer I will try to take a few pictures on my own camera of the shoot, and of course when I get the professional shots (as part of my payment for this trail run is free prints) I will make sure to send!

XOXO

Sigma Eye Brushes: First thoughts

Considering I received a Face and Eyes Kit from Sigma Makeup to review both on my YouTube channel (besides here on my blog). I decided to take the plunge and purchases two additional brushes with my own money.

The Face and Eyes Kit I received has three of the five essential brushes I use on a daily basis (and considering I am going to be placing some products into my kit) I wanted to make sure I had enough eye brushes. But really when can a girl who loves to play in makeup have enough eye brushes?!

Thus, I ordered the E-25 Blending Brush (once known as the SS217) and the E-65 Small Angle Brush (once known as the SS266).

Each brush cost me a total of $9.00 a piece, thus $18.00 for both brushes. Shipping and Handling was an additional $2.07, so my total for this particular purchase was $20.07 (not necessarily a bad price, considering I was receiving two makeup brushes).

I placed the order on September 30th, which I was very glad to receive an email about 2 hours later stating that my order had been shipped. I received these items on October 13th, which is pretty fast for mail to travel here to Germany (especially going through customs, as it had a form on it. Besides the fact that it also fell in transit on a holiday and our post office was closed).

The packaging of my order was pretty basic a padded envelope with an additional insert of the company. Showing the various other brushes offered at Sigma Makeup.

**I do want to also point out that unfortunately the included insert is outdated media. It still has the various brushes by their old numbering, which is slightly saddening just because Sigma has made it such a big thing that they had changed their brushes numbers.**

Insert I received in this order...that is out of date

Up Close shot of Insert

So the way I am going to do talk about the brushes is show various pictures of the item first alone, then compared to my other makeup brushes that are very similar (ie mostly my MAC brushes). So that you are able to visually see the differences, besides including various commentary of the Sigma brush compared to MAC.

I believe this way is of comparison is the best way, as when I originally got into collecting and using makeup products with brushes. I started off using only MAC brushes, so it seems only fitting to compare the new to the old.

On to the brushes

Sigma E-65 Small Angle Brush

Formally the SS266

This brush is described on the Sigma Website:

"Essential for the application of gel or cream eyeliner on the upper and lower lash line. This brush is also excellent for filling out the eyebrows. Synthetic bristles"

In my Collection my Closest makeup brush(s) are:

Coastal Scents Black Taklon Angle Brush

ELF Studio Angle Brush

Pincel Difuminador Rajales (small angle brush from a makeup company located in Spain)

Overall, the E-65 is the shortest handled brush of all the Sigma Makeup Eye Brushes I have, it is about 1/2 an inch longer than my Spanish Brand brush and about 1 inch shorter than the ELF Studio Brush.

This brush is also the thinnest and lightest of weight, again compared to all other Sigma Makeup Eye Brushes I own.

As the website states the bristles on the E-65 are synthetic, they are a light brown color and actually quite soft. However they are still firm, I do not believe I will have to worry about the bristles bending or going out of shape (as my Coastal Scents Taklon Brush has sadly done). The E-65 bristles length is actually the same length as the ELF Studio brush.

This is the E-65 compared to my Spanish brand brush as you can see the E-65 is a bit taller and denser than my current go to angle brush.

Currently from just testing the brush on my the back of my hand as well as lightly running it on my eyelid (with no makeup) I like it. I do believe this might be one of my favorite brushes so far from Sigma.

Sigma E-25 Blending Brush

Formally the SS217

This brush is described on the Sigma Website:

"Oval-shaped brush with gently chiseled sides. Blends and softens the look of powder or cream shadows. Ideal to apply eye shadow primer, base eye shadow colors, and blend harsh lines."

In my Collection my Closest makeup brush(s) are:

MAC 217 Blending Brush

ELF Essentials Blending Brush

Overall, the E-25 is similar to the other Sigma Makeup Eye Brushes I have longer than the MAC 217 by 1 inch. The handle of the E-25 is also thicker than the MAC 217, besides being just a bit heavier.

I could see the longer and thicker brush handle as a good point, if you are planning to use this brush on a professional basis. Longer handle means more distant between the make up artist and client, which is nice...so that you don't have to worry about being too much in their face while applying.

The E-25 is similar to the MAC 217 with the white haired bristles. I do believe this type of hair is goat...but I am not completely certain. The bristles texture on the E-25 is actually alot softer compared to the MAC 217. However, I do believe the MAC 217 is slightly denser than the E-25

Looking at the above picture, the Sigma E-25 is on the left while the MAC 217 is on the right.

It is quite possible that the E-25 is just as dense as the MAC 217, the major difference is the actual shape of the brush itself.

Looking at the above picture, the Sigma E-25 is on the left while the MAC 217 on the right

While the MAC 217 is slightly wide and then curves in to more of a cone tapered shape, the E-25 isn't nearly as tapered. For the actual width of the bristles themselves on the E-25 it reminds me of a flat shader brush width (or the E-55..another Sigma Brush I will blog about later).

I could see one major potential problem with the E-25 and that is the bristles losing their shape and going wider than they already are. This is a brush that would definitely fall into the category of using a brush guard, to ensure the slight tapered shape it's suppose to have stays.

Currently from just testing the brush on my the back of my hand as well as lightly running it on my eyelid (with no makeup) I think it is something that is useable. I do think the actual only way I can give a full opinion of the brush is from seeing it in action.

*Something to keep in mind, I am writing this blog just based on visual examination of the products. Besides of course using the sense of touch to give you first impressions of the products. I like to keep this blogging of these items as HONEST as possible.*

My next blogging of these two eye brushes will include the results of cleaning the brushes. To inform you of any shedding , how the texture or shape of the brushes can experience when cleaning.