The Ultimate Debate of the Makeup Brush

The Sephora Collection Prestige Brush Set
(offers a combination of Synthetic and Natural brushes)

As all of you makeup junkies know, brushes play a vital role in your every day makeup application. I, for one, am completely dysfunctional without my brushes, as they deliver an even and smooth application. When I was younger I tried to resist using a foundation brush, as my notion was that it was unnecessary as I could just use my hands. I can now admit that I was completely wrong! Brushes do more than people think they do, and they also have a tremendous affect on the end-result of your makeup application.

Now, I find that many individuals who go brush shopping are completely clueless when it comes to knowing their options. What is natural? What is synthetic? Which one is better? Well, worry no more, as I am going to give you a brief breakdown of what you should be looking for.

Let’s start by discussing what a natural brush is. These brushes are most commonly made of various types of animal hair, such as pony, goat (or capra), squirrel (very soft), and badger (firm). If you are an animal lover, this is probably not the best option for you. With that being said, there are many negative aspects which relate to the production of the brush, obvious ones for that matter. I was reading an article on PETA.org entitled “Is there a Squirrel in your Makeup Bag” and I came across some rather striking points. The one which caught my attention was this, “Every year, millions of animals are trapped, drowned, and beaten to death in the wild and strangled, electrocuted, or beaten and skinned alive on fur farms. Horse hair is commonly obtained from horses who are slaughtered for their flesh. Squirrels are hunted or trapped, and goats are shorn like sheep. Workers are often paid by volume, so they shear the goats quickly, which can result in serious injuries.” The article also made the point that when it comes to production, the following actions most commonly occur in developing countries who have little or no restriction on animal welfare regulations. It’s rather sad if you think about it. This con is surely a great one. But with every negative there is a positive, and although these brushes are created in what one may call an unethical way, they will literally last you a lifetime. Yes, they are more costly that synthetic brushes, which we will discuss in a minute, however they do offer you durability. If you have little concern regarding the way in which this product is made, then this is surely an investment worth making, especially if you plan on being a makeup artist. Even if you constantly wear makeup and want the best brushes to enhance your application process and give you durability, this is the option for you. 

Now, let’s look into what a synthetic brush is. Synthetic is most simply referred to as a product that is man-made, as in the case of makeup brushes you would find filaments such as nylon and taklon used. They do at times undergo the process of dying and baking to alter their texture. For anyone that supports the efforts of PETA, this is your best suited option as no animals are harmed in the production of these brushes. There are three main advantages of these types of brushes, and they are as follows:

1. They are less likely to result in damage from makeup and solvents
2. They are far easier to keep clean, as the filaments do not absorb pigment
3. They are far most cost efficient 

If you are on the fence about which option is better, a simple solution is to purchase a brush set that is a combination of both. Sephora, I feel, has done a good job when it comes to offering a mixture of brushes as they have selected the texture which offers the best application per brush (natural works better for certain areas of application than synthetic and vise versa).  

So with all of these factors being considered, which option do you prefer? 

Sources

http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/synthetic-make-up-brushes.aspx

Posted in: Cosmetics,makeup,Makeup Brushes,Natural,PETA,Sephora,Synthetic