Hello Lovely Ladies,
Sephora is like a cornucopia of so many brands that their inhouse brand “Sephora Collection” sometimes takes a beating. I have heard that a lot of their products are actually duplicate formulations of higher end brands that they have. But, I have rarely tried much stuff from their collection. They have an extensive range of brushes as well – their regular line, their collabs and their Pro range. While their regular line is constantly on sale after a period of time and sometimes, so is their collab; their Pro range of brushes have a bit of fan following and are never seen on sale. I have their Pro Concealer #57 which I bought on Rati’s recommendation and it is indeed a faboulous brush, not just for its purpose, but also considering how well it is made. Recently, I picked up another Pro Concealer brush from Sephora Collection – why and what for? Let us find out.
Product Description:
What it is:
A concealer brush uniquely shaped to apply concealer and corrector evenly for a natural result.
What it does:
This concealer brush was designed to be used in multiple ways for a customized application. The unique tapered brush head has dual benefits, offering one side to place and smooth, while the other side is used to sheer and blend. This tool can also be used to apply correctors, eye primers, and cream shadow.
What else you need to know:
This product is cruelty-free and can be used with a variety of concealer and corrector formulas, as well as cream shadows and primers.
This product is not tested on animals.
Price:
$22
Packaging:
Sephora Pro brushes come very well packed with a hard plastic shield protecting the bristles. And, the same is sealed, so that you know you are getting a fresh piece. You can retain the plastic shield for future use while travelling or just to protect them from dust. Just ensure that you do not use the shield while the brush is damp because, this would be inviting bacterial growth!
My Experience with Sephora Collection Pro Concealer Brush #71:
As I mentioned before, Sephora Pro range of brushes have been very well received by the Beauty community. The proof that they must sell well lies in the fact that these never go on sale. I have prior experience with only 1 brush from this range – that’s number #57 and it is quite a workhorse. Despite so many spot cleaning and washes, it remains the same.
Coming to brush #71. This is a fairly new release because, I do not see much information about it on the blogosphere. Also, I could not locate it in Sephora UAE or Sephora Singapore. Then, how and why did it land in my cart? Because, I saw it being used by a Pro MUA from Sephora in one of their tutorial videos. Now, I do understand that Sephora tutorial videos are more often than not, advertorials. The whole purpose of their YouTube channel is to demonstrate products and talk about how “amazing” they are just to push sales. But then again, most of the bigger YouTube Influencer channels are also doing just the same. They too are pushing products depending on which brand is paying them. But, that’s a whole different topic to discuss for another time. When it comes to Sephora Pro MUAs, I do appreciate the fact that these are real life Make Up Artists who have worked with different skins which are different by colours, tones and age groups. And, this becomes key for someone like me who has more mature skin. When a 20-something YouTuber shrieks how amazing a concealer is and how wonderfully it covers her non-existent dark circles or how it doesn’t crease on her taut under-eye area, I cannot help but roll my eyes!! You know what I mean…
Coming back to the brush in hand. The Pro MUA used this brush for an under eye concealer tutorial. And for a change, this wasn’t about concealing dark circles, but for concealing shadow under the eye. What is that ask all my 20-something readers? Ok… Here goes… For us, ladies of a certain age group struggle not just with under eye darkness, we also struggle with sinking eye. Actually, this happens not just with age, but some people have this due to their genetic makeup as well – hereditary. The eyes kind of start sinking into the orbit. This causes a prominent dark line of depression in the under-eye area. While you may be able to manage the under-eye darkness with a peach corrector, managing this depression gets difficult because, it casts a shadow onto the skin which doesn’t go. And apparently, not many people know how to deal with this. I once had a MAC MUA load their orange corrector onto my under eye area and still couldn’t cancel the shadow. And by the end of it, the eye area was ORANGE!! No concealer or foundation could cover that much orange!!! That was fun! Anyway!! Let me know if anyone here wants me to do a quick tutorial on how to manage this.
So, back to the brush in hand, the Sephora PRO MUA used this brush for effectively concealing the darkness as well as the shadow and I was sold!!
Shape: So, what’s great about it. The shape of the brush. The shape is kind of difficult to explain, but I will try. The brush has 2 effective sides to use. It is a flat paddle brush, which slants on one side. This allows the brush to apply, blend and sheer out the product onto the skin in tapping motion, mimicking the action of your fingers tapping onto the skin. This may sound a bit gimmicky and it did seem like it till you actually use the brush. It is quite effective. The slant of the brush is soft and the unique shape of it actually feels like you are tapping the product with your finger. The only difference being – because it is a brush – you can clearly see the portion it is working on and can reach into the nooks and crannies or right upto the lash line, if you so desire. The second side of the brush which works effectively is the sharply tapered brush head which is soft, but doesn’t have too much give. This allows precise placement of your product, which becomes key for concealing the under eye line shadow. Even otherwise, to be able to place the product precisely is a boon. Post placement, you can happily blend it away from the slanted side and you are done. So, the brush is pretty much 2-in-1 and gives 2 distinct applications.
As per the brand, one need not restrict its usage to concealer. It can be used for eye primer or even cream eyeshadows.
Bristles: The brush has synthetic bristles, which make it cruelty-free and vegan. Also, being synthetic, they are easy to clean. Regular washing and care will not impact the hair quality adversely.
Maintenance: The brush seems well made as I do like to clean it post every use or every second use and it seems to have held on fairly well without loosing its shape or any bristles in the process – despite me not using any brush guard with them. Does one need to clean the brush every time they use? This is debatable. Some people do use a brush a few times before washing them or spot cleaning them. The thing is, when using cream/liquid products, whatever is left on the brush will harbor bacteria. Also, the left over product will dry up on the bristles. This will impact subsequent application and you may not get effective blending or flawlessness in application the second time round from a dirty brush.
Pros of Sephora Collection Pro Concealer Brush #71:
- Well made, balanced brush.
- Synthetic bristles.
- Extremely effective for its identified job.
- Did not shed on washing.
- Quite a workhorse.
- Gives a precise and controlled application – thanks to its small brush head.
- Since it is made of synthetic bristles, it is cruelty free.
- It can be washed regularly without impacting quality of bristles (unlike natural hair brushes).
- Fairly soft brush head.
- Long handled.
- Effective packaging.
Cons of Sephora Collection Pro Concealer Brush #71:
- Availability.
IMBB Rating: 5/5
Comparison with Marc Jacobs 14:
I really do like this brush. Its like, for the first time in my life I am able to effectively manage my under eye area, which isn’t solely thanks to the brush, but also the technique. But, the tool in hand, really helps. It is supposed to be similar to the Marc Jacobs brush number 14. However, since I have not seen that brush in hand, I cannot really comment how similar are they in use.
Do I Recommend Sephora Collection Pro Concealer Brush #71?
For once, I am going to go ahead and say YES! If you have under eye darkness, you could definitely benefit from this. However, if you struggle with under-eye depression and its shadow? You NEED this brush! This could well be life changing for you as far as makeup is concerned. Also, do let me know if you want me to demonstrate how to manage the shadow underneath your eye. I am not a pro MUA – by any stretch of imagination. But, I can share what works for me.
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