Quality powder brush

[White Russian]

I am spending a small fortune trying to find a good quality powder brush to use with solid powder foundations. It has to be:
(a) dense enough for bristles not to flop all over the place meaning you can't get good coverage
(b) resistant to shedding
(c) the head should be big enough to apply the product quickly but not so big you have no control and end up with powder deposited only at the point where the tip of the head touches your skin.

In particular, I'd like it to go with the Mally powder foundation, Bellapierre pressed mineral foundation and LG BnB. So far I have tried:

1. New CID synthetic powder brush - the head is too floppy for pressed formulas, but it's good with loose powders
2. Smashbox face & body brush - head is too big and too dense for the face
3. Smashbox halo brush - as soon as you wash it the bristles splay so you lose density
4. Ultimate Brushes powder brush - doesn't really allow you to work the product into areas like side of nose, crease of chin etc
5. Bobbi Brown face blender - shed really badly.

I'm thinking of trying the Jemma Kidd powder brush but as it's made with natural goat hair it could well shed easily. What do you use to apply your powder foundations? Thanks!

 

[Ilovelulu]

I would recommend a big kabuki brush I got from Boots a while back, its a pink dottie handle and it didn't shed, was very soft but picked up the product well and lasted well even after a mild shampoo wash. I think it was about a fiver maybe.

 

[Erin Dawes]

You mentioned LG's B&B in your list of powder foundations. Just wondered if you got the retractable brush she usually includes....I find this great and virtually no shedding either. The Bare Escentuals one gets pretty scratchy after a fair bit of use. I think this may be because the mineral powder dries out the brush's natural hairs. Hope this helps

 

[vampyre]

Ariane Poole has a variety of excellent brushes for various foundations.

 

[alibeth]

I use the Kabuki Ultimate Brush from Just Beauty Direct, I find it gets into all the nooks and crannies.

 

[donna255]

I have the blender which is really just to blend blush or the shimmerbricks not apply foundation/powder. Powder brushes are really for applying loose face powder as a dusting. The one you need should be for buffing on powder. Kabuki small dense but you can still get into the corners round your nose etc. Ulimate from justbeautydirect.com do some great ones.

 

[RedT]

Real Techniques brushes (by youtube guru pixiwoo) are really lovely and soft (get them from lovemakeup.co.uk) and I also just got the Lauren Luke powder brush from laurenluke.com and it's absolutely gorgeous. Both brushes have lovely study handles, don't shed and are really soft. Recommend both of them!

 

[pudnpie]

I got a Lydia kabuki brush from eBay for about 3 pound and it's brilliant. Hasn't lost a single hair. I use it with both B&B and the Mally one. For me it is just the right size and density. There is also one which they call a mineral powder brush which I also got, but I.find it better for my blusher.

Sent from my HTC Hero using Tapatalk

 

[White Russian]

Thanks everyone. It does sound like I need a kabuki brush rather than a classic powder brush. I might have to save my powder brushes for my mineral veil.

 

[amn]

The Ecotools brushes are nice too. I bought some following recommendations from on here.

 

[Marzy]

I bought the Ecotools brushes in Boots,fab brushes & great prices.
My set had a free foundation brush when I bought them last Christmas).

 

[Bea Frugal]

I'm using a lovely Benefit kabuki brush which cost £16 but is wearing very well. It shed a bit to start with but is quite dense so it picks up my balance and brighten well. I prefer to use Laura's retractable brush for blusher, or pre- loaded in my handbag for a touch up.

 

[boffy]

molton brown do the most lucious kabuki brush in the outlet shops for around £11. best brush i have ever owned.

 

[alter ego]

Another vote for Ecotools or the Ultimate brushes from Justbeautydirect. I also love the BeautyBlender from JBD. I can use this damp for liquids or dry for powder. Fab little tool!