Sigma Makeup Sigmax High Definition Synthetic Brush Kit

Sigma Makeup‘s brushes have received a great deal of rave reviews from YouTube gurus and beauty bloggers in the past couple of years.  I admit that even though I was a little curious, I was more skeptical of all the hype they’ve been getting.  Is it brand bias?  To be perfectly honest?  Maybe.  It just all sounded too good to be true.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, Sigma makes a full line of high quality, handmade makeup brushes.  Its claim to fame: MAC brush dupes for a fraction of the price.

I have been test driving the new line of Sigmax High Definition Brushes ($42) containing three face brushes: F80 Flat Kabuki, F82 Round Top Kabuki, F84 Angled Top Kabuki.  The Sigmax HD Brushes are designed to work well with both cream/liquid and powder products.  The brushes are also available for purchase individually.

The brush handles are a thicker than my other brushes, and so the brushes are heavier than what I’m accustomed to.  The brush ferrules are very sturdy and do not move around when I pull on the brushes during a wash.

These brushes are made with synthetic fibres.  I am really impressed that they held their shape and were free of any funky smells after washing and drying.  All of the brushes are very densely packed, which make them excellent for buffing in creams and liquids.  A nice side effect: they are very easy to clean because very little product gets absorbed and lost in between the brush fibres.

F80 Flat Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in liquid foundation all over the face; to buff in powder (or powder foundation) for a heavier coverage.

It does a fairly quick job to cover the whole face.  I don’t actually reach for this brush that often for liquid foundation, and I think that’s just my personal preference.  It is excellent for buffing in the foundation into the skin to achieve a perfect complexion easily.  I quite like this type of brush for buffing in powder like my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural to get more coverage out of it.

Recommendation: You might like this if you want that perfect skin look quickly, and if you don’t mind using a separate brush for general concealing.

F80 Flat Top Kabuki

F80 Flat Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

F82 Round Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in foundation all over the face; to blend concealer under the eyes and around the nose.

The F82 brush head is smaller than the F80′s, so it is easier to manoeuvre around tricky areas of the face.  I prefer it over the F80 for foundation, too, as I like that I can “roll” the brush around because of the rounded top.  Its smaller size compared to the F80 means that I have to work longer, but I eventually get the same gorgeous finish.

Recommendation: As my favourite of the three, I like the F82′s versatility as a foundation and concealer brush.  I love this brush and think it is an absolute must-have.

F82 Round Top Kabuki

F82 Round Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

F84 Angled Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and blend cream blush on the cheeks; to apply powder blush heavily.

This is the perfect brush for cream blushes.  I always found MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Blushes to be tricky to blend with my fingers or with any other ol’ skunk brush, but this brush takes care of the job in two seconds.  If you have a not-so-pigmented blush like NARS Douceur, this could save you time by picking up a heavier amount of powder on the bristles.

Of the three, this was the only one that shed 3-4 hairs during a wash.

Recommendation: This is a must-have for those who prefer working with cream blush over powder.  Also, if you have a softly pigmented powder blush that you love but need to layer, this brush is a definite time saver.

F84 Angled Top Kabuki

F84 Angled Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

Sigma Brushes: Yea or Nay?

Have you given in to the hype?  If these three were any indication of the quality of the rest of the line, I’d say they are definitely worth the hype.  I might try the eye brushes sometime.