My 21-Piece Suesh Makeup Brush Set (Musings Long Overdue)

Dear friends,

This is my long overdue post on my 21-piece makeup brush set by Suesh. I got this in the midst of my fascination with makeup and brushes.

Sheryll of Suesh was very accommodating in answering my endless queries about the brush sets, payment and delivery options, et cetera. She also provided me the brush guide which includes details of the brush sets by Suesh.

After much thought, I decided to get the Professional Advance set which has 21 brushes made from “all natural- goat, squirrel, pony and raccoon hair with birch wood in glossy silver gray handles”. The set includes:

1. Large Powder
2. Foundation
3. Concealer
4. Round blush
5. Angled blush
6. Base
7. XL eyeshadow
8. Large eyeshadow
9. Med eyeshadow
10. Small eyeshadow
11. Highlighter
12. Wide Smudge
13. Contouring
14. Angled contouring
15. Flat Eyeliner
16. Narrow Eyeliner
17. Brow
18. Tool
19. Mascara
20. Brow Comb
21. Lip

The brush guide says that the set is “for makeup artists who need a set of complete brushes with just-enough tool types and variations.”

Just to bring me back to earth, I AM NOT a makeup artist by any chance. I fell in love with the set after probably four hours of debating on which set to buy. So I followed my heart!

I ordered my brush set last Sept 17, 2009 (yes, yes, this review is so long overdue)* and got it the following day (fast). The delivery date was within the lead time promised.

I took photographs of my set for my appreciation and documentation, and I'd like to share these with you. Some of the brushes are early favorites, and so they have their own portraits with the pages of my Twilight journal and Making Faces book as backdrops. I included here my "two cents" on the brushes which I have used so far (the rest are safely stored in their respective ‘niche’ in the pouch).
Caveat: Thoughts below are from a mere mortal attempting to do make-up. No claim to expertise or mastery whatsoever :).

Enjoy!

When I opened my package, I remembered gasping,

"This is soo B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!"

Packaging

Each big brush was wrapped in a plastic cover that looked like a brush-guard (to keep the shape).

All brush stems are covered in plastics and placed in the soft black brush case.

I couldn't help feeling like a real professional make-up artist when I first held my set.

(View from the left:)

(View from the right)

(View from the top)

(My early favorites on the  page with my journal notes)

The early favorites with my Fanny Serrano eyebrow brush (black handle)

in my Coca-Cola bottle

(turned makeup brush holder, complete with white sand to protect the base of the brushes)

And here are the brushes...

(Mendelssohn march :)

Foundation brush

 Back in the days when I was using up my cream foundation (since it was approaching two years, the maximum shelf life), this brush impressed me. It spread the foundation very well on my face (so I don’t need to use my finger pads) and left no visible brush marks. Up to the last time I used and washed it, I noted no shedding at all.

Notes:

When I was able to finally use up my foundation cream, I switched to mineral makeup. From then on, I’m using my The Body Shop (TBS) kabuki brush. I’d love to try Suesh kabuki brush, too. Probably, I’d get one for travel and hopefully there’s a matching kabuki brush case.

I think that kabuki brushes are really perfect for my kind of low-maintenance makeup; the catch is how to take care of the brush shape when you take it with you. I don’t like the small packet (the black-brown thing which looks like an envelope pouch) which came with my TBS kabuki brush. The packet/pouch looks like it will squash my brush if used frequently. Also, the way that the packet/pouch is structured keeps it in close contact with the brush’s head and the makeup left on the brush. Thus, non-hygienic and would require frequent washing. That’s why the TBS kabuki brush stays at home.

For everyday use in putting on powder (I don’t use puffs, again, for hygienic reasons), I use my Manicare retractable brush; though this one’s not too impressive (considering the promise of its brand name and price) since it feels a bit rough on my skin. Good thing it doesn’t shed that much and the size is just right for travel.
WISH: I hope Suesh would consider adding a retractable brush to its individual and travel set lines.

Concealer brush

I earned dark eye bags after the almost-daily night reading and the stress-induced insomnia. The concealer made me look “normal” during these times.

The Suesh concealer brush was fine-tipped and work just right in reaching areas near the eyelids for more precise coverage. It works well too to cover up uneven patches on the sides of the nose. I think it would also be perfect if one needs to cover some bad-timing pimples and dark spots. I don’t go the extra mile of hiding my scars (I have several from chickenpox and childhood accidents) and pimples (on stressful days); I just let them show through. Thankfully, the cream or mineral foundation makes them less obvious.

Concealing-wise, this brush hits the mark precisely. It absorbs just enough concealer and the fine tip stays put to do its work. I guess, the rest of the precision is up to the user’s steady hand and mastery (I wish I have both).

Lip brush

I think this is the brush that can serve its purpose for one’s at-home kit as well as for travel.

There may be some bit of hassle in twisting open and putting on the brush cap. What if the cap suddenly slid into an uncovered drain while you’re doing your make-up on the sink? (Lesson learned from imagining the worst case: Never do your make-up requiring the use of mini-brushes while on the sink; save it for later).

Although on the positive side, the brush cap, when placed over the brush’s end, adds length to the brush stem making it easier to use vs. the short lip brush typical in travel-size brush kits.

WISH: I just wish that Suesh would consider designing a retractable lip brush (like that of famous Smashbox #18), which I think is more convenient.

Eyeshadow brushes

(Sixth to Ninth from right)

 It thrilled me to see the many eyeshadow brushes in the 21-piece set and all the eye make-up possibilities behind it. There are four of them – from small to extra large! What more can one ask for? I think this whole range would suit the ones who love to play around with their eye makeup (I know one – my best friend, Lovella). In my case, the medium-size eyeshadow brush (eighth from right in the picture) suits me fine. I alternate it with my Art Deco eyeshadow brush. They are about the same size and length and both do their jobs well. Gentle to the eye area but firm enough to pat and spread the eyeshadow for the desired effect.

Mascara Wand

(Barely visible here - third from left in the set)

I use waterproof mascara (since I seem to be oily in the eye area) on days when I expect big meetings, and lately - a little more often than usual – in order to use it up before the maximum three-month shelf life (Again, you say. Apparently, I only do full makeup when I’m in a really good mood AND I have enough time. And these weren’t true for me in the past weeks/months).

The naïve ‘Me’ was wondering, “Where I am supposed to put the mascara wand that comes with the mascara while I’m using this mascara wand from the Suesh brush set? Should I throw the former away (Then what would cover my mascara)? Should I cut off the mascara brush from the cap? Should I rest the wand on the table with a tissue paper (That’s possible when one has ample space and time.)?” Ridiculous ‘Me’, I know.

I read somewhere that one should be using a different mascara wand which can be washed frequently (not the one that comes with the mascara since that collects bacteria, etc.). That is ideal.

The more feasible, realistic option for me is to use the mascara in my Suesh brush set to separate the lashes for clumps created after applying mascara. And to address the concerns on hygiene, I guess it’s enough that I use up the mascara within three months. That’s why I made the mental note that I’d always purchase the smallest size possible.

Going back to Suesh’s mascara wand…The length of the brush seems just right though I wouldn’t mind if they made it a bit shorter. The wand’s bristles look okay and fine enough to separate clumps. I’d appreciate if they’re longer though so they absorb more excess mascara. I also hope that the bristles are made from some other material which does not gather little hairs or cotton fibers or other little things when it’s left on its own. I don’t know if that is supposed to be true for all mascara wands. I sort-of liked the mascara wand from The Body Shop (after cleaning it up) ‘cause the bristles are superfine and are made from something that glides over lashes and even eyebrows (whichever way you want to use them).

The sad thing about my Suesh mascara wand was that the brush head fell off its stem after probably the third wash. I think it may have been my fault if I carelessly (I couldn’t exactly remember) submerged the entire brush head in water, past the part where there’s supposed to be the glue to hold it to the stem. As a remedy, I used clear nail polish to glue back the head to the stem :)

WISH: I hope that Suesh would have a redesigned mascara wand which is solid (no glues involved; personally I think, the mascara wand needs the most frequent washing among all makeup tools), and with superfine bristles that don’t gather dust and fiber. Sorry for the lengthy wishlist.

In the meantime, I find it more comfortable to use my old mascara wands. I clean up the wands thoroughly with make-up remover as soon as the mascara runs out. I save an old one for grooming eyebrows and another one to separate mascara clumps.

Brow Comb/Brush

(First from left)

This tool has two uses: a brush for combing/grooming brows and a comb for separating lashes.

I don’t use the latter very much. I think that the brow brush is great for its purpose as its bristles are dense and firm. Good for thick brows. Although I have thin eyebrows, the compact bristles help create natural looking lines to cut across the brow powder.

I just find the length a little bit awkward. I wouldn’t mind if it’s made shorter. Other than that, the brow brush part of this tool is perfect for everyday use.

Angled Blush brush

(Third from right)

I thought I‘d never find any use for this brush in my workday make-up routine ‘cause I’m not the “define-my-cheeks-with-blush” type (I’m more of the “pat-blush-on-apples-of-cheek” type :). It turned out that the angled blush brush became a long-time favorite. With just some adjustments in the brush’s angle, it could do wonders when I feel like I need to look “mature” for big client meetings (slant it!), when I feel like being simple yet professional for days spent at the office doing desk work (use it horizontally flat, 180°), or when I feel like being feminine (pat more blushy blush on the apples of my cheeks). This brush definitely is a multi-tasker for different moods.

Powder brush

 

Powder brush (closer)

This brush is soft as a dream. It glides across my face and I could imagine a squirrel’s tail…LOL. I don’t know if that thought blurb is pleasant, funny or what. But I loved this powder brush to bits. It’s large and soft enough to spread loose powder across my face. I feel like a real pro (if only for a few seconds) whenever I use this brush.

After several uses though, I noted 2-cm hairs falling out from this brush especially when I use it after putting on moisturizer, SPF or any creamy substance. At first, I thought, that those “fallen hairs” were my eye lashes. Hahaha! But how come they looked too straight?

These do not happen often though and the hairs shed are not that alarming (probably 2-3 short hairs infrequently).Then I observed that my powder brush does not seem to shed when I use it over mineral make-up. So I guess, I should just steer clear of the creamy kind or let the skin absorb the cream first before using my powder brush.

I still love this brush with all its teeny flaws. In fact, I make it a point to take it with me when I go out-of-town even with its large size.

Note:
A bad experience with a kabuki brush from Art Deco: The brush shed like crazy (probably 6-10 hairs every time). It was just awful! I like Art Deco’s eyeshadow brush though and still use it to this day. Probably, big brushes are not just their forte.

Fan brush/Tool

This brush is as soft as expected. It is both gentle and efficient in sweeping away any excess makeup. It looks pretty on my drawer, and reminds me to spend some extra time on make-up.

The Final Verdict

When I saw the prices of the brush sets, I leveled my expectations considering that a much coveted MAC brush (case in point – the stippling brush) costs as much as the 21-piece Suesh brush set. MAC is a legend in brushes while I’ve read good reviews on Suesh. I expected regular-sized brushes with okay bristles. I got super-large (larger than the brush sets normally seen in department stores) and really soft-bristled brushes(imagine more squirrels this time(*_*) that get the work done.

Bottom line - the 21-piece Suesh brush set exceeded my expectations.


*Post Script:
If you will look closely, the date stamp of the photographs (Sept 23, 2009) is a few days before Ondoy's swift onslaught. My 21-piece Suesh brush set was one of the fortunate art treasures which I was able to save.

I believe that God blessed my brush set. In the maddening rush of waters, this lucky one made it to my bag and stayed safe with me. Thank you Father for saving these pieces of art.