If you remember, I’ve reviewed Charm Travel Pro brushes, as seen in this post. I love it so much that I tag it along wherever I go- my travels and even in my car. The name literally served its purpose for me. This is why when Sophie, owner of Charm, told me that there’s something new from the brand, I got suuuper excited. 😀
Charm Essentials Vegan Brushes, just like Charm Travel Pro, were carefully designed by Sophie. Being a makeup artist herself, she very well knows the type and quality of brushes that could greatly help in achieving various looks. The main difference of her new babies from Travel Pro (aside from the size) is that Charm Essentials Vegan Brushes are all made from synthetic fiber. Hang on there, don’t judge yet. I know a lot of you, including myself, have this perception that synthetic brushes maybe soft on the skin, but don’t perform well like natural animal hair. Although synthetic brushes are best used for liquid and cream products, how can Charm Vegan brushes perform on powder? Here’s my review.
Powder Brush
(PHP 400)
This Powder Brush is ultimately soft on skin (no exaggeration!). It’s dense that it’s close to a kabuki brush. It’s multi-purpose. I use it to set my liquid foundation/ concealer with a loose powder and for pressed powder touch-ups. Plus, it can also be used as a blush brush. It can give sheer to medium coverage. This brush can also be used for cream or liquid. It doesn’t shed or bleed, even when washed several times. It takes a while to dry the brush though since the fibers are compact.
Blush / Contour Brush
PHP 400
Like the powder brush, this Blush / Contour Brush is very soft. It doesn’t shed or bleed even after several washes. The bristles are firm that you won’t get a fluffy brush after washing. As the name suggests, it’s dual purpose. Since it’s an angled brush, it’s easy to use it for contour to add dimensions on the face and for blush to give you that healthy glow. It can be used on powder, liquid, or even cream products. A clean brush can also be used to remove eyeshadow fall outs. It may not grab as much pigment as compared to natural animal hair, but the good side of it is you won’t end up with a blob on your cheeks. I just slowly build the color, until I achieve my desired result. In this way, the blush/ contour look more natural. There are no harsh lines and blending would be such a breeze!
Big Eyeshadow / Concealer Brush
PHP 250
This brush is great for packing eyeshadows all over the lids. It can be used for both wet and dry application. With its dense and firm bristles, it also doubles as a concealer brush, which is perfect to use under the eye or other large areas. The brush doesn’t shed or bleed even after several washes. It doesn’t pick up as much product in pressed eyeshadows compared to animal hair, but it’s good enough for me. It’s what I used to pack gold eyeshadows in this look. I also tried applying loose eyeshadow using this brush and it came out perfectly. I’ll share that in another makeup post. This brush may be quite big though for those with small eyes.
Small Eyeshadow / Precise Concealer Brush
PHP 230
This is the smaller version of the big eyeshadow brush. It can be used to pack eyeshadows (wet or dry) on smaller lids. With its firm bristles, it also doubles as a concealer brush for the sides of the nose, edges of the lips and other areas that need spot concealing. The brush doesn’t shed or bleed even after several washes.
Crease Blending Brush
PHP 275
This kind of brush would always be my favorite. It’s synthetic, but it works like my MAC 217 brush. It picks up the right amount of product. It can be used to highlight the brow bone, contour the crease, and blend eyeshadow. With this brush, harsh lines wouldn’t be a problem. It blends eyeshdow well, giving you a really nice and soft gradient. The size and length of the bristles are perfect even for small eyes. This Crease Blending Brush can also be used as a concealer brush as it lightly feathers out the cream or liquid concealer. The brush doesn’t shed, bleed or get fluffy even after several washes. It still stays really soft, like the other Charm Vegan Brushes.
Pencil Point Smudger Brush
PHP 250
This brush is perfect for smudging eyeliner to achieve smoky eyes. Since it grabs a good amount of product, I also use this to make my eyes more defined by intensifying my eyeshadow on the outer-v. It’s prone to harsh line though so I make sure to use the crease blending brush right after. I also set my eyeliner on my lower lashes with powder eyeshadows using this Pencil Point Smudger Brush.
Classic Blending Brush
PHP 250
This is quite a big fluffy brush, yet firm enough for better control. If you’re on the go and you simply want to dust some color on your lids, this can be your go to brush. It’s also a nice blending bush, leaving you with no harsh lines. Those with small eyes may find this too big though. I also use this to apply highlighter on my brow bone. It has soft bristles that doesn’t shed or bleed.
Angled Eyeshadow Brush
PHP 250
This brush can be used to apply all over the lids for a sheer color and to contour the nose. I love using this more for definition and contour of my eyes though. The synthetic bristles are soft, but firm enough for better control of the brush. It can pick up a good amount of product and it doesn’t shed or bleed even after several washes.
Angled Eyeliner Brush
PHP 250
I love using this brush when applying powder eyeshadow on the lower lash line. With its stiff bristles, it can also be used on gel or cream to line both the upper and lower lash line. It’s pretty easy to do a cats eye with this brush. It can also be used as an eyebrow brush. I just find it too thin to fill up my brows easily, taking me more time.
Pointed Eyeliner Brush
PHP 200
I love using this brush when applying gel liner on the upper lash line. It can also be used for liquid and cream. It’s perfect when you want a fine and precise line, though its softness might be a downside. It may not be too stiff for others, making it harder to control.
Overall
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of synthetic bristles as it doesn’t really deliver like brushes with natural hair. Charm Essentials Vegan Brushes though exceeded my expectations. Being animal-friendly is definitely a plus. I am very impressed with its performance. I haven’t experienced any of my brushes shed or bleed. All of them are soft on my skin even after several washes. I actually find myself reaching for these brushes more often these days when I do my own make up. I believe in the product so much that I ended up purchasing a set that I can use for clients too. 😀
I once tried using this in one of my gigs and my client couldn’t help but ask where I bought my brushes. She loved the feeling of the brush on her skin that she felt relaxed while I do her makeup. 😀
It’s nice that Charm is selling these brushes individually. The 14-pc brush set costs PHP 2,500 though, so you’ll obviously save more when you add up the cost of each brush (more than PHP 3,500). Plus, it comes in a really cute pouch already! 😀
You can check out and purchase Charm Essentials Vegan Brushes at Beauty & Minerals.
