Review- Sigma Flat Top Kabuki F-80

I received a Sigma Brush from Sigma to review, so here it is finally!

I really love this brush! This is the first Sigma brush I have and ever used and was really impressed with it, I already knew that it was a good company from all the other reviews that are out there, and I haven't heard that much bad stuff about them.

I use this brush to apply my contouring powder and it works really good for under the cheek bones I was using the e.l.f bronzing brush, but this one has replaced it. 

You can find this brush on Sigma Beauty for $16 which is a really good price for a great brush.

If you don't already have this brush you should really get it! Buy Here

This brush washes easy and dries to it's original shape. The handle is just the right length and the right thickness for my hand. The bristle's are nice and short and dense bristles and buff's the powder into the skin.

You can use this brush with powder or liquid foundation. To give you a flawless finish.

I give this brush a A+!

Giveaway: Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki! (CLOSED)

Yay!  I'm so happy to have the opportunity to giveaway the Sigma F80 brush to one of you.  As part of the Sigma beauty affiliate incentives program, the company hosts a giveaway for the brush they send you to review.  I'm very pleased that I loved the F80 brush so much so I can fully stand behind it.

(Click here to read my review on the F80)

Let's cut to the chase for information on how to enter!

 

Giveaway details:

• You must be a follower of my blog (you can do so via Google Friend Connect!)
• It will run from today, April 20, 2011, through May 20, 2011 at 11:59pm (one month)
• It is open internationally
• Please have your parent's permission to enter if you are under the age of 18
• The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise I will redraw another winner

How to enter/extra entries: (You can do one or all to increase your chances of winning)
      Please include all entries/points in ONE comment, thank you!

• Required: Leave me your Google Friend Connect (GFC) name and your email (1 point)
• Post about this giveaway on your blog (2 points)
• Link this giveaway on the sidebar of your blog- use the icon below (2 points)

(You can post this picture in your sidebar if you'd like!)

Good luck! :)

Disclaimer:  This giveaway is sponsored by Sigma Makeup as part of their Beauty Affiliate Incentives program.  I am not being paid for this whatsoever.   All opinions are 100% my own.

Sigma F80, you are my new favorite foundation brush.

Yes!  My Sigma F80 flat top kabuki brush finally came in the mail on Saturday!  I've had a few chances to use and wash it now, so I wanted to share with you my thoughts ASAP.  

I was really excited that this was the brush Sigma was sending me, because I've been wanting a good brush for stippling in foundation.  I was using my ELF Studio powder brush, but as I've mentioned a few times it's not love for me (I find it eats up too much product- it IS a good buy, though, just not my favorite).  I've read nothing but good reviews on this Sigma flat top kabuki, so I was hoping I'd have a similar experience!  

They wrapped it up nicely in the packaging- I think they do this with all their orders, from what I've seen in other reviews.  Nice!  I feel like I'm unwrapping a present, haha.

Yay!  The brush head is actually much smaller than the ELF powder brush, which I wasn't expecting (from other review photos I thought they'd be about the same size).  I like it, though- the bristles stick together better and don't "fray" out as much as the ELF brush.  It's also easier to get into smaller areas of my face.  It takes a little longer to apply products with because it's smaller, though.

 

F80 on left versus ELF powder brush on right- sorry for minor blurriness! 

I love that it doesn't absorb all my product.  I used it with my Maybelline Fit Me foundation yesterday, and was able to use less than normal.  In terms of the way my foundation looks after using this to stipple it in, I'd say it's about the same as when I use ELF's powder brush.  This one just feels like much better quality- the ferrule isn't coming apart from the handle and I don't foresee that being a problem, either.  The bristles are soft to the touch, making it easy to apply all over my face.

I washed this right after I opened my package and didn't experience any shedding of bristles.  I did, however, during the first couple of uses.  Just a total of two or three individual strands, but I'm hoping I don't see any more with continued use.

Overall, I say this is a quality-and versatile!- brush from Sigma.  I love that you can use it to apply both powder and liquid products.  It's the first of hopefully many that I will try in the future. 

If you're interested in trying this, it's available from the Sigma website.

Have you guys used the Sigma F80?  Any other brushes you'd recommend?  Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I was sent this product for review via Sigma Makeup's affiliate program.  I am not being paid in any way for my thoughts.  All opinions are 100% my own with no bias towards the company.  

I'm a Sigma Affiliate!

Hey guys!  I know I've gone into blogger hiding mode, and I'm terribly sorry.  I've really had an off few weeks and I'm hoping things will get back to normal ASAP; a lot has kind of built up over the semester so I'm feeling the effects right now.  I have so many products I want to share with you, though, and I still plan to- I might just be a little delayed.  Thanks so much for bearing with me.

Anyway, today I just wanted to do a quick post with some exciting news.  I recently became a Sigma Affiliate!  I haven't tried brushes from the brand yet, but I'm planning on making an order ASAP (as soon as I gather up some money I can use for beauty-related purchases!).  I thought this would be a great excuse for me to get myself to try some of their offerings, especially since I've read nothing but rave reviews about them.  I'm really interested to see if their brushes live up to the hype.
My affiliate link is in my sidebar, and you can also access it by clicking on this banner-

I believe the free gift is a travel-sized E25 blending brush- that's what I remember reading about awhile back.
Also, stay tuned for a giveaway coming soon.  I can't wait! :)

Here are some brushes I'd love to try, and will probably be purchasing in the coming months:

F35 Tapered Highlight- I just think the domed shape and tapered bristles make this a cool-looking brush.  I first read about this style of brush awhile back in a post Jamie at Maquilagem Masstige wrote about the F25, which is the powder version.  The F35 looks to be smaller and more for highlighting, but I'm sure you could use it for blush, too.

F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki- Everyone raves about this for applying both liquid and powder foundation, and I seriously have to try it.  Especially because I feel like my ELF Studio powder brush eats up my liquid foundations/tinted moisturizers.  I love my EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer brush for Bare Minerals, but I'd love to find something that can multitask with liquids!

E25 Blending- I've read lots of reviews about this being a dupe for the MAC 217 brush, which I'm currently lemming... a lot!  I've heard you can use that brush for both applying and blending out color, and any brush that allows me to eliminate another brush is my friend.  This version is like $15 cheaper than the MAC one, so I'll take it!

E20 Short Shader- For some reason I've always been fixated with these kind of brushes.  There's one on Coastal Scents I've been wanting to try, too.  I'd totally love using this for applying color to my lower lashline.

E30 Pencil- The MAC 219 pencil brush has been on my wishlist for the longest time, but it's going to be awhile until I dish out $24 for it.  I've read that the bristles on this Sigma brush are a little longer and less firm than the MAC's, but I'd still love to try it.  Contour/crease brushes seem like such an amazing invention to me, haha. 

Anyway, thanks for reading.  You guys truly amazing, like always.  <3

Disclaimer:  This post contains a referral link.  I'm not being paid for this post, and all opinions are 100% my own.

Sigma Brushes- One Year Later

Hi girls!

This is a "follow-up" review of my Sigma brushes, roughly a year after I bought them. I purchased the SS187, SS188, SS109, and SS224 last summer, I think it was June or July. Back when they had MAC numbers, anyway! (Side note: Very glad they changed that system. Didn't do much for their credibility as an independent brand, in my opinion...)

I paid roughly $75 including shipping (which was a lot, if I remember correctly... almost $15!!) for these four brushes, so I will go over whether each one was worth the money. In case you're wondering, I didn't get the brush set because a) they were sold out forever and b) I had similar brushes to almost all of them, except for the ones I purchased. Looking back, I kind of wish I had stuck it out and waited for the full sets to be back in stock. I would have ended up getting more for my money! But anyway, there's that saying that hindsight is 20/20... :)

Let's start with the SS187, now known as F15.

Price: $16 USD
Price of MAC 187: $50.50 CDN (** Canadian Dollars are almost equal to American dollars, but things are usually at least $10 more expensive here!)

This brush is still one of my go-to foundation brushes. I don't own the MAC one, so I can't really compare, but this stipples foundation on very very well. I wouldn't call it an "airbrush" or "flawless" finish, because let's be honest here, it's pretty much impossible to hide some things.

I spray it with some Fix+ and get to work on my foundation. It sheds a little bit sometimes, but it's very minor. Maybe one or two hairs, once a week.

As far as washing and how it's holding up, it still seems like a good, solid brush. I don't wash my brushes as often as I should (bad Chloe!), but it washes really easily, and looks almost brand new after a deep cleaning!

Worth the money? Yes!


Now the Sigma SS188, now known as F55

Price: $14.00 USD
MAC 188 price: $41.00 CDN

Again, this is a brush I use every single day. This is the only brush I use for blush (powder blush; I use my fingers or a sponge for cream). Pretty much everything I said about the SS187 applies here, except for the shedding part.

This brush doesn't shed AT ALL. Ever. The very very first time I washed it, it shed a little bit, but since then, NOTHING! It's still in great shape after a year of daily use. I think in terms of value and quality, this brush is the best of the four.



Worth the money? 100% Absolutely!


Now for the SS109, now known as F05

Price: $14.00
Price of MAC 109: $38.50 CDN

I'm going to say right now that I don't like this brush, and I have never liked it. I'll use it if I'm in a hurry and it's the first brush I grab to apply some blotting powder around my nose, or to quickly blend out my contour. Other than that, I don't use it.

Let me tell you why: It sheds like you wouldn't believe. I'm serious. More than a year later, it still sheds like crazy whenever I use it. I don't even know how it still has hairs left.
It is very soft, and a lovely shape, I'll give it that. I'm sure that it would be a lovely brush under different (non-shedding) circumstances. But I cannot use this, because I look like I'm in need of a good face wax. So, I can't really comment on how it's held up over a year, because I've hardly used it.

Worth the money? NO. I hope they've changed their "make" of this. Or maybe I just got a bad one? For Sigma's sake, I hope so.


Finally, the Sigma SS224, now known as E40.

Price: $9.00 USD
MAC 224 price: $35.00 CDN

This is a tricky one, I'll say that upfront. I use this every day that I wear eye makeup. I apply highlight under my brow bone and use it to blend out lines and such. At first it was really prickly, but after a few washes it softened up nicely. It also never sheds, even when washing! The shape is great for blending, but it's a little bit shorter than the MAC 224, so I don't think it works exactly the same. It definitely isn't as fluffy as the MAC one.

This brush is great, but... It's dying. The bristles are getting worn down and worn out, and get "dirty" wayyy faster than they used to. And I'm wondering... is this normal after only one year? I mean, for $9.00, I'm not going to get too upset about it. But considering how much hype there is about the QUALITY of these brushes, that they're "comparable" to MAC brushes, I'm a little disappointed that this brush has died so quickly. It worked well while it was alive, but... its lifespan is short. I'll be picking up the MAC 224 once I can afford it, and once my makeup diet is over.

Worth the money? Yes, but barely.


I hope this was helpful. I know there's still some buzz around Sigma, so I wanted to show how well their brushes last/don't last!

Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions!

xox
Chloe