So soft, they’ll have you stroking your face with them all day, it’s definitely been worth the wait for the brand’s first brush with bristled tools. Here’s our verdict on what’s worth spending your pennies on
When we first heard that Clarins was about to launch its very first collection of makeup brushes , two thoughts crossed our minds. Firstly, ‘How soon can we try them?’ and secondly, ‘Wait, what - they haven’t had makeup brushes before?’ A quick scroll through our beauty archives and the brand’s site reveals that, while their makeup accessories have ranged from mini sponges and brushes in the past (usually accompanying a compact), a standalone full size range has been absent from their permanent portfolio.
However, as of this Bank Holiday weekend, that gap has been well and truly filled with a six-strong range of fluffy tools designed to make our makeup efforts go as smoothly as possible.
What’s in the collection
Six birch wood handled makeup brushes (sourced from sustainably managed forests) featuring soft synthetic bristles. Covering everything from base to blush and blending, here’s the full breakdown of the range.
- A generously bristledPowder Brush, £28;
- A slim, dome-shapedFoundation Brush, £26;
- A flaredMulti-Use Foundation Brush, £26;
- A fluffyBlending Brush, £20;
- A short, roundEyeshadow Brush, £20;
- An angledBlush Brush, £26.
What they’re like to use
First impressions? They’re suuuuper soft. So soft in fact, that you could spend a fair few minutes just stroking them across your face. It’s the makeup equivalent of morning meditation.
Expertly cut and with fibres that pick up product with ease, they provide a smooth, even finish. They work well with powders and creams alike and thanks to their densely bristled heads and precision shapes, are great for building up intensity gradually for a more natural finish - no matter how heavy-handed your efforts.
What to buy
If you’re deciding where to put your pennies this month makeup brush-wise, these are the tools that are worth the investment.
For base: Multi-use Foundation Brush, £26
At first, we weren’t quite sure if the less fibre-packed head of this brush would afford it the versatility to cover both liquid and powder foundation application. However, we were proven wrong - its flared shape and sweeping bristles dispense base with zero-risk of overload to deliver on its promise of a ‘second skin’ effect extremely well when used with the brand's new Skin Illusion Foundation . It's particularly impressive with sheerer bases in our experience, as well as tinted moisturisers too.
For finishing: Powder Brush, £28
Great for a finishing touch of translucent powder or for sweeping away any runaway specks of eyeshadow, this wonderfully large-headed makeup brush was a personal favourite thanks to its sheer denseness and incredible volume.
For contouring: Blush Brush, £26
The angled shape of this silky bristled number offers both precision and performance. Great for blush, bronzer and highlighter, it has a range of valuable makeup uses.
For eye makeup: Blending Brush, £20
Fluffy and lightweight, the slightly flared and rounded tip of this makeup brush gives it far-reaching eye makeup multitasking prowess. From shading to blending, eyelid to brow bone, its a smokey eye staple.