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Ecotools Offer Earth-friendly Beauty
Synthetic Makeup Brushes: Are they right for you?
by Cheryl Bruedigam
As with many other
industries, the cosmetic industry has received
tremendous pressure to stop making products that cause
cruelty to animals, a negative impact on the environment
and dangerous side-effects to our health. One such
change has been the introduction of Earth-friendly
makeup brushes. Though top makeup artists still seem to
prefer natural bristles, many companies are offering
makeup brushes made from alternative substances
including those made by Ecotools of bamboo handles and
taklon, a synthetic bristle.
The brushes are soft in
comparison to a natural bristle and easily glide across
the skin. The debate with synthetic bristles has been
that they do not hold the powder the way a natural
bristle does. With a natural bristle, the powder
attaches to the hair follicles for staying power. This
though can cause streaking though there are also claims
to the opposite. Streaking can be an especial problem
with the mineral makeups and in use with a natural
bristle, I was experiencing this and mistakenly thinking
it was the makeup itself. Once having switched to the
Ecotools, the streaking disappeared and the mineral
makeup went on easily, and smoothly with much more
control because as many users have stated, when it comes
to mineral makeup, less it good.
Two Ecotools brush sets
were available, both of which I purchased. A larger five
brush set with a reusable storage pouch made of 55% hemp
and 45% cotton,
EcoTools BAMBOO 5-pc Makeup Brush Set w/ Case 1206
and a smaller, travel four mineral brush
set, EcoTools MINERAL 5pc Make Up Brush Travel Set 1213
also including the same reusable but smaller pouch.
The larger set included a blush brush, eye shadow brush,
eyeliner/eyebrow brush, a lash and brow groomer with
comb on one side, brush on the other; and a concealer
brush.
The smaller set included
a mineral powder brush, concealer brush, eye shadow
brush, and a baby kabuki, which I especially wanted to
try since I had just recently purchased another of
natural bristles. It is obvious with the powder or
foundation that the natural bristles hold the particles
well however it doesn’t seem enough of a difference to
matter as far as a smooth, even application, the taklon
bristles work very well and even better with the loose
mineral blush powers making it easier to apply just the
right amount rather than too much color.
The Ecotool brushes are a
dream for eye shadow application. With a sponge
applicator, the color sits on the sponge and goes onto
the eye where it is placed with a heavier coloring and
more difficulty to smooth and blend. The Ecotools eye
shadow brushes makes applying eye shadow so easy and
much more artistically with the ability to smooth and
blend to perfection as if working on a canvas or
painting ending in a perfectly beautiful finish. The
flat wide side of the brush is just right for shading
lids and below brows while the edge is just right for
applying into the crease. I would never again use a
sponge applicator. Certain eye colors I had thought
beautiful and purchased were going on too dark with
smearing and seemed difficult to work with. It was not
the colors, it was the applicator. Now they go on
perfectly in just the right amount whereas before they
had gone on too heavily and too dark (one can always add
more shadow to darken but once it’s on too dark it
pretty well ruins the entire thing, especially if you
start trying to wipe, clean, smudge or remove).
The concealer brushes do
work well although I am not yet sold on mineral or loose
concealer. It seems to "sit" in the fine lines and at
this point I still prefer a cream. The lip and brow
brushes work as well or better than any I have used. I
do not wear liquid eyeliner so I cannot report on the
quality of its use.
Switching to
Earth-friendly brushes is a personal decision. In my
case, I love bamboo and it was the bigger selling point
for me. The sets are attractive and light-weight and
soft, yet provide high quality application. After their
use, the natural bristles seem stiff, un-giving and
uncomfortable. I can understand the pros’ need for
brushes that provide a heavier application, especially
in photography, stage and film work, but most of us do
not require this in our day-to-day lives and may receive
not only adequate but a professional-looking application
from synthetic bristles.
As an added benefit,
Ecotools are also members of 1% For the Planet, and have
pledged to donate 1% of the annual sales from the
Ecotools to environmental organizations that create a
healthier place to live. Good for the planet, good for
the animals and good for us. I am completely happy with
these brushes and will not consider using anything else.
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