Natural Lighting
I have been searching for a new brush to apply my Dior Forever foundation because it looks blotchy sometimes when I apply it with my Mac 187 brush (review). The formula of Dior's foundation dries/sets really quickly, so I have to work fast when I apply it. The problem with the Mac 187 brush is that I can't work fast because stippling requires more time; thus, my Dior foundation ends up looking blotchy.
I have also tried applying it with my Mac 109 (review), but it's such a pain in the butt because each time I use it, it sheds 2-3 hairs since the bristles are made out of natural fibers. (You should not use a brush that is made out of natural fibers to apply liquid foundation because it will shed. Ideally, you should use a synthetic brush.) Also, I end up using a tiny little bit more foundation than I usually would.
Indoor Lighting
I have also tried applying the Dior foundation with my Sigma F80 & F82 brush (review), which are made from synthetic material, but I didn't like how the finish looked and I also had to use more foundation than I normally would use. Furthermore, the application of the brushes made my foundation look flat.
So, I went to Sephora and bought the Cover FX #160 Cream Foundation brush, which is made of 100% natural goat hair. That being said, I knew this brush was going to shed if I used it to apply liquid foundation, but I desperately needed something to apply my holy grail foundation.
The Cover FX brush is an oval shape, and is much softer and denser than the Mac 109 brush, which has a round shape. With the Cover FX 160, I find myself buffing in my foundation in a horizontal and vertical motion rather than in a circular motion, which I usually do with my Mac 109. The Cover FX brush gets into all the nooks and crannies of my face and provides a flawless finish. It doesn't streak, blends well, and I don't find myself wasting or using more foundation.
The problem with the Cover FX brush is that it sheds, since it is made of natural fibers, and the white bristles stain easily. I don't know why it is marketed as a cream foundation brush since brushes made out of natural fibers are not meant to be used for liquid and cream products. However, I will still use this brush to apply my Dior foundation because as of right now, no other brush works as well as the Cover FX 160.
I have also tried the Cover FX brush to apply powder products, including my Burberry blushes (review & swatches) and even my Too Faced Peach Leopard bronzer (review & swatches), but they all ended up looking blotchy because the brush is too dense. I have also tried grabbing the least amount of product with the brush and then applied it, but it still ended up looking blotchy. (The brush is too dense for blush/bronzer application, and is a little bit small for the cheek area, so the product tends to concentrate on one area; thus, looking blotchy.) It works best for contouring the cheeks.
The bristles measures 1 inch in length, while the total length measures 6 inches. (This is the perfect length for applying foundation because it's not too short or too long.
The Mac 168 brush has nothing to do with this post, but I included it in the picture for size comparison and I will be reviewing it soon (review). =)
It costs $38 at Sephora.
Update: Cover Fx recently released a new version that's made with synthetic materials.
Update: Cover Fx recently released a new version that's made with synthetic materials.
What purposes do you use for this brush?
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