Brush Off

There was a point in time when I had doubts these Sigma brushes would ever arrive. I had spontaneously placed an order one night and a month later, they still hadn't reached me. Though the website specifies that delivery can take up to 12 weeks (I mean, really?), most reports I'd read had the real average time at a much shorter 2 weeks or so. I was rapidly losing hope that they'd ever get to me, but just as I resigned myself to the fact they might never make it, my long-awaited package finally showed up. At last, the Round Top Kabuki (F82) and Angled Top Kabuki (F84) were in my hands.

l-r: Angled Top Kabuki, Round Top Kabuki

While I was certain I wanted to get the Angled Top Kabuki, I was tossing up between getting the much-hyped Flat Top Kabuki or the less popular rounded one. I swayed towards the latter after watching a video review comparing the two, where the Round Top was said to be better at fitting around the edges of the nose when applying liquid foundation than the Flat Top. Seeing Lisa Eldridge use the exact brush in her Chic & Simple 5 Minute Makeup Look may have also been a teeny factor. The similarities of the Round Top to my most beloved foundation brush, the Buffing Brush by Real Techniques, also encouraged me to purchase it so that I could compare the two.

l-r: Sigma Round Top Kabuki, Real Techniques Buffing Brush

The most obvious difference between the Round Top and the Buffing Brush is that the Sigma brush has a denser, larger brush head. That makes it a little more work to move the brush around compared to the Buffing Brush, which is smaller and softer. (Seriously, it's so soft, I just want to pat it gently all the time.) The Round Top Kabuki doesn't really sink into the skin on contact, rather, it kind of sits hard and a little heavy on surface. Having said that, moving it around in circular motions to buff liquid foundation does blend the product quite seamlessly. The result is just as good as using the Buffing Brush. In a way, I also feel like I use less product with the Round Top because the density of the bristles mean liquid foundation doesn't get soaked up as much. The Angled Top Kabuki could also be used for liquid foundation, but I know that I'll primarily be using it for blush and bronzer. The brush is shaped to fit into the hollow of the cheeks and essentially does the work of contouring for you.

Ever since I developed an interest in makeup, I noticed that Sigma brushes were constantly brought up in beauty conversation (mostly in a positive way, sometimes overwhelmingly so). I was eager to try for myself two brushes from their range that most interested me to form my own opinion. Overall, the F82 and F84 are good quality brushes that serve their purpose well, though they're a touch too dense for my preference and not the softest brushes I own. I am especially glad to add the Angled Top Kabuki to my collection as I was lacking a fluffy angled brush, and hopefully it will make the task of contouring (which I am hopeless at) a little easier.