Smashbox Face & Cheek Brush No.2

Our brush of the week is Smashbox Face & Cheek Brush No.2. I picked it for my travel kit last summer because I was a bit wary about risking  my delicate NARS Yachio. Smashbox No. 2 looked sturdier and seemed like it would do double and triple duty for blush, a swipe of light bronzer and/or setting powder. The size and shape are right- rounded, domed and full-bodied. The goat hair is soft enough but not floppy and the brush performs well, but at this point my brush collection has me spoiled.

Smashbox Face & Cheek Brush No.2 is too big for my liking as a blush brush, especially with very pigmented blushes. I don't have much cheekbone to speak of, so a good placement is essential. Hence my love affair with the Yachio. I have softer face brushes for bronzing, highlighting and buffing, and my biggest complaint is about the finish I get from the Smashbox brush with products such as Guerlain Meteorites. It's not as good as I expect. But I'm aware this is really nitpicking- this is a decent working brush and I have been using it successfully, especially with Smashbox own Soft Lights. It just can't replace some of my favorite face brushes (some I already reviewed, others will soon be featured here).

Bottom Line: Good for some products but it's not The One.

Smashbox Face & Cheek Brush No.2 ($48) is available from Ulta, Sephora and smashbox.com.

All photos are mine, my lovely assistant is Sophie.

Smashbox Foundation Brush No. 13

Generally speaking, my preference in foundation brushes is either for thicker and denser ones (like Cover Fx brush or Sephora #55), or stippling brushes. This is why Smashbox Foundation Brush No. 13 lives in my concealer drawer and is used mainly with liquid concealers and under-eye highlighters such as Touche Eclat, when I want to cover larger areas and make sure everything is blended perfectly into my foundation (not to mention my face). Smashbox Foundation Brush No. 13 is very soft and great for this task. When I can convince Sophie it was not actually designed for her amusement, that is.

Smashbox Foundation Brush No. 13 ($29) is available from Sephora, Ulta and smashbox.com.

Photos by me.

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener

My relationship with Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener started on the wrong foot, as the first sample squirted out uncontrollably, sending my silk dress straight to the cleaners. Several sample tubes later, I'm still not impressed. A very shimmery peach does nothing for me or for  my dark under-eye circles, except drawing even more attention where I want none.

You can clearly see the shimmery finish in the swatch and also that it's not a good match for olive skin. For some reason, Photo Op Under Eye Brightener doesn't come in any other shades, so what you see is what you get.

Bottom Line: Get YSL Touche Eclat or Guerlain Precious Light.

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener ($18) is available from Sephora and smashbox.com.

Photos by me.

Smashbox Eye Definer Brush No. 15

I picked Smashbox Eye Definer Brush No. 15 on a whim at Ulta because I was looking for a small domed brush for my travel brush roll to do detailed crease work and maybe also a little lash line smudging. I liked Smashbox #15 because it's quite dense and the shape is very well-defined. The brush is almost pencil-like while still soft and pleasant to use. It fits right where I need it- in the crease or right above my lashes, so I find myself using it very often, especially for really dark colors.

What the brush doesn't do: It's not the right tool for blending, at least the way I work- too small and tapered for the task. I'd also avoid using it with a cream shadow, despite what it says on Smashbox website. The brush is made of natural squirrel hair which I think is too porous for cream products. There are enough synthetic brushes better for this task.

Smashbox Eye Definer Brush No. 15 ($24) is available from Ulta and smashbox.com.

All photos are mine, models are Sophie and Giselle.