Discovering Sigma Beauty | Brush, Makeup & Tool Reviews*

How has my blog reached almost 18 months without me having ever tried blogger and Instagrammer favourite Sigma? Luckily they kindly sent me across box full of goodies to try so that has been rectified. So, is Sigma worth the hype?

Sigma's full range is available from their website and is free on international orders over $150 (I've put the prices in the straight conversion rate, however duties would be applicable) and you can grab an extra 10% off using the code INNOVATINGBEAUTY (until 30/09/2015). However you can also find some of their range on UK-based sites like Beauty Chamber and Feel Unique.

Face Brushes

3DHD Kabuki Brush* | £15.45

This is a brush I'd heard a lot about so I was intrigued to give it a go. It's made out of Sigma's unique synthetic bristles, which are tightly packed. What makes this different from any other kabuki is the sloped bristles, which make it so easy to get into all the awkward and tricky places on your face. I use it exclusively for foundation and it works really well both for a buffing action but also to swipe the product on. It gives a really flawless finish so I especially love it for a full coverage base. I was a little worried it might lose it's shape after washing but I've had no such issues.

3DHD Precision Brush* | £12.23

This is essentially the exact same as the 3DHD Kabuki but it's much smaller for concealer. Again, I love the shape as it allows me to get right into the corners of my eyes. It really does buff everything in seamlessly for a flawless base.

P80 Precision Flat Brush* | £12.23

Although I have a few domed concealer brushes I'd never tried one with flat bristles. Again, it's synthetic and the bristles are packed tightly. I really like flat brushes for flawless foundation and this does the same thing for concealer. I use more of a swiping motion under the eyes then buffing for blemishes. I love how easy it is to get everything blended in perfectly using this brush, though a normal person probably doesn't need both this and the Precision 3DHD!

F35 Tapered Highlighter Brush* | £15.45

I absolutely love this highlighter brush and haven't used anything else since getting my hands on it! It has synthetic bristles, so applies product evenly even on combination skin like mine. The tapered tip allows for precision, however the bristles also have a lot of movement, meaning you can blend in really nicely with this. I also think the size is absolutely perfect. This is a must-have!

F25 Tapered Face Brush* | £21.25

This is the sister to the Tapered Highlighter Brush, being slightly larger but essentially the exact same shape. This is amazing for both bronzer and a more precise contour. Again the bristles pick up the ideal amount of product and apply it evenly and effortlessly. The flexibility allows you to blend out a bronzer for a less precise application, however you can also use the tip for a sharp contour. I love using these two with my Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow.

Eye Brushes

E45 Small Tapered Blending Brush* | £9.01

This is a really nice synthetic brush for applying a dark shade to your crease. It's definitely the most precise blending brush I own but it works really nicely, applying the product evenly and allowing me to blend with ease.

E25 Blending Brush* | £9.01

This is another one of those MAC 217-esque brushes but you can never have enough of them! It's slightly thinner and smaller, which allows for more precision. Although it looks like it's made of natural bristles, they are actually synthetic but definitely could've fooled me in terms of how they apply product. It's a do-it-all brush that works really nicely for applying colour all over the lid, blending, applying the crease colour and, due to the size, even taking eyeshadow underneath the eye. This is an essential and a great 217 dupe.

Makeup & Tools

Warm Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette* | £25.11

I was intrigued to try Sigma makeup as I'd heard good things. This palette has a nice selection of colours, despite being themed around warm neutrals there are some interesting shades in there. The packaging is cardboard but that didn't bother me so much as it feels pretty secure. For me though, I have to be honest and say that these kicked up a lot of fall out and this meant that these didn't stay looking fresh for as long as I'd have liked, though they didn't crease which is a pro, I didn't feel I got the benefit of the lovely colours.

It's a shame as there are some beautiful shades in there and a great spread of mattes vs. shimmers. I especially love Mild Mannered, Dove, Cinnamon, Balanced and Cozy but I don't think the shimmer shades translate onto the eyes which is a shame as they have such a nice, subtle sheen to them. The mattes however fared better and I found the texture very smooth and easy to work with. I always use a primer but using just these shadows over it  I didn't feel like these looked that good once actually applied, though they came out a lot truer using a cream eyeshadow base.

I've heard good things so I'm still definitely up for trying other Sigma makeup products but this just didn't do it for me as much as I'd hoped. However for just £5 or so more you can get one by Stila or Too Faced.

Spa Express Brush Cleaning Glove* | £16.10

This is a more purse and travel friendly alternative to Sigma's brush cleaning mat, and to be honest it has so many textures I think that for non-MUAs this will do the job nicely. The front part works best with face brushes whilst the back is perfect for eye brushes. I know brush-cleaning isn't the most exciting thing in the world but this gets mine cleaner than they've ever been in record time. Seriously, there were some foundation brushes I didn't think could ever have white bristles again but somehow this did it! I have a post planned on my favourite brushes and how I look after them so keep an eye out if you would like to know my full routine. But seriously, this is a game-changer!

Have you tried anything from Sigma Beauty? What's on your Sigma wish list?

 

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*DISCLOSURE - ITEMS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK ARE PR SAMPLES/GIFTS. ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. I AM A MEMBER OF SIGMA AFFILIATES. PLEASE VISIT MY DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.