Wayne Goss Brushes in 04 + 18

Wayne Goss Brush 18 and Brush 4

Confession: despite being a die hard beauty junkie, I've never really been into brushes. I have a few popular must haves (like the MAC 217 and Sigma F80), but for the most part the world of brushes has left me feeling confused and overwhelmed. And I've always suspected that those who rave about super high end brushes must be suffering from a touch of 'the Emperor's New Clothes' syndrome.

But a few months back, I woke up with an undeniable urge to invest in brushes. Much like I have realized that good skincare is worth the investment (and allows you to use the more fun makeup products you have to fuller effect), I realized that brushes may indeed make all the difference. So I started to do just a tiny bit of research.

I knew that I did not really want to add to the number of synthetic brushes I own (I'm pretty satisfied with the Real Techniques and other brands that I have). But, given my fairly recent switch to cruelty free, I also did not feel comfortable buying standard natural brushes. And I did not want to spend an arm and leg on new brushes, nor did I particularly want to dive into the overwhelming brush abyss that is Hakuhodo/Chikuhodo.

Enter Wayne Goss Brushes. I had heard lots of raves about his line of brushes since they launched back in 2014, but given my brush apathy, I had never really explored the line until now. They are certified cruelty free (although I confess that I'm not 100% sure of what that entails) and they are sold on Beautylish, which easily has the best customer service and quickest shipping of any online retailer. For my first order, I was quite restrained and only picked up two eye brushes: 04 (a small/medium-ish crease brush that the website says is perfect for hooded eyes, which it is!) and 18 (a flat shader brush that works well for applying color to the lid).

Brush 18, the flat shader brush, is a good brush for applying color, but while it is very nice, I don't find it to be dramatically different from other flat shader brushes I own. Brush 4, the medium crease brush, on the other hand, is far superior to any other crease brush I own. It is exceptionally soft and silky, and using it feels like a little bunny is gently caressing your eyelid. I'm not even kidding about that—it's literally what I think of each and every time I use this brush. The bristles are the perfect density—soft enough to blend out colors perfectly, yet not overly floppy. Since I got this brush, all my other crease brushes (ahem, I'm talking about you MAC 217) have been relegated to my brush drawer.

Top: Brush 4; Bottom: Brush 18

I truly have been so happy with these brushes—and their price point (Brush 18 is $26 and Brush 4 is $28)—that last night I submitted another Beautylish order and grabbed Brush 14, which I'm planning on using for highlighters. I appreciate the fact that the Wayne Goss Collection is more edited than other lines. As I become more familiar with what types of higher end brushes I will need and actually use, it helps to not have hundreds of brushes to choose from!

Do you have any Wayne Goss brushes? What are your favorite brushes to use? Let me know in the comments!

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