Jaclyn Hill + Sigma Beauty Expert Box

I've been dabbling with the idea of ordering some Sigma brushes for a while, so when Jaclyn Hill came out with her limited edition Expert Beauty Box I couldn't help myself any longer (fan girl over here).  

The kit included seven Sigma brushes which were hand selected by Jaclyn and then sold at a discounted price.  If you watch Jaclyn's YouTube channel you're probably familiar with them because they are brushes she uses in almost every one of her tutorials. Unfortunately, this box isn't available any more but I thought I would still share my thoughts on these much talked about brushes since they can be purchased individually from the Sigma website.   

Face Brushes:

F80 – Flat Kabuki: "This is my all-time favorite brush. I have used this for my foundation application for four years and nothing can compete - this is the secret to flawless skin!" - J.H.

I have never been a fan of using foundation brushes- I was a ride or die Beauty Blender fan BUT I have to hand it to Sigma because after using it just once I was sold. It's so fast to buff your foundation into your skin for even coverage (which I find takes a little more effort with a BB) AND the best part is it actually allows me to use LESS product. For example, with BB application I need 3 pumps of my Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation and with the F80 I only use 1.5! 

F86 – Tapered Kabuki: "I use this brush for my concealer. It may seem big, but that is what makes it so great! It blends beautifully and quickly because of its size. Its shape allows you to blend effortlessly in the inner corners!"

This is the only brush in my set that I'm not so sure about. While I said I was happier with the F80 for my foundation I strongly believe that there is no better way to blend under eye concealer than with a BB.  However, this brush is synthetic which means it won't absorb product especially like a sponge does which is definitely something to consider. 

F35 – Tapered Highlighter: "I use this to set my under eye concealer AND to highlight my cheekbones. I own two because I go back and forth every day! It’s the perfect size and shape for precision highlighting."

I don't highlight my cheekbones everyday but this brush is perfect for when I do. It applies a powder highlight exactly where I want it whereas before my highlighting skills were a bit hit or miss because I didnt have a brush small enough to do it correctly.  I'm yet to use it to set set eye concealer because *gasp* I don't usually! Buuuut, I am waiting on BareMinerals Well Rested powder to arrive in my mailbox so I will definitely be using this brush to apply it!

Eye Brushes:

E55 – Eye Shading: "This is the best brush for whatever color you choose to put all over your lid. Whether the shadow finish is shimmer, glitter, pigment or matte, this brush will apply the perfect amount of product smoothly and effortlessly."

Before ordering this kit I only had 2 eye brushes. The Urban Decay Naked 3 double ended brush and my tried and true Estée Lauder travel size blending brush which I made work for everything.  I know a dense short bristled packing brush like this should have been a staple in my collection a long time ago but it was worth the wait. I know my mum uses a similar one from MAC but this one is larger which makes it easy to work quickly. The dense hairs pick up just enough product- not too little and not too much.  

E25 – Blending: "Because of the shape and natural hairs of this brush, it can pack on an intense amount of color or a light wash depending on how you choose to use it. It is the ultimate blending brush and necessary for any makeup application!"

Blending brushes are my favorite. They're  big, easy to use, and most importantly soft! This is the smallest blending brush I own and because I'm drawn to using fluffier brushes I've been finding it extremely helpful to have a smaller more condensed one. It makes precise application really easy, especially for the crease, but still gives that flawless blended out appearance you want with your eyeshadow. 

E40 – Tapered Blending: "This is always the final touch! Running this brush over the edge of your eye shadow will guarantee you no harsh lines and a flawless blown out effect. I cannot do my makeup without this brush."

My first thoughts were that this brush was ridiculously large but once again I proved myself wrong. I have used this brush everyday since I received it and it's true that it blends everything out effortless.  This brush quickly escalated to holy grail status.   

E30 – Pencil: "Everyone needs a pencil brush for makeup application. This is used for a variety of things, highlighting the inner corners of the eye, blending out the lower lash line and getting dark colors deep in your outer crease for a smokey look!"

Finally, this is the brush I was most excited about. Without a small pencil brush like this it's almost impossible to smoke out shadow on your lower lash line. It also carves out the outer v like a dream to add depth to any look. 

BONUS: Travel Size E05 Eyeliner Brush

Every month Sigma offers a different bonus gift if you spend $30 or more before shipping. For April it was the eyeliner brush shown above.  May's gift is an E25 white blending brush. 

The quality of these brushes is above par and met every expectation that I had for them. For all the Canadians out there it's good to keep in mind that the charge on your Visa will be converted to Canadian dollars after the purchase is made. Even so, I would be happy to purchase more a Sigma brushes. I've been looking at their precision line, and I also would love the May gift!!

My final note is that if you're planning on ordering any Sigma brushes (or any Sigma product) make sure to take advantage of their 10% off discounts.  This month use "MAY2014".

Do you use Sigma brushes? 

Which are your holy grail brushes and which are on your wish list?

xoxo