NEW Sigma Advanced Artistry Brush Set

You know how people collect shoes and handbags? Well, I collect Makeup Brushes. Nothing gets me quite as excited as a good ol' brush set. Big poofy powder brushes, tapered dome contour brushes, jumbo fan brushes, teeny weeny detail brushes.. yup I have the whole shebang and then some.

Sigma Beauty is one of my favourite go-to's for brushes when it comes to the sheer number on offer and the decidedly hard to beat prices, however I was lemming some more brushes and as luck would have it Sigma have just launched their brand new Advanced Artistry Brush Set.

The Advanced Artistry Set contains 3 detailed and specific brush kits for targeted areas in makeup. Blend, conceal and color your way to the extreme with these uniquely designed brushes.  I haven't tried these out yet as they've just been launched, but I'm already lusting after them and they'll no doubt be on my Christmas wishlist! First up is the Extreme Color Payoff Kit

The Extreme Color Payoff Kit contains six brushes designed to deliver a strong and pigmented application of eye shadows, bases and liners. The different shapes and sizes of the bristles allow you to create a variety of looks while providing an intense and concentrated color payoff. Intended for makeup enthusiasts, the creative possibilities are endless.  Brushes included in the kit: E20 – Short Shader: Apply color onto small areas of the eye such as the outer eyelid. Also use to smudge the lower lash line.  E30 – Pencil: Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes. E44 – Firm Blender: Intense, even blending of the crease for strong color application.  E57 – Firm Shader: Apply intense colors all over lid for a controlled color finish.  E58 – Cream Color: Long brush head is best used to apply cream products for a diffused finish.  E59 – Wide Shader: Apply intense color for a fast, strong application of the full lid.  Price - $63.00 Spot On Concealer Kit The Spot-on Concealer Kit contains six brushes for ultimate concealing of blemishes, dark spots and any other imperfections. The various brush sizes, textures and angles were designed to apply the perfect amount of product for maximum coverage anywhere on the face. Buff and blend your way to flawless skin. Brushes Included: F63 – Airbrush Blender: Delivers an airbrushed application of concealer for a diffused, well-blended finish.  F64 – Soft Blend Concealer: Best for buffing and evening out concealer applied with a light hand on large areas or all-over finish of the face.  F66 – Angled Buff Concealer: Gives a soft, light to medium coverage under the eyes and around the nose.  F68 – Pin-Point Concealer: Best for coverage of small spots that needs extra concealing.  F69 – Angled Pixel Concealer: Apply concealer in a patting motion for best results on areas such as the sides of the nose.  F71 – Detail Concealer: Use with a soft, light sweeping motion for a subtle touch of concealer. Price: $63.00 The Perfect Blend Kit The Perfect Blend Kit contains six eye brushes designed for all of your basic blending needs. The assortment of brushes provide a variety of uses such as working shadow into the crease, buffing out harsh lines and blending colors for a diffused finish. Whether you want to go from subtle to sensational or sharp to smoked-out, this is the perfect kit.  Brushes Included: E32 – Exact Blend: Blend intense color onto to the outer corners of the eye.  E37 – All Over Blend: Best for going over your entire lid to blend any harsh lines.  E38 – Diffused Crease: Blend strong color into crease for a diffused effect.  E39 – Buff and Blend: Best for blending of smaller areas for a precise finish.  E48 – Pointed Crease: Use tip of brush to pick up darker shades and apply using a rolling motion for crease control. E71 – Highlight Diffuser: Best to highlight areas such as the brow bone with shorter side of brush or to soften edges.

Price: $63.00

The Advanced Artistry Set

This set contains all of the 3 individual sets already listed above.

Blend, conceal and color your way to the extreme 

with these uniquely designed brushes. 

Contains 18 Brushes in total.

E20 – Short Shader: Apply color onto small areas of the eye such as the outer eyelid. Also use to smudge the lower lash line. 

E30 – Pencil: Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes. 

E44 – Firm Blender: Intense, even blending of the crease for strong color application. 

E57 – Firm Shader: Apply intense colors all over lid for a controlled color finish. 

E58 – Cream Color: Long brush head is best used to apply cream products for a diffused finish. 

E59 – Wide Shader: Apply intense color for a fast, strong application of the full lid. 

F63 – Airbrush Blender: Delivers an airbrushed application of concealer for a diffused, well-blended finish. 

F64 – Soft Blend Concealer: Best for buffing and evening out concealer applied with a light hand on large are

as or all-over finish of the face. 

F66 – Angled Buff Concealer: Gives a soft, light to medium coverage under the eyes and around the nose. 

F68 – Pin-Point Concealer: Best for coverage of small spots that needs extra concealing. 

F69 – Angled Pixel Concealer: Apply concealer in a patting motion for best results on areas such as the sides of the nose. 

F71 – Detail Concealer: Use with a soft, light sweeping motion for a subtle touch of concealer. 

E32 – Exact Blend: Blend intense color onto to the outer corners of the eye. 

E37 – All Over Blend: Best for going over your entire lid to blend any harsh lines. 

E38 – Diffused Crease: Blend strong color into crease for a diffused effect. 

E39 – Buff and Blend: Best for blending of smaller areas for a precise finish. 

E48 – Pointed Crease: Use tip of brush to pick up darker shades and apply using a rolling motion for crease control. 

E71 – Highlight Diffuser: Best to highlight areas such as the brow bone with shorter side of brush or to soften edges.

This set is definitely at the pricier end of the scale at $175
However, that actually works out at about €7 per brush which makes that great value in my mind - provided they don't shed or bleed excessively when you wash them that is!

I think it's great to see Sigma finally putting their own stamp on their brushes as opposed to mass producing carbon copies of MAC brushes (remember way back when they had a near identical numbering system?) there looks to be some interesting brushes in the bunch so I'm definitely looking forward to trying them out at some stage or another, sooner rather than later hopefully if my funds allow! :)

You can find the above sets direct from Sigma Beauty

You can check out every collection HERE and SAVE 10% on your entire purchase by using the code "FALL2013" valid through October 31st!

Have you tried any Sigma brushes before? Got any favourites? Personally, I love the Sigmax collection, the F80 is one of my favourite foundation brushes, it's fantastic for buffing in your base to give you a really polished look.

I heart Sigma's Sigmax Brushes!

Sigma Beauty Sigmax High Definition Synthetic Brush Kit

 Sigma brushes have received a great deal of rave reviews from YouTube gurus and beauty bloggers in the past couple of years.  I admit that even though I was a little curious, I was more skeptical of all the hype they’ve been getting.  Is it brand bias?  To be perfectly honest?  Maybe.  It just all sounded too good to be true.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, Sigma makes a full line of high quality, handmade makeup brushes.  Its claim to fame: MAC brush dupes for a fraction of the price.

I have been test driving the new line of Sigmax High Definition Brushes ($42) containing three face brushes: F80 Flat Kabuki, F82 Round Top Kabuki, F84 Angled Top Kabuki.  The Sigmax HD Brushes are designed to work well with both cream/liquid and powder products.  The brushes are also available for purchase individually.

The brush handles are a thicker than my other brushes, and so the brushes are heavier than what I’m accustomed to.  The brush ferrules are very sturdy and do not move around when I pull on the brushes during a wash.

These brushes are made with synthetic fibres.  I am really impressed that they held their shape and were free of any funky smells after washing and drying.  All of the brushes are very densely packed, which make them excellent for buffing in creams and liquids.  A nice side effect: they are very easy to clean because very little product gets absorbed and lost in between the brush fibres.

F80 Flat Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in liquid foundation all over the face; to buff in powder (or powder foundation) for a heavier coverage.
It does a fairly quick job to cover the whole face.  I don’t actually reach for this brush that often for liquid foundation, and I think that’s just my personal preference.  It is excellent for buffing in the foundation into the skin to achieve a perfect complexion easily.  I quite like this type of brush for buffing in powder like my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural to get more coverage out of it.

Recommendation: You might like this if you want that perfect skin look quickly, and if you don’t mind using a separate brush for general concealing.

F82 Round Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in foundation all over the face; to blend concealer under the eyes and around the nose.

The F82 brush head is smaller than the F80′s, so it is easier to manoeuvre around tricky areas of the face.  I prefer it over the F80 for foundation, too, as I like that I can “roll” the brush around because of the rounded top.  Its smaller size compared to the F80 means that I have to work longer, but I eventually get the same gorgeous finish.

Recommendation: As my favourite of the three, I like the F82′s versatility as a foundation and concealer brush.  I love this brush and think it is an absolute must-have.

F84 Angled Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and blend cream blush on the cheeks; to apply powder blush heavily.

This is the perfect brush for cream blushes.  I always found MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Blushes to be tricky to blend with my fingers or with any other ol’ skunk brush, but this brush takes care of the job in two seconds.  If you have a not-so-pigmented blush like NARS Douceur, this could save you time by picking up a heavier amount of powder on the bristles.

Of the three, this was the only one that shed 3-4 hairs during a wash.

Recommendation: This is a must-have for those who prefer working with cream blush over powder.  Also, if you have a softly pigmented powder blush that you love but need to layer, this brush is a definite time saver.

Sigma Brushes: Yea or Nay?

Have you given in to the hype?  If these three were any indication of the quality of the rest of the line, I’d say they are definitely worth the hype.  I love these, they are now an invaluable addition  to my kit!

Click here to check out Sigma for yourself :)