Oval makeup brushes have been around on the beauty scene for quite a while now and almost every beauty or makeup brush brand sells their own version, but up until recently when I received the Luxe Studio K1 2 Piece Oval Brush Set £18.99 to review, I hadn't ever tried them.
WHAT LUXE SAY
• The everything brush! Use with skincare, cosmetic and sun care products. Works with all dry and liquid formulations including pressed and loose powder, cream, lotion, serum and mineral makeup
• Luxe Studio Oval brushes have an expansive dome-shaped head with densely packed bristles.
• They work with cosmetic, skincare & sun care products in cream, powder and liquid formulations.
• Superb for all cosmetic applications including moisturising, contouring, strobing, highlighting and flawless blending.
• Featuring synthetic fibres that mimic natural hairs for superior pick-up and release of product.
• These fibres are extremently durable and won't lose shape.
• The elongated handle is easy to hold and manipulate.
• It is angled for better visibility during application and the ergonomic design offers precision, comfort and extra control.
• Luxe Studio Oval brushes have an expansive dome-shaped head with densely packed bristles.
• They work with cosmetic, skincare & sun care products in cream, powder and liquid formulations.
• Superb for all cosmetic applications including moisturising, contouring, strobing, highlighting and flawless blending.
• Featuring synthetic fibres that mimic natural hairs for superior pick-up and release of product.
• These fibres are extremently durable and won't lose shape.
• The elongated handle is easy to hold and manipulate.
• It is angled for better visibility during application and the ergonomic design offers precision, comfort and extra control.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE 6X & 7X LUXE STUDIO BRUSHES
The packaging of the Luxe K1 2 piece brush set is clear plastic so the brushes can be clearly seen through the front of the box, the Luxe brand logo is at the top with the name of the brush set at the bottom. On the back of the box there is quite a lot of useful information explaining what the brushes can be used for and how to use them both.
The brushes, dubbed "the everything brush" can be used for both cream and powder products and for both makeup and skincare products and also sun care. I don't usually use brushes to apply my skincare apart from when I am applying some face masks, but for the purpose of the review, I have used the brushes to apply my skin care and makeup.
The first thing I noticed about the brushes, apart from the lovely rose gold shade, was how soft they are, they feel absolutely gorgeous and are lovely and soft. The bristles are densely packed but they still have good movement and aren't stiff like some densely packed brushes I have tried.
The handles on the brushes are lovely and the rose gold colour is aesthetically pleasing, they are very pretty brushes and have the Luxe Studio logo on the bottom of the handles. The brushes are lightweight and easy to grip with the bottom of the brush being wider and then tapering at the bottom, the top of the brush handle is angled which I feel makes them easier to use.
The Luxe Studio 7X Brush - First Impressions
The first time I used the Luxe Studio 7X brush, I used it to apply my foundation, as directed, I pumped a little foundation onto the brush and then applied the foundation to my face, I started in the centre of my face and worked outwards. Having never used a brush of this style before, I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to use and how well it blended my foundation, I used circular motions to buff my foundation into my skin. I was really pleased and liked using the brush, it was simple to use and did a great job of blending my foundation into the skin and left a lovely flawless finish.
Luxe Studio 6X Brush - First Impressions
The first time I used the 6X brush, I was going to use it to apply my concealer but since it says on the box "eyeshadow" I decided I would use it to apply my eye makeup. Because of the size of the brush head I knew I wasn't going to be able to use it for anything intricate but it did look like it would be great as a blending brush.
And it is, I applied my Charlotte Tilbury colour chameleon eyeshadow pencil in dark pearl all over the lid and used the 6X brush to blend it out, and it worked brilliantly and blended the pencil out beautifully, and in no time at all and despite my reservations on the size of the brush head, it did work really well.
THOUGHTS AFTER USING THE BRUSHES FOR A WHILE
The first time I used both the 6X and 7X brushes, I used them for the purpose they are intended as stated on the back of the box, which is foundation and powder for the 7X and eyeshadow for the 6X. Since then I have used the brushes to apply my skincare and other makeup products, my concealer, powder and cream and powder contour products, my eyeshadow base and cream and powder blush and highlight products.
I find the 6X brush works well for blending out my under eye concealer but I also use it to set my concealer with setting powder, it works really well for both, and I also like it for applying my contour products and I then use the 7X to blend out my contour products. The 7X works well for applying blush, both cream and powder and bronzer and the 6X is great for cream/powder highlight. Both brushes have been great for using to apply my makeup and I find myself using them much more than I thought.
I also used both brushes with my skincare products and face masks, I don't usually use brushes to apply my skincare products apart from when applying face masks so the concept was a little alien to me to start with. The brushes did apply my cleansing balm and moisturiser really well and it did feel like my moisturiser worked into my skin better than using my fingers. I especially like to use the 7X to apply my cleansing balm when I wear makeup as it is a messy process, so using the brush is much less messy and it rubs the balm into my skin much better than using my hands, making it easier to remove my makeup. I wouldn't ever have thought of using a brush to apply my cleansing balm but it works brilliantly. The 6X I used to apply my eye cream and it works well and works the cream into my skin well.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
When I first opened the box I honestly didn't think I would like using the brushes, they are completely different to any of the brushes I have in my collection. I loved the rose gold (it's the blogger in me) and thought they looked nice and felt sturdy, I just wasn't sure how I'd get along using them.
Fast forward a few weeks and I use the brushes a lot, as I said above, I use both brushes to apply my makeup products and I love using the 7X to apply my cleansing balm, I don't use the brushes to apply my other skincare products as I prefer to use my hands but that's just personal preference, there is nothing wrong with the way the brushes work when applying skincare, I just prefer to use my hands.
The brushes wash and dry well and I haven't experienced any shedding, I use a solid brush cleanser to clean the brushes and lay them on a towel to dry, they don't lose their shape and still feel as soft as they did when I first started using them.
Overall considering I had reservations about using the brushes, I do really like them and there was no need for me to have any reservations at all, they work well with several different makeup products, feel amazing on the skin, blend products like a dream and wash and dry well. They are both really great brushes and feel sturdy but are flexible enough to move well around the face and easy to grip and lightweight too.
If you are like me and always thought you didn't have a place in your brush collection for this style of brush, give these a go, you'll be pleasantly surprised just like I was, and if you use a balm cleanser, you'll be blown away!
There are other sizes and styles of Luxe Studio brushes, all available to buy from Boots.
Have you tried the Luxe Studio K1 2 Piece Oval Brush Set? Or any Luxe Studio brushes? And do you like this style of makeup brush? And do you have any tips for me when using the brushes? Let me know in the comments below.