My thoughts on my new Ruby & Millie Foundation Brush

Ok, so a few people had asked me to let them know how I got on with my new foundation brush since I’m new to the whole thing (I love the way that even after 13 years of using makeup, I’m still learning new things about technique and application). I have always applied foundation with my fingers, following the advice of many that the warmth of your hands helps to blend the foundation into the skin. I have been quite happy with this method…until now. NOW I know what everyone has been banging on about all this time when it comes to foundation brushes.


I just dotted foundation on my forehead, cheeks, end of nose and chin (not much more than what I would normally use so not much wastage) and blended it outwards with the brush (note – brush was dry not damp). The first thing I noticed was that it takes more time to apply the product this way than just with your fingers BUT I have to say that the results were a lot better than I was expecting. My skin looked immaculately smooth, flawless and almost airbrushed! The biggest difference was that although this method offers good coverage, it didn’t look heavy in any way which is the holy grail when it comes to makeup. You can see the texture of your skin through the makeup so the result is a lot more natural and somehow more ‘professional’. I will be trying it with different foundations this week and see if the result varies but for your info, I was using Revlon Colorstay today. I want to try the brush with a lighter formula foundation to see if the result is the same but I think if it can blend Revlon CS then it can blend anything!

I would imagine it would be easier to build up even coverage using a brush rather than your fingers as there’s less chance of applying too much. Now being that this is the first time I have used a foundation brush, I don’t know if I have somehow stumbled upon the most fantastic brush OR if all foundation brushes give this effect? I saw a comment from someone on MakeUpAlley that this Ruby & Millie one is a lot better than the MAC 190 (the brush also got an overall 5/5 mark on that website!). I am waiting on a MAC order at the moment so I will do a compare and contrast when I receive the 190. I also noticed that Ruby & Millie makeup brushes have just been voted ‘Best Inexpensive Makeup Brush Line of 2009’ in InStyle magazine (although saying that, I also noticed that some of the products they were recommending, I have tried and I don’t rate them so you never know with these beauty awards in magazines!).

The brush didn’t shed any fibres (they are synthetic) and the tapered end blends so well, it’s also small enough to get into all the contours of your face. The brush itself is soft on the skin and non scratchy but firm enough to do a really good job of working the foundation in. I gave it a wash after using it to make sure there wasn’t any shedding at this stage and good news, there was no loss of fibres and it can be easily reshaped when damp.

I think this brush is brilliant value for £11 and it really adds a polished look to my makeup that I have never been able to achieve with anything else. I can’t believe I only just cottoned on to this now! It’s true what they say…you learn something new every day! I can imagine that some people may not like this method as it takes a bit more time and care in the morning but in my personal opinion, I am more than willing to spend an extra 5 minutes when the results are this good. I think I would find it difficult to go back to using my fingers now.