Crown Brush Lilac Ombre Brush Set

Do you ever get that feeling when something comes into your life, and you're just like 'YES'? Well, that was basically my reaction when these brushes made their way into mine. Crown Brush have made the most lust worthy lilac ombre makeup brushes, and I cannot contain my excitement. The bristles are wonderfully soft, dense and made from Nylon, so there's no cruelty here at all, which is very important in my makeup brushes. Plus they're so wonderfully pretty! It's not often I get gooey eyed over makeup brushes... but these had me gasping and shoving them in my mum's face going 'look at these! look how pretty!'. She agreed, they were super amazing. So we know that Crown Brush can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk?

Let's get straight to it: yes, they can. I've not been this impressed with a set of brushes since I first got my hands on some Real Techniques brushes, and that was a loooong time ago. This review has been a long time coming... but I really wanted to test them out for a while to understand how they're best used, how they wash/dry and how they stand the test of time. They apply, clean and last like a dream. The silky bristles are soft and brilliant at applying, blending and making me look presentable - that's no mean feat, let me tell you!
      Plus look at them! They're ombré. Ombré!! And at £29.99 for six brushes, a set of tweezers and a travel carry case... these Crown Brushes are some of the most affordable on the market, and let's not forget, some of the most beautiful too! I cannot wait to add more to my collection as you never have too many makeup brushes... right?

The brushes:

Powder Brush (see the two images above), for your setting powders and bronzers. I tend to use this to apply power, as it has quite a dense head, but it still manages to apply product without overloading the skin - making it perfect to use for dusting loose or setting powder over the skin.

The Taper Blush Brush (see the first images below), for application of cream/powder blushes, as well as contour products. I've used to this to apply powder blushes straight from the pan, as well as blending out cream blushes which I apply directly to the skin. 

Deluxe Contour (see the first brush on the left) says it all really: for use with cream or powder contours, such as Illamasqua's Cream Pigment in Hollow or Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow. This brush packs on a lot of pigment which is brilliant at defining the contours of the face before blending out. Due to it's small head, it's best used to define the nose, hairline and cheekbones before blending with a larger brush.

The Crease Blender (second brush from the left) is one of my faaaaavourite out of the set, as it blends like a dream. Pigments, creams or powder... this brush can blend them all flawlessly, but it especially wonderful at creating soft cut creases. One of my favourite ways to use this brush is to blend a taupe shade into the crease with another brush, before bringing in this one to take the shadow up to the brow bone, making sure that there are no harsh lines and leaving the makeup looking super dreamy and blended. It would make Lisa Eldridge really happy, let me tell you. She's a massive lover of a super blended eyeshadow.

A Chisel Shadow (third brush from the left) brush is ideal for packing on the product, straight from the pan, whether cream or powder (but I usually tend to apply creams with my finger before blending out). It's especially good at keeping product within the bristles, so there isn't a great deal of fall down onto the skin when applying eye products. A dense brush is perfect for packing on colour before blending out the product (that's where you'd bring in the Crease Blender).

Last, but not least we have the Detail Liner Brush (farthest from the left, first on right) which I think works so so well with applying darker eyeshadows over eyeliner, to either soften the look, or when used freshly, with a dip of water, to blend a cat eye liner look into something a little bit softer and hazier around the upper lash line. It's also fantastic at blending shadow under the lower lash line, as its short, fine head is perfect for precise application.

Lisa Eldridge did a fabulous tutorial over her lustworthy Signature Cat Eye Liner and these brushes have been put to good use in trying to recreate that. Check it out and then you'll see that this set of ombré brushes are made for it! Keep a special eye out for what eye brushes she uses, as you can see that these are amazing dupes for them!