Why You Need Both Natural Hair Brushes And Synthetic Hair Brushes?

Natural Makeup Brush Bristles

Natural makeup brushes are usually made out of some type of animal hair – (think: horses, goats, boars, etc.) from the natural shedding. They are incredibly soft (since they are made of real hair) and feel absolutely amazing when applying makeup. Using a natural makeup brush can often feel like a blissful mini-massage for your skin! One downside to this amazingly soft brushes, since they are made of natural hair, they have more tendency to shed. This can be annoying when you take a bathroom break at work and look in the mirror to find a few brush hairs caught in the foundation near your jawline.

The main reason natural makeup brushes are so widely used by popular beauty gurus and makeup artists is that they pick up and distribute pigment easier and more precisely than synthetic brushes. Natural brushes are absolutely amazing when it comes to powder makeup. They have pick up product in a way that synthetic brushes just can’t emulate. These bristles have pores that grab onto product. Natural brushes may not be the absolute best when it comes to liquid or cream product because they will soak up the product in their pores. At the end of the day, they do a better job at general makeup application than synthetic brushes.

The quality of the natural hair is driven by several factors: the type of animal, how it is harvested, type of cut, age and cycle of the hair growth, animal habitat climate, and overall availability of the species. Harvesting methods include virgin hair, which have never been cut before and are the softest fibers; first-cut, which is top-grade, cruelty-free, and trimmed from the tips of the fur; second-cut; and blunt-cut, which is the lower cut of the fur and coarse.

Natural hairs have a porous texture and soften with each use. The hairs have a center structure, the medulla, and are covered by a protective cuticle, the cortex, which is responsible for capturing the cosmetics on the fibers. As a result, they are ideal for all powder products. They can be used with creams and liquids, but the fibers will naturally absorb some of the product, depositing less coverage on the skin and providing a natural, sheer finish.

Synthetic Makeup Brush Bristles

While natural makeup brushes might be more loved by many makeup and beauty gurus, we can certainly understand why synthetic makeup brushes have grown in popularity over the last few years. For starters, they are generally cheaper than natural makeup brushes. That means you save a few extra bucks that you can use towards actual makeup! These brushes are often made of (synthetic) materials like polyester and nylon, which can be less harsh on those with animal allergies. Though, a downside to this brush is also the synthetic nature of the bristles. While it will be heaven for some skin types, synthetic brushes may aggravate some skin more than natural brushes would.

Another major selling point for a lot of girls is that synthetic brushes are made of man made materials, which means that they are typically vegan. These makeup and makeup tools have become increasingly popular. For many people, it’s just not an option to shop for products that use animal products of any kind. If this is important to you, synthetic brushes may be worth considering as an alternative to natural hair brushes.

Synthetic brushes are also way easier to clean than natural brushes, and don’t damage nearly as easily. They will take all of the heavy use you can throw at them. These types of brushes tend to work best with liquid and cream products. They, admittedly, don’t pick up powder products quite as well as their natural haired counterparts. Synthetic brushes also absorb less product during use, though, which means that you won’t be wasting as much as you would with natural brushes.

Synthetic, man-made fibers commonly used for makeup brushes include taklon and nylon reflected by a yellow-gold or pure white color. Synthetic fibers are designed with a sleek finish, making them ideal for cream products. Since the product slicks off the brush, it is intensified when applied to the skin, making this brush ideal for foundation, concealer, cream blush, gel eyeliner, eyebrow pomade, and lipstick. Synthetic fibers tend to become more stiff and rigid with repeated use and can withstand more aggressive cleansing methods.