Marc Jacobs caused quite the stir upon the launch of his eponymous makeup line in August 2013. I mean, a commotion was inevitable if your brand was Sephora's first ever global launch. Unsurprisingly, the line has been a success, with his products receiving praise from consumers and opinion-makers alike. That said, the brand isn't without its' flaws (coughPRICEcough); before we get to what's wrong, though, let's talk about what's right.
In my opinion, brushes are a pretty good indicator of brand quality. I can think of few brands that produce extraordinary brushes and crap makeup (I don't know if the opposite can be said, though - I'm looking at you, Dior). Brushes tend to take a backseat to makeup in the development process - how many products can you think of whose accompanying brush actually deters from the overall experience? For the sake of brevity, I'll spare you a list.
It's refreshing to witness a brand launch in which the makeup brushes appear to have taken as much effort as the headlining foundation formula. Marc Jacobs the Face II looks and feels luxe, like it was designed to be the centerpiece of your brush collection. It has an amazing structure, sturdy and weighted yet light enough that it is not uncomfortable. The hairs are soft, densely packed, and firm, with enough give to not cause micro-exfoliation on drier skin types. The angle allows application of powder, cream, and liquid products, both foundations and contour/bronzer. It even applies my heaviest coverage foundations with ease, leaving a wonderfully non-cakey finish. Basically, I'm in love with this brush.
My only gripe, and it's a big one, is the price. For $48, this brush really should be plated in gold and come with someone to keep me warm at night. There are certainly more expensive brushes out there, but the vast majority of those brushes are natural hair, not synthetic (I do understand, however, that many consumers prefer synthetic for moral/ethical reasons). I appreciate the craftsmanship - and no disrespect towards Mr. Jacobs - but I couldn't give a youknowwhat less about having a designer name on my brush. I'll pay for quality, but I won't pay for bragging rights.
Ultimately, the Face II is a beautiful, high-performance brush that I genuinely enjoy using. Is it so superior to warrant a huge price difference over, say, the Real Techniques Expert Face brush? Let your wallet decide.
In my opinion, brushes are a pretty good indicator of brand quality. I can think of few brands that produce extraordinary brushes and crap makeup (I don't know if the opposite can be said, though - I'm looking at you, Dior). Brushes tend to take a backseat to makeup in the development process - how many products can you think of whose accompanying brush actually deters from the overall experience? For the sake of brevity, I'll spare you a list.
It's refreshing to witness a brand launch in which the makeup brushes appear to have taken as much effort as the headlining foundation formula. Marc Jacobs the Face II looks and feels luxe, like it was designed to be the centerpiece of your brush collection. It has an amazing structure, sturdy and weighted yet light enough that it is not uncomfortable. The hairs are soft, densely packed, and firm, with enough give to not cause micro-exfoliation on drier skin types. The angle allows application of powder, cream, and liquid products, both foundations and contour/bronzer. It even applies my heaviest coverage foundations with ease, leaving a wonderfully non-cakey finish. Basically, I'm in love with this brush.
My only gripe, and it's a big one, is the price. For $48, this brush really should be plated in gold and come with someone to keep me warm at night. There are certainly more expensive brushes out there, but the vast majority of those brushes are natural hair, not synthetic (I do understand, however, that many consumers prefer synthetic for moral/ethical reasons). I appreciate the craftsmanship - and no disrespect towards Mr. Jacobs - but I couldn't give a youknowwhat less about having a designer name on my brush. I'll pay for quality, but I won't pay for bragging rights.
Ultimately, the Face II is a beautiful, high-performance brush that I genuinely enjoy using. Is it so superior to warrant a huge price difference over, say, the Real Techniques Expert Face brush? Let your wallet decide.
I loved your review and LOL at the comment "....should be plated in gold and come with someone to keep me warm at night" - I am SOOOOOOOOOOO going to use this line for rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteGreat review and now I am going to buy this brush and see the quality for myself.