Paul & Joe Eyeshadow Brush S

I picked up this Paul & Joe Eyeshadow Brush S on a whim last summer, when I was wandering at Amazon and looking for some pretty blushes from the same brand. At the time I was checking out the goodies, I somehow convinced myself that I would save more on shipping by spending (even) more on an eyeshadow brush that I don't need. Short-circuit moment like this comes and goes...and then comes back again. (But again, if I am a rational shopper, there will be no blog.)  *Sighs*

Basically, the Japan-made tapered eye brush (they have a larger one for blending) is made of pony that's reasonably soft (I supposed eyeshadow brush can't be too fluffy anyway) and very smooth to the touch. The bristles are slightly long compared to the brush's width but the resilience keeps the hair from swinging sideways. While the length and smoothness makes it a nice tool for swiping the color across lid, blending the harsh edges and soften up the color, they also limits how much eyeshadow the brush can hold/pick up.

Compared to the 1-dollar e.l.f eyeshadow brush, Paul & Joe eyeshadow brush isn't as densely packed so it's difficult to pack on color with this brush. I suppose it's made this way since Asian eyeshadow (I consider Paul & Joe a Japanese brand since it's made by Japanese company Albion) are meant to be applied in sheer layers to create that subtle depth.

One thing I dislike about the Paul & Joe brush is that for how much it costs (18 dollars, I paid around $14 at Amazon), it's surprising light, flimsy (even more so than the elf brush) and high-maintenance. Without proper "baby-sitting", the details of the brush, such as the print and the silver band that secures the tip and handle, both get scratched off easily.

Overall: A good brush for applying, smoothing out and blending a sheer-to-medium wash of eyeshadow, although the brush does look and feel cheap. The e.l.f eyeshadow brush could be a great and much cheaper alternative if and only if something is done to their (already low and) ever-declining quality control. Nowadays, it just seems impossible to find a properly cut and properly glued one in store (I can only imagine it to be worse buying online).