Hot from Charm: Retractable Brushes
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 10:13AM Perhaps the best thing about Charm is that Sophie is always working on improving her brushes. She's super OC about making them better than the last batch, which means that you can really see the improvement whenever she comes out with something new! For instance, the Retractable Powder and Blush Brushes are considerably softer than her original synthetic collection; the bristles are somehow thinner and finer.
These new brushes are super dense but still pliable enough not to eat all of the makeup you would rather have on your face. I also like the case mechanism - the retracting cover ensures that the bristles won't get mangled whenever you open or close the cap. It closes tightly so you don't have to worry about it floating in your bag and leaving the precious brush head unprotected. ;) Overall, these brushes have really good case to go with the quality of the bristles.
So wait, how do these brushes work to begin with? Here's a quick guide!
The Charm Retractable Powder Brush (P500) is best for buffing loose mineral powder and thick, hard to spread liquid or cream foundation. It has a short, dense head that doesn't have too much give, which allows you to blend the makeup smoothly and evenly onto skin. It can function much like the Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush, except the shape and size is quite different. Between the two of them, I would use the Shiseido more for detail jobs.
It can also work with pressed powder, of course, which makes it handy as a retouching brush both for sheer or colored face makeup (blush, bronzer, illuminator, etc). It's compact and light enough to bring in a handbag without taking up too much space.
The Charm Retractable Blush Brush (P500) is perfect for its intended use - blush! I love how super duper soft this brush is. It's longer, less dense, and thinner than the powder brush. You can also use it the same way you would use the Powder Brush, actually, but since it's smaller you can get a more defined blush or contour. It's also handy if you just want to remove shine from the T-zone.
I love that it delivers a soft touch of color on the cheeks each time. Not too much, not too little - just right. I feel that this is a great brush to use with too-pigmented, hard-to-blend blushes/contour powder.
If you already own a few reliable synthetic brushes then you don't really need these two. You can just snap on a brush guard if you must take them out of the house, too. Still, if you want more compact and secure retouching brushes in your bag then you will hit the jackpot with these Charm Retractables. :)
You can purchase them online here and in the physical locations of Charm.
Crossings - The Ramp Trinoma
Crossings - The Ramp Shangri-la Plaza
PurBeauty - Serendra ( 2nd floor, above Conti's )
Reader Comments (20)
I own Charm's Blush/Contour Brush from the Vegan Collection and I super I love it! To be honest I never really cared about retractable brushes before but when I use and abuse my blush brush everyday I felt the need to buy another one in retractable form so I can carry it around school and in the office. How much are these brushes Liz?
I love charm. I have the flat top brush at gustong hingiin ng cousin ko hahaha i dd not giv it to her. The good thing about these brushes ay super soft siya and hindi nagbebreakout skin ko. I also love na parang mas matipid at tumatagal un powwder s pan kesa pag sponge or puff un gamit. Lastly using brushes ay nakkaliit at blur ng pores especially sa sides ng nose ko. Kung sponge, hindi macocover un mga scars pero with charm wow ang kinis ko
Ang ganda pareho!:-) And luxurious-looking! Can you give the dimensions? And the blush brush - do you think it's good to use on cream blushes? Currently using stipple brush from ELF which didn't work all that well with foundation but does a good job with blush. This is okay except that it's a little too big and kalat yung blush (can't do just the apples of my cheeks), and hassle s'ya dalhin because it's long.
Oh wow! Haven't bought anything from Charm makeup brushes yet but I am reading great reviews about them! I will definitely save to get me one of these.
Thanks Ms.Liz!
I have Charm's retractable flat top brush. I didn't like it as much as its big sister, thr flat top brush. It retractable version has this off smell to it, it could be the glue or idk, i've washed it numerous times na pero its still there. I didn't have this issue with my other charm brushes ha, all the rest are perfect.
I own the Charm flat top brush and it's perfect for applying liquid foundation! I haven't tried any of their other brushes, though. If you're looking for super cheap make-up brushes with good quality, try the Artist Studio range in Landmark department stores! I love their powder brush. The size is perfect for loose powder application, and the bristles are soft! I also love their foundation brush and eyeshadow blending brush. Less than 150 pesos each! :) But of course it's not as good as Charm brushes. These are too cute!
I love retractable brushes! Though I still don't have one, I'm willing to save everyday for this baby! Useful for travelling and for brush protection. From the photos above, it really shows how dense and soft it can be. I simply love reading your reviews, Ms. Liz. Very detailed and all of the necessary information are given. Thanks Ms. Liz! God bless ♥
I have both of these brushes! Sadly, I feel like the foundation brush is packed too densely that my concealer budges when I try to set it with pressed powder. Hmm. Maybe it's only good for loose powder then?
I've never had a Charm brush, like any but it's always on my wishlist hoping to have them someday. Retractable brushes are good for travel like these one. Your photos are amazing, they look like as if it's really in front of me! I think that is similar to Ellana Retractable brush which I have with me for 4 years now. It's still works. Do I have to replace it na Ms. Liz since it's been with me na for long? Or I can still use it? I suggest you try Ellana Brushes too, it's smaller nga lang. :)
I have always loved Charm's Retractable Kabuki brush. It is what I use everyday as my powder brush. I was honestly wondering what the difference is with this new release of retractable brushes. I already love the original Gold retractable brush, I'm sure the new ones will be a hit! ^_^
SIGH! Grabe these brushes are amazing! And they look very feminine and glamorous. The Charm Luxe Kabuki brush was part of my wishlist last year but sadly I didn't get it. After reading this post, my resolve to set aside money for Charm brushes just keeps getting firmer. Thanks for this beautiful review.
I really dislike the shade of hot pink that Charm uses on some of their brushes. Even so, I have purchased a couple and they work really great. I know they have a black pro range but the better ones seem to come from the non-pro line (funnily enough). Nothing against anyone's taste! Just saying that even if the colour annoys me I would still recommend Charm. haha
I love charm brushes. They look really nice, they're decently priced but very good quality. Have you tried the ELF studio brushes? I heard they're good :)
@ khristine I have the elf studio brushes and they work quite well, their dense and doesn't shed. the ones from studio line are better than in the essential line ( w/ white handles)
But I want to get these to go inside my makeup kit because I don't own retractable ones yet. I'm just not a fan of the shiny metallic finish, because these kind of finish shows scratches and signs of wear and tear easily as compared to matte finish.
We've got new brushes again from Charm to try! Id like to have a retractable blush brush! Very handy!
My first brush set is from Charm. Whenever I need another brush, I look through the Charm brush collection first and that is how I got to buy two more brushes from them. They became my everyday brushes since I bought them. They are affordable and well made - worth every cent and more.
I think that it is better to retouch powder with brushes like these. Esp when the powder doesn't match your skin tone (finishing powders or sun powders). Just tap the brush on your compact and pat or dust on your face, and that will keep the powder from caking. This is based on my experiences though. Can't promise it would work for everyone. Plus, the retractable packaging will keep the brush from getting crushed and deformed inside the make-up bag.
This post just came at the absolutely perfect moment! I've been so frustrated with traveling with a full-sized blush brush and decided to find a retractable one. Loving how the product looks from your pictures.
Just a quick question: How durable is the metal container of this brush? Personally, the metal containers look a little too tacky compared to say MAC or Bobbi Brown ones I've seen. Thanks!
I bought the retractable kabuki brush yesterday. Thanks to your post Ms. Liz. I learned they have Charm at Crossings Trinoma. i wanted to feel them first before buying cause I thought maybe this is just a hype. But no, upon feeling the tester brushes yesterday, I immediately fell in love. They're super soft!! And it's vegan! These brushes are quality Philippine products which we should support. Even my boyfriend who went with me commented on how soft they are. Now I am regretting not buying the stippling brush also. Sigh.. I will definitely save up for the stippling one.
Hi, Liz!
I bought a retractable flat-top kabuki brush from Charm a few months ago, and I've been using it ever since to apply my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural when I'm on the go. It's a great brush, as it's super dense and really makes my makeup feel like it's in tact and long-wearing. I also like the packaging a lot, because I don't have to worry about any wonky bristles or misshaped head. I got mine in hot pink, but it also comes in gold. I definitely recommend it to people who need a good travel brush or something of the sort.
How do you clean retractable brushes? Btw, I have the Vegan collection and I super love it. :)