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Wayne Goss

Wayne Goss

Wayne Goss Luxury Lip Collection Review

May 6, 2020

Wayne Goss Luxury Lip Collection Review

I’m excited to share a look at the Wayne Goss Luxury Lip Collection today with a first impressions review and swatches! As a long time fan of his brushes I was thrilled to receive a package from Beautylish including a preview of his entire lip launch. The items launched on 5/5 and by now quite a few colors have sold out but I expect there will be a restock. I was hoping to get my review up before the launch but I decided to swatch and lip swatch all the lipsticks and glosses and it took me forever! I hope you will find this a helpful resource. A lot of the shades are nude and neutrals – as always they will look very different on you if you have different skin tone than me. I’m very warm and golden/olive. The three products he has in his lip collection:

The High Shine Gloss

Wayne Goss The High Shine Gloss

The High Shine Gloss is available in 7 color options. Three are shimmers and the rest are more like creams. They have a sponge tip applicator with a minty smell. Texture is medium with a cushiony feel. I like that there’s enough density/thickness so they stay put on the lips. There’s a bit of stickiness to them but it’s not uncomfortable or heavy. Pigment varies by color, but in general I would say they run medium-sheer.

  • Tulip is a sheer beige with a hint of sparkle, this one contrasts with my natural lip tone and my lip lines show through, it works better on top of lipstick or a liner
  • Hyacinth is a medium peachy pink cream
  • Cherry Blossom is a medium pink with a hint of sparkle (on me it almost looks identical to Hyacinth, the difference is subtle on me)
  • Petunia is a medium nude pink cream (my lips but better)
  • Antique Rose is a sparkling beige with champagne and rose gold shimmers
  • Hibiscus is a metallic pale pink shimmer
  • Chrysanthemum is a metallic copper rose bronze

Texture is smooth on all the finishes even the shimmers.

Wayne Goss The High Shine Gloss swatches

Swatched on bare lips. Photos taken with a flash. The sunlight kept shifting so there are slight variations in my skin tone as I took them outdoors.

Wayne Goss The High Shine Gloss Lip Swatches

The Luxury Cream Lipstick

The Luxury Cream Lipstick are excellent in formula and among the best I’ve tried! They’re ultra smooth, comfortable, have beautiful flawless pigment and wear beautifully. I think they are just as good as the Tom Ford regular lip color if not better. There are a lot of lighter colors in the neutral nude category. They do look similar at first glance – but if you struggle finding the perfect undertone for a natural lip I think you will appreciate Wayne’s careful selection of colors.

Wayne Goss Luxury Cream Lipstick review

Wayne Goss Luxury Cream Lipstick swatches

Colors include:

  • Camellia is a pale light peachy nude cream with yellow tones
  • Dahlia is a peachy cream
  • Daisy is a light pink beige cream
  • Lotus is a beige peach
  • Magnolia is a cream pink
  • Lily is a perfect muted neutral-nude pink
  • Amaryllis is a medium pink with coral tones
  • Orchid is an orange terracotta cream
  • Carnation is a soft washed blue-based rose
  • Zinnia is a warm but soft red pink berry

Swatched below on bare lips, also taken outdoors with flash. I highly recommend looking at other YouTube or Blog swatches to get the best sense of how these look on different skin tones and lighting. They are creamy and have a subtle natural shine finish (which I love). Lasting power is quite good and while I have not been able to test each shade, I did try Lily for an extended part of the day – it lasted through a bag of chips, 3 cookies and 2 cups of coffee. There was some color transfer but it stayed put an in tact which was impressive.

Wayne Goss Luxury Cream Lipstick Lip Swatches Beauty Look Book

The Essential Pencil

Wayne Goss Essential Lip Pencil CORRECTED

The Essential Pencils are products I haven’t put to an extensive test but still wanted to share swatches. I only tried two on the lips but in swatching these, they have a smooth non-tugging texture. Pigment is opaque and full. They glide on really beautifully!

  • Vintage Pink is a pale pink, significantly lighter than my natural lip tone
  • Natural Berry is a soft pink
  • Mauve is a warm pink
  • Sepia is a muted pink brown
  • Cinnamon is a dusty red

By the time I finished lip swatching the Lipstick and Gloss my lips felt a little raw. I decided to do swatch comparisons instead of lip swatches next to a few popular colors for reference. I hope this helps you! Left to right for comparisons are Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk, MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare, Stripdown and Whirl, Pat McGrath Permagel Done Undone, Victoria Beckham Beauty Lip Pencils 2, 3 and 4.

Formula-wise the Wayne Goss Essential Pencils have the best smooth glide. There’s no tugging which isn’t usually a deal breaker for me as I apply liner in a feathering motion. I do really like the texture of his lip pencils and will be trying them out more in the upcoming weeks.

Wayne Goss Essential Lip Pencil Swatch Comparisons

Two on a full face including his Luxury Cream Lipstick in Lily and High Shine Gloss in Hyacinth below:

Wayne Goss Luxury Cream Lipstick in Lily and High Shine Gloss in Hyacinth

Wayne Goss Luxury Lip Collection Review Swatches

I hope you found these swatches helpful! I literally just received these so I haven’t been able to test these very long. First impressions are the Lipsticks are really quite phenomenal formula-wise. My favorite colors are Lily and Lotus. For the High Shine Lip Gloss I think the shimmers in Antique Rose are beautiful! I also like the everyday wearability of Hyacinth or Cherry Blossom (both are nearly identical on me so I don’t think you need both).

You can find the Wayne Goss Luxury Lip Collection available at Beautylish. I am hoping they will be able to restock the sold out colors soon!

 

 

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending the collection for review.

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Beauty Favorites Beauty Tools

Favorite Eye Makeup Brushes and Tools

July 19, 2017

Best Eye Makeup Brushes | The Beauty Look Book

By popular request I have an updated roundup of my beauty tools. So many of you have asked me what the best tools are for eye makeup and I’ve often referenced older posts. I was going through some recently and it’s hard to believe the last round up posts were done three years ago! Time literally flies! I’ve been building my brush collection for many years (for over a decade) and yet I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of the tools out there. When it comes to makeup brushes and tools I’m a creature of habit. For the longest time I’ve stuck with tried and true staples from MAC because they’re consistent in quality, they have kept the same designs for years and they get the job done. I have explored a lot of other brands over the years and today I have an updated roundup of the best eye makeup tools I own.

If I could just stick with one collection/brand I would – unfortunately no single brand has everything I want. I’ve split these into categories by shape/function. Also note that I don’t have a crease on my lids so I don’t use a crease brush like most would. I do a lot of blending to get a gradient or wash with neutral colors and then I also have a lot of detail brushes I use. I do realize this is a bit of a long list – I’ve included different options from a small handful of brands I really love as some of you may have different preferences for shape, brush size, handle size/width etc.  I’ll round up my top picks at the end of the post as well.

Up first are the basic shadow/lid brushes. I like ones that are soft but somewhat dense so I can pick up powders. A lot of these I use for creams as well even though synthetic brushes often work better – I like the soft texture and feel. Shown below from left to right:

  • Hakuhodo J242G ($18) is a hybrid goat and synthetic fibers making it versatile for all products. It’s a smaller size making it easy to pack on color on the lids.
  • Hakuhodo B J004G ($20) is my favorite one for the lids, it’s made of goat hair and extremely soft. This is the best lid color brush I have – it picks up the perfect amount of color and blends powders seamlessly.
  • MAC 239SH ($25) is also another favorite, it’s one of my most-used brushes, the SH version is exclusive to MAC stores and online. It’s soft and dense and perfect for packing product on the lids. It’s not as soft as the Hakuhodo but still very good.
  • MAC 239 ($25) is the full size version, I like that both the full and short handle have the same size bristles.
  • Chanel Blender/Shader ($42) is a new double ended brush that’s super soft with a nice fluffy feel. The small end is also dense but fluffy, the larger side is perfect for blending.
  • Wayne Goss 18 (old, discontinued) is unfortunately discontinued but was the best option that was slightly larger than the MAC 239.
  • Chanel Large Eye Shadow Brush #25 ($38) is another great option that’s larger than the MAC 239, it’s not as dense and slightly more loose in how its packed, note that all the Chanel brushes with the silver handles (ones in the current collection) are going to be discontinued. New ones will be introduced around the 24th so if you have any current options on your wishlist you should buy them soon.
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty The Conceal ($30) is actually a concealer brush (which it’s great for) but I really love this one for cream shadows. It has a beveled/angled tip so it makes the creams apply easily to the lids.

Eye Makeup Brushes Lids and Wash | The Beauty Look Book

Out of all of these my top two are the MAC 239 and Hakuhodo B J004G. I have multiples of both kinds and they’re probably the most versatile brushes I own.

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Next are the blending brushes good for a light sweep of color, for blending or a nice wash. With some of these you will probably be able to use as a crease brushes too. I prefer the ones with white hair as they’re usually soft and super fluffy. They’re small enough so there’s some density to them. Often times I find the darker ones are a bit too loose in the way they are designed. Shown below from left to right:

  • Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush ($40) is my favorite large domed fluffy brush because of the density. It’s perfect for sweeping color on the lids for a nice wash and it’s also a great blending brush.
  • MAC 217 (also available in 217SH) ($25) is another great basic blending brush because of the softness. It’s perfect for blending out colors. For the longest time this was my favorite until I tried Tom Ford, Hakuhodo and Wayne Goss.
  • Wayne Goss 18 (from the Eye Set $130, individual $27) in terms of quality, I feel Wayne Goss has among the best brushes. They’re right up there with Tom Ford. #18 is the closest option to MAC 217.
  • Hakuhodo J5523 ($19) is made of goat hair and the equivalent of MAC 217. This one is far better in terms of how it picks up color and blends it out.
  • Wayne Goss 17 (from the Eye Set $130, individual $28) is a smaller sized fluffy brush, good for detail blending or crease blending.
  • Wayne Goss 16 (from the Eye Set $130, individual $30) is a bit longer and bigger than #18. This is a good all around blending brush.
  • Tom Ford 13 ($57) is a fluffy blending brush good for blending things up on the lid for a nice gradient. In my opinion Tom Ford brushes are the best brushes I own.
  • Tom Ford 11 ($57) is the ultimate wash brush. It applies the perfect amount of color to the lids and is super soft in feel. They’re really well made. The ones I have are made with natural bristles – at an event in the spring I was told Tom Ford was moving towards making brushes with synthetic materials but I haven’t received confirmation of when or if it has happened yet.
  • Hakuhodo J220G ($24) is a larger fluffy flat brush made of goat and synthetic fiber. I like this one and use it a lot but it’s not as dense as other ones so I prefer the other ones for density and this one for it’s size on some occasions.
  • Bobbi Brown Eye Sweep ($37) is a classic large dense fluffy round brush.
  • MAC 227SH (discontinued, $32) has been discontinued unfortunately, it’s more dense than the Bobbi Brown, but for now the BB is the next best option.

Best Blending Brushes MAC, Hakuhodo, Bobbi Brown | The Beauty Look Book

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For detail brushes my long-time go to has been the MAC 219 Pencil Brush which I’ve had for years. Unfortunately I lost mine either in the move or while traveling (but sometime in the past few months) and never got around to replacing it. It’s the best all around smudge or lining brush I’ve had but there are still quite a few others that are really good. Shown below from left to right:

  • Wayne Goss 08 (from the Anniversary Set $225, individual $17) is the tiniest detail brush I own. It’s perfect for getting into the tiny corners of the line or right along the lashes. It’s stiff but not harsh on the eyes.
  • Bobbi Brown Eye Definer (one shown is a special-edition one from a holiday set, but same as regular one) ($34) is a classic angled brush you can use for powder or gel liners. It’s also a good one for brows.
  • Wayne Goss 07 (from the Anniversary Set $225, individual $17) is the softest mini smudge brush, perfect for a smokey eye or blending out colors along the lash line.
  • Tom Ford 15 (discontinued) is the best smudge brush I have, unfortunately it’s discontinued.
  • Wayne Goss 05 (from the Anniversary Set $225, individual $20) is a super soft pencil brush, it picks up color a lot better than the MAC Pencil, but it’s smaller in size so not quite the same.
  • Laura Mercier Corner Eye Brush ($26) has been discontinued in most places, you can still find it online at a few stores right now like Bluemercury. It’s a good corner eye brush that gets color in tiny spaces with precise application but it’s large enough you can blend it out a little.
  • Hakuhodo G5514 ($17) is another great detail pencil brush to get that soft smokey eye.

Best Detail Brushes | The Beauty Look Book

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Misc brushes and tools shown below:

  • Chanel Large Tapered Blending Brush 19 ($38) this originally came in the brown natural hair, then was released in a white version, but not it appears it’s back to the brown. I have both and they both perform the same. This is a good detail blending brush – I use it for under the eye when I want a very soft diffused line or to blend out shadows along the upper lash line. It’s soft and blends colors perfectly. The shape is perfect. At this time I don’t have the full list of what brushes will be coming out around the 24th, but if this is on your list I recommend you get it soon as Chanel will be phasing out their current brushes and replacing them with a new line.
  • MAC 226 (discontinued) is the best small to medium blending brush, why they discontinued it is a mystery to me because there’s none other like it! For now one of the Wayne Goss brushes from The Eye Set (scroll up) will perform the same way, if not better because of the material it’s made of. However this one is still a really good one.
  • Wayne Goss 21 (from The Brow Set, $55) is the best brow brush for powders for me. I love that it’s wider than most and it’s super dense making it easier for me to get even application for both sides.
  • Surratt Eyelash Curler ($30) is one of the best curlers I own. It took me some time to learn to use because it’s so much wider than other brands. It performs really well.
  • MAC Eyelash Curler ($22) is my most-used lash curler. It always curls perfectly and I really like the shape.
  • Charlotte Tilbury Eyelash Curler ($22) is another good one that gets the job done without any pinching.

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That wraps up my favorite eye makeup brushes and tools post! I hope you found this helpful in case you’re looking for new tools. If I had to pick just one brand it would be nearly impossible to do – but at the moment it would probably be Wayne Goss but I’d have to add a couple from MAC. Overall great basics can be found from MAC – it’s easiest to find at stores and counters which means you can actually see and feel the brushes. For the longest time I didn’t buy brushes unless I could try them in person, but even when I lived in San Diego, I couldn’t find them all so finally had to order some sight unseen. There are a lot of great brush blogs out there so if you need more reference or comparison a google search will bring up some amazing reviews. Best quality and performance goes to Tom Ford, Wayne Goss and Hakuhodo. If I had to pick only 10 brushes to use for the rest of my life, it would be: MAC 239, MAC 217, Hakuhodo B J004, Hakuhodo J552, Edward Bess Luxury, Wayne Goss 07, Wayne Goss 08 and Wayne Goss 18.

What are your favorite tools?

Press samples include the Charlotte Tilbury Eye Lash Curler, Wayne Goss Eye Set and Anniversary Set brushes.

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Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

Wayne Goss The Face Set and Eye Set Review

June 6, 2017

Wayne Goss The Face Set and The Eye Set | The Beauty Look Book

Wayne Goss has added new brush sets to his collection in a 6-piece Face Set ($250) and 5-piece Eye Set ($130). The Face Set actually launched in earlier this year back in  March and sold out within a few weeks. It’s scheduled to restock today at Beautylish at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST. In addition to the set, they’ll have each brush available for purchase separately. The Eye Set is still available as a set for now. I’m hoping they’ll consider launching them individually.

By now I’ve accumulated quite a few brushes from dozens of brands. I’ve found only a small handful of new launches different or unique enough to have that wow factor. The latest launch that really impressed me was the MAC 140S (best powder brush ever) but when it comes to brushes I feel like I’ve already found my favorites and I buy multiples of a few so I don’t have to wash them as often (especially when I have an armful of swatching that I do). Wayne Goss brushes however are completely different and I’ve been so impressed with every one I’ve tried from his line. If I had to start over my entire brush collection I would pick his brushes to do it. At first glance they seem like they could be standard brushes just with a well-designed size handle and shape. Once you put them on your face you will really see the difference in how soft and smooth they are. You’ll also notice that they pick up product better and application is SO MUCH better. For years I’ve loved and relied on MAC brushes, in particular the #217, 219 and 239 for the eyes. They’re classic staples and perform well, but once you’ve tried brushes from Wayne Goss, Hakuhodo or Chikuhodo you’ll be floored.

The brushes are handmade in Japan and are cruelty-free. A look at each set and a few comparisons for size/shape reference. I was sent these for review by the Beautylish team but I would have no hesitation splurging the full retail price on both sets. Up first is The Face Set which has 6 brushes.

Wayne Goss The Face Set review | The Beauty Look Book

From the bottom to top, these are designed for both powder and creams. I took a few of these with me on recent trips along with other brushes and these were ones I reached for the most. They’re unbelievably soft and layer product beautifully without disturbing what’s underneath. There are certain uses for each one, but I used each of these for almost anything: powder, blush, creams, highlight, etc.

  • 10 looks almost identical to 02, just with white natural hair, this is a tapered brush that you can use for highlighting
  • 11 is one I used for setting powder, Wayne Goss uses this for his buffing technique, I haven’t tried it that way yet, but I found it perfect to set powder (pressed and loose)
  • 12 is a flatter more dense brush but still fluffy, this is good for contouring and blending
  • 13 is another cream or powder brush, it’s a shorter almost dome like brush, I tried this with cream contours and it blends them out perfectly better than a sponge or fingers for a natural blurred finish
  • 14 is a light fluffy brush, I love this for more intense shimmers or blushes because it gives the face a light even wash of color
  • 15 is a fan brush, I rarely use fan brushes but this is another good one for a light wash/veil of color anywhere

Wayne Goss The Face Set review | The Beauty Look Book

Comparisons to:

Wayne Goss The Face Set Comparisons | The Beauty Look Book

Up next is The Eye Set. Out of the 5 brushes I thought I’d only really use 2 based on the shape. I gave them all a test run and found them surprisingly versatile.

Wayne Goss The Eye Set review | The Beauty Look Book

Shown from top to bottom:

  • 16 is a skinny tapered brush that you can use to sweep product all over the lids, it fluffs out a bit after you use it
  • 17 is similar to 16, but 17 is shorter and a tiny bit smaller with less of a point, this is a good blending brush
  • 18 is my favorite, it’s the widest that resembles the MAC 217 in shape and size, the softness is something you have to touch to really understand, it’s the perfect all over wash brush for me
  • 19 is a slim tapered brush I thought I wouldn’t use, but it’s great for precise blending and detail application
  • 20 was a surprise for me as well, I didn’t think this would be useful for my eye shape, but it’s a smaller version of 19 and the 20 is perfect for a soft smokey eye to line/smudge, it really doesn’t seem like it would work for that because of the length, but it’s just perfect

Close ups:

Wayne Goss The Eye Set review | The Beauty Look Book

Comparisons:

Wayne Goss The Eye Set comparisons | The Beauty Look Book

A look at how I tested each one with the Natasha Denona Sculpt and Glow Palette (review soon), Tom Ford Warm Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette (review here) and one of my favorite setting powders the Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Powder (shade #2). The brushes were all versatile with powder and cream formulas. With powders they worked well with all textures whether they were shimmer, matte or glitters. With creams they apply product without any streaks which is just amazing. To date only Tom Ford brushes have done that for me and the Wayne Goss brushes are similar in performance and quality.

Wayne Goss The Face Set and The Eye Set | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line amazing. Many of you might wonder if I think they’re worth owning even with all the brushes I already have. The answer is hands down yes. I’ve been one who always stuck with MAC because I found good ones that worked and they still do, but the Wayne Goss brushes take application to another level. Based on my personal preferences I would skip the fan brush #15 (because I don’t use fan brushes ) and the eye brush #19 (because it’s similar to #20). The brushes perform so much better than other standard brushes. If you already own a lot of brushes made in Japan you probably have some of the best ones on the market. I don’t own a lot with the exception of a few so I don’t have a lot of repeats.

You can find the Wayne Goss brushes available online at Beautylish. The Eye Set is in stock now, the Face Set (and individual ones) restock today at 10:00 AM PST. Have you tried these? What are your thoughts? If not what are your go-to makeup tools?

 

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending The Face Set and The Eye Set for review.

 

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Roundup

Best in Beauty 2015: The Beauty Look Book Makeup Favorites

December 30, 2015

I look back on the last twelve months and can’t believe an entire year has gone by. This has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding years I’ve had yet and I have lots to look forward to for 2016. I took a quick look at my blog posts for the past year along with an inventory of my favorite beauty products. I started with a massive list – there were so many good launches this past year, especially for lipsticks. Brands have really upped their beauty game with better formulas. I’ve edited my list as much as I could to what I considered game changers this year.

I have four categories of best in beauty this year. The first up is makeup favorites. I have 20 of my top makeup picks for lips, eyes and face – nails have their own category (up next).

  1. NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Gloss is this year’s best creamy nude (review here)
  2. Charlotte Tilbury Penelope Pink, Iconic Nude + Seduction make for the best nude lip combo ever, I used up an entire tube of Penelope Pink this year! (swatched here and here)
  3. Marc Jacobs Hi-Shine Enamored Lip Glosses = the best lip gloss launch (swatches here)
  4. Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin = most luxurious lipstick formula created and the best red lipstick I’ve ever swatched (3 formulas swatched here) 
  5. MAC x Ellie Goulding Lipsticks were the best pinks launched (swatches here)
  6. Burberry Kisses Lipstick = the best lipstick formula launch this year huge plus that they are unscented and also non-drying on the lips (my picks swatched here) 
  7. Tom Ford Lip Color Sheers in Skinnydip and Rose Soleil (swatches here) were the best new colors launched for the entire year (so good I have backups even though they are permanent)
  8. Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil in Icon is best new tinted lip treatment formula (swatched here)
  9. Urban Decay Naked3 was my most-used eyeshadow palette of the year (swatches here)
  10. Burberry Wet & Dry Glow Eyeshadow in Shell = best all over eyeshadow shimmer color for the lids ever made (review here)
  11. Clio Kill Bill Liquid Liner was the best liquid eyeliner discovery (review here)
  12. NARS Yeux Irresistible Palette wins for the best smoky eye palette of the year (swatches here)
  13. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise colors are the best cream shadow launched this year for formula and color selection (swatched here)
  14. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer wins for most luminous bronzer + highlighter combination (swatches + review here)
  15. Tom Ford Moodlight is the best highlighter launch of 2015 (look + review here)
  16. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Medium Dark = the best bronzing duo launched and also the one I used the most this past year (look shown on face here)
  17. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in #2 is best setting powder of the year, if it ever gets discontinued I will literally want to die (thoughts + review here)
  18. Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation Brush #53 best foundation brush discovery for flawless streak-free coverage (review here)
  19. Wayne Goss Anniversary Set = the best brush set launch of the year (review here)
  20. Edward Bess All Over Seduction = most-used cream highlighters of the year (swatches here)
What were your favorite makeup picks this past year?

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Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

The Wayne Goss Anniversary Brush Set (Limited-Edition)

October 16, 2015

Wayne Goss and Beautylish have teamed up to launch a collection of brushes called The Anniversary Set ($225 for 8 brushes). This special launch is timed to celebrate the second anniversary of Wayne Goss’s best-selling brush set- this one includes an updated release of the popular Brush 01 (limited edition) and introduces the new Brush 05 which will become a permanent addition to The Collection.

According to Beautylish, each brush has been meticulously handcrafted by traditional artisans in Kumano, Japan with jewel tone name and number lasering on the handles unique to the Anniversary Set. They are all made with cruelty-free natural bristles that have been selected for luxurious softness and then bundled uncut into a durable brass ferrule. I was able to preview the brush set last weekend in Santa Monica. I just received the brush set two days ago courtesy of Beautylish so I haven’t had much time to experiment in great detail but since it’s limited-edition I have a first impressions review on each the set today.
This is my first Wayne Goss Brush Set. I’ve accumulated a few individual brushes and they are well-loved in my collection. These brushes come with black lacquered handles that are medium-sized in length. They fit in my small hands nicely and are lightweight which makes them easy to use. There are eight brushes in this set for eyes and face. My quick take is that I think these brushes are very well made and the design and quality is excellent. They are extremely soft and the bristles are evenly distributed for flawless application. If you’re looking for a nice set of brushes to start a collection I think this is a very good place to start.

The eight brushes in the set include:

  • Brush 01 – The much-loved Brush 01, now three times larger for fast, flawless application of your favorite foundation. This elegant duo-fiber Brush makes blending creams, liquids, and powders to a poreless finish quick and easy. This one is limited-edition and exclusive to the set.
  • Brush 02 – A soft-as-silk Brush that seamlessly buffs powder products—blush, bronzer, highlighter, or setting powder—onto skin. Its tapered shape makes maneuvering around the contours of the cheeks a breeze.
  • Brush 03 – Fluffy, slightly pointed bristles make this Brush ideal for sweeping pigment all over the eyelid. It can also be used to highlight the nose and brow bone or to buff powder into the T-zone.
  • Brush 04 – Perfect for blending and distributing color into the crease of any eye shape. With its softly tapered silhouette, this Brush is also an excellent choice for concealing and setting the delicate undereye area.
  • Brush 05 – Completely redesigned with detail work in mind. The fine-point tip and supple bristles allow for the utmost precision when applying pigment to the eyes and lips.
  • Brush 06 – Topped with dense, dome-shaped hairs, Brush 06 effortlessly blends and softens eyeshadow in a single stroke. Use it to apply concealer to imperfections for a natural, even finish.
  • Brush 07 – Designed for lipstick or eyeliner, this small, flat Brush has just the right amount of stiffness for ultimate control. Apply precise amounts of color to the lips and eyes, or highlight specific parts of the brow bone and cupid’s bow.
  • Brush 08 – A tiny Brush with a short, flat tuft, ideal for tightlining the eyes with ease. Its unique shape makes working pigment directly into the root of lashes or brow hairs easier than ever before.

I have put these to the test for two days so far. Here’s what I tested each brush with and thoughts. First up is the Brush 01. I tried it with two liquid foundations. I thought the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation would be a good one to try it with to see how smooth the finish would be. This is an ultra pigmented foundation and for the most part it’s flawless with fingers or a beautyblender sponge, but with most brushes streaks are visible. With the Wayne Goss Brush 01 it was pretty much streak-free with a few swipes. Brush strokes were still visible but required minimal blending and buffing to get completely smooth. I also tried it with the La Mer Reparative Skin Tint and it blended out product flawlessly. (Also shown below, recycled Diptyque Baies and RMS Luminizer Nail Polish.)

For Brush 02 and 04, I tested them with highlighter and concealer. Brush 02 (left) is a small tapered brush. It’s super soft and plush making it extra gentle on the skin. The tip is slightly domed and rounded which gives a very soft blended look. I tried it with detail highlighting using the Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Dreamy Glow Highlighter (swatched here). The brush picks up quite a lot of product which is nice. Some brushes don’t catch enough powder for some reason, but this one does.

Brush 04 (right) is a small detail brush. It’s similar in shape to Brush 03 but the 04 is smaller. It’s designed for crease but I don’t have folds in the eye area so I decided to try it with concealer since it was suggested in the product description. I would never have thought to try a non-synthetic tapered brush with a cream concealer but it really works. I took a dab of the Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 07 and it gives a super natural blended application on spots and under the eye. I’m really impressed! (On the nails below is Chanel Rouge No. 19).

For the eye brushes I’m surprised I don’t own any of these yet. From left to right is 03, 06, 05, 07 and 08. I know tapered brushes are huge with many and are considered a staple. I prefer fluffier brushes but the Wayne Goss 03 is really quite lovely. It’s dense enough that it’s not flimsy and it picks up just the right amount of product to give a sheer all over wash to the lids.

Brush 06 is a flatter but rounded brush, it’s described as a one-sweep brush and it really is that. It’s perfectly sized to give my lids color with one swipe.

Brush 05 is a detail brush that’s been redesigned. I don’t think I own the original one so I can’t compare but it’s an amazing smokey detail brush that picks up pigment really well and applies it in the inner corners or under the lash line. For the bottom lash line I like soft blended colors so it doesn’t look harsh and this one is perfect. I think I will need to purchase another once it’s launched individually.

Brush 07 and 08 are also detail brush perfection. I own tons of smudge brushes and Brush 07 is definitely one of the better ones I’ve tried. It’s super dense but soft. The material picks up color really well and applies it onto the skin beautifully. I feel like I’ve been waiting for Brush 08 my whole life. I know there are tons of skinny angled brushes that people use and love for getting into the lashline. I’m super uncoordinated with those and can never really get the color into the lash line easily, there’s almost always a gap so I have to blend and layer a lot. This one makes detail application super easy. It’s super dense and non-flimsy and non-floppy at the tip. If Wayne ever made a slightly larger one that is also angled for eyes I think I would fall head over heels in love with it. (He has one for brows in his brow trio which is utterly perfect but I think it’s too stiff for my delicate sensitive lids.) I tested the eye brushes with different textures of eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette (swatched here). I thought it would be a good one since it has a mix of matte, satin, shimmer, chunky sparkle and metallic. All brushes worked really well with multiple textures making them really versatile.

 

One last shot of the brushes lined up:

I’m overall impressed. I knew that this set would be very well made and each brush would be perfectly crafted but I wasn’t sure if any would be that different from the dozens of tools I already own. Sometimes brushes are just brushes and if you have a collection of tools that work, it can seem redundant to own multiple tools from different lines. The brushes in the Anniversary Set all are phenomenal tools I know I will reach for and use on a daily basis. The Brush 02 is one of the softest brushes I’ve ever touched (just as soft as the Tom Ford ones). If there were one that I would say I could skip, I would say Brush 03 and 04 are very similar, but I really like 03 for the lids and now that I’ve tried 04 with concealer I’m converted. I think the detail Brush 08 is absolutely genius – if you’re unsure about getting the full set, I would say hands down the 07 and 08 are must-haves for perfect smokey eye detailing.

You can find The Wayne Goss Anniversary Brush Set exclusively online at Beautylish for $225. It is limited-edition.

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending a set for review consideration.

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Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

The Brow Set by Wayne Goss

September 23, 2015

I have a small but well-loved collection of Wayne Goss brushes. His latest release is The Brow Set ($55) which has three brow tools, all designed by Wayne and hand crafted in Japan. I’ve only been testing these for a few days but have fallen in love already. My brows are the most-neglected beauty-related area for me. I groom them with a recycled mascara wand and although I have a few brow products that I really like (the Dior Brow Styler, NARS Brow Perfector and By Terry Eyebrow Mascara) I have been in need of a good set of brow tools and the Wayne Goss set does not disappoint. (On the nails above, Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Daisy.)

There are three brushes in The Brow Set. They come cased in a cute black cylinder, wrapped to perfection in black tissue paper and a black bow which shows love and care. The presentation as usual, is beautiful.

The brushes have medium length handles, they aren’t too long but not too short. Each brush has a black lacquered handle. According to the information on Beautylish, these are cruelty-free and hand crafted. From top to bottom is: Brush 22 (double ended), Brush 23 (spoolie) and Brush 21 (angled flat tip).

Brush 21 is designed for use with all types of brow products (powder, cream, wax). I really like this one because it has a wider flatter tip compared to most angled brow tools. It has a stiff dense tip that makes application super easy.

Brush 22 is a double-ended brush that has water badger bristles on one side
and a fine-toothed comb to groom and define brows and lashes alike. These both comb and brush brows to perfection. I like that the comb teeth are short.

Brush 23 is described as “an upscale take on the classic spoolie.” I am usually not a fan of spoolie brushes because they are never sturdy enough to last long (hence the reason why I recycle my mascara wands). You have to see it to believe it, but it is indeed another level of spoolie. It’s extremely sturdy and well made – it feels like it will last a long time. It has a cone-shaped brush and is densely packed but the bristles are soft enough so it doesn’t poke the skin.

Bottom line a winning set. The brow tools are extremely well designed, sturdy and made with extremely good craftsmanship. At $55 if you break down the price per tool it’s an affordable $18+ per brush. I’m ordering another set for one of my friends right now.

You can find the The Brow Set by Wayne Goss exclusively at Beautylish. Do you have any favorite Wayne Goss brushes? Which ones? I am hoping he will release more white-haired brushes this holiday or in the next year!

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending the set for review.

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Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

Wayne Goss – The Holiday Brushes (2014)

January 19, 2015

On the nails: Dior Lady

I’m late to the game with the Wayne Goss Holiday Brushes in White and Black ($85 each, limited-edition) but I am really happy I was able to get both as they were produced in limited quantities for last holiday (the white one is already sold out). These are exclusive to Beautylish and although I almost always purchase brushes I can see and touch in person, I made an exception and ordered them sight unseen after seeing it featured on @raeview’s Instagram (also featured on her December Hits/Misses video). I’m so glad that I did.

This year he released a Black and White version:

The Wayne Goss Holiday Brush is a large tapered powder brush. It’s dense, fluffy and ultra soft. All of his brushes are all hand made (cruelty free) and none of the hairs are cut – the two holiday brushes are the first that I’ve tried from his line for face brushes and I am really impressed. They both pick up just the right amount of product with just one or two swipes. I’ve tested it on pressed setting powder, bronzer, highlighter and blushes. The tapered shape makes it extremely versatile for all sort of powder face makeup. I really like these for blush and bronzer.




MAC Sheertone Blush in Tenderling



For me, it’s been challenging to find a brush with this particular shape and size – most tapered brushes I’ve seen are quite a bit smaller. The MAC 138 is similar in size and density but the ones designed by Wayne Goss by comparison are much softer in texture and feel like silk on the skin. In my entire brush collection, my Tom Ford brushes are the softest that I own. These holiday brushes from Wayne Goss are just as soft.

For my testing, the Black Holiday brush has gone through two washings already. It does fluff up a little bit after the first wash but it still retains its shape. I photographed it next to an unwashed/unused white one before I tried it. For me there was no shedding or color bleeding with the first or second wash.

If you’re crying over the fact that the White Holiday brush is sold out, I found both the White and Black versions to be identical in texture, density, softness and performance. I would still be crying if I didn’t get the white version since I have a soft spot for white fluffy brushes, but they are both identical and I probably didn’t need both. That being said I am really happy I have both, I’ve found them both to be very gentle on the skin and effective at pickup up product and giving you a super smooth and even makeup application with powders, bronzers and blushes. For me they are both worth every penny even though the price is on the steep side. They are well made and very good quality.

If you haven’t checked out the Wayne Goss Holiday Brush, I highly recommend you do soon. It’s limited-edition and exclusive to Beautylish. Have you tried any of the brushes from Wayne Goss? What are your favorites?

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