♕ Part of My World ♕ Spectrum Collections ~ Duo Fibre 4 Piece Set ♕{Overview, First Impressions}

{Disclaimer: this first impressions post features a product I got for free as press sample. I'd like to thank Spectrum Collections for the opportunity, anyway my evaluation policy doesn't change and is always based on real use and in-depth testing of the product(s)}

Finally - finally! - I'm able to share with you my first impressions and thoughts about one of the newest brush set by Spectrum Collections, the 4 Piece Duo Fiber Set. It was sent to me for my birthday but it took me longer than usual to test - mostly because this set is meant to be used mainly with cream and liquid products, which I don't use... So I had to borrow some for the testing's sake - hence the huge delay!

If an airbrushed, lightweight finish is your ultimate base goals, say hello to your new favourite brushes!

The Duo Fibre set is perfect for the application and blending of liquid and cream products, from primers and foundation to highlighter and blush. 

The brush heads combine two lengths of synthetic taklon fibres for light and airy bristles.

The very first thing I noticed when I got these beauties were the bristles. Just a quick glance, but I immediately noticed they were completely different from the other brushes'. They're, like, shiny and airy, and way more silkier and softer. Which I never thought it could be possible - because the "regular" bristles featured in the other brushes were already SO soft and velvety, out of this world. I thought they couldn't get any better, because they already bordered on perfection.

And yet, Spectrum ladies managed somehow to perfect perfection. Kudos!

As I already said, they are design to be used with creamy and/or liquid foundations, concealers, highlighter, and so on. Since I have close to zero experience with this kind of product and techniques, it took me way way longer than I anticipated to get used to them! 

This set includes two pairs of brushes: two flat-top brushes and two rounded ones; each pair features a bigger and a smaller version of the same brush. (I didn't do any comparisons this time because almost all of them are unique, so I thought it was pointless).

This set features the iconic colour way of the main range by Spectrum Collections: bright pink handles, black ferrules and writings, blue and purple bristle - which are, needless to say, duo fiber bristles. Let's see each of them in detail.

Duo Fiber Large Stripper (D01): "This large flat top brush is designed to provide light, build-able coverage, the ideal brush for an airbrushed base."

The biggest and most airy brush from this set, designed to apply liquid foundations. Makes the application effortless and easy - even if you're a newbie like me! I tried it for the first time on my mom (using her liquid foundation, Double Wear by Estée Lauder) and I immediately noticed how easy it was to use: with a buffing motion, I was able to obtain a light to medium coverage at first and build it up very quickly later. The outcome was really cool: the skin was evenly covered, but the effect was very natural and not caked at all, smooth and really healthy. 

(And again, I am not used to liquid foundations at all - so the only reason I didn't make a disaster was because I was using this brush XD)

Due to its size, I think it's perfect for the bigger areas of the face - such as cheeks, jaws and forehead. Its extreme softness makes the application a real treat - my mom was about to fall asleep during the makeup session XD

Duo Fiber Small Stripper (D02): "A smaller version of the D01, this brush is perfect for applying a light layer of primer or adding a subtle glow with a liquid highlighter."

Exactly the same as the D01 - but smaller and less large, thus perfect for areas such as chin, under-eye, nose... Apart from that, it has the very same characteristics of the D01! Same easy application, same smooth result! You can easily use it for blush/bronzer/highlighter applications too of course if you'd like, it's a very versatile brush!

Duo Fiber Large Strober (D03): "The large rounded bristles of this brush provide the perfect angle for building a strong or subtle strobe. Use with a liquid illuminator to highlight the cheekbones or mix with your foundation for an all over glow."

Probably the brush that intrigued me the most! I tried it with liquid foundation and I noticed that it gives a really light, extremely natural coverage. Because of this, I think it is more suited for liquid/cream blushes, highlighters and sculpting products. It is clumsy/newbie-proof: it diffuses the product gently, blends smoothly, all effortlessly, without any streaks. I think it's perfect to contour the face and/or to apply blush on the cheeks.  

Duo Fiber Small Strober (D04): "A smaller version of the D03, use this strobing brush to refine your highlight or add a flush of colour with a cream blush to the apples of your cheeks."

Again, same as the previous one, just smaller in size - although, unlike the D01/D02 pair, this time the size differenze is less noticeable. Anyway, I'd reserve this one to highlighter  or any kind of "precise" applications, since it's a tad smaller. Just like its big brother, it gives a light but even coverage - but no streaks of any kind. 

So my first impressions are really positive! I think this is a pretty good brush set if you use liquid/cream products on a daily basis! Overall they're very versatile and can be used with any kind of base products. Their bristles are easily the softest ever made, such great quality - they almost feel unreal *_* In case you're wondering, they're easy to clean: even the Double Wear didn't stain them - so, as I always said, don't be afraid of use this beauties! ;D (And yes, I do use Spectrum's Unicorn Polish Soap aka their solid brush soap! It's really effective and its scent is sooo good!)

Name: Duo Fibre 4 Piece Set

Brand: Spectrum Collections 

What is it?: Brush set that includes four duo-fiber face brushes.

Price: 34,99 £

Other: Vegan & Cruelty Free; "No unicorns were harmed in the making of Spectrum Brushes"

Where to buy: Website 

Hope this post may be useful to you ♥

Do you own this brush set already? Any thoughts about duo fiber brushes?

Mermaid kisses and starfish wishes ♥

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♕ My Essential Makeup Brushes ♕{Spectrum Collections, Mac Cosmetics, Real Techniques}

A couple of weeks ago I showed you my makeup essentials, those basic product I use in almost every single makeup look. I also have essential makeup brushes that I reach for everyday as well - and you may have noticed that: I always list all the brushes I use to achieve my makeup looks, and many of them are always the same - although I have a ton of brushes to choose from!
So I thought I could do another essential episode, focusing on brushes only this time - and that's exactly what I'm going to do today! I'm going to show you all of my favourite and most used brushes - face, eye, lip... Every kind of brush that it's irreplaceable for me!

All my favourite dinglehoppers in my favourite holder ;D My personal mermaid treasure ♥

Let's start with Spectrum Collections' ones, since my stash consist for the most part of their brushes! Which makes sense, since they create the most mermazing brushes ever ;D And you already know how much I am fond of their brushes, I'm sure! They're the softer brushes ever, work excellently, the quality is stellar - plus each set features an unique style/design that makes them absolutely irresistible.
(Click on each picture to enlarge!)

BombShell Set: comparisons ~ review
Siren Set: comparisons ~ review
Glam Clam Set: comparisons ~ review

Face Brushes

Almost all of my favourite face brushes are by Spectrum. A00* Luxe Powder and A01 Domed Powder (respectively from the BombShell Set* and the Glam Clam set) are my most used powder brushes: A01 is fluffier, less dense - perfect for lighter applications. On the other end, A00* is way denser, thus allows "stronger" applications - but I also love to use it as a big all over brush. (This brush is not sold individually as of now!). Long story short, I switch between them basing on my daily needs!

B01 Buffing Foundation (this one is from the Siren Set) is currently my favourite flat foundation brush, especially this one. It's so soft, of course, but most importantly is big and dense just to the right point. I always use it paired with my mineral foundations - so a powdery product, works just fine nevertheless. Gives a nice coverage, blends the powder evenly - the result is flawless.

Contouring is my Achille's heel, I don't do that very often - but when I try to contour my face, I always use C02 Flat Contour to apply the dark contour shade. It's specifically designed for this purpose - and I found it very useful and easy to use for beginners like me, too. 

C03* Tulip Powder (from the BombShell Set again): the only tulip-shaped brush I own, and I love it. I use it mostly to apply powders in small areas or to remove any fallout from my under eye/cheeks. Its barely-there point is perfect for these purposes. Sometimes I even use it to apply blushes!

B03 Precision Buffer is my go-to concealer brush: I've used flat concealer brushes in the past, but I'm way happier with this one. Basically because it applies and blends the product at the same time - life saver, especially when you're in a big hurry! 

B05 Luxe Blender (another unique, not sold individually brush from the BombShell Set) is my favourite highlighter brush ever. Its size, shape and packed bristles allows to achieve a glowing look - even with less pigmented powders. Irreplaceable to say the least! (Plus is the only one I own XD)

Eye/Lip Brushes

A06 Large Fluffy Shader is my brow bone shader brush. It's big and fluffy and I always - always - use it to apply my favourite brow bone colour (Antique White by NABLA Cosmetics). While I'm at it, I usually use it to blend some more the crease/transition shade. This one from the Siren Set is undoubtedly my favourite of all the A06 I own (and I own three of them!).

B06 Tall Tapered Blender - I have many blending brushes now but this particular one from the Siren Set holds a special place in my heart ♥ It blends wonderfully and easily too, it's one of the best blenders ever. 

A07* Colour Applicator (previously known as Stubby Shader), supposedly an application brush - but I don't like it for that purpose. It's too thick and dense, not my ideal eyeshadow brush. BUT, I like to use it for my lower lid shades, both to apply and blend eyeshadows. Being quite big, it allows really quick and easy applications/blendings - and it's shape makes it perfect for the lower lid area. 

A12* Fluffy Pencil - two of them, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set respectively. I included them both because, even though they're basically the same type of brush, they're quite different to each other. Marbleous one is fluffy and pointy, while the BombShell one is denser and rounded-to-flat. They feel like two different brushes, actually. I use them really a lot and equally love them. The first is more precise - thanks to the point - while the latter allows to build up the shade better - being more packed. They both can be used as some kind of small sized blending brushes, too. 

A13* Short Smudge - two of them once again, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set. This time they're quite alike - the only difference being that the Marbleous one is slightly firmer, while the BombShell one is softer and more flexible. Both of them are fundamental for lower lid/lower lashline applications. The size and shape it's perfect to work in that tiny area - they're, like, the little brother of the A07 XD

A17 Angled Brow aka one of my brow brush. I actually use two different brush to do my brows - I use this one for the first half of my brows, to fill them in and blend the gel at the very beginning. I'll show you later the brush I use to draw the shape.

A15* Lip Liner, my three lip brushes in charge (from the Glam Clam, Siren and BombShell* sets). They're all different - the Siren Set one is the smallest while the BombShell one is the bigger and wider - but they're all equally useful and efficient. Must have, them three. Most of the time, I also use them on my eyes as small detailing brushes. Their size and firmness makes them just perfect for the lips and the eyes as well. 

Moving to another brand, here are my MAC Cosmetics essential brushes. I have four in total, but only three of them are a must have for me (and I'll tell you why the fourth is not).

239 and 213 are my favourite eyeshadow brushes ever. Those are the kind of eyeshadow brush I prefer and find efficient the most. They're flat, thin, dense but not too packed. (239 is actually quite fluffy!) 
239 is pretty famous - while 213 is less known and probably even underrated... But it's amazing! My friend Misato recommended it and I'm glad I followed her advice. 
Overall, those two are holy-grail material. 

217 is a well-known blending brush - must say, it's really really good. Kind of drop shaped, it's super fluffy and light - and allows flawless, effortless blendings. It was game-changing to say the least. Most of the time I use it for my transition shade application/blending and/or to improve any pre-existing blending. This cutie never fails!
(The one I didn't include is 224. It's a good blender, mind you... But I can't stand the fact that, after more than 6 months, he keeps on loosing bristles - or pieces of bristles every. single. day -_-" I mean, seriously, it stresses me out. I cannot excuse that, especially with a brush with an high price point!)

I own just a handful of Real Techniques brushes - most of them are eye brushes from their Starter Set. I bought it years ago and, to be honest, I don't use it anymore... I haven't used it for at least two years now. But, one of those brushes "survived" and not only I still use it, but I reach for it everyday. It's the tiny Accent Brush and I always use it to apply a black shadow (usually Nocturne by NABLA) on the lashline. Being so small it reaches the smallest areas so easily - thus it's good for smaller details too. (In case you're wondering, nope, I don't recommend the Starter Set)

Another must have from this brush is the Blush Brush, one of their most famous brushes I'd say. It's shape it's really interesting: not tulip-like (no point), it's more like a big, rounded drop. And it's sooo soft *_* It picks up the right amount of powder and applies it evenly, effortlessly, newbie/clumsy-proof! This is the brush I rely the most (almost exclusively) on for blush application.

Lastly, two of my oldest brushes, discontinued a looong time ago (like, three or four years ago). 
The angled one is my other brow brush: being so thin and sharp it allows me to draw the brow shape with extreme precision. I use this one especially on the tail of the brows, both to outline it and to fill it in. It was supposed to be an eyeliner brush, but for that purpose I prefer another kind of brush - the other one showed in the picture. No angled bristles, just a teeny tiny fine point. The finer the better! It's perfect for both classical, winged liner and for more graphic, crazy liner style. I couldn't do elaborate lines with an angled brush! I need to find a new one (Spectrum luckly has one fine brush in the individual range), not to replace this one mind you - I simply could use another brush like this... Especially if I'm using two different liner colour and thus, having just one brush, I need to switch colours, cleaning the brush each time, and doing this back-and-forth until I'm done... The struggle XD

Hope you find this post useful :D

What are your most used, irreplaceable makeup brushes?

Mermaid kisses and starfish wishes ♥

*Disclaimer: Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.

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♕ Review ♕ Spectrum Collections ~ The BombShell Brush Set ♕

{Disclaimer: this review features a product I got for free as press sample. I'd like to thank Spectrum Collections for the opportunity, anyway my evaluation policy doesn't change and is always based on real use and in-depth testing of the product(s)}

After about six months of testing, it's now time to review this true mermaid treasure: the BombShell Brush Set by the one and only Spectrum Collections. I already wrote an in-depth preview back on September (here!) with tons of comparisons; today I'm going to tell you my ultimate thoughts about this set, so if you need any comparison just check the preview ♥ 

This set includes 12 brushes: 6 face brushes and 6 eyes/lip brushes; when purchasing it, you can choose between two different cases options: a brush roll named Oyster Roll, or a beautiful clam shaped case, just like the Glam Clam's one. I received just the brushes so I can't show neither of the two - but, if you ask me, I'd absolutely choose the shell case (which, unfortunately, it's not sold individually. But the Oyster Roll can be bought individually!). Unlike the Glam Clam's one, the Bombshell case comes with a detachable chain - meaning you can use it as an handbag AND as a cross-body bag. 

This set features a new and unique colour way: soft pink on the handles, light bristles with bright fuchsia tips, rose gold ferrules with matching serigraphy. So far, my favourite colour combination, alongside the Glam Clam's ♥_♥

I really love how each set has its own colour scheme and how perfectly it represents a different mermaid. The classic, Ariel-style mermaid is represented by the Glam Clam; the Siren Set embodies the dangerous and mysterious sirens, while this set gives me so many mermaid princess vibes!

One peculiarity of these brushes is their size: the handles are shorter than usual, as you can see in the picture on the left. But the heads are full sized, as you can tell, which makes them a nice hybrid: not really a travel size set - but still easy to carry around and store in a small bag, and yet efficient as any normal-sized set. Definitely a win-win, I'm not a fan of short handles but I must admit, these are the perfect size for everything! You may just need a less deeper holder (or, in my case, mug) - but it's not a big deal for sure XD 

Overall, just like any other brush from this brand, these beauties are really great great quality. I'm extremely picky when it comes to brushes - but these are practically perfect in any way. 
Let's start from the top aka the bristles: not even one fell off during these past months. Not-even-one. (I wish I could say the same regarding my 224 brush by MAC -.-')
They're so soft and velvety, the colour is still bright as day 1. They're easy to clean, both with any spot cleaner such as the Brush Cleanser by MAC, or a deep cleaner such as Spectrum's Unicorn Horn Polish, a coconut solid soap (which I need to review too, actually). So don't be afraid to use them - I know they look so pretty and it almost feels bad to get them dirty, but I assure you they won't get stained!

The rose gold ferrules are sturdy and resistant, the metal is still shiny and the rose gold shade is still rich. Same goes for the handles - and the serigraphy is still intact, it haven't started fading yet! (If you want to protect the writing, apply a coat of clear nail polish or a clear protective paint!)
Basically brand new after six month, despite being used on a daily basis!

The brush range is well assorted in my opinion. There's a brush for nearly everything - although I'd added an eyeliner or a brow brush (but that's a personal preference, as I use those kind of brushes everyday).

The price point is not bad: more expensive than the Glam Clam (which contains two brushes less) but less pricey than the Siren Set. It's not a cheap brush set, but quality has its price - and trust me, these are worth every penny!

Now let's see each brush in detail!

(You can't actually see it from the picture - but the bottom of the mug is packed with pearls, so the brushes don't sink into XD)

(Small guide to Spectrum brushes' code: the letters indicate whether it's an Application brush, a Buffing/Blending brush or a Contouring brush. Sometimes the brushes' name slightly changes, or some brush is listed differently in the sets - that's why the codes come really handy).

Luxe Powder (A00): "Our new A00 'Luxe Powder' has the largest head of the whole range, it's beautifully soft, yet still dense enough to pick up a lot of product, whether you like to finish with translucent powder or a flash of bronzer, this beaut will leave you looking flawless."

The biggest brush of the set - yet it has the perfect size to apply finishing powder. It's SO dense and soft and velvety *___* Applies finishing powders flawlessly - and quickly! Just a couple of swipes and you're ready to go! It picks up the right amount of powder and releases it evenly. Great as all over brush too! 

Tulip Powder (C03): "Designed for precision application of powder or cream formulas. This brush with it's tapered tip is perfect for contouring around the hairline with a darker shade, and adding highlights to the brow bone, cheek bones, and lightly along the bridge of the nose. Use this little beauty to add the finishing touches to a professionally contoured face, for a flawless selfie."

Although this beautiful drop-shaped brush is meant to be for contouring purposes, I love using it as a blush brush or as powder brush. The gentle point makes it more precise than a domed brush, so it allows you to apply finishing powder easier on small, hard-to-reach zones... As blush brush, it gives a soft, smooth application - still with ease and precision.
I also use it to contour my face, or to blend the darker shade if applied with a different brush!

Angled Foundation (A02): "The unique angle of this brush applies foundation with ease to every area of the face. The densely packed bristles work best with liquid or cream products and make your foundation go further, giving a slightly heavier coverage than a buffing foundation brush. This brush is also great for applying cream contour products, use the finer angled edge for precise application."

I haven't used it that much, because I prefer flat brushes for my foundation - nevertheless, I really appreciate it. It's unconventional shape and relatively small size make it very precise, and the bristles density gives a nice coverage... And, by the way, works perfectly fine with powder foundations too XD I tend to reach for it whenever I need a stronger coverage, and it's very effective.  

Flat Top Contour (C02): "A new take on our best selling Flat Top Buffer, this beauty will help to really buff and blend your contouring with precision, specifically underneath cheekbones and the jaw. Your selfies will look all the better for it. Suitable for cream, liquid & powder formulas, build for a heavy contoured look, buff for a more natural sculpt"

My go-to brush to contour my cheekbones (or better, to contour my cheeks in order to give the illusion of having cheekbones XD). It's very precise and exact, if you overdo it'll draw quite sharp lines - so use it with a gentle, light hand. Or, use it with a buffing motion if you need a soft application and/or really want to be safe XD

Precision Blush (A05): "Create beautifully shaded and highlighted cheekbones with our Precision Blush Brush. This tool is perfect for applying a small amount of product and building to get a natural looking blended finish. An essential piece of kit, this brush will change the way you apply colour to your cheeks for the better."

This is the least-used brush of the whole set - but it's just because I'm not into angled blush brush. I prefer drop-shaped or rounded shaped blush brush. Anyway this brush works just fine, you can really build up the colour with it - not harsh or heavy results! Perfect for beginners in my opinion ;D

Luxe Blender (B05): "Use the new B05 Luxe Blender to create beautifully blended eye looks, buff in precise contour around the nose, highlight the brow bone, or buff in your concealer, this beauty is multi-functional."

This has quickly become my essential, must have brush to apply highlighters - especially the stubborn aka the less pigmented ones. Thanks to its size, shape and thicknesses, it's beyond perfect to highlight everything.

Colour Applicator (A07): "The bristles on this brush are still soft and fluffy for blending, but the stubby shape means you can really pack on the colour. This brush is the perfect starting point for creating super smokey eyes or very pigmented colour."

It's supposed to be an eyeshadow brush - but I prefer flatter and slimmer brushes for that purpose. I use it for my lower lids, as a blending brush - because its shape makes it perfect for that. Blends the colours really well! I also use it sometimes to highlight my brow bone or to contour my nose. 

Short Smudge (A13): "This beautiful brush is the perfect tool for applying powder or cream eye shadow around the lash line, to get a soft & smudgy effect. The short bristles are feathered, so you can build the colour to be as intense as you like."

Another essential brush, for my lower lids. Unlike the previous brush, which I consider its bigger brother, this one is perfect to apply shadows on the lids. I tend to use it exclusively on my lower lids because of its small size - which makes it perfect to reach and follow easily the lashline. Also, being so soft it doesn't itch and thus it doesn't make me blink XD
I also use it for cut-creasing - again its small size allow to be really precise, allowing to draw thin, sharp lines very easily.

Fluffy Pencil (A12): "This small but perfectly formed brush is the best tool for adding the finer details to your eye looks. Use to highlight the inner corners, add depth of colour to the crease, or smoke and blend out the upper and lower lash line. This little beauty gets in all the right places."

Probably my favourite brush of the whole set XD It's a pencil brush - but it's quite dense and rounded, unlike for example the one from the Marbleous set, which is pointy and sooo fluffy.
I love it because it helps build the colours - that's why I use it to deepen the outer corner, or to achieve a strong, pigmented inner corner highlight. It's one of those brushes I use in almost every makeup look, everyday. #musthave

Tall Tapered Blender (B06): "Our most popular eye blending brush, this is the ultimate tool for creating all kinds of make-up looks, from soft and romantic to full blown sexy and smokey. Use to blend out colour or build up shade in the contours of the eye, this brush can do no wrong."

I have four of these blending brush and I love them all XD I use them daily, basically I rotate them, making sure I always have at least one of them clean - so I don't run out XD 

Winged Definer (A14): "This beauty is perfect for those with fuller brows who want to keep them in check...the larger head and firm bristles make applying gel, wax or powder products easy peasy, perfect application every time, after all....never trust anyone with bad brows. Or for those who love a defined eye, this little beauty gets right into the lash line for precise and easy application of gel liner, use the pointed edge to get a fierce flick."

My backup eyebrow brush - for whenever the one from the Siren Set is dirty XD It's wider but has a thinner cut, so it's very precise. I confirm that it works nicely with both gel and powder products! I also tried it for eyeliner purposes - but it's a tad too wide for my taste. But, I must admit, it's perfect to achieve dramatic winged liner styles XD

Lip Liner (A15): "The firm, flat bristles of the lip liner brush are perfect for defining and filling the lips. The tapered tip allows for precise application before filling your pout with your fave lip products."

Another essential and super-duper favourite from this set. Despite being a lip brush, I LOVE using it for smaller applications! I use it to draw lines, to define cut crease, to clean edges, on my inner corners... Oh, and to apply lipsticks too sometimes XD Joking, but it's so multitasking that I cannot live without it. It has the perfect combination of bristles firmness/elasticity, shape and size for all the purposes listed above. It's just great. Must have. Holy grail. 
(Okay I'll stop it now, I think you got it XDDD)

Name: BombShell 12 Piece Brush Set

Brand: Spectrum Collections 

What is it?: Brush set that contains 12 face/eye brushes. Comes with two different case options.

Price: 79,99 £

Other: Vegan & Cruelty Free; "No unicorns were harmed in the making of Spectrum Brushes"

Where to buy: Website 

Pros: High quality, soft and perfectly cut bristles. Sturdy ferrules/handles. Lovely colour scheme.
Cons: None
Top or Flop?: Top, of course!
Do I Recommend It?: I absolutely do! Must have for every real life mermaid - or any mermaid lover ;D

Final Rating: 6 out of 6 shells

I haven't found any cons, so my rating is the highest!

I really recommend this set, especially if you need handbag friendly brushes!

Hope you find this post useful! ♥

Do you own the Bombshell already? Which brush case did you choose?

Stay tuned for my first impressions about the Duo Fiber Set, coming up soon!

Mermaid kisses and starfish wishes ♥

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♕ Preview ♕ Spectrum Collections ~ BombShell Brush Set ♕{Overview, Comparisons, First Impressions}

[Nota per le lettrici italiane: questo post è esclusivamente in lingua inglese, la versione italiana arriverà a breve!]

{Disclaimer: this post is a first impressions about a product sent for free to me by the brand. I'd like to thank Spectrum Collections for the opportunity, anyway my evaluation policy doesn't change and is always based on real usage of the product(s)}

When Spectrum Collections, back on July, hinted that a new mermaid inspired brush set was on its was, the hype went sky high right away. This brand is well known for its 

glamorous, stylish and overall beautiful designs - so everyone (me included) literally went crazy, knowing that something really amazing was about to be revealed.
And, of course, it totally was.

After the mermazing Glam Clam the darker Siren Set and the pure Marbleous set, Spectrum Collections created the chic and classy BombShell Brush Set - which I'm really thrilled to show you today!

This new set was revealed on July 21th in a mermaid themed event that took place in Soho, London. Sadly, I live way too far to be able to attend - but I was so luck to be given the opportunity to try them in order to write a preview post! *_* 
I've waited for the launch date to be disclosed to publish this post, and we're actually sooo close to it: this beauty is launching on September 23rd! Who's excited??
Meanwhile, I really hope you'll enjoy this preview! ♥

Oh my Gosh! Have you ever seen anything so wonderful in you entire life? 

(Sorry, I really couldn't help but use this quote XD)

Let's start with the new colour way: this set features pink handles, light pink/cream bristles with bright fuchsia tips, rose gold handles with matching serigraphy. Overall, this design gives them the most classy, precious and princess-y look ever. If the Glam Clam represented a bright, colourful, lively mermaid, and the Siren Set the dark, mysterious sirens of the depth - to me, the new Bombshell truly embodies a mermaid princess that lives in her royal underwater castle. 

This is how we mermaids store our brushes!

No need to say, the bristles are unbelievably soft as usual. And sintetic, which means that this brushes are Vegan approved and cruelty free. Since I've been using these babies for about one month now, I've already washed them several times (I mean, both spot cleaning and deep cleaning) and never experienced colour fading, or falling bristles. Not even once. Some of you might be intimidated when it comes to use these beauties for the very first time - I read everywhere things like "I'm not using them because I'm afraid of ruining them". Well, I've been using them even with the darkest product (such as eyeliner and dark eyeshadows) and no one stained the bristles. Just wash them (deeply, if you feel like the spot cleaning wouldn't be enough - it's up to you) and that's it. No need to worry, go ahead and enjoy them ;D

Let's talk quickly about the handles. This time Spectrum decided to go for shorter handles, making this set perfect even for traveling. I took a picture with some of the brushes from each set to make a comparison (above). As you can see, the Siren Set brush has the longest handle, the BombShell one has the shorter while the Marbleous and the Glam Clam ones have an in between handle size. 

Mind you, this is not really a travel set. In the picture below I did a comparison with some real travel-size brushes (the Bamboo one and the littlest one on the left). The other two weren't meant to be travel size, but were way too little for everyday use. As you can see, the BombShell one has the perfect size, both in terms of handle and bristle. Usually travel sets feature really small brushes, but that's not the case. You basically get a full size brush with a middle size handle: perfect for both traveling AND everyday use.

Let's talk about the case. When it comes to Spectrum, you can expect not only the most beautiful brushes - but also the most beautiful brush case.
The most exciting thing about this set is that you'll be able to choose between two different case options. Absolutely brilliant - I'll tell you why later!

The first option (the most mermazing, in my opinion) is the Bombshell case, clam-shaped - similar to the Glam Clam's one. This time, this clutch features a goldish pink holographic fabric on the outside, and a pale blue fabric in the inside. Instead of only 10 brushes, this case can contain 12 brushes. The new Bombshell brushes have slightly short handles, yet the clutch still looks the same size as the original one. (I don't have the new clutch so I'm not able to do a comparison. So I'm just guessing!). Also, as you can see in the picture, a chain was added to the original design - meaning you can really use this beauty as a bag *__* How cool is that?!

(BombShell clutch pic belongs to Dream In Pink)

The second option is a brush roll, similar to the Cute Sushi Roll that comes with the Siren Set. Same design, same scales-like holographic material,  same magnetic shell-shaped closure (again, I don't have the cases so I'm just guessing) but it comes - like the BombShell case - in a goldish pink shade outside, with a pale blue fabric inside.
(Oyster Roll pic belongs to BloggingGals)

Again, brilliant. You can choose the one you like the most, or you can choose the one you know it's more handy for you. If you travel a lot, the BombShell might be a little difficult to pack since it requires more room - but the Oyster Roll looks like the perfect choice for traveling. You want a case you can use as a real bag? Or one you can display on you vanity table? Definitely go for the BombShell.
Will both cases available individually? That's one of the most asked questions.
Well, only the Oyster Roll will be available for purchase individually (just like the Siren Set's one, which you can buy separately). Unfortunately the seashell-shaped case will come only with the brushes! Just like the Glam Clam.

Time to talk about the brushes *_*

First of all, I'm going to show each one individually. Comparisons are below in the next section.

This set features 12 make up brushes: six face brushes, six eye brushes. Perfect balance!

Unlike the Glam Clam and the Siren Set - which contain almost the same brushes - this set offer a totally different range. It has just three brushes in common with the Glam Clam, and four with the Siren Set. And still, I don't consider those doubles - but that's something I'm going to discuss in the comparisons.

Also, a couple of these brushes are totally new, not available individually at the moment. Which makes this set really appealing!

(Small guide to Spectrum brushes' code: the letters indicate whether it's an Application brush, a Buffing/Blending brush or a Contouring brush. Sometimes the brushes' name slightly changes, or some brush is listed differently in the sets - that's why the codes come really handy).

Luxe Powder (A00): New entry, currently not available individually. "Our new A00 'Luxe Powder' has the largest head of the whole range, it's beautifully soft, yet still dense enough to pick up a lot of product, whether you like to finish with translucent powder or a flash of bronzer, this beaut will leave you looking flawless."

This is one of the newest brush in the Spectrum Range. In the other sets the biggest powder brush was the A01 Large Domed Powder, but here it's replaced by the Luxe Powder. It's as big as the A01, more or less, (which is good, I think this is the perfect size for a powder rbush) but it's way thicker, rounder and denser. This picks up a little more product, so it's perfect for stronger applications with no caking effect. Or, you can use it as an all-over brush, or to blend together the face powders. 

Tulip Powder (C03): "Designed for precision application of powder or cream formulas. This brush with it's tapered tip is perfect for contouring around the hairline with a darker shade, and adding highlights to the brow bone, cheek bones, and lightly along the bridge of the nose. Use this little beauty to add the finishing touches to a professionally contoured face, for a flawless selfie."

Finally, thanks to this set, I have a proper tulip shaped brush in my stash! This beauty is a medium sized face brush, which you can use as stated in the description: highlighting the cheekbones, or contour the nose, the cheeks, the hairline. This not a new entry brush in the range, but the first time it has the chance to be included in a set. So happy about it!

Angled Foundation (A02): "The unique angle of this brush applies foundation with ease to every area of the face. The densely packed bristles work best with liquid or cream products and make your foundation go further, giving a slightly heavier coverage than a buffing foundation brush. This brush is also great for applying cream contour products, use the finer angled edge for precise application."

Another new brush for me, part of the individual range but never featured in a set. This is the angled version of the B01 Flat Top Buffer brush, which is contained in both the Glam Clam and Siren Set. While the B01 is meant to buff and blend, this is meant for strong applications. It's thicker and denser, meaning you can get higher coverage results. It's also smaller, so it's more precise - can really reach even the smallest zones. The angled edge really helps when it comes to accurate applications. Since I don't use any cream or liquid foundation, I've tested it only with powder foundation and still, it worked just fine! 

Flat Top Contour (C02): "A new take on our best selling Flat Top Buffer, this beauty will help to really buff and blend your contouring with precision, specifically underneath cheekbones and the jaw. Your selfies will look all the better for it. Suitable for cream, liquid & powder formulas, build for a heavy contoured look, buff for a more natural sculpt"

I have another C02 brush from the Siren Set and it's the one brush I use the less, since I haven't mastered the sculpt technique yet. From what I could see, by experimenting a bit, it's that those brushes grant a really precise application. It doesn't pick up too much product, so you can build the shade as you go. 

Precision Blush (A05): "Create beautifully shaded and highlighted cheekbones with our Precision Blush Brush. This tool is perfect for applying a small amount of product and building to get a natural looking blended finish. An essential piece of kit, this brush will change the way you apply colour to your cheeks for the better."

A classic, one of the few brushes included in every set. Still, they don't really look as doubles (please check the comparisons below) and I prefer one over another depending on my needs. This one in particular is really slender and slightly smaller, great for more precise application or to softly highlight the cheekbones.

Luxe Blender (B05): New entry, currently not available individually. "Use the new B05 Luxe Blender to create beautifully blended eye looks, buff in precise contour around the nose, highlight the brow bone, or buff in your concealer, this beauty is multi-functional."

The second new entry in the range. It's like a blender brush meant for the face (in my opinion is way too big to be used on the eye, especially if you have smaller lids). Thus, it's multi-purpose: great for highlighting, to blend sharp edges (or even accidental mistakes, they always happen), to reach smaller zones of the face and contour/highlight/buff them. Endless options! Personally, I really enjoyed it as highlighting brush to use with less pigmented highlighters.

Colour Applicator (A07): "The bristles on this brush are still soft and fluffy for blending, but the stubby shape means you can really pack on the colour. This brush is the perfect starting point for creating super smokey eyes or very pigmented colour."

Let's move on to the eye brushes. This brush was previously named "Stubby Shader" but the code A07 is the same. It replaces the Large Fluffy Shader, which was included in all sets - a really good brush, but too big and fluffy to be a real eyeshadow brush. I feel like this is a step forward, because it's smaller and thicker - yet it lacks the flatness, essential when it comes to eyeshadow brushes. I use it to apply my brow bone colour, or to blend the edges. 

Short Smudge (A13): "This beautiful brush is the perfect tool for applying powder or cream eye shadow around the lash line, to get a soft & smudgy effect. The short bristles are feathered, so you can build the colour to be as intense as you like."

I have another one from the Marbleous Eye Set 1.0 and it's one of my most used eye brushes. Unlike the big brother A07, this is perfect to work on the lower lids, for small lines & detailing, both as an application brush but also as a teeny tiny blender brush. So glad to own a second one now!

Fluffy Pencil (A12): "This small but perfectly formed brush is the best tool for adding the finer details to your eye looks. Use to highlight the inner corners, add depth of colour to the crease, or smoke and blend out the upper and lower lash line. This little beauty gets in all the right places."

Another most loved and most used brush from the Marbleous Eyes Set! This small pencil brush allows the most precise application everywhere on the eyes (inner or outer corners, crease, lashlines, brow bones, and so on). Works as a small blending brush too. Must say, I like this new one more than the Marbleous one! (I'll tell you why in the comparisons section)

Tall Tapered Blender (B06): "Our most popular eye blending brush, this is the ultimate tool for creating all kinds of make-up looks, from soft and romantic to full blown sexy and smokey. Use to blend out colour or build up shade in the contours of the eye, this brush can do no wrong."

Another great classic and 100% must have, featured in each and every set - obviously, because you can't put together a proper set without a good blending brush in it!
So far I have four of them, and I love each one - perfect blending brush in every way: size, bristle density, bristle length, cut and shape. 

Winged Definer (A14): "This beauty is perfect for those with fuller brows who want to keep them in check...the larger head and firm bristles make applying gel, wax or powder products easy peasy, perfect application every time, after all....never trust anyone with bad brows. Or for those who love a defined eye, this little beauty gets right into the lash line for precise and easy application of gel liner, use the pointed edge to get a fierce flick."

When I first got this new set, and went through each brush, I thought this one was the A17 brush, included in both the Siren Set and Glam Clam. But, a quick look to the website to check the codes, and I realized that this was another new entry in my brush stash!

Basically, this is a larger version of the A17 (I'll show you in the comparisons), for those of you who prefer a wider brush to fill in the eyebrows quicker. Works nicely as an eyeliner brush too.

Lip Liner (A15): "The firm, flat bristles of the lip liner brush are perfect for defining and filling the lips. The tapered tip allows for precise application before filling your pout with your fave lip products."

Lastly, another classic: the lip brush! I think it's great that Spectrum includes one of this in each set (except in the Marbleous Eye Set 1.0, but added it in the 2.0 version currently available). Whether you use it for your lips or as a detailing brush, this brush will always, always come in handy. Its small size allows the most precise application ever, no matter the product you use (creamy, powdery or liquid).

As I already said in the Siren Set review, from now on I'm using almost only Spectrum brushes for the comparison pictures. This because I recently did a big selection and declutter of my brushes, ending up keeping almost only the Spectrum ones, a couple of Real Techniques, some new MAC Cosmetics brushes and some old, discontinued favourites from random brands.

Here I compared the new Luxe Powder with the two Large Domed Powder brushes I own. As you can see, the size is more or less the same - the main thing is the bristle density and the cut, perfectly round in the Luxe Powder, flattened in the Glam Clam one and slightly rounder in the Siren Set one.

I compared the Tulip Powder to an old tulip-like brush I don't really use (as you can probably see, that tends to be like a rounder brush with a barely hinted tip) and to the famous Blush Brush by Real Technique (which is currently my favourite blush brush). As you can see, the Tulip Powder is smaller, but with a well defined, slender shape. 

Since I don't own any Angled Foundation brush, I just compared it to the Flat Top Buffers. Totally different brushes in terms of shape, size, cut and bristle density - you can quite see how much denser, less fluffy is the Angled Foundation. And that's why it allows higher coverage results, while the Flat Buffers give a lighter effect.

Here are the two Flat Top Contour I own - I don't have a lot to say about this comparison: those babies are almost the same brushes in different colour ways. Same size, same density - the only, tiny difference is in the bristle firmness: the BombShell one feels like having slighlty firmer bristles, while the Siren one has more flexible bristles. 

Now an interesting comparison: three Precision Blush brushes (respectively from the Glam Clam, BombShell, and Siren Set) which look quite different to each other. The Glam Clam one has a barely hinted angle, while the Siren Set is very angled. The BombShell one is like a compromise between the two, in terms of angulation, but it has a smaller cut, while the length is equal to the others. Also, it's the slenderest one.  

For the Colour Application/Stubby Shader comparison I placed, along with the Marbleous one, two of my current favourite eyeshadow brushes - to see what I mean when I mean that we're not there yet. Spectrum one's are so thick and packed, I really feel like the set should include flatter brushes that can really allow to control the product, apply it evenly and also gently blend it out. This stubby shaders are more all-over brushes - eye sized - you can use on you brow bone, to contour your nose, highlight you cheeks. But I wouldn't recommend them as proper eyeshadow brushes. 

(For those interested, the two eyeshadow brushes shown are both by MAC Cosmetics, n° 213 and 239 respectively).

The two Short Smudge brushes I own are pretty much the same - maybe the BombShell one has slighlty (like, 1 mm) longer bristles - which you probably can't see clearly, white bristles are beautiful to see but a mess to capture in picture XD

The two Fluffy Pencils have two major difference: the BombShell one is smaller (in terms of diameter only though) and it's rounded to flat. The Marbleous one, instead, has a slightly bigger diameter but, most importantly, is pointed. (Again, probably you can barely see that in picture). That been said, I tend to use the Marbleous one whenever is pointed tip is required (really precise applications, for example), but overall the BombShell one is the one I use the most, at the moment. I really love the fact that they're not doubles ♥

Blending brush extravaganza, yay!

Family portrait of all my Spectrum blenders, plus a couple of favourite by MAC Cosmetics - just to spicy up the comparison ;D

The BombShell blender looks like it's the one with a slightly smaller diameter, and also the one with denser bristles. It's also the one with the longer ferrule, which is interesting. 

The other two brushes are  224 (far left) and 217 (far right), the first is the wider one I own, while the second is flatter and softer. 

In this picture you can clearly see how different is the Winger Definer A14 from the BombShell set compared to the Precision Angled Brow A17 from the Glam Clam and the Siren Set. It's really wider - double their size, more or less, with a really thin cut.

Lastly, the three Lip Liners all together. I really like how the BombShell one is slightly wider and taller, with a well-defined "c" shaped tip. The other two are pointy and smaller - especially the Siren Set one, which is the smallest ever. Again, all of them are great lip brushes but also detailing brushes. I have been using the BombShell one a lot during the past month, especially to apply top coat shadows on my inner corners, to draw small lines, to apply powders and pencils close to the lashline and smudging them at the same time. 

Name: BombShell 12 Piece Brush Set

Brand: Spectrum Collections 

What is it?: Brush set that contains 12 face/eye brushes.

Price: not disclosed at the moment (will update);

Other: Vegan & Cruelty Free; hand-finished. Comes with two different case options;

Where to buy: Website (launching on September 23rd, so it's not currently available).

~ Final Thoughts ~

So far my first impressions are really really positive! I love the new range, the colour way, and the quality is top-notch as always. I really like the double-case-option thing, which is quite groundbreaking (I'm really curious to see which one will be the most loved! I have a feeling it's going to be the clam one, but I'm biased :p). 

As I wrote in the recap, the only thing I don't know is the price. It hasn't been disclosed yet, but I'll definitely update the post on the launch date with my thoughts about that. (I do have an idea, but I don't feel like guessing at the moment, so I'll just wait and see). 

I really, really hope this preview post can be helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment down below, and I'll do my best to reply you as soon as I can!

Any thoughts about this set? Are you excited about it? Are you going to purchase it on the launch day?

But most importantly... Which case will you choose??

XOXO

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