Rave: Marionnaud Premium N3 Slanted Blusher Brush First Impressions

I remember the first time I encountered the Marionnaud N32 Slanted Blusher Brush last year and I was so pleased with it that I blogged about it right away. It may not be the perfect angled blush brush but it is definitely something I like using for my Shu Uemura Glow Ons and for defining my cheeks with my Stila Contouring Trio. However, I realized that it can sometimes be a pain to work with because the bristles, even though soft, are kind of stiff and does not blend blushes softly and evenly. So I set them aside for a while and rekindled my love for the EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush. I remained loyal to their double ended spoolie and eyeliner brush though that I even have a back up of it. Anyway, it was not until early this week, Tuesday to be specific, that Marionnaud once again wow'ed me with their brushes, when I finally purchased the Premium N3 Slanted Blusher Brush. I have seen a few write ups about it on blogs so I decided to get one for myself. And now, I can't stop myself from posting something about it this early.

Description taken from the case:
Made of natural goat hair - smooth to sweep the blusher on the skin with a firm touch.

Okay, that wasn't much of a help though a very short and direct to the point description.

Care Instruction:
Hand wash before initial use and blot dry with a paper towel. Wash frequently in lukewarm water and mild soap or shampoo. Rinse well and shape the head of the brush with your fingers. Lay flat to dry.

See how fluffy the brush is? 

Initially, I was sorely disappointed when I found out that the bristles are made of natural goat hair and thought that it might be scratchy and irritate my skin. But I still went ahead and purchased one. I immediately washed the brush when I got home. I was expecting it to smell but it didn't and it never bled too. However, it shed a few small hairs as I was washing it.

After the brush dried, I put it to test and fell in love with it right away! It feels really soft and not as scratchy as I expected it would be. I like how it easily picks up pigments and how it evenly distributes the color on the cheeks. Not to mention that the bristles aren't as stiff as the one from the regular angled blush brush from the same brand. It blends blushes nicely too. I tried using it on bronzers, finishing powders, and on contouring powder and it works just as great! I simply adore this brush to make a pseudo-review and rave post about it. :)

Even though I adore this brush, there are two things I'm not a fan of - the texture of the handle and it isn't as dense as it looked when sealed. If you are familiar with the matte, rubber packaging of NARS products, that is what the texture of the handle is. I've had trouble keeping my NARS compacts back then from accumulating dust so I am expecting the worst from this handle too (though I badly wish it won't happen). Now for the bristles, I find it a little too soft that it sometimes flatten on my cheeks. But it could also be due to my being heavy handed and I sometimes end up not applying products lightly especially with brushes. Or maybe I have gotten a bad apple. But still, I like this brush a lot that I am considering getting a back up! Oh, another very minor dislike is that the handle is way longer than the regular one but not something that bothers me a lot.

Overall, a really nice and inexpensive angled blush brush that is worth the price tag of Php 299. I've been using this for 3 straight days now and I'm happy with it. What a swell! But I'll give it a couple of months before doing an in-depth review of this brush. Who knows what could happen in the next few days. But for now, I'll enjoy this brush in every way I can. :)

Left: N3 Premium; Right: N32 Regular

Premium N3 is also fluffier than N32

Have you tried this brush or any other from the Premium line?

Have a great weekend, everyone. :)

Cheers,