EcoTools Travel Kabuki Makeup Brush

The basic things everyone wants out of their makeup brushes are softness, easy care, bristles that don't shed, and effectiveness at putting on the makeup they are intended to be used with. This brush, and every other Ecotools brush I have tried, fit every criteria. The Ecotools line also has the bonus feature of using kind-to-the-earth materials--synthetic bristles (no animal products!) and recycled aluminum. (Their other brushes have bamboo handles, which I approve of as well.) Softness: Other brushes I tried poked my skin and were uncomfortable. The Ecotools brushes are soft and don't bother my sensitive skin one bit. Easy care: I use Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap to clean the brushes, then stand them upright to dry in a ceramic toothbrush holder I have repurposed for my brushes. They are just as good as new after washing. Shedding: I have never seen a single bristle shed, though another brand shed horrendously the first time I washed them--what a waste! Effectiveness: Fit the tool to the job and you will do fine. Many of the Ecotools brushes are perfect in both shape and size for mineral makeup. The kabuki brush is perfect for on-the-go application of anything from mineral concealer to mineral foundation to mineral blush. It also works great with compact-style makeup. I particularly like this retractable kabuki brush because it has a cap that completely covers and protects the bristles. Some of the smaller brushes I used to carry in my purse, even though I had them wrapped in a cloth case, got battered pretty quickly. The kabuki brush is proof against any of that. I've had it for many months at this point, carrying it in my purse everywhere, and it is just a nice as the day I purchased it. I highly recommend it--and at a fraction of the price that you might pay for brushes of lesser quality, it is as easy on your pocketbook as on your skin.