Review: Wayne Goss The Anniversary Set Makeup Brushes
I've had these brushes for over a year now and I've been using a lot of them ever since I got them. With the release of the new Wayne Goss The Face Brush set, I figured it's about time I give these brushes a review.
The creator, as some of you may know, is Wayne Goss. He is a British makeup artist and YouTuber who wanted to create luxurious, high-quality makeup brushes that will last a lifetime. The most interesting fact I found about starting his own line of makeup brushes is that he funded for all of it himself, because he was very particular when it came to the design and how the brushes where made. He could've had collaborations with various makeup brands, but he knew what he wanted in his products and decided to do this venture on his own instead. He is a big fan of the high-quality, handmade brushes made from Kumano, Japan where brush making is considered a craftsmanship. Hakuhodo and Chikuhodo brushes are made there and Wayne Goss' brushes are manufactured by Hakuhodo. As many of Wayne's followers know, he constantly looks for high-quality products whether it be makeup or tools. When he first announced his makeup line, I knew that I will be buying his brush set, and it was just a matter of saving for it.
To start of, The Anniversary Set costs $225 and contains 8 brushes. There are 3 brushes for the face and 5 for the eyes. What I really liked about this whole set is that you can really do your entire makeup with the brushes that are provided. The style is very sleek and the bristles are very soft. I also like the shapes of brushes that he included in this set, as I feel that they are very practical and can multi-task. What most people would notice is that Wayne's brushes tend to be ideal for both overall use and also detail-oriented and precise application.
Quality
All the brushes are handmade by brush artisans in Japan. They use a certain technique in forming the brush to keep their shape and also showcase the high-quality of the bristles. As I've said earlier the bristles are very soft and smooth, and this is because the bristles come from natural animal hairs that have a fine tip and are hand-arranged to form the shape of the brush instead of cutting the hair to that shape. They also pick up product very well, and also blend products very well. The handle and the ferrule of the brushes are very sturdy and made of high-quality wood (handle) and brass (ferrule). It's hard to explain, however, once you pick up the brush and get a feel of it, you are able to tell that it is very sturdy and high-quality right away. After using these brushes constantly for over a year, I can guarantee that they have held up very well and still feel as soft and sturdy.
Brush Breakdown
These are the brushes that come in the brush set and how I personally use them:
Brush No. 01 - I personally use this brush for liquid and powder foundation. It's just great to buff in the foundation while still creating a very smooth finish.
Brush No. 02 - This brush is perfect for contouring the face and also as a cheek brush. The tapered end gives a bit of a precision to your contour at the center, while also diffusing it on the outer edges.
Brush No. 03 - This brush is a smaller version of brush 02 and something I use for highlighting. I love it to concentrate my highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones.
Brush No. 04 - This is a perfect crease brush for both color placement and blending! It’s been my go to brush for the crease especially when I’m doing more detailed creasework on my eye makeup.
Brush No. 05 - I love this brush to smudge eyeshadows in my lower lash line or add a touch of dark color on my outer v without making the go all over the place.
Brush No. 06 - The shape reminds me of the MAC 217 brush, however, a little less fluffy at the tip. This makes a great brush for buffing out colors on your crease.
Brush No. 07 - I love this brush for applying precise highlight on my browbone, inner corners and cupid's bow. It is pretty dense though, so I do recommend that you use it lightly when adding product on it.
Brush No. 08 - Probably my most favorite brush in this set. I really love this for applying shadow on my lower lash line to create a soft eyeliner look, that's not quite defined but soft. I can also get this brush to get really close to my upper lashline which is great especially when my lash extensions are a bit sparse and needs some liner to camouflage the gaps.
Brush Care
While these brushes are very high-quality, it is important to note that the bristles are quite delicate. To maintain the quality of the bristles, it is suggested that the brushes be washed with water no more than once a month and to avoid using alcohol-based brush cleaner for spot-cleaning them. I usually clean mine out just by gently wiping them through a microfiber cloth to remove excess products or sometimes I spot clean them with a gentle makeup brush cleanser. I also use baby shampoo to wash my brushes when I deep clean them, and make sure that I remove as much excess water in the bristles and shape them before I leave them to dry. While they require a little bit more attention when it comes to cleaning them, I do not mind it at all because the quality of the bristles are well maintained because of this process.
Final Verdict
I really recommend these brushes for personal use if you are looking for high-quality brushes to use for everyday. It would also work if you tend to have a very sensitive skin and your face is easily irritated even by brushes. If you are looking to buy Wayne's brushes for the first time, I highly suggest buying this set a it offers a great sampling of both eye and face brushes. I think this is the best value for getting a good range of his brushes. Lastly, I think these brushes are definitely more suited for people who don't mind splurging on brushes and just want to spoil themselves with nicer, softer and high quality makeup brushes. I wouldn't suggest these for a professional MUA's kit because the bristles are quite delicate, and with the amount of makeup you will be applying on multiple clients, most makeup brushes get used and abused, especially with multiple rounds of cleaning with makeup brush cleansers.
I hope this review has inspired you to try out some of his brushes! Which ones are you most interested in trying? Are you a big fan of Japanese handcrafter brushes like I am? Let me know in the comments!
Update | APRIL 2019
I actually found the draft of this review a few days ago, and realized I wrote this Spring of 2017, but never got the chance to review and publish it because it was during the time when my personal life started getting rocky. With the new release of the Wayne Goss The Anniversary Set Volume 2 (now in all-white undyed goat bristles), I was going to scrap this post all together, however, I realized how much time it took me to write out this review and also you are still able to purchase his "The Collection Brush Set" with the regular dyed bristles. I decided to go ahead and publish this since I figured some of you may still find this review helpful in terms of reviewing quality; while the bristles may have changed, most of the brushes have retained their general shape. Also, I still stand by my opinion of these brushes even after 2 year s of writing this review and still enjoy using the brushes for personal use on a regular basis. As of now, I don't see myself buying the Volume 2 version of this set, mainly because I'd rather use the money to purchase his "The Face and Eye Bundle Set" which are both also updated to the new white undyed goat bristles.