Love: Zoeva Luxe Complete Brush Set

I first heard about Zoeva from Julia of Bless My Bag. I love her blog, as you know, and was really excited to find a fairly affordable brush set that she recommends! The catch was, Zoeva is a German brand. I can order it from there, but I'm not too pumped about paying for international shipping and taxes here in the PH. Then Julia mentioned that Zoeva is available at Luxola, a Singapore-based beauty retailer. I immediately looked for the set there but sadly it was out of stock.

It was the right love at the wrong time. Zoeva and Luxola flew from my mind until last week, when Luxola's PR manager asked if they can send me some stuff! OF COURSE THEY CAN SEND ME STUFF. Two days later (!) I had my requested products on my doorstep. Shipping was incredibly fast, AND I didn't even have to pay any taxes or fees. Luxola also has an ongoing promo where they offer free shipping for orders above P1,300.

Plus, if you use the code LX-LIZ upon check out, you get 25% off storewide on your purchase. Sweet! Y'all should try this store!

Anyway, let's get back to the Zoeva Luxe Complete Set (P6,000+). I already have several brush sets and individual pieces in my collection, but what drew me to this particular set is the way the brushes are exquisitely shaped. The pointed powder brush caught my attention first as I've been wanting to own something like it since I saw Lisa Eldridge using one from Suquu (which costs a whopping ~P15,000 in Japan!). It looked like the perfect soft contour and setting brush.

I was not mistaken.

Each piece (with the exception of the Eyebrow Line) is incredibly soft and dense when it needs to be. The brushes have a heft and thickness to them which makes them feel luxurious to use; they are not flimsy at all! I also got minimal shedding (by minimal I mean only one hair fell off) during the first wash. None of the brushes bled.

The brushes with white bristles were actually easy to clean even if they seem to be animal hair. I used these heavily during the weekend and all the pigments washed off without a hitch.

This set, I think, is a makeup artist's wet dream. The shape of each brush is well thought out and crafted, especially the face brushes! They have thick handles for easy gripping and balance as you buff the products in. Let's run through each piece!

Luxe Face Definer. This is a big, slightly pointed brush that can be used for a diffused contour effect and to set your makeup with loose powder. The tapered end means that you can get in between tight spaces of the face easier.

Luxe Cheek Finish. Meant for applying blush, this brush is flat-ish and fluffy. I love how it delivers smooth, even color on my cheeks. I reckon this can be also used to contour due to the slightly flat shape.

Silk Finish. This is a buffing brush that can be used for wet (liquid, cream, gel) and dry foundation. It's very dense, which does help achieve the "silk finish" its name promises. It blends products on my face wonderfully!

Luxe Highlight. It's for applying highlighting products on the high points of the face. It can also be used for a more concentrated contour effect.

Concealer Buffer. I LOVE THIS. It's a dense, domed brush that seamlessly puts on concealer. It can't be used for spot-concealing, but if you have large blemishes and uneven areas this is perfect.

And here are the eye brushes! They're great, too, but I think two or three are a bit redundant. The four crease brushes are different in sizes and shapes. However, most people can do with only two - like a mid-sized and a smaller version.

Then again the perfect eyeshadow application requires at least one clean brush for blending. I guess I can do with extra crease brushes since I might not always wash them.

Luxe Soft Definer. This is strikingly similar to the MAC 217, which is easily the most famous eyeshadow brush in the world. It can be used for applying and blending eyeshadows.

Luxe Soft Crease. It's a largish brush for crease makeup. It's great for getting that super blended effect.

Luxe Defined Crease. Same shape, but smaller in size than the Soft Crease. This places concentrated amounts of eyeshadow on the crease.

Luxe Smoky Shader. This is a flat, paddle-like brush that is pretty dense. It's for putting on cream or wet colors, as well as concentrated amounts of powder eyeshadow on the lids.

Luxe Petit Crease. It's a small, stiff brush with a domed tip. Quite the same function as the Defined Crease, but I'll pick this any day.

Here are the brushes for defining the eyes:

Luxe Pencil. It has a pointed tip that makes it ideal for smudging eyeliner or placing eyeshadow on the lash lines.

Wing Line. This is awesome for creating the perfect cat eye. The steep angle of the tip fits my eyes more comfortably than the typical angled liner brush.

Brow Line. Other than the Concealer Buffer, this is easily the most unique brush I've come across. It's razor-thin and has short, stiff bristles. Why? To "stamp" individual hairs on your brows! That's usually the domain of pen-tip brushes, right, but this one does the job beautifully. I love it. It's ideal with powder products. I mist it with water first before dipping it on the powder.

Fine Liner. A normal bent eyeliner brush. It creates thinner lines versus the winged line.

It bears mentioning that the brush handles are shorter than usual. It's totally fine by me! I didn't notice any difference in application. The brushes also come in a gorgeous pleather pouch - it might be disappointing not to get a brush roll, but seriously, who uses brush rolls nowadays? It's only for transporting and storing brushes. Otherwise, you'll just be placing these brushes in a jar at home or even during a makeup job if you intend to use them a lot.

I think I'll be using a pouch more often than a brush roll, so I get a better deal this way IMHO.

Now, I forget the exact price, but the 15-piece set + the pouch is around P6,000. Yeah, that's not exactly cheap, but in the brush world that's a steal already! The Zoeva brushes have professional-level quality at a fraction of the price. For example, a MAC face brush would cost you around P2,000- 2,700. The Zoeva Luxe Face Definer is only P1,187 at what I feel is the same level of quality as MAC brushes.

The Silk Finish is just P733, while the Luxe Cheek Finish is P838. You get the idea. If you're a makeup artist looking for her first set, or even a supplemental set to an existing collection, I highly recommend the Zoeva Luxe Complete Set. If, like me, you just love makeup and amazing products that make your routine quicker and more fun, this is also a great set to try. ^_^

This set is currently out of stock at Luxola, but you can buy most of the brushes individually here. Don't forget to use the LX-LIZ code upon check out to get your 25% off storewide, alright? Let me know how it goes!

What do you think of this set?