After all the initial rush of collecting lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes, and foundations tides over, makeup lovers soon find themselves in need of the right tools to apply them. Just like most beginners, I started by buying brush sets which had most if not everything I need to do a full face of makeup. At first, it seemed enough to have a brush each for foundation, eyeshadow, and blush. However as I learned more about makeup application and better understood which of my features I actually wanted to emphasize, I realized that rather than splurging on a collection of 20+++ brushes, it’s actually more sulit to invest on premium quality individual brushes!

High quality brushes are especially important for doing face base work, because a really good brush that buffs everything seamlessly can make even a budget foundation or a less than P500 contour look high end! Local brush brand SOFFIA Beauty offers amazingly luxe face brush options, and with Liz still raving over their All Over Face Brush, the rest of the PV team tried out the different brushes in their Opulence collection.

Angeli: When I got the All Over Face Brush, I couldn't help running my fingers against the bristles over and over again because it felt so satisfying! I am glad that I have this in my collection because I don't have anything like it. The round shape of the bristles and weight, shape and size of the brush all contribute to a perfectly luxurious experience. I love using this to sweep on my fave Laura Mercier loose setting powder all over my face after concealing. The bristles feel so premium and soft, like I’m using a million-dollar brush.

Marielle: I am also all over the All Over Face Brush! The premium quality of this tool announces itself through the heft of the brush and the super-soft, densely packed hairs that pick up and spread pigment evenly. Even heavy-handed me managed to blend and diffuse setting powder, blush, and highlighter without disturbing the base makeup underneath! Though a bit too wide and fluffy for contour application, the oval placement and tapered arrangement of the brush hairs allow me to maximize angles for more strategic application of blush and highlighter.

Gett: I love the versatility of this Powder/Cheek brush! I can do my powder, blush, and bronzer with it well. I like to be precise with my powder application so I like that the brush is fluffy yet dense enough that I can sort of press it down on the areas I want to mattify without loading the area with too much product. While I don't really use bronzer a lot, I like how this applies and blends bronzer so effortlessly. As a powder blush brush though, I find it a bit too big for my face shape but it still does the job just fine. The brush itself is sooo soft, and I appreciate how hefty the handle is.

Opulence Flat Top Foundation Brush (P999)

Khae: The Flat Top Foundation Brush is honestly my new brush bestie for applying base makeup! I’ve been loyal to beauty sponges for that air-brushed finish, but this brush is definitely giving them a run for their money! The brush section looks deceptively small, but I find that the size is just right for really getting into the nooks and crannies of my face while covering ample surface area. The brush delivers a smooth, seamless finish and I find that it best applies foundation by using small, circular buffing motions to sort of work the product in. Unlike other similar brushes that I've tried, the Soffia brush doesn't “drink up” product and trap it in the dense bristles. As a result, I don’t need to use as much product and find it easier to clean the bristles.

Because of its small size, I find it really convenient to include in my makeup kit. With great performance in a travel-friendly size, the Soffia Flat Top Foundation Brush is quickly becoming one of my favorite makeup tools, especially for someone who’s constantly on the go.

Opulence Big Cheek Contour Brush (P1,800)

Katsy: When I first held the Big Cheek Contour Brush, I immediately noticed how soft the bristles felt. Handling it felt so luxe! I was further impressed upon application as it blends out my contour area really well. For my face shape, the size felt just right: not too big that I have no control anymore, and not too small that I’d have to do several passes. I also tried it for my blush application because I’ve always wanted a one-brush-fits-all kinda thing, and it definitely passed the test! The size and softness of the brush hits a sweet spot for me.

Stacie: The bristles feel so dense and soft! The Big Cheek Contour Brush has just the right size for my face contour as it fits on my temples, cheekbones, and jaw well, making blending so quick and easy. It deposits powder to my face so well that I barely see any leftover powder on the brush, which makes it a multi-tasker. When I am in a rush, I do my powder, blush, and contour with this brush - I just quickly pass it on a tissue paper to clean in between applications!

Den: I’ve been trying to incorporate contour into my makeup routine and trying the Small Cheek Blush made me realize that it was what I had been missing! The short bristles and small head are just perfect for defining my cheeks, jaw, and even nose area. It’s very easy to control, and I can apply as lightly or as heavily as I want. I also love how amazingly soft and silky the bristles are, which makes this brush such a pleasure to use!

Tellie: The Small Cheek Brush has a wonderfully small brush head. I love the size because often, blush brushes are too big and splay out too wide, which makes blush application difficult to control. I like the precision this brush shape and size affords, and the soft-cut bristles blend product comfortably. I've tried this for contouring, too, and it worked great as well!

Kim: I've been using the Soft Focus Brush for over a week now, and the "Opulence" description is truly warranted as this is the softest face brush that I have ever used! The bristles are dense and nicely packed in a versatile dome shape. Used for blush application, picking up and diffusing the pigment is quick and easy, yet still gives a natural, non-streaky blend. The thing that truly impressed me about it is that it never seems to "soak" up product. That means that one tap into the blush pan goes a long way, and that I can easily clean the brush by simply wiping it off into a tissue paper. After a quick clean post blush application, I can still go back to using a setting powder with the same brush!

Without a doubt, this is the best out of the five blush brushes in my collection but it also happens to be more expensive than the other four combined. I also haven't washed the Soft Focus Brush yet, but it shed five hairs this morning just from a gentle brush swirl on a tissue paper. I hope it keeps its shape and softness for a while because this has been such a nice addition to my brush collection.

Frankie: At first blush, I really thought I was going to like my Soft Focus Brush. The brush hairs are as soft and luxurious as the name suggests, and have a near-magical ability to pick up product and deposit ALL of it on my face, leaving none on the brush. I even used this brush with a notoriously "dry" contour palette, and it was able to pick up quite a bit of pigment very easily and give my face a gorgeous, natural sculpt when applied - not a result I'd ever gotten from using other brushes with this particular palette!

However, after two uses, I've had to switch back to my old brushes as the near-constant shedding of the Soffia brush has proven to be a deal-breaker. I use a light hand to apply contour, blush, and illuminating powder to my face, but each time I have found a significant amount of brush fibers (two to three strands at a time) sticking to my face post-application. I also found loose hairs falling off the brush when I first got it so I was surprised that it was already shedding even before I used it.

Having read other reviews of this brush, I'm inclined to think I got a bad batch, as most people do seem to love Soffia's Opulence series. I honestly would, too, but don't relish the thought of having to pick hair off my face every time I apply product.

Claire: The Soft Focus Brush is a dream to use! Its domed shape diffuses product evenly onto skin. The premium goat hair is oh-so-soft and didn't irritate my reactive skin. It also picks up powders much better than synthetic brushes would. The brush size makes it a multi-use tool, since I can use it effortlessly with blush, bronzer, setting, and finishing powders. I am thoroughly impressed by this brush and the overall quality of Soffia brushes!

Sam: The Soft Focus Brush is so SAWFT. Unfortunately it sheds hair while depositing pigment, even after washing. The shedding has significantly reduced since washing though, and with a couple more uses, I'm confident that it will stop.

What I love about it is that it now truly enables me to set my whole face with a light dusting of powder. Lesser brushes will disturb the texture of makeup when setting, but I can even use the Soft Focus Brush for just powder foundation, which is a thing I never used to do. It's size is perfect for people who want to just use one brush. I can go from foundation to highlight to blush to bronzer in one go without rewashing as it picks up and deposits pigment efficiently, leaving little room for the pigments to mix.

Do you invest in your makeup brushes? Which ones are you be most inclined to splurge on?

Soffia Opulence Brushes are available from Beauty and Minerals and BeautyMNL.

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