Finding environmentally friendly makeup brushes (all natural makeup information)

Sometimes finding a more environmentally friendly product can take a bit of sleuthing! One example of this is my search for more eco-friendly makeup brushes. Now though I advocate using all natural products over synthetic ones, since they are much friendly to the environment, there are times when synthetic is better! My criteria for eco-friendly makeup brushes are ones that are made of synthetic hairs, and that are cost effective; that is ones that don't cost an arm and a leg for this budget concious grad student!

I use mineral makeup, and there is a big debate whether animal hair brushes or sythetic taklon brushes are better; a lot of ladies prefer animal hair brushes over the taklon for the mineral/powder foundation, and taklon for the eye shadow. So it was a bit difficult trying to find a taklon foundation brush that was under $20.00.

I finally found a few good choices. Aromaleigh (a mineral makeup company) recently started carrying a nice taklon brush for foundation; their 'Total Coverage Face Taklon' brush. It is only $17.55. I am thinking of getting this, as it's gotten good reviews on Aromaleigh's forum (f.y.i. their mineral makeup is mainly natural and vegetarian, but be sure to read ingredients lists as some products contain parabens, synthetics, and carmine).

For eye shadow brushes, one thing that I did, was go to my local craft store (Michael's), went to their paint section, and bought a lot of taklon paint brushes (be sure to get regular taklon and not golden taklon which in my experience generally has harder bristles). I got like 12 brushes for $6 onsale (value packs), because Michael's have weekly 40-50% coupons! I did not, however, find a brush that fitted my foundation powder needs, as the taklon open stock brush heads were not dense/big enough for me (they were out of a lot). But other Michael's and craft stores in different areas may have different selections, so some one else may have better luck than me.

Overall I think my taklon brushes work really well with my mineral eye shadows because they really grab/hold onto the color.

For those who prefer animal hair over sythetic bristles, be sure to get ones from comapnies that have attained the hairs by cruelty-free methods (so the animals don't die). Some companies I've found are Aromaleigh, Monave, and Cory Cosmetics.