Harry Potter Make up Brushes (sadly the bag didn’t come with them but it’s a cute match I think!)

So something completely different from me today – make up brushes?! I apologise in advance for the photos, I’m most definitely not a beauty blogger, I just came across these and thought some other book nerds might appreciate them too.  A few months ago I came across Harry Potter make up brushes online which were super cute and tempting. They were by no particular brand which didn’t exactly fill me with confidence BUT I’m also not a huge make-up person (Nights out only really) so I don’t really need anything amazing.  I tried looking online for reviews and didn’t really find anything conclusive – some people said they were great, others said they were awful, and every set had been purchased somewhere different, so who knew which would apply?  For about £5 though, I figured they were worth a go, and today I’m sharing my thoughts! The particular seller I ordered mine from isn’t listing them anymore, but they’re back on Amazon at the minute.  Interestingly, I’ve since discovered that a while ago Storybook Cosmetics did a set that looked very similar but has been discontinued because it didn’t have the proper licensing.  I figure these are probably a knock off set of those which makes my brain hurt a little if I think about it too much.

So, in each set you get five brushes. Mine arrived wrapped in plastic, with each brush individually wrapped as well – plus points for protecting them while they travel but a negative on the envrionmentally-friendly front.  Personally, for a fiver I wouldn’t have minded if they’d been just wrapped once, and better yet wrapped in something like brown paper instead of plastic.  When I first opened them, the first thing I noticed is that they’re heavier than I expected. Some of the reviews online say they’re metal-handled but the ones I’ve got are definitely plastic, and come in a silver tone – when I bought them they came in a choice of silver, gold, gunmetal or rose gold, but most places seem to just have either the silver or gunmetal now.  I went for the silver because I was worried the gunmetal might just look dirty, and I’ll always choose silver over gold/rose gold. Despite that, they feel substantial and sturdy.  The second thing I noticed is that they’re really soft – before these worked their way into my regular make up bag I was using a mixture of ecotools and body shop brushes and these feel just as soft, not scratchy at all.  They’re quite long (longer than a standard pen for a size comparison) which I love because it gives me plenty of room – I can hold near to the brush for fiddly work, or further away for broader sweeps of colour.  Also, while the Harry Potter design is purely for the love of fandom rather than any practical use, I quite liked having something ridged to hold onto because I’m a clumsy soul.

From left to right: Harry, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione

Each brush is themed around a particular Harry Potter character, from the left I think we’ve got: Harry, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione.  Honestly, my make up knowledge basically extends to being able to tell you that they’re all eyeshadow brushes, so I’ll just talk you through what I’ve noticed & what I use them for!

To photo the product pick up, I used a Collection 2000 palette I had lying around, just because it had a variety of colours, though they’re not the best in terms of pigmentation. Otherwise though you’d probably be looking at five different shades of metallic because I’m a creature of habit and that’s what I tend to buy!  For each swatch, I used the brush to pick up product just once, dry, picking up product the same way I would for putting on makeup normally.  From left to right: Harry (purple), Voldemort (green), Ron (blue), Hermione (black), Dumbledore (bronze).

Left to right: Harry (purple), Voldemort (green), Ron (blue), Hermione (black), Dumbledore (bronze).

My favourite of the five is probably Dumbledore’s, which is just a fairly standard, dense and fluffy brush. As you can see from the pictures above (bronze) it packed in the most colour, and this is the one I tend to reach for first for an all over sweep of colour when doing my eye make up.  I find Hermione’s, which is the smaller angled brush, the most precise (black swatches), so although I don’t tend to wear eyeliner, I occasionally would use this brush wet for giving a little bit of definition.  Ron’s, the fluffier angled brush, is perfect for adding colour into the creases (blue swatches) and if I wanted to pack a lot of colour in a smaller area for a smoky eye type look, I’d add that with Harry’s (purple swatch).  Honestly, I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to use Voldemort’s wand for (green) – it’s a fluffier and less dense brush – but I tend to just use it for blending.  Alternatively if I’m going for a really subtle daytime look I might use it over Dumbledore’s, though I have to admit if I could only fit one in my make up bag, it’d be Dumbledore’s.

All in all, I have to say I’m really pleased with this set. If you’re a high-end brush fan, of course they’re not going to compare, but as a bit of a novice, and always on a budget, I think they’re great: they’re soft, they’re easy to use, they’re budget friendly and they let me add a little nerd to my make up bag. What’s not to like?