Too Faced Cosmetics’ Retractable Bronze-Buki Brush

I’m an animal lover, which means I’m always on the hunt for beauty products and companies that don’t test on, harm, or kill animals. A few years ago, I was horrified to find out that many makeup brushes contain squirrel, horse, mink, sable, and goat hair. In an effort to start making more environmentally and animal-friendly decisions, I tried the Retractable Bronze-buki Bush made by Too Faced Cosmetics. The brush is made out of their famous “Teddy Bear Hair,” which is a synthetic hair that is said to feel just as soft and natural as real animal hair.

The first thing that I noticed was the gorgeous box, brush handle, and lid. Too Faced is known for their feminine and flirty packaging, and the metallic pink and black vintage designs did not disappoint.  The brush is lightweight and closes easily without crimping the bristles, which makes it perfect for travel.

Blame it on marketing, but no matter what websites I shop at online, I’m used to receiving an item that is not exactly what I expected. From my past experiences, the item is often much smaller, not as nice, looks slightly different etc. At 4′ tall, the Buki Brush was bigger than I expected, and the bristles are nothing like a typical synthetic brush. They are incredibly soft and don’t have that sharp, plastic feel to them that is often associated with alternative makeup brushes. The longer bristles have a slight crimp, which helps pick up the product without making a mess; the shorter bristles buff and apply a light layer of powder/bronzer evenly to the skin.

It creates an extremely natural look, so if you’re used to a brush that cakes on your makeup, this will take a bit of getting used to. After using it for a couples weeks, I haven’t noticed any bristles shedding or any signs of wear.

I don’t normally purchase retractable brushes because I usually find the handle too short, which makes them awkward to use.   The Too Faced Buki has a long handle (for a retractable brush), which makes it feel full sized. I quickly realized the benefit of a retractable brush, when I was able to put on the cap on and throw it in my makeup back without worrying about creating a mess.

This brush is a perfect example of an affordable, stylish, and high quality brush that can be used instead of cruel traditional makeup brushes. In the past, synthetic brushes felt like you were applying your makeup with a wide tooth comb; thanks to the Too Faced Bronze-buki brush, there’s no excuse to use a squirrel to apply your pressed powder anymore. I would much rather see an animal in the wild than stored in my makeup bag anyway.

Bronze-buki Brush c/o Too Faced Cosmetics -$34.