When in Manila, Filipina beauty may be evident but what truly shines is the courage of local talent. Sophie Uy, owner of online boutique Beauty and Minerals and curator of Charm Makeup Brushes is a shining example of what talent and hard work rewards the passionate. In 2012, Charm bagged the “Best Makeup Brushes!” award from Cosmopolitan Philippines.Â
To celebrate its fifth year as a leading contender in the local beauty industry, Charm released the Travel Pro SONIA Makeup Brush Set, a limited edition, 14-piece set that comes in luxurious gold ferrules. Housed in a leatherette leopard-print case, this set exudes elegance and luxury.
The travel set contains the following brushes: Stippling Brush, Foundation Brush, Powder Brush, Angled Blush Brush, Concealer Brush, Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Brush, Pencil Point Brush, Angled Eyeshadow Brush, Flat Liner Brush, Bent Eyeliner BRush, Eyebrow Defining Brush, Brow Spooilie, and Precise Lip Brush.
What I Love: the brushes are well-packaged. Each brush is wrapped in a clear plastic to protect the handles from scratches and comes with respective brush guards to maintain its shape. The brushes are manufactured with a combination of natural and synthetic bristles, leaving them extremely soft yet firm enough for flawless application. The variety of brushes is perfect for personal use, and the compact set makes it convenient for travel (hence the name). Compared to purchasing individual brushes from industry brands like MAC or Bobbi Brown (where prices range from P1,000-P2,000 per piece), this full set is a steal at P2,750.
What I Dislike: for those who are used to full-sized, long-handled brushes, this may take some getting used to as the handles are significantly shorter. Aside from that, I have no qualms over this set as I find that it does its job very well.
What’s special about this limited edition set is the story behind its production as a testament to the love and support of Sophie’s mother. “Sonia is my mom’s name,” Sophie says. “There were a lot of challenges as it is in any business but my mom never failed to support every step of the way.”
Gone are the days when makeup enthusiasts would have to spend thousands of bucks on big brands for a couple of brushes. When in Manila, invest in a quality, local set and support Filipina talent.
Photography by:
Carlo Samaniego
Shop: Charm Makeup Brushes
https://www.beautyandminerals.com
https://www.facebook.com/BeautyandMinerals
