Brush Comparison: Suqqu Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss 02, Surratt Cheek Brush
While the Suqqu Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss 02 and Surratt Cheek Brush aren't identical, I think they are similar enough to compare.
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L to R:
Suqqu Cheek Brush, $130 (approximate @ 10/7/2015 exchange rate) - gray squirrel
Wayne Goss 02 Brush, $35 - blue squirrel
Surratt Cheek Brush, $115 - grey/blue squirrel
I'm not 100% sure on the hairs, since I can't find the info on any of the companys' sites or descriptions. But the listed hairs seem to be the general consensus on various reviews and blog posts. I've also read that the Wayne Goss 13 Brush is close in size to these 3, but I don't have that one to compare. I do have some Hakuhodo brushes that are similar in size, but they are goat hair so I didn't want to include them because I don't consider them in the same 'softness' category.
Also, the Wayne Goss 02 is dyed black. For as many times as I've washed it, the dye still comes off on towels when I'm getting water out of it before properly drying.
L to R: Suqqu Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss 02, Surratt Cheek Brush
Visually I think the Surratt is the prettiest, with its multi-colored shimmer handle and just visible logo. The other 2 handles are solid black with logos. The Wayne Goss logo started to wear off pretty quickly, and I only use it sporadically. The Surratt ferrule seems to dent and scratch quite easily, so be careful if you want it to remain pristine.
L to R: Suqqu Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss 02, Surratt Cheek Brush
They are of very similar sizes and shapes, with the Wayne Goss 02 having the most tapered head. These are all smaller brushes that can be used for highlight, contour, cheeks, bronzer, strategically placed powder...I even use them to apply an allover wash of MLBB (my lids but better!) shadow from lash line to brows.
All 3 brushes are VERY soft. But I think the Suqqu Cheek Brush is the softest, followed by the Surratt and then the Wayne Goss.
The Surratt is the most dense and has the biggest head of the 3. The Wayne Goss 02 is middle of the road dense of the 3, though I wouldn't say Surratt or the WG is actually all that dense in the grand scheme of blush brushes. The Wayne Goss 02 is the most stiff brush of the bunch, and is a little harder to do circular motions as in the video below.
The Suqqu Cheek Brush is the least dense of the bunch and has the most give, and I'd almost venture to call it a little floppy. This is not the brush to use if you are in a hurry, and it's harder to build up color than with the WG and Surratt. You can build up color, it's just going to take longer and the color will still be more subtle than if you use either of the other 2 brushes or a traditional cheek brush, like say, the Tom Ford Cheek Brush. It took me a really long time to figure out how to use this brush, and given the elbow grease required it's actually my least used of the 3.
It wasn't until I saw one of Lisa Eldridge's videos that I had my AH HA moment with the Suqqu Cheek Brush (the video also illustrates how big/small the brush is compared to other brushes she uses):
The video should start at 12:18, so start there to just see her use the Suqqu Cheek Brush. Not sure if this is the exact video I saw, but it illustrates the technique nonetheless. But see how she kind of pushes the head of the brush against her cheeks in an almost perpendicular fashion (so that the hairs are splayed in a circular shape) and does little circular motions? I had been trying to use it by using a patting then sweeping motion, as I had always done. Always learning new things!!!
L to R: Surratt Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss 02, Suqqu Cheek Brush (sorry, the order is reversed in this pic)
Pic above shows a size comparison. Also note how much the Suqqu Cheek Brush on the far right flattens so much when on a flat surface compared to the other 2, and also how wispy the hairs are around the edges - illustrates how it's the least densely packed of the lot.
An alternate view to show size.
Given that the Surratt Cheek Brush is a little bigger and more densely packed, it's my favorite and most used of the 3 brushes - it gets the job done the quickest yet still handles highly pigmented products beautifully. It builds up color nicely, or I can lay down a faint dusting of whatever product.
To recap:
Suqqu Cheek Brush - Softest and least dense. Great for highly pigmented products, applying light dusting of product and strategically placed powder. Takes the most elbow grease and time.
Wayne Goss 02 - Soft, but 3rd place out of the 3 for softness. 2nd place for density. Slightly tapered head with bristles that are a touch stiff (at least compared to the other 2). Shape makes it great for contour and strategic powder and highlight placement. Definitely can use it for blush, but I have such a large cheek area and prefer the Suqqu or Surratt because they don't have the tapered head and can blend over a larger area more easily.
Surrat Cheek Brush - 2nd softest and the most dense with the biggest brush head. Most versatile brush that can be used for pretty much any powder product - powder, highlight, blush, bronzer, contour.
All 3 I do use for MLBB washes of shadow from lash line to brow, but I don't think that's a very common thing (esp. for that large an eye area) so I didn't include it in the recap. And of course, you can use all 3 to do whatever you choose. The things I listed are just what I prefer to use them for :-)
Overall it's really hard to say which brush is the best. That all depends on your needs and preferences!
Do you have any of these brushes? How do you like them?