Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush 02

Friday, November 24, 2017

So I was on a bit of a makeup brush bender this past fall. The brush stash gained about 25 new members and one variety of brush that I kept buying was foundation brushes. I kept hunting for that perfect one, a brush that I'd want to use every day. The one purchase I spent a fair amount of time mulling over was the Tom Ford 02 Cream Foundation Brush.

It's just as soft as my 06 Cheek, and given the function, the curvature of the bristles is even more pleasing. Super soft & super fine white goat hairs packed to a very pleasing density.

I've been using this with both liquid and cream foundations. While the brush absorbs more when I use it with liquid, loose hairs don't come out as easily as when I use it for cream. It washes like a dream, squeaky clean with the mildest of cleansers.

It blows my Chikuhodo GSN-05 Cream Foundation (left) out of the water. The two may have similar shapes, densities, and purpose but the difference in goat hair quality is so great that it feels like an unfair comparison. Chikuhodo G-10 (right) is closer in softness though not uniformity and leaves a streakier finish in comparison to the Tom Ford Foundation Brush.

Here's the thing: my 02 brush sheds constantly. I'm not talking some initial shedding after the first few washes or right out of the package. I've used this brush for a while and washed it about a dozen times. On average, while I'm using this brush, 3-4 hairs will fall out per use. It's pretty annoying actually, because the thin soft hairs stick to your fresh application of foundation and you'll ruin your finish trying to pick the soft thin hairs off of your face. One time ten hairs came loose into my foundation, I just about chucked this brush into the bin. (Only not really, it's one of the pricier tools I've purchased, I could never.)

I really love using this brush, but I'm also unhappy about the shedding. The loose hairs put a dent in my enjoyment for sure, and it leaves me apprehensive - just how many hairs will this brush lose? I find myself reaching for other brushes, passing this one over because I'm worried about losing more hairs. I've heard from others who own this brush that they don't have this same issue, but it seems like recent Sephora (where I ordered mine) reviews on this blush are in agreement with my experience. Perhaps a bad batch, if Tom Ford could be accused of such a thing.

Cost: $73 at many department and beauty stores including Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus.

If it held onto its hairs the way my 06 Cheek brush did I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to high end brush lovers. Sadly this is not the case, and I would not want for you to repeat my experience.

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