Base One

I felt compelled to write a review for this brush after seeing the low rating it's been getting! I have loved this brush since I got it a few months ago, so wanted to share some love!

First off, I think Beautylish is misrepresenting this brush by stating in the tag line it's a foundation brush—the original iteration of this brush WAS mainly designed to be used with foundation, but this second version is primarily designed for cream blush/bronzer application.

I use this brush mainly for cream blush/bronzer. I also use it with very lightweight and sheerly layered liquid foundations. The synthetic bristles are very soft and flexible, so if you use this brush with thicker foundations, this brush doesn't have the strength to spread those across the skin properly. With light layers of concealer or foundation, this buffs the product into the skin beautifully. It takes a little more buffing then I am used to with other brushes, but the extra work gives an airbrushed finish. If you're someone that ONLY wants sheer foundation/concealer application, this brush has a better chance of working for you. If you like medium coverage or more, this probably isn't the brush for you.

This brush sheers down cheek colors and allows you to build pigmentation in light, thin layers. This is great if you feel like you tend to overestimate how much product you need, which I tend to do with concealer/foundation and blush. Or, if you just like a very natural application of cream/liquid products, I think this brush is absolutely worth considering.

The bundling of the brush has a dense base of shorter goat hair with longer nylon bristles that are very soft, very fine, and flexible. I was really impressed with the softness—I have the Wayne Goss Anniversary 2 foundation brush, and this one from Sonia G is much softer despite also being a duo-fiber design.

The nylon hairs are bundled like a traditional stippling brush, so less dense and wispy at the tips, but the dense bundling of the goat hair bristles provides a bit of structure and mild strength when blending. Since the longer hairs are more sparsely bundled and are so flexible, it can take more time to blend products that you apply to the face first, then blend with the brush. For this reason, I tend to tap the brush into my cream products first, then stipple and buff the product onto my skin. This allows me to get sheer washes of color that look natural and seamless.

My favorite use for this brush is for cream bronzer and cream blush. I no longer have the dilemma of underblending, then overblending, then reapplying my cheek colors only to find I've overapplied my cheek color. I've also found that this brush prevents patchiness. An example: the Fenty cream cheek blushes and bronzers, on me, tend to apply patchy, but since using this brush, I haven't had any blending issues.

Overall I love this brush. I have other brushes from her Sky (Face and Eye), Pro (Face and Eye), and Fundamental series, but this is the first Sonia G brush that's significantly changed how my makeup applies, and I now understand the hype.

I hope this review helps you decide if this brush is the right one for you!

I haven't been using any sponges since I received this brush. I don't feel like using animal hair brush for foundation especially liquid foundation initially, but I saw in description that this brush mixes goat hair and nylon, I think Sonia G will show me the magic and she did!!!This brush is extremely soft and precise in the top, it's softer than any synthetic hair I've ever seen. And it can not only replace sponges but also fingers. And I think the precision it offers is better than usual sponges' pores. It absorbs liquid foundation evenly and give out products evenly in a very thin layer. It applies foundation super fast as any other Sonia G brushes do regarding efficiency. And the size is also fits undereye and eyelids. Products that I haven't been using since purchased like Kat Von D lock-it foundation and Charlotte Tilbury liquid highlighter, Base One saved them!!! It's really a game-changing brush. In addtion, I don't know the technique but this brush weirdly dries out quickly, faster than usual dense synthetic foudantion brush (I own a Mac 170).

I was never one to use sponges, so I went from fingers to brushes. This one is my favorite. It is so soft and doesn’t feel scratchy like the koyudo fu-pa. Blends in my foundation without leaving streaks either. I’m never turning back.

I love Sonia G and I am obsessed with what she created but that brush was not it for me. It does not blend well, it gives streaky results, it is small, and overall not convenient to apply your base. I own many foundation brushes that are by far much greater. I tried it a few times as I really wanted it to work and could not accept she would create something that was not outstanding but I finally gave up and decided to return it because I knew I would simply not use it.

I’ve waited many many months for this to be restocked. So when I finally got it recently (the newer one) of course I couldn’t wait to use it (did not even wash it)! Maybe I am using it wrong? It applies my foundation streaky. I’ve tried washing it a few times, tried using it with a few different types of foundation (from creamy to matte to lightweight etc) but I just can’t get it right. That aside, it’s really soft and a very beautiful brush. Handle size and weight is right. Just need to figure out how to use it correctly. I truly love all my Sonia G brushes and they’ve all performed beyond 5 stars. Sorry to give this one 3 stars and not 5.

I am a Fude junkie with a massive collection of brushes from all brands. Sonia G brushes are some of my favorites. I have every brush she’s released since launch including the original Base One and enjoy them all. Original Base One on the left in photo, new Base One on the right. The original Base One is amazing. It is easy to use, doesn’t leave streaks, no shedding and easily cleaned. I’ve had it for years and it still looks new. That being said I was totally disappointed in this brush. It’s shorter than the original and has a smaller head on it. I don’t know the ratio of goat to synthetic in either brush but the newer one is like 90% synthetic. It also leaves a streaky mess behind. It also gets caked with products quickly making it unusable more than once without needing a wash. This is the first Sonia G brush I regret buying and would not recommend for foundation at all. I gave it 2 stars only because it’s beautiful and works decently with cream blush. I debated on returning it but decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. Bottom line: not worth the buy IMO. Totally not the same as the original.

I ordered this brush relying on the very good reputation of Sonia G. This brush does not perform as expected with either liquid or cream foundations. Keeps feeling dry on the skin and does not blend. And stresses all fines lines and texture. Not a good brush. At all. Shame for this price and for a Sonia G. brush

I like Sonia G brushes, but not this one. It shed quite a bit when I first tried it, and it also gave me foundation streak... Hmm, it did not happen with my other brushes. I thought maybe it is the first use or I apply wrong foundation. I tried two more times, and this brush even shed more. It makes me so upset, I gave up and will never use this brush again!!!

I wonder why some people do not like it.

I suspect they put too much product on the face.

Handle is too thick and too long. I prefer the pro handle on big brushes.

I used to use my kevyn aucoin foundation brush and thought it was the best. Then I replaced that with my wayne goss anniversary 2 foundation brush and that was my favorite. Then I got this one and this one takes the cake! It is superior. I still love my wayne goss anniversary 2 foundation brush and use it still, but this one edges it out slightly more because one it is softer, and two it never leaves streaks like sometimes my wayne goss one does. The WG is just a little harder to use I have to spend a little more time buffing in my makeup than with the sonia g. It always gives me a beautiful natural but airbrushed flawless face. It's ultra soft on my sensitive skin, and it's easy to use. Worth every penny!!!