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Finally! I come to you a review of the entire Rae Morris Collection Brush Set, which includes 26 brushes. The video mainly discusses the shapes and the functionality of the brushes – there is plenty of nerdy brush jargon after the jump for those who are interested 🙂

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

1 Deluxe Kabuki – Goat fibre, 40AUD

2 Mini Kabuki – Goat fibre, 30AUD

3 Ultimate Cheek Bone – Blue Squirrel fibre, 80AUD

4 Square Kabuki – Blue Squirrel fibre, 45AUD

5 Flawless Shader – Blue Squirrel fibre, 80AUD

The Rae Plate – Steel, sitting under the kabukis. You’ll need two to comfortably house the Collection Set. 35AUD

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

6 Deluxe Pro Blender – Blue Squirrel fibre, 55AUD

7 Deluxe Point Shader – Blue Squirrel fibre, 39AUD

7.5 Deluxe Round Shader – Blue Squirrel fibre, 35AUD

8 Medium Point Shader – Blue Squirrel fibre, 35AUD

8.5 Creme Shadow Shader – Synthetic fibre, 29AUD

9 Detail Point Shader – Blue Squirrel fibre, 29AUD

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

10 Deluxe Oval Shadow – Blue Squirrel fibre, 42AUD

11 Medium Oval Shadow – Blue Squirrel fibre, 39AUD

12 Lash Line Smudger – Blue Squirrel fibre, 25AUD

13 Deluxe Eyeliner – Synthetic fibre, 24AUD

14 Perfect Eyeliner – Synthetic fibre, 20AUD

15 Precision Bent Liner – Synthetic fibre, 20AUD

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

16 Brow Definer – Synthetic fibre, 20AUD

17 Mascara Applicator – Metal Comb, 20AUD

18 Brow Brush – Synthetic fibre, 25AUD

19 Lip Brush – Synthetic fibre, 24AUD

20 Concealer Brush – Synthetic fibre, 25AUD

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

21 Mineral Buffer – Blue Squirrel fibre, 55AUD

22 Pro Powder – Blue Squirrel fibre, 95AUD

23 Liquid Foundation – Synthetic and goat fibre mix, 70AUD

34 Foundation Contour – Synthetic fibre, 55AUD

25 Fan Highlighter – Synthetic fibre, 20AUD

Rae Morris Collection Brush Set Review & Pictures

27 Original Radiance Brush – Goat Fibre, 85AUD. Note that there is also a 26 Radiance Brush, from what I understand they are very similar.

The entire Collection Set retails for 999AUD, do note that USD and AUD are no longer on par. At the time of writing, 999AUD equals ~858USD.

Need to Know Details

I enquired as to whether the bristles are laser cut – they are not laser cut, fibres are arranged to construct the shape. According the Rae’s FAQ section on her site, the brushes are manufactured in China (inherently I have no problem with this, I think it’s an outdated stigma) and production of all brushes is cruelty free.

I haven’t noticed any shedding or bleeding. As with all my brushes, I wash the Rae Morris Brushes with the Beauty Blender Liquid Cleanser (I like this one because it doesn’t sud up too much) while Rae recommends alcohol – I avoid this method but use your best judgement. I dry them upside down in brush guards and they hold their shape very well.

The Rae Morris brushes can be purchased from the Rae Morris website or Love Makeup. 

Softness

Softness varies per brush. On my insanely delicate skin, the softest brushes are the Pro Powder 22 and Deluxe Round Shader 7.5. The brushes that didn’t read as soft on me are the Mineral Buffer 21 and the synthetic Creme Shadow Shader 8.5, though that might be a purposeful move to fit their function and neither are downright scratchy.

Price

Price also varies greatly, some of the eye brushes are comparable to MAC prices while the large face brushes come in a bit dearer. I think the individual prices are fair and adequately reflect the quality, the price of the full set is a jaw dropper (999AUD) but it’s 26 brushes yo.

The Good

As I said in the video, the shapes and functions of the brushes strike me as unique (even amongst my massive collection), I had quite a few ‘ah-ha!’ moments – the brushes just fit so well on faces and I’ve learnt new techniques and placements while experimenting.

The eye brushes seemed to get softer after a few washes which was a nice surprise and the magnetic feature that once irked me now works really well with my studio setup. The brushes are a good weight; if recall with her first launch of brushes, they were a little light for my liking. They’ve improved 100% since the redesign actually, don’t be deterred if the previous set didn’t tickle your fancy.

Critiques

I’m being nitpicky, but that’s my job right?

The finishing touches on a few brushes could be improved, I noticed a bit visible glue and the little Rae Morris signature on the base of the brushes is wearing away. Minor quality control issues but at this price point, you want perfection.

As a long time fan of the Ultimate Cheek Bone, I prefer the older style to the newer model; the former exhibits a stronger taper and therefore, a crisper contour (the new Flawless Shader 5 is actually closer to the old Ultimate Cheek Bone in terms of taper and density). This point is less of a critique and more of an indulgent whinge 😉

If you store your brushes flat, do note that they have to tendency to stick together at the base (nothing like the first launch but still apparent).

How do they compare to SUQQU and Chikuhodo etc?

I’m going to be candid, they’re different to many of my Japanese brushes. I inspected the Rae Morris Blue Squirrel Brushes (Pro Powder, Point Shaders) against the Grey Squirrel SUQQU and Chikuhodo counterparts and noticed that the shape seemed more refined on the Japanese brushes, the Rae Morris fibres don’t seem as carefully arranged. I don’t feel as though that affects their function nor do I think it’s a fair comparison since the SUQQU/Chikuhodo brushes are more expensive, but I thought I’d mention it because I know you will ask 😉

I also noticed that the SUQQU and Chikuhodo bristles seemed glossier than the Rae Morris, although they’re not the same fibre so perhaps a moot comparison.

The Blue Squirrel eye brushes are similar softness to the Hakuhodo Blue Squirrel models, thumbs up there. The Rae Morris Kabukis are actually softer than the Hakuhodo Goat Yachiyos.

Wayne Goss brushes are a different animal altogether, although all round I found the Rae Morris shapes to be more unique. There is no comparison between MAC and Rae Morris brushes: the fibres are much softer, the shapes far more inventive and the craftsmanship is superior.

Overall

I thought the brushes were lovely when I received them but the more I used them, the more impressed I became. Quite a few have made it into my daily must haves, namely the: Pro Powder, all three liner brushes, the Lip Brush, all three Point Shaders, Deluxe Round Shader, Fan Highlighter, Medium Oval Shadow and Flawless Shader, although I’m sure that is apparent from my recent tutorials!

I’m thrilled to have tried the entire set, in hindsight I would have overlooked some of my favourite brushes if I had chosen a handful at the counter. They’re not cheap, but overall my feelings towards the Rae Morris brushes are overwhelmingly positive (dem feels tho).

Other Resources

…that you might like to check out.

Sonia from Sweet Makeup Temptations produced an incredibly thorough review of the Rae Morris Collection Brush Set. Seriously though, hats off to her.

Chloe Morello has some interesting insight in her Youtube review of the Collection Set.

Shameless plug – if you’re new to brushes, check out my post: Why Pay More for Makeup Brushes?

Questions?

Clearly I haven’t covered it all, but I’ll stop here in the interest of keeping things short(ish) and sweet. I’m sure you have additional questions – do leave them in the comments section below! I’ll answer them all, I promise 🙂

 

NB: The Rae Morris Collection Set was provided for consideration. My job here is to be a critic and I’m especially critical where products are costly because I really value my audience! I had free reign with this review, no obligation to say positive things at all. I am not compensated for this video or blog post.

Complete list of products mentioned

Collection Brush Set
Collection Brush Set
* Denotes products sent for consideration. Iā€™m always honest with my reviews :)

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  1. This review is amazing, You answered all my questions actually, You are always a great critic and I trust Your judgement without questiong it because I know that I’m going to be more lenient than You when I buy what You reccommend haha šŸ˜€
    Kisses and congrats on Your evergrowing success from Serbia! :*

  2. I love Rae Morris as a MA and I think her makeup books are some of the best and my personal favourites – BUT I think I’ve just been let down by her brushes in the past and I think I will stay away from these. I bought a set of 10 brushes from her first launch. The set of 10 brushes was expensive in my eyes ($200 or so?) and they just weren’t as great as everyone was saying and I didn’t think their price was justified. Then, a new line is released because the old line was clearly flawed. As someone who trusted her judgement and skill as a MA – I just felt ripped off. Did anyone else feel like that? I bought a Zoeva brush set for $150 and the quality is outstanding!

    P.S thank you for your review – it’s so thorough and informative as always! xx

    1. I feel you gurl, I purchased a few of the original set and I wasn’t entirely satisfied. Very hesitant to try the new set but I’m pleased to say that the improvement is HUGE.
      Totally see where you’re coming from though, it’s a pricy experiment.
      Thanks for your comment šŸ™‚
      xx

  3. I seriously adore your comprehensive reviews, specifically on brushes. I would love to see more reviews of specific bits of this collection, how you use it and compared to other favorites in quality and function. More and more and more brush talk šŸ™‚ honestly though, I am hoping to receive some of your recommendations for Christmas and I have been very interested in these Rae Morris brushes since the redesign and I would love to know your must haves from the lineup if you had to pick a few to start with, rather than picking up the entire collection at once. xx

    1. Hey Lauren,
      So pleased that you like the thorough reviews, it’s a fine line between comprehensive and snooze worthy haha šŸ˜‰
      I actually listed my top 5 favourites towards the end of this video, you might want to rewatch that bit. It really depends on your preferences and what brushes you need in your collection though, if you give me a little more info on what you’re seeking (eye brushes, face brushes etc) then I might be able to offer suggestions.
      xx

  4. Thank you for this review! I have been coveting the Ultimate Cheekbone brush for FOREVER because of you, and now I’m torn between the new one and the shader brush :/. And yes, Christmas recommendations pls! šŸ™‚

    1. Hey Ivy šŸ™‚
      The new Flawless Shader is closer to the old Ultimate Cheek Bone, I guess it depends if you’re looking for a diffused contour or a sharper cheekbone. Both are wonderful šŸ™‚
      x

  5. Thank you Karima for this review! I have been eyeing a few of her brushes for a while and always appreciate honest and thoughtful insight from people whose opinion I trust. Also, I love the girly delicate look you are rocking here, must file under “Karima looks I must attempt to recreate when I have time” haha.

    So after seeing you use the RM Cheekbone brush in many of your videos (the one I am coveting most!) it occurred to me that, although not angled, maybe my Hakuhodo Kokutan fan brush could work in this way too. I have to admit I bought it on a whim solely based on it’s looks as a treat to myself. It actually works so well when used like the RM cheekbone brush, I am so happy to have found a good use for it and I am loving the results! So thank you for that too šŸ˜€

    1. Hey Cat šŸ™‚
      My pleasure, so glad you enjoyed the review! I’m obsessed with pale/shimmery shadows paired with tonnes of individual lashes right now šŸ™‚ I will probably do a post on it.
      Yes! All slim/flat brushes work in a similar manner for contouring. The angle on the Rae Morris Ultimate Cheek Bone is handy for beginners though.
      Awesome that you found an alternative in your existing collection though!
      x

  6. GREAT review! Recently bought the Ultimate Cheekbone and the Fan Highlighter (couldn’t resist after watching some of your vids) but I want to buy the whole brush collection now (they should sue you!). Is there any way to get some discount (I live in the Netherlands)? I agree about the baby hairs, they are cute and I find them kinda flattering. Are you wearing eyelash extensions or are those falsies? Flawless as always, Karima!

    1. Hey Lily!
      How are you liking the two brushes you purchased? The entire set now lives in my studio, everything I could possibly need šŸ™‚
      I wish I could offer a discount, maybe follow Rae Morris on her social media, that way you’ll know if she holds any sales.
      And yes, lots of individual lashes in this video!
      xx

      1. Thanks for answering! I love the brushes, never owned such a delicate brush as the Fan Highlighter, yet it does its work so precisely. Craving for more now >.<… Off topic: I'd love you to do a hairtutorial for a wedding or a elegant dinner (please consider!). xx

  7. For a while I’ve had three of Rae’s brushes on my To Buy list for next year (8, 9, 16). It may end up growing a little bit after reading, re-reading, and watching reviews of the set. Particularly interested in 23 now.

  8. Thank you for doing such a comprehensive review of the range. I’m intrigued by these brushes.

    BTW you eyeshadow looks gorgeous. May I ask what it is?

  9. YAY! I was hoping you would make this video šŸ™‚ Your brushes reviews are my absolute favorite, so thanks again! The problem here my friend, is to choose… I would get them all if money *and* space were not an issue. How do you store your brushes, by the way? I think you said drawers, which I imagine you use in your studio, but, in your vanity? I’m always hunting inventive storing ideas because there is never enough space!

    1. Hey Catalina!
      I store my brushes flat at my vanity, I have lots of drawers. I’m actually organising some custom makeup storage at my vanity (SO EXCITED) and I will store my brushes flat there also. I’m dust phobic, so I store everything in drawers.
      The only exception is my Rae Morris brushes which I store on the Rae plate in my studio, for practicality while I’m filming.
      xx

  10. can you make a video about the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders? and which one i should buy if i only want one of them as a setting powder/highlighter?

  11. Hey Karima

    Thank you for this review :). I’m just back from London and… I didn’t find any good contour brush as this ultimate cheek bones one :’/. Ok there was the ITA brush from Nars but.. we didn’t fall in love so I didn’t buy it (+ so expensive in London…). Do you have any other suggestion for contouring? I love this type of brush as it seems so easy to apply bronzer…

    Thank you!

    1. Hey Evyglok!
      I wasn’t a fan of the NARS ITA brush, I think it’s kinda scratchy. My favourite flat contour brush is the Flawless Shader by Rae Morris. I don’t often use other brushes for contouring.
      x

  12. Karima! Will you do a fake eyelash video?? I really want to get into fake eyelashes and don’t know where to start on buying.. Please, please do a video all about fake eyelashes and how to store and clean them! I just see so many shapes I don’t know which one is best for me… you always have great eyelashes.

    1. Hey Lucy,
      Interesting idea. I think a blog post on my favourite false lashes would translate that information better, since I can provide close up pictures. I shall do that soon šŸ™‚
      x

  13. Hi karima! Do you know if the 7.5: Deluxe Round Shader is the same size as the wayne goss 03 brush? Your response but be highly appreciated. Thank you šŸ™‚

  14. Hi! I was wondering; if you were to make a more in depth comparison with the Wayne Goss brushes, how much more would they differ? I was a bit surprised to know that the Rae Morris brushes are made in China because considering the price, they cost the same as Wayne Goss’ brushes which are handmade in Japan. I can’t help but feel a bit affected by that stigma of Chinese made products. I would think twice which ones to buy.

    1. Hey Alex,
      The Wayne Goss fibre has a bit more bounce and resistance, where the Rae Morris brushes are a little more fluffy. Both are soft.
      I don’t think products made in China are synonymous with poor quality but if that’s a concern, you might want to purchase a single brush from each brand to determine which you prefer.
      xx

  15. Hi I am wondering if the quality of the original set is much different from the new set? Is the quality of the original set worse? ( the one with white handle) can you do a comparison as I own the old version and thinking if I should as well get the new version thank you!!

  16. hi, great review.

    I was just wondering if you had to buy either rae morris brushes or hakuhodo brushes which would you buy?
    I am currently in this predicament. Thank you.