Paula Dorf Sheer Crease Brush

Paula Dorf Sheer Crease Brush has that elusive Goldilocks syndrome: not too big, not too small, not too dense, not too floppy... It's just right. Like all Paula Dorf brushes, the handle is shorter than most full sized ones, but it's thick and sturdy enough to feel very balanced and not make me miss the bigger power tools. It does an excellent job defining and shading the crease and just above, fits perfectly in the socket and feel soft and luxurious. The brush is dense enough to pick the right amount of color and deposit it exactly where you need it. It's fluffy but not floppy, so there are no accidental smudges or harsh lines. I especially love it for a neutral and light look with an understated but defined creased- it sheers the color to perfection.

Compared to other brushes with a similar purpose or shape, the Paula Dorf falls right in the middle size-wise. It's denser than Laura Mercier Pony Tail and picks more color. I have the short handle version, so not sure if the full size one is different. Chanel #12 is the closest on in size and performance, though it's a tiny bit larger and less pointed so I prefer it for blending and working on larger areas. It also not as soft as Paula's. NARS #12 is considerably smaller and more suitable for very precise work, while the Shu and Edward Bess are here mostly for size comparison. While Edward uses his eye brush for everything, including defining the crease, for me it's my favorite blending brush. Nothing come close in this regard but less so as a crease brush. Shu Uemura 8HR is more of a brush for all seasons but is far less dense and works better for more intense colors.

Bottom Line: an essential.

Paula Dorf Sheer Crease Brush ($30) is available from dermstore and pauladorf.com.

All photos taken by me.