Sonia Kashuk No 4
Over the last two years years I’ve given my F80 quite the workout. It’s on its last legs, and could use replacing. I planned to. Then, Target offered 25% off all beauty products; I struck out and bought the Sonia Kashuk No 4 Synthetic Flat Top Brush (reg $16), which is widely suggested to be a dupe for the F80. I had my eye on it for a while, but with no reason to buy, I refrained.
Ergonomics
The No 4 features the same weird, ergonomic handle that many of the, “nicer,” SK brushes do. For some, that’s great – but unfortunately, this brush was awkward for my to hold and felt very unnatural. My hands are somewhat small, so your mileage may vary with the handle. I’m sure some people would find it comfortable to hold.
Bristles
This is the crucial part. So as you can see below, the bristles are different lengths (pardon the smudged eyeliner on my index finger)…
This isn’t a bad thing per se. Depending on the type of bristles and the rigidity with which they were bound, the length could be irrelevant. Here, however, it is not. Because more of the length is exposed, the bristles flex more during application. This impacts buffing and can, at worst, lead to streaks; at best, your application could take longer as you work to even out the product.
Like the Sigma F80, Sonia Kashuk No 4’s bristles are all synthetic (read: cruelty free). That said, there is a marked difference in texture. Compared to the F80’s Sigmax bristles, the Sonia Kashuk No 4 feels rough. It is not rough and does not irritate my skin; its bristles just seem so when compared with something softer.
The Bottom Line
No, I do not think Sonia Kashuk No 4 is a close enough to be considered a dupe for the Sigma F80. It is a similarly-styled brush, and secured on sale it could be a suitable alternative for someone exploring the concept of flat-top buffers. That said, I do not recommend it – there are other brushes at lower price points better-suited to exploration. Coastal Scents‘ Elite Flat Buffer (product number BR-B-S30), which also comes in their Elite Set, is a steal at $8 – and it is awesome for the price.
Ultimately, I returned it – even at 25% off, it was not worth it (to me) to keep. I rarely return beauty products, but I also don’t tend to spend money on things I expect to disappoint me. Frankly, I expected this brush to be better and was let down. Fortunately, just a couple days later, Sigma offered 25% off and free shipping on Black Friday – so I picked up a trusty new F80 for $18.