Which BLENDING TOOL is BEST? You'll be SHOCKED to know my Favourite!

[@epowell4211]

I got makeup style brushes off Ali Express, eBay, and at the dollar store, and one thing I love about the brushes is how easy they are to clean between colors: I just rub them on my PVA shammy - no drying time needed.

[@cuddlykoala5992]

I love the domed foams as well, so simple to use for a beginner :) i also like the finger daubers for smaller areas, they also have the domed foam :)

[@mpbailey18]

I swear I've tried them all and the oval makeup type brushes win overwhelmingly! Love that the manufacturers quickly picked up on crafters using their brushes and now making some with the colored handles, which is great! Certainly no need to pay more than $15 for a nice set on Amazon....they're all basically the same!

[@IngridBlackburn]

Great informative video chickie! I agree with you - domed tool by Scrapbook!! followed by the Yoseng makeup ones on amazon for me....lol :)

[@Babs-Veterans-are-Family]

I've tried the Amazon brushes as well as the ones from the dollar store. Same thing! Save money buy from the dollar store. Cleaning use makeup brush spray they dry quickly and condition the bristles. Wipe well on a paper towel. Off to the next color

[@the3blackcatsembroideryand694]

I was just looking at buying a case of them. Good to know they’re worth it.

[@eleeper26]

I mostly use the Ranger one with Ranger foams. I did the same as you and bought some different size brushes from Dollar Tree. I like them also. I use them when I want lighter coverage rather than a "heavier handed" blend.

[@2busygal]

I started with the ranger pads. They were easy to get at my lical michaels, but they curl and rip easily. I like the domed ones a lot, but convenience and price wins out with the dollar tree makeup brushes. I have one for each color group and they work fine for my needs. Plus easily replaced, although i haven't had to so far. They also have great little ones in various shapes.

[@tammihaas4299]

I have the "Amazon brushes" and they are amazing, the variety pack I bought has 6 different sizes and cost about $8.

[@bjuracek21]

I have stuck a piece of "male" velcro under my ink pads and stuck the Hobby Lobby equivalent to the Ranger ink pad replacements under the pads. ( I catch them when they are on sale) Then when I need one, I have it right there. This are handy especially when you just want to add color to an edge, you don't need to use the handle. I also have the TE brushes and I love them for larger projects. Thanking for this informational video!

[@audregaer3281]

I like both the domed sponges and Amazon brushes. Even though I’m not very experienced I can get a nice result with both of them. I especially like the tiny brushes to get into small areas on stencils.

[@sherryvogt796]

I've just started blending....I have a lot to learn....thanks for the videos!

[@PapercraftsbyCindyellen]

Frankly, I've gone back to my foam pads. I found the brushes took too long and hurt my hands over time. You're right, Justine;practice makes the most difference

[@cherylmccann6641]

I too love the Scrapbook domed foam blender tools. They blended really smoothly right from the start and I was just a beginner. They did not leave harsh edges like the flat Ranger pads. I have 5 handles and one foam pad for every color ink. I keep the pads in Darice plastic bead organizer cases (32 compartments/case) where I also store my mini ink cubes. I can fit 4 pads to a compartment. I have not tried blending brushes but would like to try the ergonomic brushes. It seems to me that the downside of brushes is that they look like you use more ink.

[@maureensparrow9988]

Hi Justine my favourite is a smoothie, they come from de bello designs or Lavinia stamping. Bit expensive as they are sold by the each if you want one for each colour, but i haven't seen anything that can compare for smoothness. Big drawback is the inky fingers, but the results are so great I dont mind. I noticed them first on youtube

[@anneslinger2189]

I bought the pickef fence brushes after trying a cheap one from a local store. There is a difference: I think they hold ink a bit better, but it really isn't that noticeable. However, I realized that I was reluctant to use them, because they were so expensive, so I bought a cheaper set, too.

[@juliehowman3912]

Mmm, most interesting. I cheat, and for a couple of quid I get 30 corks, and 50 sticky backed coin felts and create 30 blending tools with spare pads and that’s how I blend, I’ve been doing that for more than 35 years. That said, there were not so many different dry inks for blending when I started out. Wet ink blending I still do with kiddie paste sticks, they are soft enough to mix and then spread the ink evenly and are easy to clean off. Interesting video though

[@kimberlymiller6892]

Thanks for this info. I am budget-conscious in my craft room and appreciate your analysis. I use some make-up style brushes from Amazon and am pretty happy with them. I have a set for regular oxides and distress oxides.

[@carolinebredeson4198]

Very helpful and unbiased comparison. Thanks Justine. I hadnèt thought about just buying the domed pads for my Ranger brushes, but that's a brilliant compromise!

[@jeanannmoale7295]

Hi Justine, Thank you for your comparison. It's nice to see all the options available. Have a great week. 🌻

[@michellemybelle22]

The paper makes a huge difference for blending and stamping

[@dayleigh01]

Love the ergo brushes and tailored expressions but I also still use the scrapbook.com dome ones more than the others, I use the ranger ones a lot too, mostly with my oxides as I find if I use oxides on the handled brushes they are harder to clean :)

[@WendieMorgan]

I bought several sets from Amazon. I have one set for each color family and, yeah, they’re amazing!

[@iDonna]

Wendie, if you don’t mind, would you give more details... how many brushes, which color families, and was it the cheaper Amazon brushes comparable to the Life Changing brushes? Thank you!

[@WendieMorgan]

@@iDonna Hi, there. Let’s see if I can answer some of these: I do NOT have the PFLCBs. My strategy was to buy a cheap brush on Amazon and try it out, to see what results I got. I bought the Yoseng Oval Large brush and it was somewhere in the five-dollar range. I find them to work great; I get a smooth blend and no bristles fall out. I have one for each of the following categories: white, black, reds and pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, beiges and browns and, finally, violets and purples. I put a colored piece of washi tape on each handle indicates the color family.

[@WendieMorgan]

@@iDonna also, yoseng is selling an actual set of crafting brushes now. They look JUST like the Taylored Expressions set. I ordered them.

[@iDonna]

Wendi, thanks for the brush info! I’m going to buy the Yosef brush set. Those expensive brushes would be a life changing event for me... I wouldn’t have any money. ;)

[@justclaycrochet]

I got the coloured blending brushes and the dark handled ones from Amazon and I really like them, they were very affordable. I do like the blending tools aswell and I use then for different inks.

[@JoanOrloffDK]

Great informative video 🥰 I don't do a lot of ink blending, but I have the Taylor expression set so I don't have to clean them lol ❤ thanks for sharing and happy crafting Hugs xx

[@buntybunny]

I use make up sponges, I find they work well and cost pennies.

[@marrlenepressley7146]

Great information about the blending tools

[@melissabecht5642]

Thank you so much for the info. I have the blended with the flat sponge but not the domed. I’ll have to try those! I also get good results with the make-up brushes. I really like them and they were very affordable.

[@shellyp8731]

So helpful! Thanks, Justine! I haven’t purchased any of the ergonomic blending brushes yet, due to the price. I’ve found that I’m pretty successful blending when I use Bristol paper for die inks or if I blend with Distress oxides. And, as you say, practice always helps! 🤗🎈🌈

[@patpresley9831]

I like the blending brushes but I like different blending tools for different projects

[@JeanneJordanexteach]

Thanks, Justine. I've been wanting to try the domed ones, so now I might! Besides Tim's, I bought brushes from Amazon. They're fine.

[@camcas727]

Excellent video - so useful

[@elizabethnovak4951]

Great review video! Thanks for doing the legwork for us.

[@candyclouston1412]

My favorite varies depending on what I'm doing. Foam tends to deposit more ink, but brushes are nice for softer blends. I have and use the Tim Holtz lipstick-case brushes for more rustic looks, am switching from his foam to the dome foam, use the cheap Amazon brushes (I have 60 with sets of 10 for each color family) because I like the variety of sizes, am starting to collect the Amazon version of the ergonomic brushes for those big jobs. The only ones I wish I hadn't bought were the big, long-handled brushes, which I rarely use and then only the smallest of the set. With blending being so easy, I've put my e-brush (air brush using markers) away for the time being, though I might want its more granular look some time in the future.

[@tami1796]

Thank you for sharing your videos

[@Amywazwaz06]

As much as I love Taylored Expressions. Amazon does now have small one inch or so sized brushes in rainbow colors. I have two sets of five. Each was about $11 a set. I also very similar looking ergonomically brushes like Altenew on Aliepress for about $3 or little less each one. I did buy four sets of the mini brushes from Altenew to still support them. But I couldn’t afford 13 of the bigger ones thru them.

[@justinehovey]

Yeah that’s why I said that there are others available cheaper. I just used the ones I had. As far as the ergo brushes go, there is a difference between the Altenew and pink and main. So I’m curious if the ones you bought lose hair often or not.

[@Amywazwaz06]

@@justinehovey I have not had the time to play with them since I got them. We opened up two new retail stores and doubled the size of another with construction all since February of this year. So while most people have been staying home and had more time to craft, this has instead been the busiest year of my life. I got the white bristle brushes. I did see the yellow colored ones foe sale as well but I did not want them like that. I can definitely pay attention and report back when I do start using them if they start to shed or not.

[@ardyth]

Great overview of the tools! I am loving the Altenew blending tools right now!

[@justajunkinwithgrandmamose5279]

Do you have a video for paper choices? I think that is my problem😢

[@bethjeans3780]

The ergonomic brushes are not ergonomic for me. Both hand positions are painful. The Ranger or Scrapbook.com handles are more comfortable. One grip does not fit all. :D The only thing I don’t like about the scrapbook.com pads is they sound/seem a bit scratchy on the paper since they’re harder than Ranger pads. There’s a little trick for removing Ranger pads without ripping - it can be seen on blogger videos where the thumb is on the velcro a bit. Hard to explain.

[@Louisianagirl_1126]

Thank you Justine for this informative video. You did a great job. Take care and stay safe. ~Barbara

[@ritaharris2372]

Our hobby shops don't carry the scrapbook refill domes. I keep looking.

[@justinehovey]

They are exclusive to SBC but Ranger just came out with some.

[@kitzymelodie]

Amazon color coded brushes are wonderful

[@cheryljackson2493]

Thank you, Justine. Something that I am confused by is, I have the blending brushes, how many do I need? I get that one for a colour family is good, but how many do I need for distress, oxides, Catherine Pooler, Memento.....does each line need their own brush?

[@justinehovey]

I have two sets of ink. And I do have a domed foam for each colour. But if I’m using brushes, I have one pink one blue etc. I don’t bother with a brush per colour. That’s crazy. If I’m working between a dye ink and oxide ink I’ll just rub it on a sheet of paper until no ink comes off and continue on my way. Never had an issue

[@heatherupton820]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. Do you think that the ink you use makes any difference?

[@dorasanchez5075]

Thank you Justine. Everytime I try to blend and don't do so good. I have a heavy hand so I have to practice a lot. This review will help ne.

[@debbiel890]

I have TH ,Scrapbook domed ,PF , cheap amazon makeup and Clarity and a cheaper version brushes - think I may have a buying problem ,TBH I think they all good but I agree scrapbook domed are great but do like the PF or makeup brushes - which I go to most often these days .

[@dudelessranch802]

I just bought some ergonomic altenew brushes. Eager to try them. 😍

[@stefaniestaniak4329]

Great review, thank you.

[@fionnawheatley9095]

Hi ! I actually have amazon and picket fence...I think picket fence is better quality. I reach for them more often..

[@karenskillender6684]

I have used Bristol smooth paper and found it to work really well. You mentioned it, did you use that on what you did in this video? Thanks for all the information.

[@justinehovey]

Yes I did

[@christinewalsh7824]

Great video. Thanks for sharing this information.

[@karamcdonald9817]

any idea where you got that herringbone stencil?

[@justinehovey]

Scrapbook.com :)

[@susandzama3000]

Wrap the black brushes on the handle with washing tape in the colors like blue tape for blue inks.i also ended hitting up my daughter's nail polish for colors and put a dot on the handle . Really like scrapbook.com foam is my favorite but I am too heavy handed to use them on a stencil as that damages the foam. Ths

[@yvonnetucker1416]

thank you

[@michelegourd5742]

Very helpful!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@Babs-Veterans-are-Family]

Altenew, Pink and Main same brush as a flat kabuki or foundation brush. 5.99 to 8.99 on Amazon

[@pattieduffy4992]

Another Great tutorial ! Thank you.

[@leeconradi8918]

I lile tonics handles woth foam pads

[@bucsr.6106]

Im too heavy handed for foam. Amazon brushes are cheap and works great for me.

[@BeverlyLeeCreates]

Great information!

[@bonnerdebbie]

Thank you.

[@glennistrotman8421]

Great video thanks

[@ritatharp5238]

Thanks for sharing. 🌹

[@denisejohnston6243]

bought my brushes at dollar general....

[@dianehunter3034]

My favorites are the Taylored Exprssion brushes. I like that they are color coded. I got one of the ergonomic bushes from Amazon recently and I really like it and want more.

[@thejenbar]

Does anyone know if the domed sponges are available in Europe?

[@justinehovey]

They are exclusive to scrapbook com in the USA. They ship to Europe

[@dianebolton1467]

just a FYI, KZbin is no longer sending out notifications, no matter what you choose with thr "bell".

[@justinehovey]

They aren’t sending out emails anymore. Notifications are in the app or notifications section of your browser

[@Ninjamom4]

❤️❤️❤️

[@hollylowery26]

Great video thanks 😊