AliceintheRabbitHole, the channel Alice Specht built around honest skincare takes, has put more than 10 tools through their paces. Most earned her approval, a handful got a mixed reaction, and a small number she skipped. Two stood out enough to earn her named winners: Cinema Secrets Brush Bath and Sephora Collection 99 Blush Brush.
What does AliceintheRabbitHole recommend in tools?
Brushes are where she really shines, and the BK Beauty lineup keeps coming up. She called the BK Beauty N14 Highlighting Brush possibly her favourite, praising how something that small could do so much for under-eye powder and highlighter. The Sephora Collection 99 Blush Brush is her favourite blush brush, full stop. On sponges, she finds the Beautyblender Original so durable she has to remind herself to replace it, which she treats as a compliment. The Beautyblender Biopure Sponge also won her over, especially the powder side for under-eye work. For brush cleaning, she reaches for Cinema Secrets Brush Bath for a quick refresh. The thread running through all of it is precision and longevity. She responds to tools that do one thing extremely well and hold up over time.
In her words
"I'm so happy with the brushes I bought, they're perfect. This one in particular, the Nikki Lose in 14, I feel like this might be my favorite. It's such a tiny little brush but it's absolutely perfect for under-eye powder application and highlighter application, I've never had a brush that is this small and yet does this much."
"The 99 is my favorite blush brush."
"The problem with the beauty blender is actually what makes it so great. Look at this. It looks brand new. I know I have been using this since before I got sick. My complaint with these, ironically, is I have to remember to move on to a new one."
"Brush Bath is nice for really quickly cleaning your brushes, my personal favorite is Cinema Secrets."
"I got a Kitsch Satin Pillowcase for 75% off and it's really good. I didn't know what to expect for more affordable satin, but this Kitsch brand did a very good job on those."
"I have the Biopure Sponge, and this is nice for right under the eye for powder application. You can flip it over for a beauty blender type experience, it's not quite the same, but the powder side is the winner if you ask me, and you can put your finger in it for greater control. I do like it, and I find it a lot better than the Real Techniques version."
How many tools has AliceintheRabbitHole reviewed?
AliceintheRabbitHole has reviewed 19 tools, for an approval rate of 68%. 13 approved, 2 mixed, and 4 skipped.
What has AliceintheRabbitHole skipped in tools?
She skipped the multi-function devices, and she was direct about why. The Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand she would not buy. Her view is that LED therapy works best from a full mask with the right output and wavelengths, not from moving a small light across your face. The Beauty Bio GloPro Facial Microneedling Tool she cannot recommend after hers snapped and she saw similar reports from others. She also notes she does not really recommend derma rollers in the first place. The Dermaflash Dermaplaning Tool left her skin irritated for a week, and she is clear that her dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin made it a poor fit for her specifically. She was kind enough to say her partner uses it happily all the time, so it is a skip for her skin type rather than a verdict on the tool for everyone. The BK Beauty Essential Collection Face Brush Set she also skipped, simply because the brushes were too big for how she works.
"One thing to avoid this week is the [...] facial microneedling tool. I bought that one from Beauty Bio and it snapped, which made it unusable. Unfortunately I saw quite a few reviews saying something similar, so I cannot recommend that, not that I really recommend derma rollers in the first place."
"My honest opinion is that I would not buy this device. I just think it's trying to do a little too much in one device. It's got LED therapy, which I do believe in, but I believe in using a full mask on your face with the right output and the right programming delivering the correct wavelengths. This just seems like moving LED lights across your face, which feels a little too unpredictable to me. It also has galvanic current in it, I'm not sure why."
"They sent me the BK Beauty Essential Collection Face Brush Set, but I don't really use these because they're too big. [...] Four big brushes, and I hardly ever use them."
"I have used this a total of one time, and the one time I used it my skin was a wreck for at least a week afterward. My skin type is dry, acne prone, and a bit sensitive, and that sensitive part makes something like this not at all ideal for me. This is hard on my skin, so of course after I used it my skin was irritated. [...] My partner actually quite likes it and uses it all the time, so what works for one person may not work for another."
What should you take from AliceintheRabbitHole's picks?
If you are building a brush kit and want to know which pieces are worth it, AliceintheRabbitHole's record on tools is a practical shortlist. She approves most of what she reviews, names her favourites clearly, and when she skips something she tells you exactly why and who it might still suit.
Watch AliceintheRabbitHole say it
Every verdict here comes from a video. These are the moments themselves, each one jumping straight to the bit about that product.
- Cinema Secrets Brush BathNamed a winnerWatch at 6:42
- Sephora Collection 99 Blush BrushNamed a winnerWatch at 21:02
- Beauty Bio GloPro Facial Microneedling ToolSkipped itWatch at 26:36
- Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare WandSkipped itWatch at 14:51
- BK Beauty Essential Collection Face Brush SetSkipped itWatch at 23:18
- Dermaflash Dermaplaning ToolSkipped itWatch at 3:11
- BK Beauty N14 Highlighting BrushRated itWatch at 17:21
- Beautyblender OriginalRated itWatch at 24:30
- Kitsch Satin PillowcaseRated itWatch at 32:28
- Beautyblender Biopure SpongeRated itWatch at 13:09
- Sephora Collection Foundation Brush Number 64Rated itWatch at 21:08
- Slip Silk PillowcaseRated itWatch at 41:42
- Flower Knows Midsummer Fairy Tales Blush BrushRated itWatch at 11:49
- BK Beauty A506 Cat's Paw Concealer BrushRated itWatch at 31:12
- Tangle Teezer Complete Care Brush CollectionRated itWatch at 43:43
- Live Tinted Hue Stick Click CC Brightening WandRated itWatch at 10:46
- BK Beauty Brush Set for Hooded and Smaller EyesRated itWatch at 40:49
About this expert
See everything AliceintheRabbitHole has reviewed
Related guides
This guide reflects what AliceintheRabbitHole said across her videos about 19 products in tools, aggregated by The Guru Index. Sponsored takes are excluded. The approval rate is the share of these products she approved. It is general information, not medical advice.