Top Tools with Sonia G. and Séverine

Published on July 25, 2025

Welcome back to my series of interviews with fans and friends as they pick their Top Tools from my ever-growing brush collection. From experts to enthusiasts, each interview will showcase how a person incorporates their favorite Sonia G. brushes into their daily lives, offering new tips and creative ideas to inspire us all—plus my insights as well.

I connected with Séverine for the first time in May 2022 on Instagram. I reached out to her just to say thank you for mentioning my brushes in her posts. A 43-year-old nurse from the North of France, she has 3 children and works with the elderly. And still, with such a packed schedule, she remains passionate about makeup and music.

We started talking about Fude, about Japan, and also about craftsmanship and traditions. This is when she mentioned that her dad (an avid gardener) had actually built a Japanese-inspired garden around his house.

We continued chatting more and more frequently, and it quickly turned into a beautiful friendship. 3 years later, our chats are still an almost-daily routine. We met in person in 2024 and then again 2025, spending several days together with her children and her parents.

Everyone who knows Séverine knows how much she loves makeup. Each evening, she prepares not only the makeup that she’ll use in the morning, but also the brushes that she wants to pair with it. It's a ritual that she looks forward to every single day! She ends up being one of my most valued product testers: each day she will tell me if she loved something or if she did not, and why.

Séverine sparks joy everywhere she goes, her sharp sense of humour is absolutely wonderful, especially in her line of work. Taking care of elderly people is not a light task, and how she manages to brighten their day–I think that is a true superpower. I told her that she should have a YouTube channel because she is so detailed and incredibly funny in her reviews of my brushes.

I thought of Séverine for these mini-interviews because of her passion for Fude and craftsmanship. The ritual of preparing every single thing the day before is something I could not do, but I can totally understand why it brings her so much joy. I hope that you enjoy reading about her selections!

Séverine F., Northern France

Makeup Enthusiast

Séverine's Top Brushes

[Translated from French] I discovered Sonia G. brushes several years ago, thanks to the videos by the late Mel Thompson. I loved this woman so much–her makeup style, her kindness, her objective opinions, and her interest in Sonia's brushes. Thanks to her, I made my first purchase on Beautylish in October 2021, with the Pro Eye Set. The Pro Eye Set was a revelation. I discovered a new way to apply makeup and eye shadow, and blend it all very easily and quickly. I cherish them all like true jewels. '

When I started my collection, I began my education into brushmaking. I discovered the world of “Fude,” the work of Japanese artisans, and the history surrounding certain ancestral techniques. Seeing that these artisans work out of love, out of passion, touches me deeply. When I hold a brush in my hands, it's not just a brush; it's a whole story between my fingers.

The creator of this story is Sonia. We began exchanging a few words on social media several years ago. I discovered an incredible woman, endowed with extraordinary creativity, incredible work ethic, and a huge heart. So, when Sonia asked me to write this article on my 5 favorite brushes, I was deeply honored, and then I thought to myself, like Tom Cruise: mission impossible! To help me choose, I asked myself several questions:

• Which ones do you have back-ups of?

• Which ones do you use every day?

• Which ones have really changed your daily life?

The Soft Concealer

I bought this brush in 2021 for the first time. Having sensitive under eyes, I was looking for a brush that wouldn't prick and had a similar application to that of a finger. This one meets all my expectations. I use it every morning and I also bought it again for myself and my best friend. It works the product effectively, easily, and quickly. Its size is perfect for the under eye.

Sonia's comments: The Fusion Soft Concealer has been bundled with a mix of natural and synthetic bristles. I know that Séverine has extremely sensitive skin and that she loves to experiment with different types of concealers, so this brush is the most gentle but also the most versatile across all cream/liquid formulas.

The bristles don't feel stiff and they flex very easily, but at the same time we can feel where its surface is working—it's a very calculated flow so that the bristles give us enough feedback and we naturally use the right pressure.

I sometimes apply concealer on friends or relatives that aren't used to soft brushes and it's always so nice to see their reaction when I use this brush, they are truly surprised by its softness. Especially when working around the eyes, it’s so important to use a soft brush that reduces the amount of strokes that we need to blend a product!

Fusion Eye Detail

I was never completely satisfied with the application of luminous, glittery eye shadows on my eyelid. I applied them with my finger but it was never as precise as I wanted; if I applied them with a flat brush, they lost their intensity. This little detail brush arrived and revolutionized the application of luminous eye shadows. It has enough force to pick up the eye shadow just as it should, and it is a perfect size whether to access the inner corner of the eyelid or to completely fill it. As the song by France Gall goes: «C’est peut-être un détail pour vous, mais pour moi, il veut dire beaucoup»—“It might be a tiny detail for you, but for me it means a lot”!!

The Fusion Detail was designed to be versatile. For example, it pairs well with dual cream/powder pots. We apply the cream shadow with the Detail and then pick up and place the glittery topper or powder side with the same brush. I wanted to design a brush that would allow that sort of transition between formulas. It's rare to see Séverine without a shimmery or glittery shadow and she loves to experiment with formulas, so it's wonderful to read that this brush worked so well for her!

Mini Sheer Buffer

Two years ago, Sonia released a revolutionary brush: the Sheer Buffer. It took her and the artisans six years of work, but now all of us can achieve the stippling technique that was missing from our brush collection. It was an immediate favorite for me, but I asked Sonia for a little brother of the Sheer Buffer. Why? Simply because I have a small forehead and I wanted the same brush but with a smaller size to place my products more precisely (especially bronzer). Now I use the Mini Sheer Buffer daily: it allows a light and diffused application of my bronzers, cream, and liquid blushes. The top of the bristles picks up the product and the bottom bristles will further "polish" the skin without ever moving the product. Like all of Sonia's brushes, its bristles are infinitely soft. I sometimes use it with foundation when I want a very natural look. It immediately became an essential. If I had to keep only one for the complexion, it would be this one because it also works with powder products. It's a go-to!

I remember talking about the Sheer Buffer with Séverine before it launched because she told me she was using very similar cream bronzer and blush formulas as I do, and she was experiencing similar issues with their application. She could not gradually build the intensity or easily obtain the result she was aiming for. I told her a new brush was coming soon, designed to tackle those exact issues!

The Mini Sheer Buffer is part of the Fusion series that uses a special combination of natural and synthetic bristles primarily designed for the use of creams. But depending on the desired result, they are also great brushes to use with powders. If you are not familiar with these Sheer Buffers, they allow you to work cream products gradually, build an application up to the desired intensity, and diffuse it perfectly rather than having to tone an application down afterwards.

Fundamental Pencil S

Until now I was waiting for THE pencil brush from Sonia G. that could give me this precision that I couldn't find anywhere else. Now I use it every day for the lash line. Before, I would take a pencil, create a "V" on the outer corner, then blend along the lash line. Thanks to Pencil S, I can add more "pop" to the makeup because the result will be fine, soft, uniform and more to my taste. Its natural goat hairs give it a softness incomparable to anything else on the market and my sensitive eyes thank it. Don't be fooled by appearances: it has a certain firmness while offering extreme softness. It is small but has everything you need of a big brush. I love it, use it every day, and have two back-ups!!

The Pencil S is the smallest pencil in my current range and it's part of the Fundamentals Series with the walnut handle. This brush delivers definition with precision, effortlessly. I think that if the application along the lashline is not done with the same intensity or control on both eyes, this is where uneven fading may start to show more easily, and where a make-up look can quickly start to look tired. The idea with this design was to be able to add definition in a reliable manner and consistently obtain the same intensity and placement on both eyes quickly and easily. This is why this pencil is small and quite firm so that it can place the product effectively, but with enough movement for the bristles to do the work.

Mini Keyaki Soft Face

What I love about Sonia G. brushes is their versatility, and this Soft Face is no exception. I use it (especially on rushed mornings) for all my complexion products: bronzer, blush, finishing powder, and even highlighter. Its rather fluffy bristles pick up the product very well and deliver it to the skin easily with a natural result. No need to use a buffer brush afterwards because it does the job on its own.

This Soft Face brush is part of the Mini Keyaki series Vol 2. Its design was inspired by a mini face brush that I truly loved but that I redesigned so that it would have a slightly bigger, stronger surface and be much more versatile.

While we may not be necessarily drawn to it at first glance, this brush surprises us with how much it can do–it’s a mighty workhorse. I have received many messages of customers telling me how much use it ends up getting. I recently took the Soft Face with me to Japan because I had to pack very lightly. It’s compact and versatile, perfect for blush, bronzer, and powder. Along with the Mini Keyaki Niji, they’re my most used brushes for travel.

I am so happy that Séverine selected it because it is a very special brush to me, and it's so wonderful that it is getting so much love!

I would like to thank Sonia from the bottom of my heart for suggesting this reflection. It was not easy for the passionate person that I am to choose! You should know that I love all my brushes. They all have a story, a particularity. In the evening it is a joy to open my drawers and to choose the one I am going to use for this or that product the next day. Sonia is a woman as exceptional as she is inspiring. She has this gift to impart creativity in a brush that we do not expect. While waiting for her future wonders, I thank her for EVERYTHING, without forgetting Beautylish, of course.