Having purchased an Illamasqua blending brush and being blown away by how soft it was but also fantastic performance I did some research and decided to purchase all their brushes. They are all amazing. The powder brush is very soft, not too large so you can easily apply product to the creases of nose and under eyes. Works brilliant with pith loose and pressed powders. Lovely handles. Very pleased. I would say they seem quite pricy but fortunately their was an offer on when I purchased 

In general cruelty free brushes are softer than animal hair brushes. But not all cruelty free brush are made equal, after trying several different brands, Illamasqua by far are the best, given it isn't cheap, but it is made with quality. This brush is not those giant face brush, it's a good sized brush just not the one that will cover your entire face in 2 swipes. I use it to dab into a pressed powder to set my face makeup, love that the bristles aren't so dense that picks up a lot of powder and make your face look cakey or too long and splayed that offers little precision. This brush picks up just the right amount, with precision and because it isn't a huge brush no powders flying everywhere when you use it. This is a brush that I'd replace it if ever breaks.