8 Investment Worthy Makeup Brushes
You can certainly apply makeup with your fingers, but have you ever noticed how much difference using a makeup brush can make?
It goes without saying that every skilled makeup artist has a curated collection of their favorite make up brushes. The right kit can make all the difference when it comes to creating a gorgeous look—ask any expert and they'll tell you that it's the key to even, smooth product application.
Starting out in the world of makeup—or perhaps wanting to step up your game a little—you'll need a few makeup brushes to get you through. You might not know where to start when it comes to selecting the best makeup brushes since there are so many available, each with its own bristle type. Read this article to learn about must-have makeup brushes in your brush set.
#1 Foundation Brush
Even though you can use a sponge or your clean fingers to apply your liquid makeup (you can also use a blender), you will absolutely need a brush to apply your powder foundation or mineral makeup. This is where the foundation brush comes in. Some of these brushes have a dense, pinched shape, while others are full, round, and dome-shaped.
If you want your makeup to look flawless and even, we recommend flat foundation brushes that work your product into your skin, making it look airbrushed. Apply foundation by dipping your brush into it and buffing it into your skin.
Concealer Brush
The concealer brush is similar to a foundation brush—just smaller in size. It’s used to blend your concealer, whether you're applying makeup under your eyes or covering up a red blemish. It’s not too different from foundation brush, and thus, most people use foundation brush for concealer as well instead of using two different brushes.
#2 Eyeshadow Brush
If you want to make your eyes pop with makeup, you'll need the right tools. That means choosing the right eyeshadow brush, obviously. You'll want to have a flat eyeshadow brush for a more defined and even application of shadow on the lid.
Look for synthetic fibers that mimic natural hairs for this. The bristles of such brushes are perfect for packing on shimmery shadows or for creating halo eyes.
Simply, brush the eyeshadow over the product, then pat or press it onto the eyelids and gently swirl the brush around the edges to blend. You can use a setting spray to deepen the opacity of a powder pigment or to pick up glittery eyeshadow more effectively.
#3 Mascara Brush
You may not think you need a separate mascara wand when your mascara comes with its own tool, but when your lashes clump up, you will wish you had one. Besides helping you separate and define your lashes, mascara wands can also be used to scrape off accidental mascara streaks (after they've dried, of course).
You can even get a 2-in-1 mascara & eyebrow brush like the one above in the image; use the wand side to set the brows and the angled brush side to fill in the brows.
In addition, you can use it to try soap brows or smooth out your eyebrow makeup. A mascara wand can also be used to apply eyelash serums and eyebrow serums, and to tame fly-aways—in other words, it does almost everything.
#4 Powder Brush
Setting powder is your new best friend if you have problems with shiny T-zones or under-eye lines. Make sure you have powder brushes to go with it.
There are different sizes available for this brush, depending on where you need to cover. Typically, it has long, dense, fluffy bristles. Powder brushes are designed to distribute the product evenly, so you can apply the product very lightly. In fact, tap off any excess product from your brush before applying it to your face.
#5 Blush Brush
If you're using powder blush, it's extremely important to apply it with the right brush to get a beautiful, natural look. In the absence of the correct brush, you might end up with very cakey and unnatural results.
Blush brushes are designed in the same way as powder brushes, but are smaller to fit on the cheeks. There are some blush brushes that have a slight angle on the end for more precise application. Use a light hand to apply the blush on your cheek apples and blend it up to your cheekbones.
#6 Highlighter Brush
Compared to other brushes in your make up brush sets, highlight brushes are quite different. These brushes have fine synthetic bristles and are shaped like fans. The fan brush shape helps you apply the highlighter uniformly to the tops of your cheekbones—ensuring that you do not look like a disco ball.
Use this fluffy brush to gently pick up a small amount of product and sweep it over the tops of your cheekbones moving from side to side. Add some highlighter to your nose tip and cupid’s bow for an extra glowing look.
#7 Contour Brush
You can easily give your face a sculpted appearance by using contouring, but you should use the right angled brushes to do this. The dense, angled bristles of the angled contour brush are about the size of a blush brush but create a more precise contour application.
Use the contour product to fill in the hollows in your cheeks, and then use a stippling motion to blend it in. As the product begins to blend, gently move it in a circular motion, paying attention to keeping it in the right place.
Pro Tip: Use your blush brush as an alternative if you don't have a contour brush on hand.
#8 Lip Brush
Lip brushes look very similar to concealer brushes, but they are typically smaller and flat, and they are made to fit inside the cupid's bow and define the lips.
Lip brushes may seem like a fancy tool for makeup artists, but you'll find that a lip brush can make all the difference in diffusing harsh lip lines and blending them into your lipstick.
The Bottom Line
There you have it! A guide to the makeup brushes that you MUST HAVE in your collection. With these brushes, you can easily create a flawless makeup look without any hassle.
How many of these makeup brushes do you have in your kit? Let us know in the comment section below!
