Make Up Brushes: What You Really Need

When I first started applying make up, I only used tinted sunblock and mascara- no fancy brushes needed! But as my make up organizer filled up, I began buying some tools to help me cleanly apply product. My first make up brushes were MAC eyeshadow brushes. Small and dense, the brushes helped get the color onto my face, but didn't help blend the make up so it looked natural. I've found that the people at make up counters can be really informative, but when it comes right down to it, they're trying to sell products. As a result, many people (myself included) end up with a random mishmash of things they don't really need. My favorite make up brushes are by Bobbi Brown. The brushes are a bit pricey, but I've had some of mine for a few years and they've never had a single problem. Here are the brushes I think get the job done. Oh and also- feel free to use your (clean) fingers for application as much as you want, especially with foundation and concealor (I don't have/want a specific concealor brush- blending with fingers is easiest!).

--Face--

Foundation Brush

A dense, flat foundation brush is perfect for applying cream, liquid and mousse foundation. Whether you're applying from a tube, jar or compact, this brush is great for spreading color evenly all over the face while not absorbing too much of the color itself.

Kabuki Brush

Named after brushes that Geishas wore to apply their heavy white face make up, these fluffy brushes are perfect for applying all over translucent powder or covering large areas of the face with powder (think: bronzer).

Blush Brush

If you're using cream rouge on your cheeks, this brush isn't a great option (that is applied best with hands), but for powder rouge a fluffy brush is great for blending.

--Little Brushes--

Cream or Gel Eyeliner/Liner Smudger

This brush is perfect for applying cream or gel eyeliner (my fave!) or when trying to soften the look of pencil eyeliner. A word of warning: don't try to blend liquid liner. It ends up looking really awkward.

Lip Brush

Looks great for applying any lipcolor in any formula (stain, gloss, lipstick). Just make sure to rinse off any residue with soap and water after each use.

--Three Eyeshadow Brushes--

One

The first eyeshadow brush you should purchase should be small and dense. This is for when you want to build up intense color on your eyes.

Two

This brush is for a subtle sweep of eyeshadow all over the lid. This is my everyday brush and is perfect for a natural wash of color.

Three

This brush is for blending. Eyeshadow really shouldn't be applied with this brush. Rather, the brush should always be clean to blend together different colors for a soft look.

Also, check out my previous post on how to keep your make up brushes organized and clean: http://prosepearlspolkadots.blogspot.com/2013/08/keeping-it-neat-make-up-brushes-products.html

Happy pampering!

xoxo