Makeup Brush Basics

Whether you are in your teens and starting to experiment with makeup or in your twenties and still don’t really know what makeup brushes you need, I have a few posts that will be able to give you a general idea of the brushes you might need. The brushes that I am going to recommend are brushes that I use and were taught how to use when I trained to be a makeup artist. Remember you can use which every brushes you like and how you like. This post will show you all the brushes you need for your eyes.

Flat Eyeshadow Brushes

Flat eyeshadow brushes are great brushes that everyone should have in their makeup kit. I would recommend having three different sizes. A large one, for applying a wash of color all over the eye. Whether you are using just one color or you are laying down a base color for all your other eyeshadows. This brush can pack on the color evenly.

I would then suggest having two more flat brushes. One smaller than the other. The general rule of thumb is that the darker the color the smaller the brush. So you would use the medium brush to apply your second color and the smallest brush to apply your darker crease color.

My flat brushes are from Alila, and I have had them for over 3 years. They are part of their 18 piece brush set.

Blending Brushes

Every girl should own a few blending brushes. You don’t necessarily need the flat brushes, but blending brushes are a must. Blending brushes help to give you a seamless finish to your eyeshadow look. They blend all the colors you applied using the flat brushes together, and you aren’t left with harsh lines. I have one from Burst Brushes that I have had for about 5 years. It is soft and blends eyeshadows in perfectly. I would say it is a dupe for the MAC 217 blending brush.

I also use Cala blending brushes. The dome one I use clean to soften the lines near my brow bone and the angled blending brush I use to blend the darker colors into my crease.

Lastly, I have a smaller pencil tip blending brush from Barbara Hoffman. I use this brush to work the crease color under my eyes. Using this type of brush under the eyes helps to not end up with raccoon eyes. You don’t need to have all four blending brushes. I would recommend the Burst blending brush and the Barbara Hoffman blending brush.

The Cala and Barbara Hoffman brushes are available from Amazon stores nationwide. The Burst brushes are available online.

Tip: When using your blending brushes, dip the brush into the color you are going to blend out. This helps to create that seamless finish and doesn’t take more of the shadow away.

Brow brushes

We all know how important brows are. So using the right tools will help make all the difference. When applying brow powder of dip brow, you need a brush that is thin and angled. Using an angled brush will help to create the individual hairs and give your brow a more natural look. The Cala angled brush can also be used to help create the perfect winged liner. I have two of these brushes for each function. The bristles are rigid enough to create the perfect brows or winged liner.

If you are using powder brow products, you can sometimes apply a little too much product, which is a nightmare to remove. But having a spoolie brush handy will help soften the look and comb out most of the unwanted products. A spoolie brush is also handy for combing through lashes when your mascara has created spider legs. This is definitely a must for all makeup users.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Remember these are the brushes I use, but not everyone will need them. If you are looking to purchase a set of brushes, I would definitely recommend this set from Burst Brushes. It is brilliant quality and definitely an investment.

Makeup Brush Basics – Face

Last week I explained the brushes you would need for your eyes. This week I show you the brushes that you would need for your face. These are the brushes that will help make your foundation apply smoother, and your contour looks on fleek. Remember these are recommendations and you definitely don’t need to buy them all.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

We all want a foundation that looks like a second skin and definitely not caked on, right? The best brush for this is the Real Techniques Buffing brush from their Core Collection. It buffs the foundation into the skin and gives you a flawless finish. This brush works with any type of foundation, from creams to liquids and even mousse foundations.

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush

I promise this isn’t a post to promote Real Techniques brushes, but when it comes to face brushes, they really are the best. The Real Techniques Pointed Foundation brush is also part of the Core Collection and amazing as a concealer brush. The head is small, and with the pointed edge, you can get in under the eyes and around the nose area.

Real Techniques Contour Brush

Last Real Techniques brush I promise. When you are starting out with brushes and contouring, you want a brush that will apply the product the hollows of the cheeks as well as blend it out. This contour brush does just that. It is sturdy and soft at the same time. Using swirling motions, you can buff in the product you applied to give you a beautifully blended contour. This brush is also part of the Core Collection.

I would definitely recommend the Real Techniques Core Collection to anyone starting out. The whole set is reasonably priced, and the brushes will last you a lifetime.

Cala Angled Contour Brushes 302

Cala brushes have been a long time favorite of mine, and I have many of their brushes. When I apply blush and highlighter, I like to use an angled brush. I feel that you get more control over where you apply the blush with an angled brush. I know a lot of people say that you should use a fan brush to apply highlighter, but again I feel with an angled brush, you can place exactly the right amount of highlighter on the tops of your cheeks.

Cala Deluxe Powder Brush 301

I love using a loose translucent powder to set my foundation, and the best way to apply that would be with a fluffy powder brush. This one from Cala has the softest bristles and feels like silk gliding over your face. This brush also works well with solid face powders.

I hope you enjoyed these posts on different brushes. These are only my recommendation and the brushes that I would buy if I were just starting to use makeup brushes. These are not set in stone but are just a guideline for when you go out and purchase brushes.

Let me know in the comments below if you have used these brushes, and if there are any others, you think that I should know about.