8 Makeup Application Brushes You Really Should Own
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Brush up on your makeup know-how by getting to grips with your application brushes. Here we’ve got a list of makeup brushes you should consider investing in if it’s a flawless finish you’re after. Read on to find out more!
Foundation brush
The foundation brush is the godfather of all makeup brushes. Using the correct foundation brush will help to blend and buff your foundation for a perfectly airbrushed finish. Opt for a brush with synthetic hairs as synthetic brushes soak up less liquid than natural brushes. A half sphered brush is perfect for layering up and blending in foundation for an even coverage.
For light coverage, opt for a flat top brush like this MAC 196 Slanted Flat Top Foundation Brush. Its shortened dense bristles allow for the highly controlled, quick and even application of a range of formulas including liquid, cream, gel and powder.
Powder brush
Because finishing off your foundation with power is important. Using a powder brush helps you to control the amount of powder you apply to your face, resulting in a flawless finish with minimal product caking.
We recommend Guerlain Meteorites Pinceau Powder Brush, its round, full, supple and silky brush turns each powder application into a unique moment of softness. Its natural pink hairs of perfect density take just the right amount of powder.
Contouring brush
To contour with liquid foundation or creams, use a flat synthetic brush like NARS #44 Precision Contour Brush to draw in your contour lines and blend in your product well with a beauty blender. If you’re contouring with powders, you’ll want to use a rounded blusher brush to disperse the powder evenly onto your skin.
Blending sponge
As well as being a useful contouring tool, a blending sponge can be used to blend in other cosmetics products, including foundation, blusher and eyeshadow. Things have come a long way for beauty blenders, which now come in a range of shapes and sizes, specially designed for specific cosmetics applications.
Bronzer brush
A fluffy, soft angled brush like NARS #11 Bronzing Powder Brush will give you the perfect precision to apply your bronzer effectively. Always remember to tap off excess bronzer before applying it to your skin as to not overdo it and end up with an orange face!
Blusher brush
You’ll want to opt for a light and fluffy brush to evenly disperse and layer up your blusher without it looking over the the top. Use your blusher blush to max effect by gently sweeping your blusher across the apples of your cheeks, moving outwards towards your ears. Our recommendation for you, the NARS #20 Blush Brush blends for smooth effortless application.
Eyeshadow brush
For eyeshadow, you’ll need a densely packed, stiff flat brush as this will help to distribute your eyeshadow evenly for a smooth finish.
Try NARS #49 Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Brush for endless versatility.
Eyeshadow blending brush
Just as with foundation, your eyeshadow will need a decent amount of blending to get individual eyeshadow colours to blend into each other, for the perfect smokey eye for example.
So there you have it, but remember, clean brushes are happy brushes, so keep your makeup brushes dirt and bacteria free by cleansing them regularly with a brush cleanser. We recommend giving your brushes a good cleanse on a weekly basis with a drop of shampoo diluted in warm water, patting them dry afterwards with a dry towel.
