Often the difference between a professional and amateur looking application, makeup brushes are essential for a flawless finish.
The beauty world can be confusing, especially when it comes to makeup brushes. And, if you’re anything like me, you still don’t really know the difference between a powder brush and a bronzing brush. So, how many brushes do you really need?
Sydney makeup artist Christina Gosper from Xtina G Makeup says you don’t actually need that many brushes in your individual kit, and many brushes can be used to multitask.
“The ones that I can’t do without are a good foundation brush, a decent loose powder brush, a contour/blush brush, a large eyeshadow brush, eyeshadow blender, eyeshadow pencil crease, flat eyeliner brush, and an eyebrow brush. I also have the Silk Oil of Morocco Airbrush set in my kit,” says Gosper.
The essential makeup brushes
Before selecting your brushes, it’s important to consider the material the brushes are made from. The makeup formulas you use will help you determine whether you should choose natural real hair (eg, pony or sable fibres) or synthetic hair usually made of acrylic or plastic.
“Using a synthetic hair brush for creams and liquids are great as they do not contain a cuticle which can trap the product in the brush and flood the bristles,” says Gosper.
“Natural hair brushes are great for use with powdered products like blush, eyeshadow and powder.”
It can be hard to decipher the difference between an essential and a not-so-essential brush, which is important to know, especially if you’re on a budget. On these pages you’ll find a list of the must-have brushes to blend, highlight and contour your face to perfection.
Foundation brush
When it comes to liquid foundation, there are a few different options for you. A stippling brush and sponges are good options, but the most versatile is the standard foundation brush. Picking up just the right amount of product, foundation brushes paint on your makeup, creating a smooth application.
“I use London Brush Co. nouVeau #4 Contour Brush,” says Gosper. “It’s listed as a contour brush but I prefer to use it as my foundation brush, whether it be for powder, cream or liquid.”
Powder brush
These brushes are large, soft and fluffy – making them great for powder application. Firstly, it’s a good idea to use powder, as it sets the rest of your makeup. If you don’t like the idea of coloured powder, translucent powder will do the same job. Dust it over your face using a few swipes of your brush.
“My go-to loose powder brush is bdellium Studio 975 Mixed Powder – this particular brush is used for applying loose powder to the face, not only for loose powder but it can also be used for blush, bronzer and pressed powders,” says Gosper. “I find the large handle easy to use for more control and the bristles hold just the right amount of powder.”
Blush brush
A blush brush is similar to a powder brush but much smaller and can often be angled in shape. To apply blush, you want to use the classic trick of smiling to find the apples of your cheeks while you apply the blush. Use the brush to swirl and buff the product in. A blush brush can often double up as a bronzing brush or contour brush.
“Look for a brush that uses strong soft synthetic bristles to firmly distribute product on the face without lifting it and creating streaks in the application,” says Gosper.
Contour brush
Similar to blush brushes, contour brushes are often angled in shape. If you’re running on a tight budget, you can pick one brush and use it for both. Contouring brushes can be used over the cheeks, jawline and nose to define your features.
Small angled brush
This brush is great because it can be used for applying eyeliner and filling in eyebrows. Commonly used for gel liner application, this brush gives a precise line and makes achieving the perfect cat eye a cinch. For your eyebrows, you can use this brush to buff in eyebrow pencil (which can look streaky and unnatural when used by its own) or to apply eyebrow shadow.
Eyeshadow brush
Use this brush for the main colour of your eyeshadow, which should start near your eye’s inner corner and extend to your crease. One swipe with this brush should be able to cover your whole lid with your chosen colour.
Eyebrow brush
The brow brush is essential to precisely fill in, define and contour your brows. A must-have for polished brows!
Keep it clean!
Is your skin breaking out? Dirty brushes could be the source of the problem.
Take care of your skin and make sure you clean your brushes each week to prevent breakouts and infection (eek!). When you clean your makeup brushes, you’re not just getting rid of old makeup; you’re also ridding the brush of dirt, oil, dead skin and bacteria.
“If you use your brushes daily then technically you should be washing your brushes daily. But if you only use them once or twice a week, a clean once a week is a good plan,” says Gosper.
“There are many different cleansers and brush shampoos on the market as well as many hacks on YouTube,” she says. “I personally use the shampoo and conditioner method for natural hair brushes and for synthetic bristles I use Solid Brush Cleanser from Japonesque.”
If you take good care of your brushes, they can last you for years. To keep them in good shape, Gosper recommends always drying brushes by placing the bristle head lower than that of the handle. “This will allow the water to flow away from the ferrule (where the glue holds the bristle on to the handle) and you’ll then get a longer life out of them,” she says.
