To all the ladies out there who are just starting out with makeup, we feel you and we know how overwhelming all this can be. Well, just relax and embrace its wonders because there’s really A LOT you need to know. If you’ve already got your hands on some makeup essentials, kudos to you. But what about all the makeup brushes you need to apply these products with? Truthfully, you don’t need plenty although there are tons and tons of different brushes in the market. Thus, we’ve narrowed it down to just 10 essentials and here’s why.
1. Powder brush – This is a round fluffy brush that’s used for applying powders and blending out face makeup. You can use this to set your makeup with finishing powder and to apply blush on the apples of your cheeks with small circular motions. If you’ve overdone your blush or bronzer and it looks too harsh on the skin, you can also use the powder brush to gently blend it out.
2. Stippling brush – For a really airbrushed look, you can use a stippling brush to apply your liquid foundations. Pour some foundation on the back of your palm to warm it up and using the brush, dab some product onto your forehead, cheeks, chin and nose. Then, take your time and slowly stipple the foundation to blend it into the skin flawlessly.
3. Flat top buffer brush – This can be used as a foundation brush because it’s extremely versatile and it works with all sorts of foundations such as cream, liquid and powder. No matter what foundation you’re applying, you can use this brush to buff it into the skin for a natural and effortless finish.
4. Contour brush – This is a fluffy angled medium sized brush that is commonly used to apply blushes and bronzers. The angled tip eases the application of these products as getting right under your cheekbones, or around them, would be more precise.
5. Small angled brush – Similar to the brush for contouring, this is also angled, except it is much smaller in size and way more dense. This brush is a must-have for applying eyeliner and for perfecting your brow shape because of the thin and precise strokes it can make.
6. Blending brush – Sure, you can use your fingers to blend out your eyeshadow, but the result will never be as seamless as when you use a blending brush. If you’re using multiple eyeshadow colours at one time and you don’t want harsh lines to appear, use this brush to go back and forth horizontally on your eye socket to soften out the colour transitions.
7. Pencil brush – To darken the outer-V on your eye socket and for precision shading on the lid or crease, the pencil brush should be your go-to brush. You can also use this brush to blend out eyeliner. For the reason that it has a small tip, you can be more detailed in application.
8. Flat stiff brush – If you’d like more intense colour on your lids, use this flat brush to pack on the eyeshadow. The brushes with a rounded tip will not be able to give you the same effect and it’s much easier with this brush because the bristles are flat.
9. Stiff dome brush – To apply eyeshadow into your crease to define your eye shape, use this brush to pinpoint the exact eye area. This brush is densely packed, so you can also use it to smudge your eyeliner for an instantly smokey look.
10. Lip/concealer brush – Of course, every girl needs a tiny brush to apply her lippies. With this brush, you will be able to outline and define the shape of your lips with more precision. You can also use this brush to apply concealer on your imperfections or to brighten up dark areas under the eyes. After you’ve applied concealer with the brush, blend it out with your fingers.