Essential Tools: Makeup Brushes

You can study all the photos of makeup looks you want, you can watch all the YouTube videos you want, and you can go out and buy all the eyeshadows, eyeliners, brow filler, blushes, concealers, and other makeup products you want. If you don't have the right tools to apply those products using the tricks you learned in order to achieve the look you're hoping for, it will never turn out right.

I have some expensive brushes and I have some mid-priced brushes. To some extent, brushes are brushes. It doesn't matter if they come from MAC, Smashbox, Sephora, or Walmart. However, like all things, the cheaper brushes aren't just inexpensive. They're lower in quality. So consider what you're using the brush for before you buy it. Is it a specialized brush for a specific application, like my Smashbox #12 Angle Brow brush, or is it a generic, all over shadow brush or blush brush?

My general rule is buy high quality every chance you get. But brushes are expensive. My Smashbox eyebrow brush was $20. It's 6 years old and still looks like new, but if you're stocking up on new brushes all at once, $20/brush can be a spendy shopping day. I'm not a big fan of the brush sets out there. I find most of them to contain brushes that will never get used and you'd be better off buying individual brushes to suit your needs. That said, I actually do have a lot of brushes that are from a pro brush set that I bought a few years ago. It was a good deal because I could get it at cost. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bought it because I haven't touched about half the brushes.

So what are your needs? Well, there are some basics that I believe every fancy lady should have.

1. Eyeliner brush for cream eyeliners (the only kind, besides liquid, I use!). I prefer a flat edge eyeliner brush that I can angle to suit the style of eyeliner I'm applying. Currently, I'm using a Sonia Kashuk (from Target!) flat eyeliner brush with ergo handle. I've had it for a few years and it's my favorite eyeliner brush!
2. Angled brush for eyebrow filler. As previously discussed, mine is Smashbox's #12 Angle Brow brush.
3. Eyebrow Grooming brush (the kind with a brush on one side and comb on the other). Mine is Sonia Kashuk's Eyebrow Comb/Brush with ergo handle.
4. Concealer brush. This is what I use to apply Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance -- a MUST product for every fancy lady.  Mine is from the generic pro set I bought from a supply store (think Cosmotology student starter kit!)
5. Foundation brush. I don't use this to apply foundation, but I use this to apply/blend under eye highlighters, primers, and some concealers. Another from the starter kit.
6. Smudge brush. This brush's bristles are short, dense, and stiff. This brush will help you smudge eyeliner and eyeshadow for the perfect smoky look. My current is Sephora's short handled smudge brush.
7. Round Large Eyeshadow brush. This is for application of eyeshadow to a large area, such as the entire lower lid, from crease to lash. It's also great for blending. Mine is Sonia Kashuk again!
8. Angled Eyeshadow brush. This is great for creases! I have two. The one pictured below is from my starter kit. I also have a Sonia Kashuk crease brush which is fuller, angled, and fits perfectly in your crease for precision application. I would recommend that brush to more advanced fancy ladies. This flatter, angled crease brush (pictured) is great for novices and experts alike!
9. Medium Eyeshadow brush. This brush is great for use just below the brow, highlighting, and smaller accent applications. Mine is from the starter kit.
10. Small Eyeshadow brush. For small jobs.
11. Face Powder brush. This brush, slightly looser than a blush brush, is ideal for sweeping just a dusting of powder on your face, pressed or loose powder, to set your makeup and finish your look. This brush isn't great for blush because it's not as precise. It's truly meant for all over, sweeping coverage. Mine is realTechniques.
12. Blush brush. This brush is large, loose, and perfect for sweeping blush on the apples of your cheeks, temple, and T-zone. Mine is realTechniques.
13. Kabuki brush. I have two on which I am dependent daily. The first, a traditional, small-handled kabuki, is from Smashbox. The second is a new trend. The retractable Kabuki. The more you raise it, the looser and more sweeping the coverage. The more you lower it, the denser, and more precise, intense the coverage. I love this brush! These brushes are both perfect for highlighters, bronzers, blushes, and translucent powder.

I have tons of additional brushes which I use with fair frequency, but these 13 are the styles I would most recommend for daily use for all fancy ladies. In a pinch, I can make a complicated makeup look work with about two or three of these brushes. If you can make them multipurpose, I'm all for it! I've been known to use lip gloss to smooth eyebrows, eyeliner brushes to shade eyebrows, and mascara as eyeliner. The key to brushes is not to have one brush for every possible style/type of application. The key is to have a well-stocked (for you!) collection of brushes that are good quality, will last you a long time, and accomplish what you want to accomplish.

As for natural versus synthetic, I have both. I prefer the natural brushes for most things, but the synthetics are great for creams and liquids.

I also prefer long handles, but you may prefer shorter handles. It's all a matter of preference. Ulta, Sephora, MAC, and higher end places like that will have brushes you can touch, feel, test. Try them out and find the ones you like the best. If you find a brush set that you want, grab it! It's a great way to build a collection fast. And you never know! Maybe there's a brush in there that you never thought you'd use, but now it's a necessary tool for your daily routine.

It isn't enough to buy the high quality tools you need. You also need to take care of them. As much for your own hygiene as for the care of your brushes, you need to clean them regularly. Most people don't clean them daily, but they should. There are tons of makeup brush cleaners on the market, but there is one that you already have in your bathroom right now, and it's just as effective. Shampoo.

I take the leftover shampoo in the bottom of the bottle when I switch to new bottles and save it for brushes. Every day, I use a brush cleaner spray (from Sephora), but every two weeks or so I give my brushes a thorough cleaning with shampoo. All you have to do is wet the brushes and use a tiny drop of shampoo to work up a lather and scrub the brushes like you would your hair, rinse thoroughly with water, dab dry with a washcloth, reshape, and let dry.

If you take really good care of your brushes, they should last many years. Assuming you buy quality brushes to begin with. Even if you buy the "cheap" brushes, taking care of them will extend their life and allow you to have the proper tools to make endless, fancy looks and have fun being a fancy lady!! Here are a few links to some of my favorite brushes:

Smashbox

Sephora

MAC

Sonia Kashuk for Target


I would be remiss if I didn't wish you a belated Happy Independence Day!!!

Go forth and be fancy!