When it comes to makeup, there are many makeup artists out there who will attest to your brushes being more important than the actual makeup products you own and I couldn’t agree more. However one quick google of ‘makeup brushes’ and it’s enough to send anyone’s head reeling. After all, how are we meant to know which brushes we actually need and which ones will end up collecting dust and taking up valuable space on our dressing tables? Well, after many years and honestly, hundreds of brushes later, I have compiled my top 5 brushes that all makeup lovers need.
*Disclaimer... There's a lot of brushes from Spectrum Collections in here. They really are brilliant!*
The Blending Brush
This little brush is what will help you to (almost!) effortlessly create a soft, seamless eye look. I don’t know how I ever applied eyeshadow without one of these and quite frankly I’m glad that there’s very little photo evidence! The bristles are tapered, soft and fluffy which helps to gently spread the colour across the eyelid and brow bone area. The key to these brushes is to always ensure that you use a light pressure to keep the eyeshadow colours smooth and reduce any chance of patchiness (this is actually true for all makeup application!) A fab blending brush is the Spectrum Collections Tall Tapered Blender and it's only £6!
The Smudge Brush
This is one of those brushes that instantly made a huge difference to my make up application and is surprisingly versatile. I’m a big believer that you can, and should, use brushes in any way that you find works for you, with any products, and I love brushes like this for both eyes and lips. It has short densely packed bristles which make it perfect for moving and blending products with a slightly thicker consistency. It works well for smudging eyeliner along both the upper and lower lash line to really help give your smokey eye a bit more of an impact, but can also be used with lip liner or lipstick to create a blurred lip effect. This is my absolute go to when wearing red lipstick as there’s no need to panic about bleeding edges! Here’s two different options Laura Mercier Smudge Brush (£12.45) and the Spectrum Collections Short Smudger (£6)
The Contour Brush
Okay, so this is a very specific brush and clearly is not going to win awards in terms of being a multi use brush but it’s earned its place in my top 5 because when it comes to contouring your cheekbones, this brush literally does the work for you! Its very specific shape means it sits naturally along your cheekbones allowing you to easily place your contour in exactly the right place to really define your cheekbones and lift your face. What more could you ask for? The bristles are densely packed so it works well with both powder and cream products but remember to use a light hand when applying so as not to move your foundation around underneath your contour! Laura Mercier Glow Powder Brush (£26.10) and the Lara Faye Contour Brush (£9.00) are both great choices.
The Foundation Brush
Foundation brushes in particular seem to come in an entire myriad of different forms, and it can seem almost impossible to figure out which is best. Whilst this does largely depend on how you want your foundation to look, here’s my thoughts... Applying foundation perfectly is a process and generally speaking, smearing a thick layer of foundation across your face with a kabuki brush isn’t going to achieve that flawless finish. In order to achieve a more natural look, apply your foundation in thin layers, giving it time to dry inbetween. A duo fibre or tapered brush will help to blend your foundation seamlessly and evenly into your skin, and if you do have a few brush strokes you can tap them out with your fingers (or a beauty blender!)* Try this duo fibre blending brush from Spectrum Collections (£9.00)
*please remember that skin has texture and pores - no matter what you do with your foundation, your skin will always look like skin and not computer retouched images!
The Small Powder Brush
These brushes are the true heroes when it comes to being multipurpose. The small size means that you can be really precise with your product application and get into smaller areas easily, and the soft, fluffy bristles make them ideal for working with powders (although feel free to use them with cream products too - I do!). I use mine to set concealer under the eyes (and anywhere else I’ve put it!), to apply powder in my T zone, to apply highlighter to any areas I want it, to blend out concealer, to add an all over wash of eyeshadow, and occasionally to blend out blusher too. I told you they were impressive! In fact, I’d buy two because one just isn’t enough.. Anastasia Beverly Hills A23 Large Tapered Blending Brush (£24.00) or the Spectrum Collections Magic Wand (£7.00).
Of course if you're still not sure, or want to invest in a set that will cover all bases, send me an email and I'll fire over my recommendations!
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