The Ultimate Makeup Brush Guide
A good makeup brush collection is important.
They are something that you hear makeup artists and bloggers talking about all the time. However knowing which makeup brush is meant for what can be a little confusing, so here’s the breakdown.
Face Brushes
There are a whole host of different shaped and sized face makeup brushes, from those best for mineral foundations, to those great for contouring. These are some of the most popular styles.
Foundation Brush
- Looks like: Wide and flat makeup brush, with a rounded tip.
- Perfect for: Applying liquid foundations over the face into the contours of the nose and eye sockets.
- How to use it: Dab foundation onto the face first and use the brush to smooth out, from the centre of the face outwards.
- Recommended: Tonymoly Professional Foundation Brush
Powder Makeup Brush
- Looks like: A large fluffy makeup brush with a slightly rounded top.
- Perfect for: Powder products over the face, perfect for applying setting powders all over the face.
- How to use it: For setting makeup, tap over the face. For applying blush or bronzer powders, swirl upwards onto the cheeks and over the temples.
- Recommended: Nude by Nature Mineral Powder Brush (Limited Edition)
Kabuki Makeup Brush
- Looks like: A big, densely packed makeup brush with rounded bristles, usually with a short handle.
- Perfect for: Powder makeup and mineral foundations.
- How to use it: Use circular motions to apply any powder makeup and achieve a flawless full coverage finish.
- Recommended: Tonymoly Professional Pink Kabuki Brush
Stippling Brush
- Looks like: Densely packed, usually with duo-fibre bristles and a blunt top.
- Perfect for: Blending foundations and cream products for a smooth, airbrush-like finish.
- How to use it: Tap (“stipple”) cream products with circular motions.
- Recommended: LA Girl Stippling Pro.Brush 103
Blush Makeup Brush
- Looks like: Fluffy and slightly tapered with a rounded top, smaller than other powder brushes.
- Perfect for: Applying and blending out powder blush.
- How to use it: Swirl into your blush pan, tap off any excess and swirl onto the apples of the cheek, blending upwards.
- Recommended: Real Techniques Blush Crush Blusher Brush
Contour Brush
- Looks like: Fluffy makeup brush with a slightly tapered tip.
- Perfect for: Applying contour products along the hollows of the cheeks.
- How to use it: With upwards, circular strokes just under the cheekbones, and then up over the temples and under the jaw to add definition to the face.
- Recommended: Nude by Nature Contour Brush 04
Concealer Brush
- Looks like: A small, firm, flat and tapered makeup brush.
- Perfect for: Specific and precise concealer application.
- How to use it: Dab concealer onto any problem areas, tapping out over the edges to blend into your complexion while keeping the coverage.
- Recommended: Tonymoly Professional Concealer Brush
Fan Makeup Brush
- Looks like: A fan makeup brush and wide flared out hairs.
- Perfect for: Brushing off excess powder or eyeshadow under the eyes. Great for applying powder blush, contour and highlighter along the cheeks when desiring a lighter application.
- How to use it: Lightly dust over the face in a back and forth motion where needed.
- Recommended: Real Techniques Brush Crush Fan Brush
Eye and Lip Brushes
Whether you want to master a beautifully blended smokey eye, draw on a delicate flick of liner or get a perfect pout, these specialised eye makeup brushes are what you need.
Eyeshadow brush
- Looks like: Soft, tapered with tightly packed hairs.
- Perfect for: Adding eyeshadow with precision, both into the crease and over the lids.
- How to use it: Perfect for cream or powder shadows, to tap or sweep all over the lids.
- Recommended: Garbo & Kelly Double Eyeshadow Brush
Blending brush
- Looks like: A medium-sized, fluffy eyeshadow brush, with a slightly tapered tip.
- Perfect for: To blend eyeshadows together through the crease, and preventing harsh edges.
- How to use it: With a light hand, swirl it through the crease or your eye to soften lines and blend shades.
- Recommended: Nude by Nature Blending Brush 15
Smudging Makeup Brush
- Looks like: Tightly packed, small bristles with a slightly rounded top
- Perfect for: Smudging out liner or shadow along the eyeliner and under the eye.
- How to use it: Lightly smudge the shadow or liner along the top and bottom lash line.
- Recommended: LA Girl Smudger Pro.Brush 206
Angled Liner or Brow Brush
- Looks like: Small, tightly packed makeup brush with a flat and angled top.
- Perfect for: Applying gel, cream and powder liner/shadow along the lash line or brows.
- How to use it: Lightly dip into your product and drag along the lash line or fill out the brows.
- Recommended: Garbo & Kelly Brow Brush
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Garbo & Kelly Brow Brush$39.99
Fine Liner Makeup Brush
- Looks like: Tightly packed hairs with a fine and pointed tip.
- Perfect for: Precision eye lining with liquid, cream and gel eyeliners.
- How to use it: Lightly dip into product and drag along the lash line in delicate strokes.
- Recommended: LA Girl Angled Liner Pro.Brush 208
Lip Brush
- Looks like: Very small and fine makeup brush with a squared off tip.
- Perfect for: Providing a defined line to the edge of your lipstick.
- How to use it: Tap onto your lipstick to coat the brush, lightly swipe over the back off your hand and remove excess product then use to line the edge of the lips and fill them in.
- Recommended: INIKA Organic Vegan Lip Brush
Brow Makeup Brush
- Looks like: Small with firm and tight hairs that are angled, similar to an Angled Eyeliner Brush.
- Perfect for: Filling in eyebrows with cream, gels, powders and pomades
- How to use it: Lightly dip into product and apply in small, light, fine strokes through the brows.
- Recommended: Garbo & Kelly Brow Brush
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Garbo & Kelly Brow Brush$39.99
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