Let's talk brushes.

Makeup isn’t always about having the most expensive products because the most expensive products aren’t necessarily the best.  Hundreds of blogs and websites can provide you with hundreds of dupes of luxury items at drugstore costs.  What I want to talk to you today is all about the tools to use.

Brushes fall into kind of the same comparative issue as makeup.  You have your higher end brushes like Japanese produced brushes verses your lower end brushes like ELF brushes and people come out on both sides of the issue.  Some say you can’t get the quality of luxury brushes at drug store prices, and others say you don’t have to mortgage your house to get something that works.

While both sides have great points what it really comes down to is what you need them to do.  Shape, weight, construction and hair type/softness all play a part in determining on if it’s the brush for you, not price.

Keep on reading for some personal suggestions and alternatives for your collection.

Crease brushes come in many shapes, sizes and hair types.  The most important thing when finding your perfect crease brush is to really understand your eye shape or what you want the brush to accomplish.  For example, a large, floppy crease brush might work for a nice diffused application but it won’t deposit as much colour as a smaller denser brush.  Or a natural hair brush used in a cream product won’t apply colour as nicely as a synthetic brush.  Here are some examples of brushes I use and would happily recommend.

Smashbox Crease Brush #10: This is a large fluffy natural hair brush, and is great for diffusing out the edges of any look.  Applies colour very lightly.
MAC 224: Similar to the Smashbox brush as it is another larger fluffy brush and comprised of natural hair, but it is a bit more tapered.  It also is good for a light wash of blending, blending two colours out and lightly applying colour.
Hakuhodou J5523:  This is made of goat hair, and is a much denser and less floppy blending brush.  It can apply colour more heavily than the previous two but still be used to get a nice blended gradient.
MAC 217: Another goat hair brush, and again smaller and denser.  Very similar to the J5523, but it isn't as soft.
Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff: Basically a dupe for MAC 217 but for under 5$!

When laying down colour on your eyelids what you’re probably going to find yourself reaching for is a paddle brush or a flat shader brush.  The shape and size that is best for you is again going to be decided by your application and eye type.  For a quick wash of colour a larger fluffier brush would be your first choice.  For precise application you’re going to want to look into a smaller type of brush.   To pack on colour you’re going to need a stiffer, denser brush. Another good blend between a crease brush and a brush to lay down colour is a pencil brush.  Being denser they allow for a much higher level of pigment to be deposited and are great for cut creases and really defined creases.  Here are some of my favourites and what I use them for.

Hakuhodou G5507BKSL:  This is a flat rounded tip eyeshadow brush.  It's made of natural fibers and is great for an all over eyeshadow application.  It's very soft and is one of my all time favourites.
Coastal Scents Small Natural:  This is a tiny brush, almost smaller than my pinky fingernail, but it is one of my all time holy grail items.  Because it is so small and dense, I get a very precise application of colour.  This is perfect for when working with multiple colours to keep the look from getting muddy.
Sigma E50:  I have this in a synthetic version and it is a large fluffy paddle brush.  Perfect for an all over wash of colour, and works great with cream products.
Quo Smudger Brush: This is a tiny little push smudger and it's perfect for applying shadow under your eyes and smudging it out for a smokier look.

When it comes to face brushes there are a few types I use often and there are a few that are used only when I use specific products.  While I use a large powder brush almost daily the brushes I use for blusher and contouring vary.  A natural hair powder brush may be good for applying blush, but when it’s a highly pigmented blush or cream blush, I reach for my duo fiber brushes.  My contour is applied with both tapered natural brushes and synthetic brushes and my foundation brush is completely dependent on the formula I’m using.  Read ahead for some recommendations on brushes and where to use them.



MAC 109: This is a small natural fiber contour brush.  It has a nice dome shape and fits the hollows of the cheeks well.  I use it for many things.  It's great for applying blush and highlighting precisely and buffing it out, it's great for contouring your cheeks with and it also applies foundation well.  When using it for foundation keep in mind that with a small buffing brush such as this, you're going to get a heavier coverage.
Real Techniques Blush Brush: This is a huge fluffy brush.  It's great for an all over application of powder for a lighter coverage, or for lightly applying blush in a larger area.
MAC 189:  This a duo fiber brush which means it is both synthetic and natural fibers.  What that means is that it is great for applying cream products! I use this for all my cream brushes to apply and then buff them out.

The final tool may not be a brush but it is a necessity in my routine, and that is a sponge.  There are many on the market and it’s up to you to decide to splurge (Beauty Blender) or save (Quo, Real Techniques, etc).  Whichever you choose to go with, a dampened sponge can apply foundation with almost an airbrushed effect and will always find a home with me!