There’s no avoiding it, makeup is an art! Your face is simply a beautiful canvas, waiting for the magic of cosmetics to accentuate your unique features, and maybe conceal little flaws that try to steal the spotlight.
With an endless supply of makeup brushes and tools, it is easy to become overwhelmed with what you might need to perfect your “look”. Our cheat sheet details everything you need to know about the most popular makeup brushes and their uses. With this know-how, you will be well on your way in mastering the art of makeup!
Brushes And Tools That Are A Must In Your Collection
1. Foundation Brush
Foundation is the basis of your canvas. The application of foundation can be tricky, much to our chagrin. The whole purpose of foundation is to make your skin look smooth and even, naturally. Sometimes fingers just won’t do the trick.
Foundation brushes transfer your foundation to your skin, allowing for smooth coverage. The synthetic hairs on this brush are usually packed tight, permitting even blending and buffing.
2. Concealer Brush
Brushes for concealer are typically small and flat. Concealer itself is a highly concentrated pigment used to literally conceal darkened or discolored areas of the face, like under eye circles or acne.
The goal is to target the concealer on the intended area, blending only around the edges. A specialized concealer brush pats on product perfectly, erasing problem areas and producing a flawless, even skin tone.
3. Powder Brush
A powder brush gives you a flawless finish. Remember the good ol’ days when we applied powder with the included puff pad? Never again!
With feathery and lightly dispersed ends and a compacted base, a fluffy powder brush is an essential tool to uniformly distribute your powder.
4. Blush Brush
Take your cheeks to the next level. Used right, blush gives you a healthy, seductively flushed appearance. Leave actual circles of product on the apples of your cheeks to fake porcelain dolls!
An angled blush brush allows for serious precision. The shape of the bristles gently dusts the blush on the face, giving a healthy, natural finish. The angle of this brush means it also doubles as a contouring brush, suitable for your favorite shades and bronzers.
5. Eyeshadow Brushes
Eyeshadow brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Understanding eyeshadow makeup brushes and their uses is an entire sub-category!
Starting with the basics, the bristles of a normal eyeshadow brush are flat, but less compacted than the concealer brush. The key is to find a dependable brush that picks up your pigment, transferring it to your eyes without dropping color all over your face.
6. Blending Brush
Blend, baby, blend! Harsh, defined, and unwanted lines come with the territory when applying makeup. The solution? A blending brush! Blending brushes are thin and fluffy, efficient in softening and blending out sharp lines.
7. Angle Brush
Need a versatile brush? Look no further, an angle brush will save the day. Angle brushes are stiff and short, with a high slant. They adapt to powder and liquid makeup and can be used on the eyelids or eyebrows. You can use them to create tantalizing “cat eyes” or perfectly arched brows.
8. Eyelash Curler
We cannot deny it, eyelash curlers look like a torture device. Thankfully this tool is far from a punishment!
By clamping an eyelash curler onto your lashes, a deep curve is created. In doing so, lashes look longer and thicker while eyes appear fully open and vibrant. Eyelash curlers also aid in the application of mascara.
9. Spoolie
A beloved shaping tool, spoolies are essential. Whether you are eager to refine your eyelashes or brows, a spoolie is a go-to brush.
Basically a mascara wand, spoolies can be purchased on their own, and are often disposable. With sparsely placed and sturdy bristles, use this cosmetic tool to brush eye brow hairs into place before filling, blend eye brow pigment, remove clumps from mascara, and separate lashes.