Makeup brushes: which one is needed for what?

The right brushes can make all the difference when it comes to perfecting your makeup look. It may seem overwhelming to sort through the variety of brushes available, but knowing what each kind does can make your routine easier. Regardless of your level of experience applying makeup, using the right brushes can improve your application and help you get that perfect finish.

Using the appropriate brush for each task can significantly improve the appearance of your makeup because different brushes have different uses. Every brush has a specific function, whether it’s applying foundation or blending eyeshadows. We’ll go into the essentials in this guide, covering which brushes you’ll need and how to use them for special occasions as well as everyday looks.

Are you prepared to up your makeup game? To help you choose the best brush for your beauty routine, let’s examine the most popular brushes and their applications. When you have the appropriate equipment, you can always look put together and professional.

Purpose and types of professional brushes

Brushes are different in multiple ways at once. Initially, the division is based on "areas of responsibility," or the areas of the face—the lips, eyes, eyebrows, and face—that are advised to be used.

Additionally, there are two main categories for brushes: those with natural bristles and those with artificial ones.

The latter work best when paired with dry, powdery textures. For applying and shading creamy and liquid textures, artificial ones are required. Let’s take a closer look at each category.

FACE BRUSHES

How many brushes are absolutely required to apply foundation? At least three: two fluffy natural ones for blush and powder, and a flat synthetic one for foundation.

Many more brushes are included in the basic set of a professional makeup artist. How come? Go through the text below.

For foundation

Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Foundation Brush © armanibeauty

Both novice and professional makeup artists like using flat synthetic brushes. It makes it simple to apply the foundation in the thinnest possible layer.

In this video, we also covered applying foundation with a brush in greater detail.

For concealer

Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Concealer Brush © armanibeauty.com.ru

Comparable in size to multiple foundation brushes, but much smaller. Concealer tends to be denser in texture and more challenging to shade. To correct minor flaws on the face, you will therefore need a small, flat synthetic brush.

For powder

NYX Professional Makeup © nyxcosmetic.ru, Pro Brush professional powder brush

Powdery textures are expertly captured by a natural brush with a moderate width.

Important: Using the brush to fix your makeup should involve patting motions rather than stretching it across your face, as this will only "move" the foundation. This video tutorial will teach you more about the secrets of application.

• Working on mistakes: how to "fix" broken powder?
• Brush stroke: how to choose a powder brush?
• Loose powder: main features

For powder blush

A high-quality brush for blush and powder application. NYX Professional Makeup © Pro Brush – Dual Fiber pwdr 08 nyxcosmetic.ru

Natural bristles are used to make the blush brush for dry texture. Compared to powder, it is a little bit smaller because the product is meant to be applied more locally, to the cheekbones and apples of the cheeks. Typically, this type of brush features a beveled edge to facilitate easier product distribution. See a different article to learn how to select the best choice.

For cream blush and highlighter

Urban Decay’s Diffusing Highlighter Brush © urbandecay.ru

Textures that are creamy are not absorbed by a synthetic bristle brush. As a result, applying light blush to the cheekbones is quite simple.

For contouring with blush

Dualfit Compact case, Shu Uemura © shuuemura.ru, for double powder

For shades of gray-brown, a flat, wide brush with an oblique or straight cut is perfect for shading dry powder blush. It can help to accentuate the cheekbone line, chisel the chin, and constrict the nostril edges.

Never tried contouring? Here are our detailed video instructions to assist you.

Kabuki brush

Giorgio Armani’s Neo Nude Kabuki Brush © armanibeauty.com.ru

A kabuki brush can be identified by its round cut, abundance of bristles, and extreme softness. Because of its delicate distribution of powder textures, it works well for applications like bronzer shading.

EYE BRUSHES

Remember to include a minimum of two eyeshadow brushes in your travel-sized cosmetic bag: one is useful for applying the colors, and the other for shading them. You can read more about each of their features in this section. They are all quite similar.

Flat eyeshadow brush

Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Brush © armanibeauty.com.ru

For those who enjoy wearing eyeshadow and want to look put together, this brush is a need.

For applying eyeshadow to the eyelids, a medium-sized flat brush with a hint of fluff works well.

Rounded eyeshadow brush

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Contour Brush © urbandecay.ru

This brush is frequently referred to as a barrel brush, which makes sense given its rounded shape. It’s perfect for blending eyeshadow into the eyelid crease. You can visually express more with your eyes by using this technique.

Eyeliner brush

Urban Decay’s Accurate Eyeliner Brush © urbandecay.ru

When experimenting with eyeliner, a thin synthetic-bristle calligraphic brush is just what the doctor ordered. The amount of pressure applied determines how wide the arrows are. It has a beveled edge as well.

Brush for blending

Eye makeup brush of professional quality. Blending 16 Pro brush from NYX Professional Makeup © nyxcosmetic.ru

You can quickly achieve the desired "smoky" shading with this fluffy brush. This is how it should be applied: after applying the primary shadow shades to the eyelid, take a clean blending brush and blend the colors together by going along their borders.

• Video tutorial: shaded arrow
• How to properly blend shadows on the eyes?
• Trend drive: shaded arrow on the lower eyelid

EYEBROW BRUSH

Giorgio Armani, Eye&Applicator Maestro © armanibeauty.com.ru

Wide, drawn eyebrows are trendy right now. Consequently, a brush for eyebrows is an essential item for every makeup bag. Prior to Thoroughly brush your eyebrows before you start drawing the hairs with a flat, beveled brush. and start adding color to them after that.

LIP BRUSH

Urban Decay © Angled Lip Brush © urbandecay.ru

Lipstick is applied to the lips evenly using a brush with a medium width. A quality lip brush should have dense bristles and a very distinct shape. Therefore, even without a pencil, you can easily outline the contours with it.

Click this link to learn more about selecting a lip brush.

Brushes of different shapes

Beginners to makeup will find the basic makeup brush examples we provided above helpful. However, this is only the very beginning. There are numerous brushes available, and they can vary greatly even when used for the same purpose.

• Concealer brushes can be not only flat and made of synthetic bristles. The bristles can be combined – artificial ones mixed with natural ones. This gives the brush more fluffiness and, accordingly, increases the chances of better shading.
• Some makeup artists even prefer to distribute concealer with a brush made of only natural bristles. In this case, it will be rounded, frankly fluffy and soft. She can only have one minus – natural hairs absorb the product, so that the consumption of the concealer will be greater.
• For many it remains a mystery why very flat fan brushes for makeup are needed. Those that are made of a minimum number of hairs are almost weightless: they are perfectly distributed by powder highlighter.

© NYXCOSMETICS

The layer will end up being extremely thin, giving the appearance of glowing skin. Bronze and powder apply well with fluffy brushes. In this video, by the way, we revealed the techniques for using the latter.

Knowing the reasoning behind each type of brush—oval, round, flat, mowed, etc.—is crucial. Pick up the brush, give it a touch, and try to push it against the back of your hand.

The mowed areas are better suited for a more graphic color distribution, as will be evident right away. Round: for applying makeup with fuzzily defined edges, like blush or eyeshadow. Fluffy brushes blend color, whereas flat brushes apply it more evenly.

Materials for making brushes

Generally speaking, there are two types of materials used to make makeup brushes: artificial and natural. Both have advantages and disadvantages of their own.

Brushes made of natural bristles

They are constructed from various animals’ natural hairs. The most widely used are the hairs from goat, horse, or squirrel wool. The natural hairs’ cuticles have the capacity to gather and absorb powder pigments, allowing them to be seamlessly blended into the skin of the face.

Natural brushes are great for practice because of their extreme softness, which makes it harder to overdo it. Natural brushes are the greatest option for creating powder textures.

The most important thing is to not apply too much pressure to the brush and instead, observe the professionals. The rule of thumb is to use light brushstrokes.

Brushes made of synthetic bristles

Synthetic brushes are typically made from a wide range of synthetic materials, such as recycled plastic and nylon. These brushes don’t absorb liquid or cream textures, are denser, and are simpler to clean. You will thus spend less money when using them.

Basic set of makeup brushes: what brushes do beginners need

One could think of the following instruments as a typical brush set.

Flat eyeshadow brush – for applying color.

© Nyx Cosmetics

© Nyx Cosmetics

© istock

© Makeup.ru

© Getty

Beginners in makeup should postpone purchasing a massive professional brush set.

The first thing you should do is determine which makeup brushes work best for you; this is something you’ll mostly learn through using the brushes.

The following brushes are essential for beginners to purchase: one for powder, one for blush, one for flat, fluffy shadows, and one for brows.

Then, everything is up to you. Are you fond of lining your eyes? Then you absolutely need an eyeliner brush. Or perhaps you just enjoy drawing eyebrows? Invest in a small, naturally beveled brush if you enjoy applying eyebrow shadows.

An artificial flat brush with a straight or beveled cut will be useful if you like cream shadows. You will eventually realize what you are missing and will come up with your own foundational set.

• What a travel set of makeup brushes should look like?
• Which set of makeup brushes to choose?

Knowing which makeup brush is best for a given task is crucial because selecting the correct brush can completely change your beauty regimen. Regardless of whether you’re going for a natural or dramatic look, this guide will go into great detail about the different types of brushes and their ultimate purposes to help you select the best tools for flawless makeup application.

How to use makeup brushes? Main mistakes when using

Not just novice brush users make mistakes. Let’s examine the most prevalent ones.

You would like to get rid of the dark circles under your eyes. And you grab the concealer with a brush right out of the package as your first action? It is preferable to start by taking a tiny bit of concealer and rubbing it lightly across the back of your hand with your finger. After that, use the brush to apply the product under the eyes. This will make the dense formula more flexible.

Since the price of a larger brush for blending shadows is often the same as that of a smaller one, many people believe that purchasing a larger brush will yield greater benefits.

This isn’t totally accurate though, as you can still create the shadow effect needed to shape the eyelids with a small blending brush. An overly large brush will give the appearance that you have dirt in your eyes.

The foundation distribution brush needs to be slightly pointed and flexible. As a result, you can retouch every part of the face, even the intricate region directly under and around the nose.

The outcome will be more natural the less pressure you apply to the brush. The idea that the color will be brighter the harder you press is false. No, all you will accomplish with this method is a big, unblendable color spot.

Proficient makeup artists apply blush with ease, hardly grazing the face with the brush. Although it takes them an extra minute to complete, the outcome is worthwhile.

A blush brush is frequently used simultaneously for bronzer and powder. or even a highlighter. Every one of these products needs its own brush; otherwise, the bristles will accumulate pigments and the color will never be truly "pure."

It’s time to learn how to use makeup brushes correctly now that you are aware of the common mistakes that people make when using them.

You can do this with the aid of our training video. Remember to read the directions on how to use various makeup brushes for other purposes as well.

How to care for brushes?

A well-made brush made of tested materials will last you for many years. There is just one requirement: you have to take good care of them.You have to wash them on time, dry them well, and store them.

How to wash brushes?

• When using brushes, particles of makeup, oils, dirt and even bacteria accumulate on the hairs. Therefore, if you do not wash your brushes on time, this can cause inflammation and clogged pores.
• In order to keep your brushes clean, get a spray cleaner – spray your brushes with it after each use. And wash them thoroughly with water and shampoo once a week. Today, special products for cleaning brushes are sold, but in fact, for the same purpose, you can use a good cleansing or just neutral baby shampoo.
• You can also make a special brush cleanser yourself.
• It is better to wash brushes at room temperature. First moisten them with water, then rinse thoroughly with shampoo. Wash the product until the water is transparent.

How to store brushes?

• It is better to dry the brushes in a natural way: just put them on a clean towel and in a couple of hours they will be like new.
• If you dry the brushes in an upright position, putting them in a glass, there is a risk that the water, dropping down from the villi down, will soak the glue that fastens the handle and the top of the tool. If this is done regularly, the brush will break very quickly. Therefore, dry them on a vertical surface.

Cleaner for brushes

Professional makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts are increasingly using specialized hands cleaning tools. Their species differ, ranging from liquid like shampoo to pressed like traditional soap. Their formulations are designed to completely eliminate bacteria and makeup residue while gently cleaning the brushes’ bristles.

Accessories for brushes

Numerous companies create unique add-ons that are helpful when using makeup brushes. Although they are by no means required, having them around can sometimes make things much easier. For instance, there is a unique, incredibly user-friendly rubber mat for cleaning brushes. After lightly cleaning the mat with a brush and a small amount of cleanser, give it a good water rinse. Additionally, brushes can be conveniently stored and transported in bags that are available for purchase.

In this post, we covered alternative options for storing brushes at home in detail.

Brush Type	Use
Foundation Brush	Applies liquid or cream foundation evenly across your face for a smooth finish.
Powder Brush	Distributes loose or pressed powder to set foundation and reduce shine.
Blush Brush	Applies blush to your cheeks for a natural flush of color.
Eyeshadow Brush	Applies and blends eyeshadow on your eyelids for various looks.
Eyeliner Brush	Used for applying gel or cream eyeliner along the lash line for precise definition.
Concealer Brush	Helps apply and blend concealer to cover blemishes or dark circles.
Highlighter Brush	Applies highlighter to the high points of your face, like cheekbones, for a radiant glow.

The way your makeup feels and looks can be greatly influenced by the brush you use. Every brush has a distinct function, such as seamlessly applying foundation or blending eyeshadow. Gaining knowledge about the functions of each brush will help you look more polished and professional.

Start with a few basic brushes for daily use. A blending brush simplifies the application of eyeshadow, while a good foundation brush or sponge aids in creating a perfect base. A tiny detail brush is essential for precise tasks like applying eyeliner or brow filling in.

Purchasing high-quality brushes can help you look more put together. To maintain the condition of your brushes and the health of your skin, clean them frequently. Applying cosmetics becomes easier and more pleasurable with the right tools and some practice.

All things considered, knowing the function of each brush and how to use it well can change your beauty regimen. Try out a variety to see which suits you the best, and take pleasure in learning new styles and methods.

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