Top 10 Makeup Brushes!
We’ve talked about good brushes vs. the crap that comes with most makeup many times on this blog. Yes, even high-end brands sometimes fall short in the quality of their brushes. You can spend a small fortune on high quality, custom designed brushes and many bloggers and makeup fanatics do just that. I prefer to stay somewhere in the middle and have even found some very nice brushes at drugstore prices. One thing we can all agree on is that makeup brushes can make a HUGE difference in the look of your makeup: professional vs. amateur. For example; a densely bristled brush will deliver more color than a looser brush, different shapes and sizes make getting into certain areas easier, short handles are easier to hold, etc. Personally, I am not loyal to any one brush brand so I have a rag-tag group of mismatched brushes–but I love them all! Drum roll please….let’s have a look at my Top 10 Makeup Brushes and our other bloggers favs too!
FACE BRUSHES
IT Cosmetics Jumbo Powder Brush ($55) - this brush has ultra soft fluffy bristles and a rubberized handle for a good grip. I use it for all-over finishing powders. Absolutely NO shedding! It. Is. Huge.
IT Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush ($34.50) - I adore this brush for blush and rarely use anything else. The slanted bristles ensure correct blush placement and the bulb in the center of the handle is excellent for positioning your hand in just the right place. The ultra soft bristles are suitable for even the most sensitive skin. Love it!
BareMinerals Face Perfecting Brush ($28) -although I wasn’t crazy about the BareSkin Foundation for my skin, I LOVE the brush that came with it. This brush is perfect for the newest hybrid foundation like
BareSkin and
Laura Mercier Flawless Finish Fluide. This brush is fab for ANY liquid foundation!
Lancôme Concealer Brush #8 ($27.50) – if you’ve never used a concealer brush you will be stunned at how much difference it makes! This has synthetic bristles that make concealer application super smooth. Plus, with a brush you can get hide dark circles better and get into corners! I have had this brush for probably 7 or 8 years. Time to get another one!
MAC #187 Duo Fibre Face Brush ($42) - this brush is a real multi-tasker! A blend of synthetic and goat fibers, it can be used for foundation, setting powders, blush or anytime you need a light application. I use it for very pigmented blushes so I don’t end up with clown cheeks.
EYE BRUSHES
Make Up For Ever Precision Blender Brush Large #236 ($31) – I don’t why this is called a blender brush–it’s a crease brush people! This brush is both soft and firm–I know sound weird but it is. I use it as a crease brush because the rounded head fits into my eye socket juuuust right. The dense bristles hold on to color and it works great for a smoky effect. It also comes is a size smaller.
Make Up For Ever Precision Eyeliner Brush #258 ($24) – I adore this brush for gel and powder eyeliner. It is just the right shape (flat) and thickness to apply eyeliner precisely. The flat side can be used for thicker liner and the tip for thin. The handle offers good balance for easy application. This brush also comes in Ultra Fine (#250) and I use it too.
Sigma Tapered Blending Brush E40 ($16) – BEST blending brush evah! I never have to worry about my eye makeup not being blended–just a quick swipe or two of this soft fluffy brush and I’m set! I have been using it for 4 years and it’s still as soft as ever and so economical!
Sigma Short Shader Brush E20 ($14) – this brush is a must-have for smoky eye looks. I especially like it for smudging under the eye and in the outer corner.
EcoTools Full Eye Shadow Brush ($3.99) – EcoTools brushes are a great way to start your makeup brush collection on a budget! I like the full shadow brush because it’s wide so I can apply eye shadow in one swipe. EcoTools are known for their 100% cruelty-free bamboo handled brushes. I also recommend the Eye Essentials set of 5 brushes for only $7.99. These are the basic brushes I use. I do have several others for very specific things, but this is a good starter kit. I don’t use lip brushes but many others do and truth be told I probably should!
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