Gemma McFarlane

My Top 10 Makeup Brushes





























Hello Readers!!!

Today I thought I would share with you my top 10 makeup brushes, these are the ones I reach for regularly and that really perform.

Starting from the top going clockwise:

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki. This is a real gem of a brush for pretty much any foundation. Its super soft and dense and leaves your makeup looking flawless without a streak in sight. As with any foundation brush application, I do like to pat over it with my finger at the end just around my nose and upper lip where I can get a little flaky.

Sigma P82 Precision Round. I use this brush for under eye concealer and for concealing redness around my nose and chin. I find it imitates a finger tip well and has the same density of the F80 for real flawless blending.

Ecotools Angled Liner Brush. I rarely use this brush for liner, I much prefer a fine liner brush for that which ill talk about next. This brush I use for my brows, it's got a super fine edge for precision brow shaping and imitating brow hairs with the product of your choice. Its very stiff but at the same time the bristles are soft and a pleasure to use.

MAC 210. The finest liner brush I've come across and zero fraying.....job done!

Beauty Blender. Not technically a brush but an absolute essential for any makeup lover kit. This little egg shaped sponge blends, blurs and buffs even the thickest of foundations and leaves them with a dewy, youthful glow due to the fact that you use the beauty blender slightly damp. Immerse it in water until it doubles in size and squeeze out the excess using a towel, tap either end into your desired foundation then bounce and roll this little beauty over your face for flawless perfection. The pointed end is particularly good for getting in those hard to reach areas around the nose and can even be used to apply concealer under the eye.

Suqqu Cheek brush. *heavens open and angels sing* This....brush....is......so.......SOFT! Nicknamed the kittens paw by makeup guru Lisa Eldridge, this brush is softer than words can describe and its an absolute pleasure and luxury to use. It's inexplicable softness is not its only value however, it also achieves an airbrush like finish when used for blush or bronzer application and is small enough to use to contour also. It's a multi-purpose powder brush if you ask me. It's not the easiest to clean and is also on the pricey side but if you ask me its worth every penny..that's what birthdays are for!

The brush that comes with Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel eyeliner. Again I don't tend to use this brush for its designed purpose. I have, and it works fine, but nothing compares to my MAC 210. I use this brush for pinpoint/spot concealing. It has the perfect stiff, dense tapered head that you can pack on concealer just where you need it and blend it out perfectly. It is also good for softening out a pencil liner. Best of all...it's free!

Real Techniques Setting Brush. One of the few brushes I do actually use as intended, to set my concealer. Mainly my under eye but also around the nose. I have two of these and I tend to keep one for under eye use with my Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (it has a slight shimmer so I don't want to transfer that to my nose area) and one for use around my nose and to set any pinpoint concealing. Its also a great contour brush and the dual fibre helps to avoid any heavy-handedness.

Real Techniques Blush Brush. Another brush designed perfectly for purpose. Real Techniques really did hit the hammer on the head with their collection of brushes, Ive yet to use one I don't like. Again the dual fibre allows the perfect amount of product to be applied the the face and the tapered shape means you place the tip in the product, I use for blush and bronzer, and use the rest of the brush to seamlessly blend. I use this brush for very highly pigmented blush that I might get a bit carried away with and use my Suqqu Cheek Brush for the lighter, less pigmented colours. The Real Techniques brushes are also an absolute dream to clean, fuss free and fabulous.

L & Y 217. I discovered this brush when trawling Ebay for a discontinued NARS brush I was pining for. It looked like a great shape (clearly a replica of the MAC 217) and it was fantastically cheap (AU$6.50 & free delivery), how could I resist. This brush also has a brilliantly designed handle, with a indent where you hold it and a very swish looking tan wood effect finish. This brush, in my opinion, trumps the MAC 217 and the Sigma E25, both of which I find shed and loose their shape after a few washes, I also find the MAC 217 rough and sharp and I really don't enjoy using it. The L&Y 217 is super soft and has a superior oval shape, perfect for crease shading, blending and all-over lid application and defining. I have two of these brushes now and they both look as good as new wash after wash. I am extremely impressed.
They can be purchased here, it's an Ebay shop so i know very little about the company or how and where the brushes are manufactured. I have tried googling but to no avail so shop at your own discretion. For $6.50 these brushes are absolutely fantastic value, heck, for the $40 odd you pay for a MAC brush these are great value.

Let me know your favourite brushes in the comments below, I'd love to know!

Thanks for Reading






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