Essential brushes you need for a complete makeup look

Makeup brushes come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials, so it can be tricky to decipher which you actually need. Today, I’ll break down the essential brushes that you can use to execute your makeup look, start to finish. You certainly don’t need all of them, but they will definitely help you to get through your makeup routine more efficiently.

FACE

Foundation Brush: There are many variations of this brush. There are flat foundation brushes that are great for laying product on the skin, kabuki brushes that offer excellent coverage and a flawless finish, and duo-fibre stippling brushes that are wonderful for more lightweight coverage and an airbrushed effect. You can select which works best for your personal needs.

Generally speaking, foundation brushes should have synthetic bristles, which are not porous like animal hairs, so that product won’t be absorbed and wasted.

Large Powder Brush: If you need to apply powder to set your makeup, it’s best done with a large powder brush. Using pressing motions, blot powder onto the skin.

Swiping motions may remove some of the makeup you applied previously, so avoid doing this if you want a flawless finish. If you used a beauty sponge to “bake” or set your makeup already, then use the powder brush to dust away any excess powder.

Concealer Brush: This brush is optional. You can use beauty sponges or even clean fingers, but if you’d rather keep your hands clean, opt for a brush. Either a flat concealer brush for a full coverage application, or a synthetic fluffy concealer brush for a more diffused finish.

Small Setting Brush: This is a multi-use brush. It can be used to set targeted areas of the face with powder, as the name suggests, or alternately, it can be used to apply highlighter to the cheekbones or other smaller areas of the face.

Blush Brush: This brush should be slightly tapered and fluffy, to allow for a diffused but buildable application.

This style of brush can also be used for bronzer.

Angled Contour Brush: I recommend having a separate brush for blush and contour, so that the colours don’t mix together, as this can look quite muddy. The angle of the brush will make it easier for you to follow along your cheekbones.

EYES

Flat Eyeshadow Brush: This brush is optimal for laying down intense colour on the brow bone and eyelid.

Blending Brush: This brush is usually tapered and fluffy. It’s great for softening harsh lines and diffusing colour in the crease, creating a more seamless, soft and smoky look.

Pencil/Bullet Brush: This is a small, pointed eyeshadow brush. It’s great for applying targeted colour to small areas, such as the inner corner of the eyes, the lower lash line for a smoky effect or to define the outer corner and crease of your eyes.

Angled Eyeliner/Eyebrow Brush: This brush will be great for applying gel, liquid or cream eyeliner to the lash line and creating winged eyeliner with ease. It can also be used to fill in your eyebrows.

LIPS

Lip Brush: This brush is really only needed to apply lip colours precisely. So if you’re doing a bold lip, then you might want to try applying it with a small, synthetic lip brush for optimal precision