Less is more: The only five make-up brushes you’ll ever need

According to celebrity make-up artist Kari Bauce, most of the brushes you see are for advanced make up artists


Amna Hashmi September 28, 2016

Of all hundreds of items to choose from, the brush section at cosmetic stores may be the most difficult to navigate. The sheer number of brushes that look exactly the same is overwhelming, so it’s okay if you just give up and use the brushes that came with your makeup. But fear not, flustered brushers! According to celebrity make-up artist Kari Bauce, most of the brushes you see “are for advanced makeup artists that you don’t need.”



So why use brushes at all? Well, for a variety of reasons. First of all, your fingers could be contaminating your product with bacteria. And if you’re already spending money on make-up, only to go home and apply it with your fingers or cotton swabs, Bauce says “you’re not doing justice to the products.”

Luckily, synthetic fiber brushes offer an affordable way to stock your beauty cabinet. As compiled from The Huffington Post, here are the five main types of brushes you are likely to ever need.

1. A fluffy brush for both blush and powder

You can also use this brush for bronzer, too. The reason Bauce favors a fluffy brush is for its ability to diffuse the product evenly over your face. “If you have a shorter, denser brush, you’re going to get a bigger deposit of color. If you have a fluffier brush, it’s going to diffuse and most people want a natural application,” she said.

2. A flat nylon brush for eye shadow in your crease and concealer

A dense, flat brush is perfect for depositing more colour in the crease of your eyes and also dabbing and blending concealer beneath them. Bonus tip: If you want even more color, wet this brush a little before use.

3. A fluffy eye shadow brush for all over eye shadow and powder

“If you like to do one wash of neutral colour over your entire eye, this is a great brush,” Bauce said. “You can also use it as a highlight brush or to set the powder under your eye and around your nose — the small, creased areas of your face.” Just be sure to wash your brush between uses if you’re multitasking with it.



4. A crease brush

This one, according to Bauce, does all the work for you, creating a totally blended and natural eye look. “Dip it into whatever colour you want in the crease of your eye, right at the socket. Starting at the outside corner, drag the brush across in a windshield wiper motion,” she said. This type of brush deposits a little bit of product at a time, making it look super blended.

5. An angled brush

Arguably the most valuable item on this list, the angled brush serves not one or two but three purposes. Use this one for eyebrow products, applying eyeliner and even as a lip brush. “The angle on it makes it interesting for you to draw the Cupid’s bow on your lip,” Bauce explained.

And what about once you’ve used these brushes and need to wash them? Bauce says synthetic brushes are better than natural fiber brushes, too. They tend to last longer, dry faster and are also easier to get clean — something Bauce suggests you do once a week.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2016.

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