Beauty Tips: Makeup Brushes 101

I’ve always thought of makeup application as an art…and everyone knows that behind every great artist are some really great, quality tools that let her get the job done with ease and expert results.

Unless you are a makeup artist by trade or a super-makeup aficionado, you probably don’t need a ton of different brushes.  So what is essential for the everyday woman to have?

Welcome to Makeup Brushes 101…Here are my picks for what everyone woman needs in her makeup brush collection:

1. Concealer Brush– a soft rounded brush to get even coverage in small areas (i.e. under eyes and around nose area)
2. Foundation Brush– flat, tapered brush, that is soft but slightly stiff to apply liquid foundation
3. Powder Brush- a big, fluffy, soft headed brush used for dispersing “setting” powder
4. Powder Blush Brush– medium, soft, fluffy brush (dome or angled depending if you want to contour or apply blush on the apples of your cheeks)
5. Lip Brush– small, narrow, firm brush to line and apply lipstick
6. Small Angled Eyeliner Brush– small, stiff brush great for applying gel eyeliner and/or shaping and filling in eyebrows
7. Lash Brush/Comb– essential for separating eyelashes after applying mascara (I like metal combs best) and brush for grooming eyebrows
8. Large Powder Eyeshadow Brush– fluffy, soft brush good for sweeping one color of eyeshadow across eyelid

The essential list of brushes is a good start, but if you find yourself needing other brushes, you can eventually add more to your lineup as funds and your needs dictate.

P.S.  Brush kits are a fantastic way to find the basic brushes you might need and can be found at different price points, levels of quality, and varying stores.