Make-up brushes: types and uses
If you have a passion for make-up, you surely can't miss out on the fundamental tools that revolve around this colourful and imaginative world!
We're talking about brushes—true tools of the trade.
With a wide variety of designs for each make-up product, and each with their own specific purpose, things can get a bit overwhelming. But fear not! If you have no idea which brushes to use for eyeshadows, powders or blush, we've got you covered. We’re here to help clear things up with this short and simple guide.
What are make-up brushes for?
Let's start with the basics: what are make-up brushes for? Are they really that important?
When it comes to make-up, everything must be done just right, so in order to create a beautiful make-up look, you need to know a few little secrets. Here’s the real purpose of a good brush: blending, i.e. the ability to even out colour and texture transitions through careful application of make-up.
Think of your face as a canvas on which a painter will sketch lines and backgrounds, and then focus on light and shadow. To do this, a painter needs brushes that can lay down pigments properly, according to their properties, but above all to precisely blend and shade his work—perhaps the most important element.
Types of make-up brushes
Below you will find a thorough explanation of the different types of make-up brushes and their various uses. This will give you all the information you need to choose your next brush!
• Foundation brush
Each foundation needs a different type of brush for its application; this is because each product has a different texture. Natural bristle brushes are more suitable for powder products, as they better pick up the product and apply it more effectively; synthetic bristle brushes, on the other hand, are perfect for cream and liquid textures.
For those who prefer liquid or cream foundations, we recommend a flat foundation brush, which allows the product to be spread out evenly.
For those who use compact cream foundation, a brush with a round, flat-top brush is recommended, which ensures high coverage and an even application.
A mousse foundation, on the other hand, can be spread out evenly with a flat brush.
Finally, powders and compact foundations have their match in compact brushes for face powders.
• Face powder brushes
The most popular powder brush among make-up artists is the Kabuki brush.
The Kabuki brush allows you to pick up just the right amount of product and apply it evenly for long-lasting wear. Its soft bristles are like a caress on the face, making the moment of application even more enjoyable.
• Contouring brushes
Contouring and sculpting are not exactly straightforward techniques, but everyone can successfully do them. The important thing is to blend thoroughly, and this will only be possible with a good brush. Which one?
To create the right shadows on the face, we recommend using a contouring brush or a sculpting brush.
• Powder brushes
There’s a wide choice of powder brushes, and finding the right one will depend on your skills and how you prefer to apply the product.
Some designs you can try are the fan brush or the compact brush. In particular, the fan brush is great for natural, subtle applications of product on cheekbones, nose, forehead and chin, or for creating light colour gradients with blushes and bronzers.
• Blush brush
For this product, you need a brush whose bristles are neither too dense nor too spaced out, in order to properly blend your blush. An angled brush is preferable, which allows you to follow the contour of the cheekbone.
• Concealer brush
Applying this product requires care and a delicate touch.
If you want to cover certain areas of discolouration or small skin imperfections, you need high-precision brushes that can be used to apply eyeshadow or concealer.
• Eyebrow brushes
To create more structure to the face and increase the intensity of your look, you should brush and tame your eyebrows carefully.
To do this, use an eyebrow brush, which is also handy for removing excess mascara or any clumps.
• Eye brushes
An excellent brush suitable for laying down an initial layer of cream eyeshadow on the eyelid is a flat eye brush.
For more extensive shading, however, we recommend eye contour brushes, which allow you to cover larger areas and create a wide-eyed effect.
These brushes have the important task of shading and blending, a key element in successful make-up application. These include different varieties suitable for compact, baked, and loose powder eyeshadows, and even a conical shape to aid blending even more. The latter brush is excellent for creating a cut crease, which accentuates the corner of the eyelid.
• Eyeliner brushes
The key word for eyeliner is precision, which is why you need a very fine brush with compact bristles.
Those who love gel or liquid eyeliner often use a flat horizontal brush to create and perfect the deep black line at the lash line. The angled eyeliner brush is also very popular for setting with eyeshadow or blending pencils.
• Lip brush
To apply lipstick more precisely, you need a good lip brush.
Both the flat lip brush and the retractable lip brush are perfect for applying the product and achieving crisp edges for perfectly contoured lips.
How to use make-up brushes
Make-up brushes are used to create well-defined, structured make-up looks with the right amount of shading and blending. Applying the chosen product with the right brush is a crucial step in ensuring you achieve a successful make-up look.
With a bit of practice, you can learn how to pick up the right amount of product, how to apply it evenly over the face and how not to leave streaks or other residue behind.
We would also like to remind you that it's very important to clean your brushes carefully and thoroughly after each use. There’s nothing worse when it comes to make-up than reusing a dirty brush!
If you're new to brushes, we recommend buying a practical set so that you can experiment with them all and see which ones are best for you. An example is the travel pouch with 5 professional brushes: practically stored in a case, you can carry them with you everywhere. For make-up like a professional every time!
