Makeup brushes - how and why to use them?

Round, flattened, fluffy or hard. The brushes take on unusual shapes and forms. All this in order to make it easier for us to apply the perfect makeup. Among the huge number of brushes available, each has a specific task. Which? Read our practical guide to makeup accessories.

The brushes help with the precise distribution and blending of makeup products. Thanks to them, the effect is always gentle, and the application of powder, concealer or blush is simply faster. Therefore, professional makeup artists cannot imagine their work without a whole arsenal of these useful accessories. And regardless of your skill level, it's worth knowing what different models are for, how to apply them and, finally, try it on your own skin.

Foundation brushes 

Are you a supporter of tapping on the foundation with your fingers? You can do the same, but if you try to apply the liquid with a brush once, you will probably stick with the new method forever. Thanks to the soft tip of the brush, you can apply the foundation in a thin and even layer. In addition, the bristles can easily reach every nook and cranny, such as around the wings of the nose.

What does a foundation brush look like? It is rather large, slightly flattened, with smoothly trimmed and flexible bristles. The stem is long, and the tip most often comes in two colors: dark at the base and light at the ends. How to use it? Brief instruction manual:

• just squeeze a large drop of foundation onto your hand and brush it on,
• then, working from the center of the face to the edges, distribute the liquid in a sweeping motion.

Such a brush should be pleasant to the touch and easy to clean. Moreover, it needs to be cleaned after each use, like a foundation sponge.

Among the good and proven ones, for example, is the Donegal brush with a bamboo handle. If you prefer powdered mineral foundations, the brush should have a larger, flatter tip, like this large brush from Ilu. For a powder foundation, dip your brush into the foundation and tap off any excess. Then apply it on the skin and distribute the cosmetic product in a circular motion, gently rubbing the powder. Important: a good foundation brush is economical, i.e. does not absorb makeup. The bristles should not be porous or too fluffy.

Concealer brushes 

They are rather flattened, narrow and equipped with medium-short setae. They are easily confused with eyeshadow brushes, which tend to have shorter, fluffier bristles. Concealer brushes, like foundation brushes, should be soft and flexible and should not absorb too much makeup. Their task is to hide imperfections such as dark circles under the eyes, redness of the cheeks, discoloration. However, that's not all, because with such a brush you can apply a brightening concealer, for example, around the eyes, on the sides of the nose, under the superciliary arches. The smaller the area that needs to be covered or illuminated, the shorter and narrower the brush should be. Examples: Hakuro Universal Concealer Brush and Real Techniques Brush.

Brushes for loose cosmetics 

They have the thinnest bristles, they are large, fluffy and round. They should be soft so that you can easily "sweep" the face, applying loose powder. We usually cover the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin with it. Tip: Try to apply powder from the center of the face to the roots of the hair. The Inter-vion collection has a large and soft brush.

The situation is different with the highlighter brush. If you're using loose, light powder, choose slightly smaller brushes. Preferably, the bristles have a conical head. This allows you to accurately distribute the highlighter, for example, on the cheekbones, and thereby correct the face. You can try the Ibra facial brightening brush.

Blush brushes 

As with highlighter brushes, blush blending brushes should have a tapered head. This category also includes bronzing powder brushes. They can be attributed to brushes for shading. They should be soft, precise and small. Their task, including emphasizing the contours of the face, highlighting the cheekbones and shading the nose. A good example is the blush and bronzer brushes at the same time from Top Choice. And if you want a bronzer to make it easier to apply, you can opt for an angled brush that simply draws a line just below the cheekbone. You can try the Hulu brush.

Precise Eyeshadow Brushes 

The choice here is quite large, but the main rule is the same: the choice of brushes for applying shadows on the eyelids should depend on the technique and the part of the eyelid on which we apply cosmetics. The smaller and shorter the bristles, the more accurate the application. The lower eyelid is easier to make up with a brush with a stiffer and shorter bristle. This slightly pointed brush from Hakuro will work well. After applying the shadow, it is worth rubbing it well, and this will work great with a slightly more expansive shape, which you can find in the Hulu offer.

Blending brushes  

Mixing, i.e. rubbing, combining colors so that they smoothly interpenetrate each other, without clear boundaries. Blending brushes are useful for this effect on the eyelids. The first will be universal, in the form of a narrow and elongated brush. It should be fluffy, as in the case of eyelids, it is easy to irritate it. Try the Ilu Blending Brush.

Another example is a medium-sized brush with a ball-shaped tip. Used for precise blending of shadows on the upper eyelid. This will work when you want to match two contrasting colors. Here you can try the Neess brush.

How to care for brushes? 

Here is a quick guide to washing and drying makeup brushes:

• moisten the bristles of the brush with water, but hold the handle so that the water drips down from the bristles and does not accidentally fall under the cap,
• Apply a drop of baby shampoo or professional brush shampoo to your hand. Lather the cosmetic product in your hands and transfer it to the brush. Gently squeeze the lather out of the bristles along with the rest of your makeup. Try the special Ibra cleansing gel,
• rinse the bristles under running water,
• shake off the water and place the brush on a dry towel,
• you can additionally spray the brush with a disinfectant, such as Pierre Rene.

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