Makeup Brush Guide- Face Brushes

Hello Glams and Geeks!  Today’s post was requested by one of the readers, and I thought it was a great idea to do this, as it can be beneficial for anyone who is a beginner or just wants to know what each brush is intended for. This post will be focusing strictly on brushes that will assist you in achieving your everyday makeup looks, which will result in a flawless finish. When it comes to makeup and brushes, it is good to think of things in this way: Your face is your “canvas”, and the makeup looks you create upon it is your “art”, and just like art, it is necessary to have the proper tools and equipment to create your artwork. When it comes to makeup application, it is essential to make sure that you are using the right tools to create your desired look. There will be times when you won’t have to necessarily use a specific brush for a specific type of application, but in that event, it will be helpful to know how certain brushes work first in order to determine whether or not it will help you achieve your desired look. I would also like to state that any and all brushes recommended in this post is strictly for the purpose of providing an example of a particular brush, and to help you find great brushes that work well and are available at affordable prices, ranging at $20 or less. I suggest that anyone purchasing brushes should do the necessary research, and purchase a brush of their absolute liking. So, let’s start with the basics and talk a bit about face brushes and about what each one does during your base application.

Left: Real Techniques Powder Brush
Right: Sonia Kashuk Dense Powder/Blush Brush

Brush: Powder Brush

Purpose: A powder brush is the most basic brush as it is intended simply for powder products. This brush is great to apply any form of powder products, from pressed to loose powder foundation, translucent or setting powder, or any other powder product you may wish to apply.

Tips: I recommend to identify your preference in coverage. For example, if you prefer sheer coverage with your foundation, I suggest to use a large fluffy powder brush, containing open, loosely packed bristles, allowing you to pick up a light amount of powder to apply. If you prefer medium to full coverage, go for a brush that contains dense, tightly packed bristles. This will allow you to apply more product to your face, and achieve your desired coverage.

Recommendation for Sheer Coverage: Real Techniques Powder brush, $10, can be purchased online at RealTechniques.com or in stores at your nearest Ulta location.

Recommendation for Medium/Full Coverage: Sonia Kashuk Dense Powder/Blush Brush No 24, $17.99, can be purchased online at Target.com and in stores at your nearest Target location.

Brush: Foundation Brush

Purpose: This brush is intended for the use of applying cream or liquid foundation. Its purpose is to help you apply even layers of your foundation to your face, creating a smooth, flawless application.

Tips: I recommend when purchasing this brush, to select one with an angle as angled brushes allow you to reach curves and corners such as along the sides of your nose, along your jaw, and down the bridge of your nose.

Recommendation: E.L.F Cosmetics Studio Angled Foundation Brush, $3, can be purchased online at Eyeslipsface.com or in stores at your local Target location.

Left: Revlon Premium Quality Concealer Brush

Right: Eco Tools Airbrush Concealer Brush 

Brush: Concealer Brush

Purpose: A concealer brush is intended to apply cream or liquid concealer under the eyes or to any trouble spots that you’d like to hide. It allows you to control how much product you apply and where. Some concealer brushes are flat, with a rounded tip, intended just for applying and smoothing the product along the skin. There are also multipurpose brushes, which feature a fuller tip, which is intended for both applying and buffing the product into the skin.

Tips: Prior to applying your concealer, try using an eye shadow primer under your eyes. The same way shadow primer holds your shadow in place all day without creasing, this too applies in the case of your concealer when used.

Recommendation for Flat Concealing Brush: Revlon’s Premium Quality Concealer Brush, $6, details of the brush can be reviewed online at Revlon.com and can be purchased at Walgreens, CVS, or participating Revlon retailer.

Recommendation for Buffing Concealer Brush: Eco Tools Airbrush Concealer Brush, $4, can be purchased online at EcoTools.com or in stores at your local Walmart, Target, or participating Eco Tools retailer.

Brush: Buffing Brush

Purpose: A buffing brush is intended to be used with cream and liquid products, such as foundations and blushes. It is meant to buff out the product and blend it evenly upon your face or cheeks, smoothing out any uneven lines or textures and creating a smooth finish.

Tips: When using this brush for cream blush products, work the blush onto the apples of your cheeks in a circular motion for a nice, natural, healthy color.

Recommendation: Eco Tools Custom Coverage Buffing Brush, $7, can be purchased online at EcoTools.com or in stores at your local Walmart, Target, or participating Eco Tools retailer.

Left: Eco Tools Sheer Finish Kabuki Brush

Right: Real Techniques 2-in-1 Kabuki Brush

Brush: Kabuki Brush

Purpose: A kabuki brush is intended for the purpose of applying various powder products such as foundation, bronzer, and blush in compressed and loose forms. It is meant to create a flawless appearance, and is perfect for buffing, smoothing, and evening out products that you are applying. It is also great for giving subtle color to your cheeks when applying blush, to softly contour your face when working with a bronzer, and to create an airbrushed look when used with foundation.          

Tips: When buying a kabuki brush, opt for one with super soft synthetic fibers for the best results. Also, always make sure to tap off any excess powder before applying your product as with kabuki brushes, less is more.

Recommendation for Sheer Coverage: Eco Tools Sheer Finish Kabuki Brush, $7, can be purchased online at EcoTools.com or in stores at your local Walmart, Target, or participating Eco Tools retailer.

Recommendation for Medium to Full Coverage: Real Techniques 2-in-1 Kabuki Brush, $10, can be purchased online at RealTechniques.com or in stores at your nearest Ulta location.

*Note: This brush is super convenient as it doubles as both your basic kabuki brush, and opens up into a contour brush making it easy to contour your face as well as apply blush or any other cosmetic purpose you may have.*

Brush: Setting Brush

Purpose: The setting brush is intended to set your makeup in place, such as when using cream or liquid products, and helps keep your foundation or concealer from smudging, creasing, or fading throughout the day.

Tips: When setting makeup, follow up with a good setting spray to really seal in your look.

Recommendation: Real Techniques Setting Brush, $8, can be purchased online at RealTechniques.com or in stores at your nearest Ulta location.

Brush: Beauty blending sponge

Purpose: The purpose of the blending sponge is to blend out any cream or liquid products such as foundation, blush, illuminators, concealers, or any other cream or liquid product that you wish to blend. It creates a super dewy, glowy look and is perfect for anyone who wishes to achieve natural barely-there makeup. The beauty blending sponge is meant to be used wet to create a gorgeous dewy finish.

Tips: When caring for your beauty blender, be sure to wash it very gently as these sponges are very delicate and may tear easily. Also, when wetting your sponge, try misting it with rose water to give your complexion some nourishment while you apply your makeup. It helps to soothe any irritation, provides a boost of antioxidants to the skin, and acts as a refreshing toner to the skin. Also, it smells lovely!

Recommendation: Soho Beauty Sponge, $4.97, can be purchased online at Walmart.com or in stores at your nearest Walmart location.

Brush: Blush Brush

Purpose: The purpose of a blush brush is pretty apparent, to deliver color to the apples of your cheeks! There are different types of blush brushes as there are ones that are best used with powder products, and ones that work best when used to apply cream or liquid blushes. It is best to keep brushes on hand that will allow you to apply either or as you never know when you will need them!

*Note: The difference between using powder and cream blushes is simply the finish of the products. If you prefer nice, silky smooth color, opt for a powder blush. It will give you gorgeous smooth color along your cheeks. If you prefer a somewhat wet look, then go for cream blush. They are very hydrating and give you a gorgeous dewy complexion.

Tips: If you want to know where to apply your blush, start by placing two fingers beside either side of your nose, and start the application next to the outer finger, upon the apples of your cheeks. Also, rather than smiling, try sucking in your cheeks when you apply blush to make your cheeks really stand out!

Recommendation: Sonia Kashuk Blusher Brush No 101, $11, can be purchased online at Target.com or in stores at your nearest Target location.

Brush: Stippling Brush

Purpose: The stippling brush is intended to blend out cream or liquid products such as foundation or blush, creating a super smooth, airbrushed look.  When applying products with this brush, be sure to work in the product in circular motions for the best finish.

Tips: I prefer using my stippling brush to apply cream blush as it creates a gorgeous dewy finish on my cheeks. Also, it is best to select a brush that contains super soft synthetic fibers for the best results!

Recommendation: E.L.F Cosmetics Studio Small Stippling Brush, $3, can be purchased online at Eyeslipsface.com or at your nearest Target location.

 Left: Real Techniques Kabuki Brush- Can be used to contour large sections

Middle: Sonia Kashuk Large Angled Contour Brush- Large Sections

Right: E.L.F Cosmetics Angled Contour Brush- Can be used to contour small sections

Brush: Contour Brush

Purpose: The contour brush is intended to sculpt the face and bring out the bone structure, creating a perfectly defined face, emphasizing ones cheek structure, nose definition, jaw line, and eye definition. Can also be used on collar bones to create a more prominent appearance.

Tips: If you are a beginner and want to avoid errors when contouring, try using a powder bronzer to learn how to contour your face. Once you have emphasized your cheeks, jaw, temples, and nose, go over your face with a light layer of powder to blend everything out.

Recommendation for larger contour parts (cheeks, jaw, forehead/temples): As mentioned earlier, Real Techniques 2-in-1 Kabuki Brush (details above), or Sonia Kashuk Large Angled Contour Brush, $10, can be purchased online at Target.com or in stores at your nearest Target location.

Recommendation for smaller contour (nose): E.L.F. Cosmetics Studio Angled Contour Brush, $3, can be purchased online at Eyeslipsface.com or in stores at your nearest Target location.

Left: Sonia Kashuk Fan Brush- Best used with powder highlighter

Middle: E.L.F Cosmetics Stippling Brush- Best used with liquid highlighter

Right: E.L.F Cosmetics Foundation Brush- Best used with cream highlighter

Brush: Highlighting brush

Purpose: The highlighting brush is intended to add highlighter or illuminator to the parts of the face where light would naturally fall. This process goes in hand with contouring as that emphasizes the “shadowy parts” of your face, and this process focuses on your “light spots”. This applies to the forehead, down the bridge of your nose, above your lip, above the cheek bones, and the chin.

Tips: When applying a highlighter, to give a glowing effect, mist your brush with a spray or two of water before applying the product. Applied wet gives a more radiant glowing effect.

Remember earlier when I said “There will be times when you won’t have to necessarily use a specific brush for a specific type of application”? Well, this is one of those times. With highlighting, you can use a few different brushes depending on the consistency of the highlighter. I will provide brushes for each type.

Recommendation for Powder Highlighter: Sonia Kashuk Duo Fibre Fan Brush #129, $8, can be purchased online at Target.com or at your nearest Target location.

Recommendation for Liquid Highlighter: E.L.F Cosmetics Small Stippling Brush (details above)

Recommendation for Cream Highlighter: E.L.F Cosmetics Angled Foundation Brush (details above)

Brush: Fan Brush

Purpose: The fan brush is a handy tool as it serves multiple purposes. It can be used in the processes of applying blush, highlighter, and bronzer, to give a subtle color to the skin. It can be used to even out any loose powder on the skin. And it can be used as a quick clean up tool, as you can gently swipe away any shadow fall out from under your eyes.

Tips: When applying dark shadow to the eyes, pat on a generous amount of setting powder under your eyes but DO NOT blend it out. Let it sit. Once your done applying your shadow, you may notice some shadow fall out has landed on your excess setting powder. Simply use your fan brush to swipe away this dark fall out and blend the clean setting powder that is left over. This makes for a quick and easy clean up!

Recommendation: Sonia Kashuk Duo Fibre Fan Brush #120 (mentioned above)

As always readers, thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed reading this whether you are a beginning beauty, a curious artist, or just in the market for some great affordable brushes! Check back tomorrow, same time and place for the second part of this review focusing on Eye brushes! Also, if you have not done so already, be sure to follow me on Instagram to keep up with upcoming blog announcements, quick product reviews and raves, look of the day, beauty tips and inspiration, and much more! Follow me @TheGlamGeekConfessional