Makeup Brushes - What You Need

We discuss a lot of different makeup looks and techniques on this blog, and having the correct tools to apply your makeup is a definite plus. Of course, you do not have to own every single makeup brush that is out there, but you should have a few good ones on hand. Here are some of the basic brushes for your, powders, shadows, lips and blushes!

Powder brush. If you wear powder, you should have one. This is usually a large fluffy brush that helps to properly lightly distribute your finishing powder. An alternative could be a powder puff or sponge sponge that you can place into your powder compact.

Blush brush. If you wear blushes and bronzers, you need a blush brush! The miniature brushes that come with the blush are not adequate for great application of these products. The head of your brush should be about the size of the apples of your cheeks, and it is smaller than the powder brush. Using a brush that is too small will make your blush look like little stripes, and you don't want that look!

Angled eyeliner brush. This is very useful for lining your eyes with a darker shadow, and you can also smudge your eyeliner with this brush. In a pinch, a Q-tip can take the place of this brush.

Shadow brush. Eye shadow brushes come in a few different sizes. If you are covering your whole eyelid with one color, use one of the larger brushes. To apply your darker shadow to the crease of your eye, you want a smaller head on the shadow brush. An optional brush you can use on your eyes is a smudging brush to seamlessly blend it all together.

Foundation brush. If you have not tried using a brush to apply your foundation, you should try it sometime. The brush really helps to blend your foundation properly on your skin. Some people use foam wedges to blend, and this is fine, too.

Lash comb/brow groomer. This is great tool for keeping your look polished, especially if you wear mascara. You can comb out the clumps. For brows, just dot a little Vaseline or lip balm onto your brows and comb your brows outward.

Lip brush. This is great brush to have if you wear lip gloss or lipstick. Using a small lip brush gives you great control in the application of your lip color.

If you want to experiment with brushes, you can find most of the basic brushes packaged together. Just like makeup, brushes come in a variety of price points, depending on what they are made of and who they are made by, Buying one of the "pre-packaged" sets is a great way to experiment with the brushes and see which ones you really would use on a daily basis before you invest in more expensive brushes.