To create the PERFECT make up look, you need to invest in the PERFECT set of tools! More often than not, I think fingers are the way to go, but every vanity should have these basic brushes for when you just can’t reach! (excuse the cheeky innuendo!)
For me, I found these brushes as and when I was browsing in stores or discovered a new make-up technique I wanted to try; luckily for you, I have curated a succinct list that will make creating and experimenting with makeup looks a breeze!
The Highlighter Fan Brush - This is one of those brushes that you look at and immediately want to dismiss as a trend or as an extravagance that you just don’t need! but I have to say it’s one make up brush that I have grown to find is irreplaceable. I think highlighter looks best when its lightly brushed on and not heavily dabbed on. Using a brush like this produces the same effect as when yellow light naturally falls on your cheekbones, nose or cupids bow, which I’m a huge fan off as it makes your skin look like it’s sparkling from afar! It also helps spread the product out evenly without looking cakey, especially below the eyebrow area! I currently use the Sephora Pro Fan Brush No.65 which retails for a very reasonable $14, £12 or INR 1100.
The Angled Eyeshadow Brush – Whoever thought of this concept was a genius! Normally, I love using my fingers to blend out a natural everyday make up look, however there are times when I want to experiment with something a little more complicated – a smokey eye or cut crease, this is when the angled brush comes into play. It allows you to get pigment straight into your crease and blend it out seamlessly, the angle gives you more control over application and also helps realise a sharper more defined end result! If you’re looking for a good angled eyeshadow brush to buy, my suggestion is get the Bobbi Brown Angled Eyeshadow Brush, that retails for $37, £26 or approximately INR 2900. It’s worth every penny!
The Blush Brush – This is probably the most important brush you will ever buy! It’s important to buy a brush that is medium sized, fluffy and dense, but not overly large as it’s easier to apply to areas you want to concentrate the product on such as the apples of your cheeks. Also blush containers are usually small/medium sized, so this helps pick up more product per dip. The one I’m currently using is Bobbi Brown’s Blush Brush, linked here: https://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/product/13995/7292/brushes-tools/blush-brush
which is described as ultra luxe, and I can guarantee, it’s definitely exactly that! At £37, (approx INR 3500 or $45) it’s not the cheapest option, but it’s worth the value because I really do think this is a one-time purchase & will last for at least 6-7 years with proper care (that’s how long I’ve been using mine!) It also doubles as a nifty powder brush for when you're travelling and don't want to carry too many extra items! (just make sure there isn't any blush on there before you use this to dust off any translucent powder!)
The Bronzer Brush – Once I started ‘soft contouring’ or what I call it anyway, (i.e using powder bronzer for a subtle contour), I found using a dense full stubby brush like this really helps blend out harsh bronzer lines to achieve that subtle look! The great part about this brush is that even after having it and using it for years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a loose hair! It’s just as densely packed as the day I bought it! I find Bobbi Brown’s Bronzer Brush one of the best options in the market and at £32, $39 or approx INR 3000, it’s not cheap but lasts forever so definitely worth the one-time investment!
The Eyeliner Brush – I love a good wing and I love to experiment with the thickness of my eyeliner. Luckily for me, the first time I bought Tarte Claypot Shadow Eyeliner, came with it a duo brush that has literally been my fail-safe eyeliner tool since then! I don’t know if they still sell them as a complimentary add on to this product anymore, but if you can find something similar (I’ll link them in the comment section if I do) GRAB IT! What’s amazing about this duo brush is that the thinner side allows you to create a really thin sharp wing, but the thicker, flatter side can be used for either a thick liner look (as below) or doubles up as a smudger brush to blend out Kohl/eyeshadow under your eyes.
The Eyebrow/Spoolie Duo Brush – Another duo brush & yet another life saver! A brush like this is especially useful if the brow product you use is cream based. Before I started using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz pencil (Medium Brown), I often used a brown eyeshadow to fill in the gaps in my brows or until a few years ago, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade (which is really similar in texture to a cream eyeshadow). The small stiff brush helps draw on eyebrow lines with precision and if drawn correctly can even mimic hair strands, the end result is very similar to if you were to microblade your brows especially if set with a brow gel after. Once done, I love to go over my brows with the spoolie part to separate the hairs & help blend the product out so it looks finished! The one I currently use is from Makeup Forever Professional (approx $30) but I would suggest using an unbranded one if you don't want to get this on as the tiny bristles appear to be pretty much the same & much more reasonably priced at around $10 or less! (That’s less than INR 700!)
Things to bear in mind while buying your brushes:
While buying brushes, I do tend to favour MAC cosmetics & Bobbi Brown because I genuinely believe their brushes are high quality, and value for money as they last for a very long time without having to be replaced! Another thing that’s something to bear in mind while deciding how much to spend on brushes is that for those that are tiny and stiff (like an eyebrow brush for example) you can pretty much buy any brand or non-brand and achieve the same result! However, for brushes that are typically softer, for the purpose of blush, powder and bronzer, I like investing a little more as the cheaper ones tend to lose their density much quicker and do not produce the same effect upon application as they don’t pick up as much pigment or the hairs are much coarser so it’s difficult to blend products easily!
How to take care of your brushes?
I’m as lazy as they come! And I honestly don’t wash my brushes as often as I should, but a great way to take care of your brushes and ensure they last for long is swirl them around (one at a time) in warm water mixed in with a little bit of hand soap. Each time the water discolours, replace it until it’s completely clear. I tend to dab the brushes on a napkin or face towel in between these rounds to ensure that all the product has come off completely! One thing you should never do is use oil or make up remover to clean your softer brushes. The oil doesn’t come off easily and you will notice that the next time you use it, it will affect how your make up turns out (from my personal experience: super patchy!!!). You could also invest in one of those more expensive make up brush (scrub off pads) or the StylPro Original Make up Brush Cleaner (approx. £30),which does the same thing electrically!
I personally prefer doing it the old school basic way! (which is incredibly cost effective & therapeutic when you get down to it finally!). Put on some music, and you've got yourself a great quarantine activity! It’s usually acceptable (by acceptable I mean the bare minimum) to clean your brushes every 2-3 weeks!
Hope this was helpful, and you can always DM me on Instagram @alldressedupandnowheretogo20 if you have any questions or if you think I’ve missed mentioning any game changing brushes!
Have a lovely week xx Farah
p.s - all prices are approximations as I had purchased these items several years ago & from various locations!