1. Powder brush-this is a big, fluffy brush used (mostly) for applying loose face powder. You can also use it to apply pressed powder, but I find it works better with loose powder. I found this one at Rite-Aid for around $8.00. It's wonderfully soft and picks up the powder well.
2. Blush brush-this is a fluffy brush which is smaller than a powder brush and clearly is used for applying blush. You want to look for a blush brush that has a round shape to the bristles and is not flattened. This helps in applying the blush in a better, more blended shape, rather than a giant stripe that a flattened brush would give you. I got this one from Ulta for around $9.00; it's also very soft and is the perfect shape to apply blush.
3. Stippling brush-some people call these duo-fiber brushes or skunk brushes because of the two different kinds of bristles in the brush. It has many different purposes: I use mine to apply my B.B. cream, it can be used to apply highlighter, I've even seen some people use these to apply blush. I also use mine to sweep away any fall-outs from eyeshadow. I found this one at Big Lots for probably around $1.00-$2.00. (As you can see, this one is double-ended, but I don't use the other end for anything. You can most likely find one that isn't double-ended).
4. Concealer brush-this is a flat, stiff brush, used for (surprise!) applying concealer. I personally don't use mine to apply concealer, rather I use it to apply more B.B. cream under my eyes after I wipe off any boo-boos, and I apply concealer with my fingers. If needed, I use it to blend my concealer better. I got this one when I ordered Bare Minerals make-up; it came with the starter kit, but you can find a concealer brush almost anywhere, and they don't all necessarily look exactly like this one.
5. Flat eyeshadow brush-eyeshadow brushes come in all shapes and sizes, but the ones I find most useful are flat ones. Clearly, it's used to apply eyeshadow to your eyes and not much else. You can find fluffier ones, you can find stiffer ones, ones with long bristles, ones with short bristles, anything; you just have to find a shape and size that works for you. I would recommend having multiple eyeshadow brushes, because if you use bold colors a lot (like I do), they tend to get dirty faster and you don't want to have to be constantly washing your brushes and waiting for them to dry. Plus different shapes can be used for different looks. The one pictured is from a Sonia Kashuk brush set I got from Target; I think I got five or six brushes for around $14.99. (I highly recommend Sonia Kashuk brushes; they're very soft, great quality, and work fantastically. You can get them at Target for pretty reasonable prices.)
6. Fluffy blending brush-this is another eyeshadow brush (also Sonia Kashuk from Target) that is used for blending eyeshadows, either in the crease, on the eyelid, or blending out edges of eyeshadow. I personally don't use blending brushes; I blend my eyeshadows with my fingers because I'm lazy. I have used them once or twice to blend color on my eyelid, but that's very rarely. You might find them more useful than I do.
7. Smudger brush-this brush has short, stiff bristles and is typically used for smudging eyeshadow under your lower lashline, another technique I don't use (why I felt I needed this brush, I can't say). You could also use it to smudge eyeliner on your upper or lower lashline for a softer, smokier look. Again, you might find this brush more useful than I do. I got this one from Target (it's the generic Target brand) for around $4-5.00.
8. Eyeliner brush-this is used to apply gel eyeliner, one more product and one more brush I never use (nothing against gel eyeliner, I've just never used it and stick to liquid eyeliner). The bristles are short, stiff, and angled to help apply the gel precisely and cleanly. This one came in another Sonia Kashuk set from Target for about $14.99 for four or five brushes.
9. Lip brush-like eyeshadow brushes, lip brushes come in all shapes and sizes; they are most often used to apply potted lip gloss, but some people also use them to brush on lipstick from the tube for a more precise application. This one has longer bristles, but you can find any size one that works for you. I found this one at Big Lots, probably for $1.00.
10. Kabuki brush-this is a short-handled, poufy (not fluffy), round, dense brush. I use this brush to apply pressed powder because I feel like it picks up the powder better than a fluffy powder brush, but I've also seen them be used for blush as well. This one is from Target (the generic Target brand, about $5-6.00), but you can find them in all different brands and all different sizes.
Brushes can be found in almost every store, in every price range, in every color, shape and size. You just need to experiment and find which ones work for you, which ones you will and won't use, and which ones work the best. A word of advice: start out buying cheaper brushes until you find some that you use every single day and that you really like; then you can invest some money in nicer, higher-quality brushes if you so choose. I hope this gave you some idea of what brushes are useful and what they are used for; good luck in building your collection!
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| Left to right: powder brush, blush brush, stippling brush, concealer brush, flat eyeshadow brush, fluffy blending brush, smudger brush, eyeliner brush, lip brush. Top: Kabuki brush. |
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