Brush with beauty

If you’ve been fortunate enough to have your make-up done by a professional, you may well have stared in awe at the huge array of brushes being used, wondering what on earth they could all be needed for.

The good news is that for use at home, you don’t need dozens of brushes to achieve a flawless finish. However, there are some that will make applying your cosmetics easier.

We have compiled a list of the essentials – brushes that will ensure a finish to rival the work of a make-up artist.

Powder

Powder brushes are loose, large and fluffy, making them perfect for applying everything from translucent finishing powder to bronzer. The loosely packed fibres prevent too much product adhering to the brush – meaning you apply a light dusting which is exactly the effect you want; less is more when it comes to powder.

Phoenix Renata, founder of Phoenix Cosmetics, describes the powder brush as a “classic” as it ensures an even, light layer of powder. “It was the very first brush invented and is a critical brush to own,” she says.

Blush

If you’re wanting chiselled cheekbones you can easily create them with the help of a good blusher and the right brush. Choose an angled brush which will enable you to apply the blush on the correct part of your cheek – the apple – and gently sweep up to your hairline.

Courtenay Fenner, brand assistant for The Beauty Collective, believes the key to this brush’s effectiveness comes down to the bristles. “They are great for creating dimension without disturbing foundation. Dust on blush to contour your face for a more defined finish,” says Courtenay.

Contouring

Defined cheekbones might often be due to genetics, but clever make-up contouring works wonders. This brush is a smaller version of your blush brush, making it the perfect tool for adding contouring depth under your blush line. The soft fibres make blending a breeze and the design of the brush means a small area is targeted with precision.

Iain Smith, co-founder of Make Up Me Cosmetics, advises sweeping the brush over your palette and using the angled side of the bristles for best results. “Place below the hollow of the cheek and sweep up towards the temple and ear to add beautiful warmth and definition to the cheekbone,” he says.

Highlighting

The right brush for highlighting is essential to avoid looking like a glitter-bug. This fan brush is perfect for adding a light dusting of shimmer to areas that you want to make pop.

Sam Hart, Smashbox pro artist, says, “The Smashbox Fan Brush is a backstage favourite! The best way to use this brush is to highlight the high points on your face. Load up your favourite highlighter product on the tip of the brush and lightly apply to the tops of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and Cupid’s bow.”

Foundation

Foundation brushes are soft and densely packed to ensure enough product is dispersed onto the brush. The end of the brush is slightly fluted, making it easier to manoeuvre around the contours of your face.

For the best finish, put some foundation on the back of your hand and apply to your face using fingers – this helps to warm the product up, which means it will glide on more easily. Next, use your brush to buff the foundation in, ensuring there are no brush marks left on the skin. Buffing in your foundation with a brush will ensure you’re not left with a thick foundation finish, and the end result will be more natural looking.

The beauty of a brush like this is its ability to work with different formulations, making it a favourite of Elizabeth Arden national make-up specialist, Lidean Erasmus. “Use this brush to apply both liquid and cream foundations to ensure your skin is left looking flawless,” she says.

Concealer

A concealer brush is very handy, as the slightly pointed tip makes it precision-perfect for smaller areas of your face, and the small size lets you target the exact areas you are choosing to conceal. After you have applied your foundation, pop some concealer onto the back of your hand, then apply a small amount onto your brush before concealing the area you are concerned about.

Bobbi Brown training manager Olivia Wild loves the fuss-free design of this brush, saying, “The longer bristles deposit the product quickly and easily. This brush is a must-have in every woman’s make-up bag.”

Lip

A lip brush is essential for ensuring your lip colour is applied with accuracy and definition. Using the brush to keep the lipstick within the line of your lips will give you a better finish than applying your colour straight from the lipstick bullet.

Hayley Gardiner, education manager for Estée Lauder, advises applying lipstick at the centre of the mouth and working out towards the lip line. “Try not to use the brush tips, as this will look uneven and can sometimes tickle,” she adds.

Shadow

An eyeshadow brush has short bristles and is flat, stiff and small, making it great for laying down your base eyeshadow. The design of this brush means you can get a good depth of colour, which a fluffier brush wouldn’t be able to achieve.

M.A.C national training manager Amy Elgar says, “The 195 brush is amazing for use with eyeshadow – just apply the product to the eye using a patting motion with the brush. This brush is perfect for both cream eye products and also for precise application of powder shadow that can then be blended out.”

Shadow Blending

This slightly larger, loose fluffy brush is very effective at contouring colour into the eye crease line, and allowing you to blend while also gently buffing away excess. This is the must-have brush for a smoky-eye look with its soft feel and ability to gently snug into the contours of the eye socket.

Lindi Botes, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté education manager, believes the key to using this brush correctly comes down to control. “Use it in small round circular buffing movements – to blend and soften the eyeshadow lines. This creates a sophisticated smoky eye with a professional finish,” she says.

Liner

The only way a gel liner can be applied correctly is with the aid of a liner brush. These brushes are small and slanted, giving you great manoeuvrability for getting the line just right. The delicate design of this brush means it needs a lot of TLC after each and every use – make sure you clean the product off afterwards and use your fingers to retain the shape of the brush before leaving it to dry.

Clinique consultant Kyle Williamson suggests using this brush with liquid products; dab each side of the brush on the back of your hand to remove any excess product. “This also ensures the brush is as narrow as possible for a perfect liquid eyeliner application,” she says.

Brow

Keeping brows looking groomed often comes down to ensuring they are filled in with a brow powder or gel, applied using a brow brush. This brush is slanted and very fine, making application precise and mistake-proof. Regardless of the formulation, this brush can handle it, leaving you with filled-in brows that look polished and perfect.

“A well-manicured brow is a universal symbol of good grooming, and one of the quickest ways to look polished and more youthful,” says make-up artist Napoleon Perdis.

Brush cleaning

Keep your brushes hygienic and in good condition between applications by giving them a thorough clean once a fortnight.

Lay down some paper towels and line up your brushes. Then either spritz each brush with a spray, such as M.A.C Brush Cleanser, $24, or use a mild dishwashing detergent or baby shampoo added to a bowl of lukewarm water. Once you have spritzed each brush or dunked them into the solution, glide the end of your brush onto a clean paper towel to remove excess make-up – continue until the brush is clean of any build-up.

Words by: Sarah Simpson

Photos: Getty Images.

All prices are approximate.

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