Brushes

Making the decision to invest in some good quality make-up brushes was one of the best things I ever did for my make-up routine. I used to always believe that applying make-up with my fingers was good enough and I didn't need to spend my hard earned dollars on brushes. You may also feel this way and that's fine but I would like to take the time to convince you otherwise. Welcome to my brush collection!

All brushes from the The Body Shop

I have a small collection. A very small collection to some people's standards. But the one thing I want to get across to those considering investing in brushes is that you don't need to own 20+ brushes or even 6 like me to have a quality collection. There are so many different brushes & brands out there and its easy to get pressured into buying something you don't really need. Have a think about the most important elements of your make-up routine and match your brushes to these elements. Confused?

Here I will be explaining & demonstrating the uses of each of my brushes and why I can happily get away with 6 brushes for a professional make-up look. Starting from left to right. 

The first brush I want to talk about is the blusher brush. Blusher brushes are big & fat & soft. Not quite as fat as a body brush or a kabuki brush though. I don't even use my blusher brush for blush. I use it as a powder brush. (I wear cream blusher but if I used powder blush I would use it for that!).

Blusher brushes are great for applying medium-large volumes of product to a large area of your face, such as your cheeks or forehead. Using a swirling motion they blend perfectly and leave you with a very professional look.  

The Body Shop powder foundation

Next is the foundation brush. These brushes are great for your liquid foundations and really make your make-up product stretch so you use less and save money.  To use I dispense a small amount of product on the back of my hand then dip my brush in and literally just paint my face! Foundation brushes will ensure a very even coverage and are great for blending in those hard to reach places like the hairline and ears if you take your foundation out that far. 

Now for the fun brushes- the eye-shadow blender, slanted, concealer & eye-shadow brushes. 

Eye-shadow brushes are fantastic for picking up product and applying it to your eyelids compared to using your fingers as you want your eye colour to look very precise which I personally find impossible to do with my fingers. A slanted brush is a must for very precise application. An eye-shadow blender brush is a great little tool but you could easily get away with just an eye-shadow brush. I love to blend though so a blender brush is a top priority in my collection. My best advice when it comes to these sorts of brushes and technique? Just play! You need to get in there and play around with different brush strokes and blending techniques. Its fun! 

Benefit , Napolean & The Body Shop Eyeshadows

Lastly is the concealer brush. While every girl needs a bit of concealer for those uninvited blemishes that pop up a concealer brush is, IMHO a great little tool for the perfect eye-line, and is what I use my concealer brush for. 

Napolean China Doll Gel Eyeliner

Perfect!

There are a million & one other brushes out there and I'm sure I will add to my collection over time but having some basics to get started with is enough. As for the care of brushes I clean my foundation & eye-shadow & concealer brushes once a week and the others every fortnight using a solution of make-up remover & a mild soapy cleanser to soak & rinse then stand overnight to dry. I recommend purchasing synthetic over natural brushes to prevent allergic reactions and to buy the best you can afford within your budget. 

What are your favourite brushes to use?