♡ Brush Basics ♡

WOW hello!!! Remember me? I am FINALLY writing this blog as per a request from my sister! Long story short, she never got into makeup like I did so she struggles with some of the basics! (As did I only a number of years ago and I'm sure some of you!)

I feel like brushes are a staple in anyones makeup collection but can they can be a little bit overwhelming! When I was first collecting brushes I thought I had to go and spend $50/brush to get anything "high quality." I refused to shop for brushes anywhere besides MAC and never thought drug store brushes would be sufficient. Boy, was I wrong! In the photos you will see below, I don't even currently have ANY MAC brushes! This blog post is going to be rather long so I want to jump right into it!

Figure out what makeup you wear most often! Foundation? Blush? Eyeshadow? Whatever you wear most is probably where you should start when it comes to purchasing brushes! One of the problems I had when I was looking for brushes initially was, I was buying brushes for products I didn't use! Why did I need 2 gel liner brushes when I don't even own a gel liner? Take a look at what products you have and what you like to wear and go from there!

I sure wish I had washed all my brushes prior to taking these photos.

The photo above is almost all of the brushes I own! I like to keep them in jars like this simply because I find it keeps my makeup desk most tidy... Otherwise I have brushes EVERYWHERE!

Lets start with FACE BRUSHES!

Now lets take a deeper look...

From left to right: large powder brush/large stippling brush/flat top kabuki

Large (round) powder brush: This brush is what I use to set my foundation! I use this for powder all over my face once I've finished applying my foundation. Any big, fluffy brush will do! This brush is considered "round" as it creates a dome shape. As you can see, it is not flat on top.

A closer look... This brush is super soft, big, round and fluffy and rather dense. 

Large stippling brush: I'm not going to lie, this is probably one of my lesser used brushes. Not totally a necessity (especially being a fair-skinned femme). I typically use this brush for bronzer! Nice because it doesn't cake on product, it creates a nice, light dusting. Perfect for bronzer!

Whenever you see black and white bristles it just means it is a "duo fibre" brush. The black bristles are more dense whereas the white ones are softer and fluffier. 

Flat top kabuki brush: This brush is very versatile! A brush I would recommend getting if you're just starting out! You can use this brush for liquid or powder foundation or for setting your foundation. If you use it for liquid foundation, you will want to buff the foundation into your skin in circular motions with this brush! It will give you a nice, flawless finish. If you use it for powder foundation, same idea, dab in the foundation and buff into your skin in circular motions. Recently, I have began using this brush for setting my foundation! I will dab the brush into my setting powder and PRESS the product into my skin (instead of buffing it around like I would with the round fluffy brush you saw earlier). HOWEVER, I will mention, this brush works AWESOME but it really starts to make your makeup look streaky if it gets dirty! I would recommend washing this brush frequently! Any time your makeup starts to look less-than-perfect, try giving your brushes a wash! Typically it's due to a dirty brush and not your technique.

Liquid foundation brushes: 

From left to right: angled flat top foundation brush/"standard" liquid foundation brush/pointed foundation brush

Angled lat top foundation brush: This brush is very similar looking to the flat top kabuki you would have just seen (above). However, I personally don't love this one. I just find it doesn't work as well. The brush is too dense, it typically leaves my makeup looking streaky! Perhaps I just haven't found "the perfect foundation" to use with it but, I don't love this brush. Just another alternative! This is another brush I very seldom use.

This brush looks so awesome and promising! I just... don't love it :( 

"Standard" liquid foundation brush: This was one of my very first brushes I ever purchased!!! It was definitely the first liquid foundation brush I bought! I put standard in quotations because this is probably the brush you will find most frequently when looking for a liquid foundation brush! Looks and works very similar to a paint brush! With this one you pretty much "paint" on your foundation. I find when I use this brush, I typically need to go over my face with a sponge to even out any streaks left over. However, one of the easier foundation brushes to use!

Nice and soft and dense! A real OG in my makeup brush collection! 

Pointed foundation brush: This brush is like a "standard" foundation brush/kabuki brush hybrid. Works similarly to both! You would "paint" your foundation on with this brush! Blending it in until it all looks smooth. This brush leaves very few streaks! Also, because it's pointed, it's great for blending in "hard to reach" places like around the eyes, nose and hairline! A great beginner brush.

Dense and super soft! A great beginner brush! 

Blush/contour brushes: 

Angled blush/contour brushes

Standard blush/contour brushes

I have grouped these two brushes together because they're so similar! Any blush brush can be used to contour and vice versa.

Angled blush/contour brush: As I mentioned above, any of these brushes that I am about to talk about would work fabulously for blush or contour! Whichever type you buy, you can't go wrong! They're super versatile! This brush in particular I found works awesome for contour as it's angled (so it fits perfectly just underneath my cheek bones) but it's also nice and dense! I find the biggest difference between a good contour brush and a good blush brush is how dense it is. This one is great for contour because when you're contouring you want a more concentrated colour! With this brush being dense it is perfect for that.

Angled blush/contour brush: This brush sucks. Haha... I got it in a beauty box I'm subscribed to and it just isn't good for anything!! The bristles are too rough and the brush is too flimsy. It doesn't pick up a lot of product and the bristles are always falling out. This just happens to be a part of my collection. When looking for a good blush/contour brush, make sure its nice and soft and not TOO flimsy. Otherwise you have no control over where the product is going or where its concentrated.

Current favourite blush brush! 

Angled blush/contour brush: Personally, this brush works better as a blush brush because it's soft and fluffy! (Whereas the first one listed is more dense, great for contour). This is the brush I use every day to apply blush! Right on the tops of my cheekbones. It's great at picking up just the right amount of product and blending it flawlessly! Definitely would recommend! Very easy to work with.

Most similar to the one directly above! 

Blush brush: This one in particular is also more for blush as it's nice and fluffy! If I'm not using the angled brush (directly above), I'm using this one! I love this one for blush for the same reasons, it's easy to use, blends blush flawlessly and picks up just the right amount of product! Definitely a beginner must-have! However, I will mention, with this brush being a little bit on the larger side, if you're super new to blush, this one might be intimidating as you don't want to get blush everywhere! Its easy to go overboard with a large brush. Practice makes perfect!

Another OG in my brush collection.

Blush/contour brush: This is a VERY standard blush brush. On the smaller side (compared to the above blush brush). This one is especially great for beginners because its a little smaller so you have to worry less about getting blush in places you don't want it! This, along with that "standard" foundation brush, were probably the first two brushes I ever owned! Ye' ol' faithful. FUN FACT! When I first started getting into contouring, I use to squeeze this brush between my fingers (to make it skinny) and I would use this to contour my cheekbones! Talk about ballin' on a budget! It really doesn't matter what brushes you use! You can make anything work the way you want it to! Don't be afraid to experiment! Definitely would recommend this brush for ANY beginner!

Current favourite for contour!

Blush/contour brush: This brush is extremely similar to the one above! I actually purchased it to replace that one! This one is also great for anyone who's a beginner when it comes to blush! Not very large so you have a little more control! This brush I actually have been using to contour, lately! I've found that it is just the perfect size and density for contour! It blends perfectly and fits right under my cheekbones!

Miscellaneous face brushes: 

The first brush I am going to talk about in this category is an odd brush. I say odd because it's very versatile but I find that I don't reach for it very often.

Small stippling brush: This one is exactly the same as the large stippling brush you would have read about (above) however, this one is just smaller! This brush can be used for lots of different things.. I just find I don't reach for it very often! You can use this brush for liquid foundation, you would stipple the foundation onto your face until your foundation was nicely blended. You can use this brush for highlighting, because it doesn't pick up very much (powder) product, it's a good option for highlighting, giving you a subtle shimmer! What I find I use this brush most often for is creme blush. I use this brush for creme blush because it doesn't pick up very much product, it blends nice and gentle and gives a very subtle look! Not a necessity but kind of a nice multi-purpose tool!

I had no idea what to use this brush for, for so long! 

Fan brush: I use to ALWAYS see this brush in stores or in photos, or it would come in brush sets and I never knew what the heck it was for. This brush is definitely not a necessity but it is nice to have handy. I have two fan brushes in my collection. This one I use to sweep any eyeshadow fallout from underneath my eyes. What that means is, if you're packing on eyeshadow heavily, and you notice some of the shadow has dusted below your eye, this brush works great for gently brushing it away without smudging anything. The other fan brush I own I use for highlight! I like to dip this brush into my highlighter and highlight the tops of my cheekbones! Because this brush is so thin, it adds very little product to a very concentrated area! It's perfect for creating that dewy look! Again, not a necessity but nice to have!

Now that we've gone through all of my facial brushes... Let's move on to EYE BRUSHES!

Lets take a closer look...

Eyeshadow Brushes: 

Current three favourites for all over shadow! 

Left to right: all over shadow brush/all over shadow brush/small eyeshadow brush

All over shadow brush: I think this was the first all over shadow brush I ever purchased (the black brush in the photo). This brush is nice and soft and dense! Perfect for packing on eyeshadow all over the lid or creating a base! You really can't go wrong with any all over shadow brush you purchase! Definitely a brush I would recommend if you do wear eyeshadow! Much easier to work with than those little sponge eyeshadow applicators! A brush gives you even colour all over the lid and seamless blending!

Typically I use the white brush for light/base colours and the black one for dark shadows or browns!

Eyeshadow brush: This brush serve the same function, I just find it works better for a concentrated area on the eye! The other brushes are considered "all over shadow brushes" because of their size! This smaller brush can do the same thing, I just find that I typically use it for packing on shimmer or use it to darken the outer "v"/corner of my eye! Also great for packing on lots of shadow and building colour!

Blending brushes: 

For (too long) I was unaware that there was such a need to blend out eyeshadow. I just applied it and went on my merry way. Later I learned that you want your eyeshadow to seamlessly blend together and you shouldn't be able to see any harsh lines or (realistically) where the shadow begins/ends! Blending brushes changed my life! I would recommend that everyone, if you're an avid eyeshadow user, needs a good round, fluffy blending brush!

Left to right: angled duo-fibre crease brush/pointed crease brush/round crease brush/round fluffy blending brush

Angled duo-fibre crease brush: This is a crease brush I don't use that often. Considering how dirty it looks in the photo, I think it's only dirty because I used it once and hadn't touched it again. With it being a stippling brush it doesn't pick up a lot of product and leaves very subtle colour! This brush I would use likely for a transition colour, any time I might be attempting to add the tiniest amount of shadow to a look. Definitely not a necessity. A little difficult to work with but nice to have should I need it! I just find I have other brushes that can do the same job but better!

Gosh I sure wish I had washed this brush at least! 

Pointed crease brush (black/left): This brush is great for specific looks! This brush is amazing for a "cut crease" look because of the point on the end. However, I find I don't reach for this brush very often because I feel like it has a very specific purpose. Great to have, like I said, for when I'm creating a cut crease or a specific look; otherwise, not totally necessary in a beginners collection.

Round crease brush (white/right): I took this photo of these brushes together so you could see the difference up close! The round brush (white on the right) is fantastic for adding colour to your crease! It does a great job of blending and adding colour right where you need it! Whenever I use this brush I use it to apply shadow right under my brow bone in that eyelid crease! It's just the right amount of fluffy and dense, definitely a brush I find I reach for often!

Left: pointed crease brush / Right: round crease brush 

Round fluffy blending brush: This is easily my favourite eye brush!!! If you're just starting out with eyeshadow and brushes, this is definitely one I would recommend adding to your collection! This is the brush I typically use in between colours and to blend any finishing touches! With its size and fluffy-ness, it's great for ensuring your eyeshadow is nicely blended and looks seamless! Very easy to use and lots of payoff! Great brush to add to your collection!

Favourite eye brush/life saver alert! 

Liner brushes:

Left to right: angled, pointed liner brush x2/pencil brush (or pointed liner brush)/smudge brush

Angled, pointed liner brush: I loooove these brushes for gel liner! They have been giving me life! I was afraid of gel liner for a long time (likely due to the fact that I didn't really know what I was doing nor did I have the right brush!) This little pointed angled brush has made application SO much easier! I get a perfect line/wing every time! Definitely recommend if you're a gel liner lover!

Pencil brush (pointed liner brush): I had thoughts of using this brush for liner but I honestly don't think I've used it yet! This would be another great brush for gel liner or even for eyeshadow along your lower lash line! With the brush being so little and perfectly pointed, it would work awesome for lower lash shadow application!

Smudge brush: This brush works great for smoking out any liner or for creating an eyeliner look with eyeshadow! This brush is thin and dense so it would be great if you were looking to smudge your liner or to create a smoky look! This brush would also work great for lower lash eyeshadow (similar to the pencil brush!)

Eyebrow brushes: 

Left to right: spooly/angled brush x2

Spooly: Before getting into makeup I had no idea what the heck this brush was for! I always thought it was to maybe comb out your eyelashes? Because it does look like a large mascara wand. I later found out that it is to brush out your EYEBROWS! Who knew eyebrows needed brushing? Certainly not my high school self (unfortunately). A spooly is definitely not a necessity. For a long time I used a (clean) toothbrush! All you need it for is to make your eyebrows cooperate and all flow in the same general direction.

Please excuse how disgustingly, terrifyingly dirty my spooly is!!! 

Angled brush: Realistically these brushes could be used for liner too, I just prefer my angled, pointed liner brushes for eyeliner! I use these brushes to fill in my eyebrows! I typically use a brow pomade (similar to a gel eyeliner consistency) so these brushes work fantastic! I will definitely say that using an angled brush and a brow pomade does take some practice... However, these brushes for sure work the best! The silver brush is soft but dense and the white brush has stronger, more "rough" bristles. Both do the same thing, just two different makes of brush!

Left/white brush: strong, firm, "rough" bristles // right/silver: softer, dense bristles. Both offer similar results! Favourite eyebrow brushes! 

Concealer/lip brushes: 

Excuse the horribly blurry photo. Last photo I snapped before my camera died! 

Left to right: Lip brush/concealer brush

Lip brush: Initially I was using this as a tiny concealer brush but later decided it would be better as a lip brush! (It might actually BE a lip brush... I'll never know) This brush is soft and dense! Works great for applying both lipstick and gloss! I get a nice, even application! Again, definitely not a necessity but nice to have! I do have a few glosses in palettes where this brush comes in handy!

Concealer brush: I guess I could have put both these brushes in "face brushes" but they just felt like they needed a category of their own! This brush is probably most self-explanatory. You guessed it! I use it for concealer! It's the perfect size to spot conceal or to clean up around my eyebrows! This brush has somewhat firm bristles and is nice and dense! Perfect for concealer. Nice to have if you do fill your eyebrows in with a pomade! Occasionally I will use this brush to clean up around my lips should I have any lipstick accidents!

And now we are at the end!!!! I'm not sure what more I could possibly add to this blog post as I think its about 100000000 words long! I hope this post helps SOMEONE out who is new to brushes or looking to create their own mini-collection! I know brush shopping was super overwhelming when I was just getting into makeup! I never really knew what I was looking for or what brush was best for what!

xo