KNOW YOUR BRUSHES

You must know the different types of makeup brushes and what they are used for.

Read below.

Makeup brushes are integral to achieving a flawless, airbrushed look that’ll help you face your day with confidence. However, the extensive selection of brushes available on the market can make the buying experience intimidating. If you happen to buy a multi-pack set, you might not even know all of the makeup brushes’ names, or be able to discern their specific uses. Sure, using your finger as an applicator is a tried and true way to apply foundation, but if you want to graduate from amateur to pro in the beauty world, you need to arm yourself with the right knowledge to make it happen.

Investigating all the types of makeup brushes is very challenging alone. So, we’ve distilled the options down to the most useful and multi-use tools. Knowing how to use makeup brushes allows for the precision and control you need to achieve a diverse range of looks.

Do you have a specific makeup brush you’re looking for? Check out our makeup brushes guide below to get the information you need—you’ll be on your way to slaying in no time:

General Face Brushes:

Powder Brush

Tapered Foundation Brush

Stippling Brush

Kabuki Brush

Contour Brush

Silicone Blender

Beauty Blender

Fan Brush

Blush Brush

Eye Area Brushes:

Eye Brow Brush

Angled Eye Shadow Brush

Eye Shadow Crease Brush

Eyeliner Brush

Brow Brush

Mascara Wand

Lip Brushes:

Lip Brush

Lip Liner Brush

Cleansing

GENERAL FACE BRUSHES

1. Powder Brush

Gently dusting loose powder products across your face.

2. Tapered Foundation Brush

Precise application of foundation, highlight, or blush.

3. Stippling Brush

Creating a flawless, airbrushed look.

4. Kabuki Brush

Applying loose powder or body shimmer.

5. Contour Brush

To achieve angular, defined cheekbones and facial structure.

6. Silicone Blender

To seamlessly apply foundation and blend products.

7. Beauty Blender

Applying wet and dry foundation, blush, highlighter and concealer.

8. Fan Brush

Applying highlighter, brush away makeup mistakes, and blend out dark lines.

9. Blush Brush

For the application of blush to get that fresh-faced, youthful rosiness.

10. Eye Shadow Brush

Applying swaths of general color to your eyelids.

11. Angled Eye Shadow Brush

For smudging and contouring eye makeup.

12. Eye Shadow Crease Brush

For creating the illusion of depth and adding a dramatic contrast to your base lid color.

13. Eyeliner Brush

For adding liner to achieve a fuller lash line or cat-eye look.

14. Brow Brush

Used for taming and styling your brows.

15. Mascara Wand or Spoolie

To apply mascara to your upper and lower lash lines.

LIP BRUSHES

16. Lip Brush

To precisely apply lipstick, gloss and other lip products.

17. Lip Liner Brush

To add lip liner after main lipstick or gloss application.

CLEANSING

While we’re talking about makeup brushes, it’s important to keep an eye on your routine to avoid infections, rashes, and other unseemly effects from using dirty brushes. To wash your brushes and keep bacteria at bay, use a gentle cleanser or brush-specific cleanser and wet the bristles (avoid getting water on the handles). Then, swirl the brush on a paper towel and repeat until the brush is clean. Make sure there is no soap left in the bristles by rinsing them. Let the brushes air dry to preserve their shape.

Makeup brushes and their uses can be a complicated puzzle to solve but it’s well worth the trouble. The right types of makeup brushes and knowing how to use them properly can elevate your beauty game. If you need detailed instructions for applying makeup, we’ve got you covered, too.

Yours truly,

Aveek's Studio