We promote skin health as a priority rather than skin beauty because it stands to reason that healthy skin will feel and look like beautiful skin. That said, we understand that following skin regimens for a soft, healthy, blemish-free face is only half the battle; at some point you will want or need to doll yourself up with makeup. So, we have compiled this list of ten tools of the makeup trade to help you out. These are the best brushes for different makeup tasks, as recommended by experts on the matter.
For the eyes:
The eyes are the window to the soul and they are often the first part of our face and body that people will clock. Whether you’ve got baby blues or dark doe eyes you need to play up your best feature. There are of course a hundred and one ways to build up your eyes involving various shadows, creams, mascaras and pencils but if you really want to make the most of all the products and techniques you are going to need the right tools. What tools you need will depend on what you intend to do but to get you started here is a list of the best brushes every make up bag should have according to make up experts:
- Eye Shading Brush
If you need to lay lots of colour on the lid then this is the brush you need. Used gently, this brush can also be used to smudge colour under the lower lash line.
- Stiff Dome Brush
When you are trying to create the coveted smoky eye you will need to feather the colour and you can do that very well with the stiff dome brush – the stiff bristles are key to this brush’s success.
- Pencil Brush
If you’re in need of precise eye work then the pencil brush is a good choice; you can shade the lid, in the crease of the eye and along the lash lines. You can even smudge your eyeliner along your lash line with this brush because it is so versatile and precise.
- Soft Dome Brush
Thanks to its dome shape this brush is perfect for blending out harsh lines below the brow or blending out under-eye concealer (when you’re trying to hide dreaded dark circles and bags!)
- Bent Liner Brush
The unique design of the bent liner brush makes it purpose-built for applying gel eyeliner right on the lash lines. The pointed tip is precise enough to help you create the perfect cat eye too.
- Dual Ended Brow Brush
This 2-for-1 brush is incredibly useful; not only does the one end (resembles a mascara wand) allow you to brush your brows, the angled brush at the other end makes filling in your brows effortless.
For the face:
It is said that Monday’s child is fair of face…well, there are six more days to the week and it’s fair to assume you want a fair face on any one (or all) of these days. Now, you’ll know from experience that the first step to ensuring great, healthy skin day after day is to use the recommended Dermalogica products and stick to your skin regime. But for many, make up is as much a part of daily attire as undies and shoes so it makes sense that you want to get it perfect on first application. Once again, there is a plethora of different make up brands and products out there with all sorts of liquids, mousses and powders to fit your needs. How good the makeup looks and keeps however is dependent on how well it is applied in the first place and to apply any makeup properly you need to use the correct tools. The makeup brush is a complex but essential tool and to give you a bit more guidance, here is a list of the must-have makeup brushes as recommended by those in the know:
- Angled Contour Brush
Contour brushes come in different shapes and sizes but each angle will create a similar desired effect. When swiped downwards diagonally from the cheekbone in one fluid motion it can apply makeup flawlessly.
- Cheek Highlighter Brush
You may not need or wish to use this brush but its soft, feathery bristles are great for creating a soft finish to your makeup. It is ideal for applying highlighter to the top of the cheekbones and it can even be used to stipple cream blush onto the cheek.
- Foundation Stippling Brush
The stippling brush is the perfect tool for creating a full coverage look with foundation. Its large flat head is designed for stippling foundation and what’s more is that stippling means no streaks so you get flawless skin.
- Flat Foundation Brush
Again, you may not feel the need or inclination to use this brush but it is ideal for applying highlighter to the cheek bones. It can be used to apply foundation but watch out for streaks.
Bonuses:
- Cue tip/cotton bud – dampen it and catch rogue bits of mascara under the eye and on the lid
- Soft face tissues – ideal for soaking up excess oil and dabbing away excess makeup
- Beauty Blender – use this egg-shaped tool to smoothen out any foundation your brush(es) didn’t catch
- Tweezers – when you’re doing close up work applying makeup you are bound to spot a stray hair so having tweezers at hand will offer a quick solution and save hours of “can-they-see-it” paranoia
- Eyelash curler – this is a makeup trick as old as time itself; if you want to make mascara application easier and make your lashes more noticeable and defined then curl them first
So once you kit yourself with all the right tools you will need to make sure you know how best to use them. Check out MakeUpGeek’s blog and tutorial videos for hints and tips galore!
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