Essential guide to make up brushes

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Beauty Uncovered

Written by Kirsty Brailsford on 06/04/2011

Essential guide to make up brushes

Don't know your lip brush from your concealer brush? Discover your all-new beauty tool kit right here.

The foundation brush


Use to blend your foundation easily and expertly. Squeeze a little foundation on to the brush and blend on to your face, starting from the centre and working outwards.

Try: Max Factor Foundation Brush

Use with: No7 Intelligent Colour Foundation

Great for: When you want an expert finish in no time.

Max Factor Foundation Brush

The powder brush


This is the biggest of the brush family and is designed to apply face powder for a flawless finish. Swirl your powder brush in your face powder, blow or tap away any excess and then sweep over your face.

Try: Lancome Powder Brush 01

Use with: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

Great for: Setting foundation and providing a shine-free base for the rest of your make up.

Lancome Powder Brush 01

The blusher brush


A smaller version of the powder brush, the blusher brush is used to apply powder blusher to the apples of your cheeks or bronzer to your cheekbones.

Try: Ecotools Bamboo Blush Brush

Use with: Myface Rouge Blusher Medium, Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer

Great for: Defining and contouring. Just remember to invest in two of these if you intend to apply blusher and bronzer.

Ecotools Bamboo Blush Brush

The concealer brush


This small brush allows for targeted coverage of spots as well as blending concealer over dark circles and around the nose. Use the tip to apply concealer to spots and the flat edge to blend larger areas.

Try: Clinique Concealer Brush

Use with: Benefit Erase Paste

Great for: Blending away blemishes and uneven skin tone.

Clinique Concealer Brush

The eyebrow brush


It's no coincidence this brush looks uncannily like a mascara wand. Use it to tame unruly eyebrows and separate out eyelashes.

Try: Dior Backstage Makeup Eyebrow Brush

Great for: When you don't have time for mascara or want to brush out any rogue mascara clumps.

Dior Backstage Makeup Eyebrow Brush

The eyeshadow brush


Use the eyeshadow brush to apply a sheer wash of colour to the eyelids or to blend eyeshadow colours after applying with a sponge applicator.

Try: 17 Eyeshadow Brush

Use with: L'Oreal Paris Colour Appeal Eyeshadow

Great for: Applying a subtle hint of eyeshadow and blending two or more eye shades.

17 Eyeshadow Brush

The angled eyeshadow brush


This brush has been specifically designed to create depth in the eyelid crease and add definition to the outer eyelid, where darker shades are traditionally applied.

Try: Estée Lauder Contour Shadow Brush

Use with: Bourjois Smoky Eyes Eyeshadow

Great for: Mastering more specific looks – a must when creating a smoky eye!

Estée Lauder Contour Shadow Brush

The blending brush


The clue's in the title with this one – use this brush after eyeshadow application to smudge, blend and soften for your desired eye look.

Try: Models Own Blending Eyeshadow Brush

Great for: Taking your look from day to night – pop this brush in your handbag and smudge out your daytime eyeshadow for a simple evening look.

Models Own Blending Eyeshadow Brush

The eyeliner brush


This small-yet-beautifully-formed brush is great for creating a precise, even line with gel, liquid and powder eyeliners.

Try: No7 Eyeliner Brush

Use with: No7 Limited Edition Spring Collection Gel Eyeliner

Great for: Applying eyeshadows to the lash line (use damp for a more striking look) and smudging out kohl eyeliner for a smoky effect.

No7 Eyeliner Brush

The lip brush


Lipstick application just got easier! Dab the brush into your desired lipstick and outline your lips first, then fill in. Apply one light coat, blot and reapply as desired.

Try: Yves Saint Laurent Professional Lip Brush

Use with: Revlon Superlustrous Lipstick

Great for: Building up lip colour to the desired effect.

Yves Saint Laurent Professional Lip Brush

Don't forget! Your make up brushes need cleaning on a regular basis to keep them in tip-top condition, so invest in a decent product like Clinique Makeup Brush Cleanser.


Read more like this:
Beauty blog
Hair tools explained
Essential electrical hair styling tools
Mascara mysteries solved!

Related categories:
Make up tools
Max Factor
No7
Lancôme
Rimmel
Blushers & bronzers
Estée Lauder
Clinique
Benefit
Dior
L'Oreal
Eye shadow
Yves Saint Laurent
Revlon

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