By BR Tabatha
It's easy to get too excited by makeup. To go overboard. To indulge over and over until you have a moment, like BR Kellie did recently, where you realise there's a whole lot sitting on your vanity that you don't use.
My 'woah' moment came when I spent a good few minutes sorting through by makeup brush collection to find the same Anastasia Bevery Hills double ended eyeshadow brush that I use every single day. Despite having a handful of eyeshadow brushes that could do the very same job. So it got me thinking... do I really need four different highlighting brushes? Five different powder brushes? About a million eyeshadow brushes. What do we makeup-lovers or just makeup-once-in-a-whilers actually need in order to do our face?
I compiled a wee list - and then I hit up YOUR reviews to find out which on my list were the must-haves.
A good foundation brush. Now some people prefer the paddle style of brush, others a good stippler. But do you really need both? Actually, perhaps. (I know, I'm doing SUCH a great job of whittling down the collection right now...) I find different foundations need different methods of application. What won't work with a paddle will work with a flat top, what won't work with a flat top will work with a dampened beauty sponge. So here's three styles of brush that get the seal of approval from Beauty Review members (and in the first case, me).
The Original Beauty Blender (with a rating of 4.7/5) is my ride or die. I love it. I've tried others and enjoyed them, but none so much as this. Not only does it do a beautiful job of blending out foundation but it can be used for concealer too (meaning no concealer brush!) as well as liquid or cream highlights and bronzers.
The xoBeauty Flat Top Synthetic Face Brush (with a rating of 4.8/5) will stipple and buff its way to foundation perfection.
And the Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush's (with a rating of 4.7/5) paddle apparently will paint your skin to its most beautiful version of itself.
A good powder brush is a must and with a rating of 4.7/5 and 40 reviews you'd have to check out the budget-friendly e.l.f Complexion Brush. Not only does it work for setting powders, but it can be used for blush and bronzer. Now, at this point we could say 'that's it, we're done, let's move onto highlight, then eyes'... but I'm a bit finnicky about my powder brushes. I like one for setting, one for blush, one for bronzer. So... come on down...
... The Real Techniques Your Finish/Perfected Blush Brush! Rated a stunning 4.8/5 this brush makes blush a breeze! The shape just allows the product to be applied and blended out with no hassle whatsoever. And those bristles - super soft. Swoon. Yes, I have this one in my collection and it's the only one I reach for - rendering the rest useless to me.
As for the bronzer brush... I love a good Kabuki... and e.l.f's Kabuki with its 4.8/5 rating makes for a budget-friendly option.
And if you're not fussy about using one brush per powder product you can use a kabuki for the lot.
Are you all about the glow? Then a highlighting brush is a must for your stash.
Zoeva's Luxe Highlight brush reviews at 4.2/5 and is beloved for its softness, precision and for it's lack of shedding!
Right, so that's your face sorted. How about those peepers? Well Carousel Cosmetics have got you sorted with this two-pack of brushes.
The Perfect Eyes Brush Duo rates an excellent 4.5/5 and provides a shaper brush and a blending brush, so you can pack the colour on and then blend it out. Beautiful!
So there you have it - eight brushes and one sponge you need in your kit if you're extra pedantic like me, or five brushes if you're not.
I love brushes - in my opinion it's better to have more if you're lazy about cleaning because you'll always have some that are clean! No way I could live on only 5 brushes (confession, the other day I picked up 6 wet n wild brushes on sale, they were only $2.24 each ok!) haha