Article by BR Georgiana
In case you think flawless skin is just a stroke of luck, think again. Make-up artists claim that the difference between a professional and an amateur make-up application is as much about the brushes (those tools that puzzle most of the ladies) as the products you use. Does this come as a surprise?
Apparently women tend to buy lots of make-up brushes, but very few use them properly, or on a regular basis. If your bathroom cabinet boasts an impressive number of such tools yet you are still wondering whether you have the right ones and how exactly to use those you already have, read on for some interesting make-up brush knowledge.
If you aim to flaunt the perfect visage, you probably do things à la carte: you start with a primer (the make-up base), continue with foundation (in the shade that best suits your skin tone), concealer (hides imperfections in a miraculous way!), a light veil of powder for a finishing touch and, eventually, a touch of blush before enhancing your eyes and lips. Here are the right tools you should use for pro results:
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The Foundation Brush – the Canvas Creator Instead of using this big, bushy brush, many women apply foundation with their fingers. We know it seems easier, but the results you get are totally different. The brush helps create a natural effect, blending the product flawlessly into your skin. Use it for both powder and liquid foundation, but also to apply the primer. Experts say that you should start with your T-zone, working the product towards the sides of the face with circular, tapping motions. At this stage, skin should look even and flawless. |
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The Powder/Blush Brush – Adding the Sassy Factor This full, soft dome-shaped brush is perfect for applying powder, bronzer and blush as well. Powder is the finishing touch to the foundation, eliminating every trace of shine and providing a longer wear of the first two products you applied (primer and foundation). Apply it with a light move before you shake off any excess product, then use the same brush to apply a sexy veil of bronzer or some touches of girly blush. These highlighting powders should be applied on the cheekbone area, starting on the apple of the cheek and continuing towards the ears. Make-up pros recommend that the blush brush should be made with natural hair, so invest in a silky and luxurious one that will last for a very long time. Porcelain effect guaranteed! |
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The Fan Brush – the Excess Eraser This brush is about to become your little beauty helper. We just love how multitasking it is! It gently removes any excess powder or eye shadow on the face, sweeps a fine dusting of loose powder for a velvety look (no more heavy coverage revealing those fine lines), and is also great for applying facial treatments such as peels or masks. The product will be applied evenly and you will avoid wasting it just like it happens when you apply it with your fingers. |
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The Eye Shadow Brush – Creating Spectacular Shades If the foundation is meant to even out your skin tone, the purpose of eye shadow is to add a touch of colour that enhances your eyes, making them stand out. You can apply it either in a mono-shade or in a blend of complementary shades, for which you will need some extra skills. Eye shadow brushes (used also for applying concealer) are short, half-moon shaped tapered brushes with densely-packed bristles that fit easily in the crease of the eye. Start getting creative with yours and give your eyes an irresistible victim-maker look! |
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The Eyeliner Brush – the Feline Look Provider A great alternative to the eyeliner pencil, this brush is used with liquid eyeliner to make eyes look bigger, beautifully defining the lash line. Expect a long-lasting effect and some serious bold eyes. Also perfect for applying brow powders, this angled brush with a fine tip has a slanted shape and firm bristles that hold the product. Start applying a thin line from the inner eye corner and make it thicker towards the end of the eye. Beware. Such sexy diva eyes will attract like a magnet. |
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The Brow Brush – Defining Your Signature Brows Eyebrows have been in the spotlight these past seasons, and this is a sign you should pamper and groom yours a bit more than usual. Apparently one of the essential make-up brushes used by pros is the brow brush with two tips: a blunt brush used to fill in your brows with both shadows or cream, and a second one that looks like a mascara wand and works great for combing brows, keeping unruly hairs in line, and also for de-clumping mascara. A true brow sculptor. |
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The Lip Brush – Adding Your Femme Fatale Signature A prerogative of women, lipstick is a real miracle worker, especially when applied correctly. Just like eyeliner brushes, lip brushes have a fine tip, are long, extra-firm and tapered. If you don’t use lip liner pencil, just swirl the tip of this brush on your favourite lipstick tube and draw a thin contour along the edge of both lips, then fill the rest of the lips with colour using the entire length of the brush. Now this is what we call a full, punchy pout drawn to perfection. |
Cleaning Your Make-Up Brushes – a Must-Do
While you love the perfected look make-up brushes give you, your tools will equally love being cleaned often. This is an essential step that can’t be skipped, especially because of the stiffness and the bacteria build-up. The latter is enought to convince us!
The professional way to clean them is using an alcohol-free brush cleanser. Otherwise, natural brushes can be cleaned just with water and a very mild soap (normal soap dries them out), while hand sanitizer will clean and kill the germs off the synthetic ones. Avoid soaking your make-up brushes in any kind of liquid – the glue will loosen making bristles shed, and the metallic parts will rust quickly. Keeping the bristles under running water should be enough. Your lip, eye shadow and foundation brushes should normally be cleaned after every use as they pick up dirt and oil from the skin, accumulating bacteria that you will just put back on your face the next time you use them. The powder and blush brushes should be cleaned once a week.
Celebrity make-up artist Tom Pecheux’s tip for the ladies who use natural hair brushes is to condition them after having washed them. He coats his brush heads in hair conditioner, letting them sit overnight before rinsing them out the next morning. The result is super-soft and smooth brushes, and we are going to try this as soon as possible!
Another make-up guru, Bobbi Brown, advises on when a make-up brush should be replaced: if it looks squashed and the bristles lost their shape and already started to shed, it is time for a new brush. So check yours now and see how “fresh” they look.
That being said, ladies, let your make-up brushes reveal your beauty! We promise they are up to the task.
Photo Credits - morrisflamingo.com, makeupandglow.com.au, davinci-defet.com, dooyoo.co.uk, allure.com, morphebrushes.com
I can't stand using my fingers to apply makeup (unless its lid shadow) - would be lost without my brushes! The conditioner tip is a great idea, will have to give that a go next time