Friday 10 November 2017

The Beginners Guide to Makeup Brushes

Just like an artist requires the right tools to create a masterpiece, a makeup artist also needs the right tools for their skill to transfer to the canvas properly. Over the years, as a makeup enthusiast, I have realised that the right brushes can change the way your makeup looks and feels.

Lately, a lot of my friends, peers and followers have been asking me about good makeup brushes and where to get them. Hence, I decided to photograph and write a blog post on my favourite and most used makeup brushes. Fortunately, they are mostly from the drugstore and are therefore affordable. I have categorized the brushes according to the part of the face that they cater to most appropriately. However, all brushes are multi-purpose and can be used for different tasks other than what I have specified below.
FACE AND COMPLEXION BRUSHES


  • Morphe M439 
The Morphe M439 Brush is a dense brush with short bristles which is perfect for blending out the foundation on the face. While the Beauty Blender gives a more natural looking coverage, the brush gives a fuller coverage. It helps the foundation blend seamlessly into the skin and this is literally my go-to tool for foundation application followed by the Beauty Blender.
  • BH Cosmetics Foundation Brush
This brush is useful for applying foundation onto the face and spreading it. I use it when I want to build up my foundation for a heavy coverage. 
  • Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush
Mostly this brush can be used for applying concealer especially on the under eyes. The pointed tip allows for precise application.
  • BH Cosmetics Large Shader Brush
Another brush which I use for applying eye primer or concealer. The synthetic bristles are great as they don't absorb too much product also. 
  • Real Techniques Contour Brush 
This brush is from the Real Techniques Core Collection. The brush is fluffy and tapered at the end. I use this brush mostly for setting powder under my eyes and blending out my concealer for that perfect undereye.
  • Real Techniques Miracle Sponge/Beauty Blender 
I simply cannot imagine doing my makeup without my Beauty Blender. It not only helps blend my foundation and concealer, it also helps to blend all my other makeup, including my blush, highlight and contour for a seamless and natural airbrushed finish. 

Both the sponges perform well, but for my foundation especially, I prefer the Beauty Blender over the Real Techniques Sponge for a more airbrushed look since it is softer and has more bounce. However, both the sponges are brilliant and you can get whichever one suits your pocket. 

P.s. I always dab my highlighter with a wet sponge after I am done for a more intense and lit from within glow.
BLUSH BRUSHES

  • Morphe M403
 Like the Real Techniques Blush Brush, this brush is also fluffy but it has a slightly different shape from the Real Techniques one. I use this for a more precise blush application because it is smaller. The bristles are slightly prickly but that's not too much of a problem.
  • Real Techniques Blush Brush 
This is my holy grail brush for applying and blending out my blush. I have tried a variety of blush brushes, but none of them have managed to give me the finish that this has given. Even if I apply my blush with a different brush, I still go over it with this brush because it truly gives the most beautiful wash of the colour on the cheeks. The Real Techniques Blush Brush is large, dome-shaped and fluffy which is probably why it gives the most natural looking cheeks ever. This is a must, must have.

HIGHLIGHTING AND CONTOURING



I think highlighting and contouring deserves a separate heading given how popular these techniques are and how our lives are a constant struggle of perfecting these techniques. So here are my favourite brushes for this.
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Brush A23
Although I'm not a very big fan of this brush, it still is a good one for blending the highlighter. The bristles are soft and fluffy and blend the product well. 
  • Morphe M501 
I discovered this brush a while ago and since then I been using this only with my highlighters. This brush has long, fluffy bristles which can give you a subtle as well as an intense highlight depending on how you apply. The fact that the bristles are fluffy, allows you to build up your highlight which makes this brush so amazing and a must-have for highlighting.
  • Real Techniques Setting Brush 
This brush is a lot like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brush in #23, meant for highlighting, given its fluffy bristles. This brush is slightly bigger than the Morphe M501 but it is great for highlighting. Its soft and fluffy bristles allow you to diffuse the highlight perfectly. Its definitely a great, if not better alternative to ABH'S A23.
  • Morphe M437
    This brush has a flat and tapered top which is ideal for contouring. The brush is small, tapered and has a flat top which fits perfectly into the hollows of your cheekbones I have been using this brush for contouring ever since I got it. It blends both the cream and powder contour flawlessly. 

    EYE BRUSHES

    Under this heading, I'll categorize the brushes according to the function they serve, e.g. blending, eyeliner etc. However, do remember that brushes are very versatile and can be used for multiple purposes. You can even use your eye brushes for your face makeup so it doesn't really make a difference.

    EYESHADOW APPLICATION


    • BH Cosmetics Brush 103 - Small Shader Brush
    This natural hair brush is perfect for patting eyeshadow lightly on the lid and browbone. It is soft, dense and has a dome shape. 
    • Morphe M504
    This brush is fluffy and dense, hence is ideal for sweeping product all over the eye while blending it at the same time. I mostly use this brush for setting my eye primer on my eyes. 
    • Colourpop Medium Shader Brush 
    This is a flat, synthetic brush which is perfect for applying eyeshadow onto the lids. I use this brush wet when I really want to pack on the pigment and make the colour pop. It also gets along beautifully with the moussey Colourpop eyeshadows and loose glitter.
    • BH Cosmetics Concealer Brush
    Although it is defined as a concealer brush, I mainly use this for packing product onto the lid 

    BLENDING



    Probably the most important part of eyeshadow application is the blending process. This can make or break your eye look. No blending, as well as over blending can mess up your look hence it is important to strike a balance. Here are my favourite tools for blending. I won't be going into too much detail but for a perfectly blended eye look, I always reach out for one of these brushes. All of them blend the shadow well, especially in the crease. 
    • Colourpop Tapered Blending Brush
    • Colourpop Blending Brush
    • Wet n Wild Crease Brush
    • Morphe M441
    • Morphe Y19
    • Morphe M433
    • Anastasia Beverly Hills Double Ended Brush
    EYELINER BRUSHES


    • Essence Precise Eyeliner Brush
    Like the name suggests, this locally available gem is great for precise eyeliner application.
    • Morphe Brush M160 1/8 - Angle Liner
    The Morphe M160 is also an angled liner brush which is brilliant for bold wings and cat-eyes. I love how it has a really long handle which makes it so easy to hold and manoeuvre.
    • Colourpop Angled Eye Brush
    This has to be my favouritest brush for eyeliner application. It allows you to draw the finest lines possible because it is so thin. 

    EYEBROW BRUSH

    • Spoolie
    I just use this random unbranded spoolie to brush out my eyebrows and set them in place.
    • Real Techniques Brow Brush
    This brush is literally all I need for my brows. It is slanted and the bristles pick up the product very nicely. It allows me to diffuse the eyebrow pigment onto my brow without making them look overdone. 
    DETAILER BRUSHES

    • Real Techniques Detailer Brush
    This Detailer Brush is part of the Real Techniques Core Collection and is a great multi-purpose one. I mostly use it as a lip brush. But sometimes, I also use this brush to highlight the inner corners of my eyes. It is a great brush to just throw in your bag given how it can fix so many little problems.
    • elf Small Precise Brush
    Again I mostly use this brush for lipstick application since the tip of this brush is so tapered that it really helps you to line your lips exactly. But other than that, this is also a great multi-purpose brush.

    MISCELLANEOUS


    • BH Cosmetics 105 - Pencil Brush
    Love this pencil brush for smoking out the lower lash line. Other than that it also serves well for precise pigment application in the crease and to define the outer corners.
    •  Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush
    This fluffy brush from the Starter Set can be used for multiple purposes. It can be used to sweeping eyeshadow on the lid or applying highlighter on the brow bone or even defining the crease. Use it whichever way you like.
    • Angled Brush
    Just a random angled brush which I use for applying eyeshadow on my lower lash night or blending out the waterline.
    • Real Techniques Accent Brush
    Mostly used for highlighting the inner corner of the eye. 

    WHERE TO BUY

    Now onto probably the most important part of this blog post, i.e. where to buy the brushes and how to get the best deal.
    • Real Techniques
    Almost all Facebook pages have Real Techniques Brushes in stock including the Core Collection and Starter Set. The price ranges from PKR 1800-2400 usually. You can also purchase Real Technique Brushes from Beauty Joint as well as their official website but the shipping costs are usually high and the Pakistani Customs are extremely unreliable because you never know how much they will charge. So if you order directly, the entire risk would be yours. 
    • Morphe Brushes
    The best place to buy Morphe Brushes would be from the Facebook page Makeup4u because they are the official retailers of Morphe in Pakistan. Their prices are super reasonable. Plus they regularly have mega exhibitions in Lahore so you can always grab your essential brushes from there.
    Morphe ships worldwide also but like mentioned above, customs and shipping can be a bit of a hassle.
    • Beauty Blender
    Beauty Blenders are available at Sephora all over the world so you can ask your relatives to get you one or you can order through Facebook pages. Chic Bazaar and Amor usually have the lowest rates for the Beauty Blender. Beauty Blenders are now also available locally. Check their official Instagram account for further details. 
    • BH Cosmetics
    All the BH Cosmetics brushes mentioned in this blog post are part of the Eye Essential - 7 Piece Brush Set. This brush set is usually on sale on the BH Cosmetics website and a lot of the Facebook pages have it in stock at nominal rates. This set is literally worth every penny and I would recommend beginners to get hold of this set because it fulfils almost all your eye brush needs.

    BH Cosmetics is also now available locally. Check out their Facebook page for prices and other details.
    • ELF Cosmetics
    ELF has now officially launched in Pakistan and all ELF brushes are available on the Pakistani website. Visit the ELF Pakistan website here.

    My go-to Facebook pages for online shopping are Amor, Chic Bazaar and Beauty Point, Karachi. For more details on which page to buy from etc, you can visit this detailed blog post on online shopping here.

    Let me know how you liked this guide and whether you would like similar posts. Looking forward.

    Love.