Makeup Brushes 101

03 May 2023 | | By Leila Petersen

Find out what different shape and size makeup brushes are used for.

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Whether you're a professional or a novice, makeup brushes are a necessary tool for every beauty lover. While you can always use your fingers and sponges to apply makeup, the best brushes can be a game changer — especially if your goal is to create a seamless, blended finish.

That said, with so many brushes on the market, knowing exactly which ones you need and how to use them can be confusing. Here are the top you should have in their arsenal and how to use them.

Foundation brush

When it comes to foundation brushes, there are many options, however a flat foundation brush is ideal for applying liquid or cream formulas, but if you're looking for something that'll give you more coverage, go for a dense brush that has synthetic bristles.

When it comes to the application, start in the middle of your face (cheeks and T-zone) and apply your foundation outward in smooth, even strokes to prevent harsh makeup lines around the edges of your jawline and hairline. And if you're using a mineral or powder foundation, swirl and buff the bristles to work the product into the skin.

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Concealer brush

A concealer brush is ideal for targeting small, specific areas that you want to be concealed as these little brushes allow you to apply product with precision to the areas of your face that a bigger brush can't get to. Look for tightly packed bristles and tapered or pointed heads to provide complete precision.

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Powder brush

Powder is the finishing touch of any beauty routine. With its big fluffy bristles, a powder brush allows you to lightly apply both loose and pressed setting powders without creating a cakey look. Depending on the area you’re looking to cover, the size of this brush varies from small to large and typically has long, dense, fluffy bristles. It’s meant to ever-so-lightly “set” your liquid/cream foundations or buff and blend out powder foundations, depending on your needs.

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Blush/bronzer brush

Blush and bronzer brushes are similar enough that one could do the job of both. Smaller than a powder brush, the ideal blush/bronze brush features a dome shape with soft, fluffy bristles. The dome shape allows for the even distribution of your powder pigments while the fluffy bristle allows you to control the colour.

When it comes to bronzer and blush, the way you use the brush is almost more important than the brush itself. For bronzer, loosely sweep the brush in a “3” pattern, starting from your forehead, cutting across your cheekbones, then moving back out and down to your jawline. For blush, lightly swirl the product on the apples of your cheeks and blend it up into your cheekbones.

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Fan brush

As the name implies this brush looks like a flat fan. Thanks to this shape and its soft bristles, the fan brush is perfect for dusting colour or highlighter on the high points of your face, such as the cheekbones, nose, and forehead. You can also use it to create a dramatic contour underneath your cheekbones.

Flat eyeshadow brush

While there may be a plethora of eyeshadow brushes on the market, a flat shader brush is the one you want to have in your collection. Featuring synthetic densely packed bristles in a rounded shape, this type of brush is able to pick up a significant amount of powder or cream eyeshadow and evenly distribute the colour across the lid – whether you're packing on your favourite shimmer shade or for creating a halo eye.

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Brow brush

Able to frame your face and accentuate your eyes, well-groomed eyebrows are a must. Ultra-handy for applying all kinds of brow products, like pomades, powders, and waxes, the ideal brow brush has two sides: an angled one to help you draw individual brow hairs and a brush like spoolie to comb and shape your brows. The combination of the two makes for perfectly finished eyebrows.

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IMAGE: 123rf.com