Before we go on to powders, eyeshadows, and blushes, it is crucial to discuss the most important blending tools you can use (besides the sponge for blending on foundation)—brushes. Brushes are simply the best way to apply almost all types of makeup, and you’d be hard put to find a makeup artist anywhere who disagrees. Moreover, nowadays we have a profusion of brushes to choose among. Whether they’re from M. A.C., Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, Stila, Maybelline New York, Aveda, Lorac, BeneFit, Paula’s Choice, or other lines, good brushes are available in an impressive array of sizes, shapes, and sensual textures that facilitate makeup application in ways that feel artistic and effortless. As with anything related to cosmetics, though, a high price does not always mean superior performance. And having more brushes does not mean you will be able to apply your makeup better.
The personal set of brushes you choose is determined strictly by how you prefer to apply your makeup. If your makeup application is elaborate and nuanced, involving several eyeshadows, contour, and highlighting, you need a variety of brushes. If your makeup application is uncomplicated and basic, you need fewer brushes. It’s that simple. (The reason makeup artists carry an arsenal of brushes is because they see a vast assortment of eye and face sizes.) All you need is a group of brushes that match the areas of your face and the kinds and colors of makeup you apply.
As a general guideline, it is best to not purchase a prepackaged set of brushes unless you know you will use all of them and the particular shapes and sizes will meet your needs.
The general rule to follow when considering what size brush to purchase is: Does the size of the brush match the size of the area you are working on? Too small and it will take longer to apply your makeup and it can end up looking striped. Too large and you can end up with a messy application. If you are lining the eye, a tiny thin brush with just a few hairs and that doesn’t scratch or feel stiff is best. If you are filling in the brow, a small angle brush with a slight amount of stiffness to control the color is best. (It should be small and stiff enough to fit through the spaces in the hair and follow the edge of the brow with pencil-like control.) For the eyelid, choose a brush size that fits the curve of your lid, and the same reasoning applies for the crease area. Both should be determined by the size of your eye, and there are countless eyeshadow brush sizes to choose from. To highlight along the brow, a soft, small wedge brush (less stiff than the brow brush), fitting just that area, is best. Try not to use the same brush for both lighter and darker shades of eyeshadow.
How many and which brushes do you need? A full makeup application can require three basic eyeshadow brushes: An eyeliner brush (for liner and brows), a blush brush, contour brush, large powder brush, a lash brush (an old clean mascara wand will do), a brow brush (here a toothbrush will do nicely), and a lip brush.
If you don’t use a pencil for eyelining, a tiny, thin eyeliner brush is best for building either a thick or thin line along the upper and lower lashes. While some makeup artists use thicker brushes that are more square or wedge-shaped for this purpose, I think they are harder to control (they can make a thick line, but it’s hard to get them to create a thin line, while a tiny thin brush can do either). If you’re unsure, experiment with both styles and see which you prefer. A wedge-shaped brow brush can be used just for the brow to apply eyeshadow powder or to smooth out the line of an eyebrow pencil. Personally, I use a tiny eyeliner brush to fill in the brows to keep the shading soft by creating hair-thin strokes. An old toothbrush is still the best tool for combing through the brows. For combing through the lashes, I strongly recommend a good, densely packed used mascara wand that you wash clean, like the ones in L’Oreal Voluminous, Maybelline XXL (any of the versions), and Lancome Definicils mascara. Most lash brushes that are sold separately have bristles that are too far apart to be helpful for easy unclumping and separating. Avoid metal eyelash combs—these can be incredibly painful and damaging if you accidentally poke yourself in the eye. Plastic eyelash combs are a much better, safer option.
Both the blush brush and powder brush should have a soft, firm texture and not splay out when placed on the skin or into the color (no brush should be so loose as to splay when used either on the face or in the product). They should also feel soft and silky, yet hold their shape. If a brush is too wobbly, it will be hard to control the color. I often recommend getting two good blush brushes in the same size and using one for powder and one for blush (you don’t want to dust color over the face). Many powder brushes, though they may feel incredibly soft and luxurious, are too large, cumbersome, and hard to control. It’s nearly impossible to maneuver some of these behemoth brushes under the eye, along the corner of the nose, or along the cheek without hitting other areas of the face that may not need powder, and using too much powder is extremely likely.
If you are looking for a contour brush to shade along the temple, jaw, or cheekbone, a smaller blush brush is a great choice. Brushes specially designed for this area come in a variety of sizes, but the flat edge of these specially designed brushes, though impressive in appearance, can create just that, a hard edge, which takes more blending to soften than necessary. Simply use a small, half-inch-wide version of your blush brush; the idea is that this contour/blush brush should fit the hollow of the cheekbone.
I’m not among those who diligently apply lipstick with a lipstick brush. I just don’t have the time. Generally, I save this precision for special occasions or when I want to use up every last drop in the tube. But if you like this option, look for a brush with bristles that are strong and slightly stiff. Tug hard on the brush and make sure the hairs don’t move in the least. Look for a brush the size of your lips. Too small and it can take forever; too big and you’ll be applying lipstick to your face. You know those retractable metal brushes you see almost everywhere and in every price range? They are all the same, and they are excellent! Retracting the bristles neatly back into place beats trying to keep the little plastic protective sheath on a wood-handled brush. (They never stay on and lipstick ends up getting all over your purse and makeup bag!)
I am not an advocate of foundation brushes, despite the fact that many lines now offer these as part of their brush collections. Quite simply, using foundation brushes takes longer than using a sponge (or fingers if you’re so inclined), and they require more maintenance between uses. Depending on the type of foundation being used, these brushes can create a striped or streaked appearance. If you are tempted to try them, experiment with them before making a purchase so you can be sure you like the final result with whatever foundation you use.