Have you noticed your makeup skills compared to professional makeup artists? That one thing has a big impact on your makeup brush tool. Yes! You heard it right. The right makeup brush can give a well-determined result that you have been dreaming of. Let’s know about different makeup brushes so that you can be a makeup pro.
Makeup Brush Classification
With the different makeup brushes, we got confused about which brush to use for what purpose. Makeup brushes have been classified into various categories that are easier to understand and designed to get a result makeup finish at the end. Let’s start with the brush’s name and its usage:
Foundation Brush
The knowledge about the right foundation brush allows the precision you want as your makeup base. Check out the foundation brushes guide below:
- Tapered Foundation Brush
Tapered foundation brushes are flat with soft and gentle taper. These are less in a complete form that can work best for liquid foundation applications. Also, you can apply other liquid products using this brush, like the highlighter.
Apply your foundation in even strokes to get excellent coverage all around the face.
Usage: To be used for the precise foundation application.
A tapered foundation brush gives the best results upon dipping it into the water. Because the brush will not absorb the foundation inside, the water will ensure a perfect coat of foundation on your face. But makeup removes the excess water by gently squeezing the brush.
- Stippling Brush
A stippling brush has two different lengths of fibers. This tightly packed brush is perfect for applying different levels of makeup. You can apply primer, then foundation and blush using this brush. This brush is the right choice if you have a liquid or cream foundation.
Usage: Provides airbrush look with flawless texture
Take liquid foundation or cream foundation/blush/highlighter on the back of your hand, dip your stipple brush into the product, and stipple it onto your face.
- Kabuki Brush
The Kabuki foundation brush is the most versatile and demanding brush of all. Kabuki brushes are available in different types to serve various purposes. Using this brush, you can use powder foundation, loose powder, and body shimmers.
Do not press the brush aggressively and get a flawless look.
Usage: You can apply powder foundation using this brush
Apply the product to the brush and tap to remove excess product, and swirl the brush in a significant circular motion to get a finish look instantly.
Face Powder brush
Face powder brushes are usually all-in-one brushes. You can use these brushes for multiple requirements.
- Flame Brush
This brush is used to apply loose powder after the foundation application. Remove the excess powder by tapping the brush before applying it. You can use loose powder, compact powder, and other face powders to set your foundation.
Usage: Best for loose powder application.
- Contour/Bronzer Brush
Blending is vital when applying contour or bronzer, so this angled brush blends the contour product well. The steep shape of this brush allows the natural curve of the face to be followed well.
Usage: To get defined cheekbones, angular and facial structure.
To apply contour on the forehead:
- Take the brush near your hairline and trace the area.
- Make a pout if you cannot find your cheekbone, and use the contour under your cheekbone.
- Keep the contour as natural as it should be.
- Therefore, do not go for darker shades.
- Fan Brush
This brush is a must-have for your makeup tool. Its multi-use functionality makes it unique. It works as a mistake corrector by brushing out all the excess powder, either eyeshadow or face powder, from the face. It also can be used as a sunscreen, lotion, or other skincare product applicator.
Usage: This brush is used to apply a highlighter. It brushes away the excess powder product from the face and blends out dark lines.
- Kabuki Brush/Powder Brush
It is a thick, full-fibered brush that you can use for many purposes. For the foundation application, dip this brush into the powder/compact or loose powder. Then, apply the product to your desired face areas in a circular motion or sweep the strokes to get even coverage.
Usage: Dust away all the loose powder from the face
Eye Brush
You must have a perfect eye brush for the best result and blending. Whether you use a small, medium, or large eye brush, it should be by the requirement of the look you want. Following are the eye brushes of various types and their uses:
- Eyeshadow Brush
A typical eyeshadow brush is a small brush meant to sweep the eyeshadow across the eyelid evenly. Using this eyeshadow brush, you can apply eyeshadow primer before the eyeshadow application. To get better results, dip this brush into water before usage.
Usage: Apply eyeshadows to the eyelids and blend them nicely.
- Eyeshadow Crease Brush
This small eyeshadow crease brush has a gentle taper. Using this brush, you can add final touches, make some edges more refined, and blend the prominent colors. This crease brush allows the pigment to stay in a specific area (crease of the eye) to get your desired look.
Usage: This brush adds depth and dramatic effect to your eyelids
- Blending Brush
The blending brush is the most straightforward yet most needed brush. After applying the crease and pigments on the eyelid, you need to blend the colors to have a merged color look that provides a professional eye makeup look and adds balance to your look.
Usage: To apply eyeshadow and blend your eyeshadow powder/cream
- Sponge Applicator
It is a soft sponge applicator that allows the color to spread and distributes evenly on the eyelid. Before applying the eyeshadow, clean the brush to avoid discoloring. Also, wet the sponge to get the pigment application quickly.
Usage: It is usually a dual-sided eyeshadow applicator to paste the colors on the eyelid, but it doesn’t mix them.
- Smudge Brush
As the name suggests, this brush smudges the eyeshadows well and sets the crease in no time. It blends the harsh lines and fines out all the colors to get a great look. To get a smokey look, this brush is the best choice.
Usage: To create a dramatic look and smokey eyeshades easily.
- Eyeliner Brush
The eyeliner brush is usually used to get the glamorous cat-eye look. This eyeliner brush can serve many purposes, the first is the eyeliner application, and secondly, you can add a glittery fine line to get a glam look. For eyeliner application, dip the brush into the eyeliner pot, start applying from the inner eye side, and draw the line outward by steading your hand firmly. Now gradually flicking out the line towards to make a cat-eye look.
Usage: To apply eyeliner and get a fuller lash line look
- Angled Eyebrow Brush
An angled eyebrow brush is used to color your brows. Whether you use a powder or cream product, use a small amount of the product and use short strokes to make a defined point at the end. Avoid applying too much product to the starting area of the brows. Instead, use little strokes to get a natural look.
Usage: To style your brows and fill them evenly with a natural look
- Lash & Brow Brush
This combo brush is unique in that it shapes the brows and combs out the lashes. The sharp and hard side of the brush is used to separate the lashes from the mascara clumps, and the other side is the side to comb the brows and tame them.
Usage: To separate lash and eliminate mascara clumps and groom them
- Brow and Lash Comb
This brush is such a blessing. After completing the makeup, you must fix things like setting your eyebrows and combing your lashes to get the finished look. This brush is easy to use that defines the lashes and brows in no time.
Usage: To brush the brows and define the lashes
Lip Brush
There are lip glosses and lip stains that don’t require an extra lip brush for application, but we need to make our color match the outfit. So, here comes the lip brushes that do the magic.
- Lip Smudge Brush
The lip smudge brush allows you to stay in line, especially when applying a dark shade. Dip the brush into your lip product (gloss, lipstick) and apply it to your lips by smudging the color evenly. To get the finished look use a lip liner of the same shade.
Usage: Creates a dramatic look by mixing shades and evenly distributing the product on lips.
- Precision Lip Brush
This precise brush is used to smooth out the lip color and gently mix the lip shade and lip liner to get a firm look. It gracefully adds shape to your lips. Also, you can apply concealer around your lips after a dark shade application.
Usage: Used to apply lip liner or gloss application
Concealer Brush
To apply concealer, a perfect brush is a necessity. Invest in a concealer brush to get a glam look.
- Small Angle Brush
A small angle brush is used to apply concealer in small areas like the eyelid base, around lips, the tip of the nose, and under the eyes. It blends the concealer well in these areas and doesn’t overdo it.
Usage: Applies concealer to small areas
Concealer Brush
This concealer brush blends the concealer and foundation well in liquid form to get an even look. Because of its precise size, you can use this brush to apply blush and highlighter.
Usage: Applying and building up concealer
Makeup Brush Hair Classification
When it comes to face, we all need to be careful about the product’s ingredients and the makeup brushes we use. Should you use natural makeup brushes or synthetic ones? Well, the answer doesn’t side with one of them but both. It depends, such as how you are planning to use them. What each brush does and its best usage decides how much you need that brush. But we should know well about our brushes, what hair is used in them, so read on and know about them further:
Synthetic Hair
Synthetic brushes are made using artificial hairs made of nylon, polyester, and other synthetic material. Manufactured fiber is divided into two categories: corrugated wool and straight filament. The grooved bristles are specially treated and electrified, and the bristles are wavy. They are mainly used as large brushes for loose powder and blush. Straight filaments gather well and are used as foundation brushes and eyeshadow brushes.
Synthetic bristles are generally dyed in brown and tan colors so that they may look natural. Synthetic hair was white and colorless originally. Synthetic bristles don’t absorb oils and powdery pigment. So, these brushes are a great option when using creamy or liquid foundation/ concealer.
These brushes are flatter and stiffer than the other brushes (natural). These brushes don’t blend well when pressure is applied.
Artificial hair is not afraid of water and oil in wet makeup and is washable. Hence, most foundation brushes, eye shadow brushes, and lip brushes are artificial hair.
- How to Clean Synthetic Hair Brushes?
To clean a synthetic brush, you need to wet it first, soak it in a lukewarm water bowl and add a little soap. Rotate the brush in a circular motion around the soap dish, rinse the brush and repeat the process until it comes out clean. Washing like this will need reshaping the bristles. Line up the hair of the brush so that when it dries out, the strands will remain in shape. And then, let your brush dry using a towel, gently press the excess remove water, and let it air-dry by laying your brushes on a counter.
Natural Hair
Natural brushes are made using the natural hair of animals. The furry animals like sable, wolf, squirrel, and goat. Whatever this hair color is, it can be dyed in brown and tan shades. Natural bristles have a coating known as cuticles that absorb skin oils and powdery pigments well. These are good to be used for blending purposes. These brushes are the best for granular products like eyeshadows, blushers, bronzers, highlighters, and loose powder.
Squirrel hair: The hair root is very fine and has a natural luster but is too soft and lacks elasticity. Suitable for loose powder brushes and shadow brushes.
Yellow wolf hair: that is, sable hair, which has good softness and elasticity, but it is costly. The price is 4-5 times that of squirrel hair. It is suitable for eye shadow brushes.
Sable hair: The hair is smooth and soft. The disadvantage is that the hair root is thick, which is easy to cause the hair to be dense and the body to be sparse. It is suitable for small grooming brushes.
Raccoon hair: long and dense hair, used as a small fan brush
Horsehair: Eye Brush
Badger hair: angled eyebrow brush
Bristle: angled brow brush, also brow comb
Goat hair: the most commonly used animal hair, there are high, medium, and low points
- How to Clean Natural Hair Brushes?
These brushes are hard to clean compared to synthetic ones because these brushes absorb oils and pigments. Also, natural hair may dry out or break like a natural hairdo.
Wipe off the makeup on a microfiber towel. It will release pigment quickly. Wet the brushes and soak them in lukewarm water and add shampoo to the water. Swirl the foamy bristles so that the pigment will release further. Rinse the brush pointing it in the downward position. Gently remove excess water from the brush and ensure that the soap and pigments are entirely removed. Allow your brush to dry overnight by putting them upside down. It will allow the natural hairs to avoid falling out and remain in shape.
Final Thoughts
Makeup brushes are the easiest way of doing makeup like a pro. Whatever hair bristles you choose, remember to select the brush size and shape according to your makeup requirement to get the best results. Also, if you are allergic to synthetic things, avoid using them and read the label before buying the brushes.