The Best Makeup Brushes

Your Guide To The Short List

To get started on your quest for the best makeup brushes, you will need to answer two questions:
#1 What qualities do the best makeup brushes have?
#2 What ones do I really need?

There are some fundamental qualities that apply to almost all brushes but their tasks will also define some of their differences. If you are here reading this page, you have likely discovered there is a huge selection of brushes available; many sizes, handle lengths, head shapes, bristle cuts and bristle origins AND attached to them, a crazy range in price points.

Don't worry, we'll sort all of this into an order that makes sense, and allows you to make the best makeup brush choices, for your needs.

There are two lists that we will work with.  The first gives you the 'big picture' of the WHOLE RANGE of brushes available, the zones they work in, makeup techniques they perform, and the qualities you should look for.

The second list is THE SHORT LIST (check marked part of whole list below) of 'essential brushes and tools' that will suit the majority of us, plus some other handy tools and makeup applicators.

Best Makeup Brushes Guide Part 1-Important Qualities

No matter how artistic a person is, without quality tools and products even a genius like Michelangelo would not have been able to paint the Sistine Chapel.
Kevin Aucoin, the late top makeup artist and author,  from his book Face Forward

As you read through the information via the links below, make note of the ideal characteristics your makeup brushes should have.  For example, shape of and type of bristles, price point considerations such as natural bristle vs synthetic (often but not always a better choice but also more expensive). By noting further fine details (are the bristle hairs blunt from being unnaturally cut OR is each bristle tapering as a natural hair would) will improve your purchase satisfaction as the quality and performance increase.

Here are some general descriptive words used to describe brush characteristics:

• brush head shape;  square, dome, tapered, angled, slant etc
  
• brush head size; fine (extra small), small, medium, large, extra large
  
• bristles; natural hair -sable, squirrel, goat vs.  synthetic- nylon, taklon
  
• bristles; texture-fine, soft, coarse bristles; firm, stiff, dense etc.
• handle length; long, short, 'travel size'

When considering a brush for purchase, try to match the task of the brush and the format of the makeup you will be using (liquid, powder, gel etc...), with the features of the brush you are examining.  Do they mesh?

Best Makeup Brushes Guide Part 2- The Ones Most Of Us Really Need

The Whole List (General) & The Short List

The check marked brushes on the list below, are the essentials...your "Short List".

FACE

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• Large Powder Brush 
• Kabuki Brush
• Foundation Brush 
• Concealer Brush
• Blush Brushes; flat, angled, *dome, blunt
• Bronzer Brush
• Contour Brush
• Fan Brush

+ TOOLS

• Natural Sponge (sea)
• Latex Wedge/ Foam
• powder puff
• Qtips

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EYES

• Eye Shadow Brush; small,*medium, large
• 
  
• Cream Eye Shadow brush
• Crease Brush; rounded, contour
• Eye Shader Brush
• Eye Smudge Brush
• Eye Blender
• Eye Liner Brushes;blunt,*angled, ultra fine

+ TOOLS

• Liner Sharpener
• Qtips

EYE LASHES

• mascara brush/ comb    (clean mascara wand/ spool
   or clean toothbrush will do the trick)

+ TOOLS

• Eye Lash Curler

EYE BROWS

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• Eye Brow Brush angled
• Clean Mascara Wand/ Spool
• Clean Toothbrush

+ TOOLS

• Tweezers
• Scissors

LIPS

• lip brushes; retractable or with cap

For more tips on indespensible, must have tools and accessories, click on the nav bar to your upper left "Tools & Acessories"...

Best Makeup Brushes Tips:

Generally, clean makeup brushes and tools regularly.  Save your brushes, your makeup, and your skin from destructive bacteria. More about makeup brushes...

Brush Sets- Do you really need one?

Brush sets are a convenient way to go if you are starting from scratch, able to find a set with 'the essentials' best makeup brushes, or you see the need for a more extensive range in brushes .... Why? It saves you the leg work in tracking down brush styles, and you will generally benefit from a price break when you buy in multiples.

Professional Makeup Brushes:

What are professional makeup brushes and how different are they from the ones available to us. Are professional ones available to the regular consumer?

Store you brushes in clean, dry, damage proof, user friendly container.

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