Powder brushes
usually refer to larger facial zone application brushes.  On this page you
will find helpful descriptions of design qualities you should look for, when
choosing brushes for loose powder; translucent and mineral, pressed; setting and
foundation, powder bronzer, and powder blush makeup.
Shape of brush head, bristle hair coarseness, hair length, all play a role in
how the makeup product is distributed and meeting desired objectives. Softer bristles create lighter weight distribution,
more sheer and conversely, more course
bristles will pick up more product and place more pigment etcetera...
 The
three brush heads shown left are the most typical for powder applications.
A dome shape creates the most even placement of product, a blunt
end will place more focused concentrations of product, and a slant will
place product and heighten dimension.
 
1. The large
powder brush is typically a big fluffy, dense soft natural bristle,
dome shaped brush with a long handle. This is the ideal choice for loose
and pressed translucent powders where the objective is a light weight, even
distribution over the face to set foundation and create a good base to
apply further makeup to and reduce shine. You can also use a large powder
brush to apply pressed pressed powder foundations, but keep in mind the coverage
will be fairly sheer (which may or may not suit your needs).
Sephora Brand Professionnel Platinum Natural Rounded Powder Brush #41 Professional Natural Rounded Powder Brush
*"Professionnel
Platinum Natural Rounded Powder Brush #41
What it is:
This brush dusts and blends powder products across your face for an
airbrushed finish.
What it does:
While the super-soft, high-grade goat hair bristles pick up and dispense
color all over, the oversized head ensures even application with its large,
soothing sweeps and strokes. This top-seller has extra poof, making it as
therapeutic as it is effective." *Sephora Information
  2.
The
Kabuki brush is a more recent brush style that has origins in Japanese theatre
with an ability to pick up and distribute greater amounts of pigment (theatre
makeup is of coarse more dramatic since its effects have to be seen by an
audience from some distance). It has been most notably paired with pure
mineral powder makeup. It too has a very large dome shaped fluffy head but
its natural bristles tend to be more coarse and therefore pick up and place more
pigment/ product.
The benefit? Greater, quicker coverage with a product than a regular large
powder brush and since mineral makeup is all loose powders, you can create
quick color coverage from foundation to blush and bronzer.
Also, the short stubby handle style provides more control and is
complimentary to the way mineral makeup is 'buffed' on.
*"Bare
Escentuals Full Coverage Kabuki Brush (shown above)
Bare
Escentuals' top-selling brush. With a full head of the luxuriously
soft, goat hair, the Kabuki Brush provides a medium to full application
for both the face and body." *Bare Escentuals Information at Sephora. Note:
If you are interested in a Kabuki brush, make sure you read the reviews
available... the many reviews available on this one shown above will help
round out your buy decision. You may find their Full Flawless
Face Brush a better match to your mineral powder needs.
  3. The contour brush is usually a blunt end
round brush with slightly more coarse bristles, used for creating dimension like
sculpting cheekbones or shading jaw lines etcetera... This brush can place
a lot of pigment so precise measure of product, placement and blending are key
(think 80's extreme cheekbones).
Sephora Brand Professionnel Contour Blush/Bronzer Brush #43
*"Professionnel
Contour Blush/Bronzer Brush #43
What it is:
This brush buffs on blush and bronzer for a fully contoured finish.
What it does:
The flat, blunt edge picks up product very easily for extra accentuation. If
you ever apply too much makeup, this brush is great for buffing off the
excess." *Sephora Information
 
4. The blush brush is a slightly smaller
less fluffy version of the large powder brush. The bristles are still
long, soft, natural and dense for even sheer natural looking applications of
blush. There are two shapes to the head of the brush; dome creates a more
even placement and slant (or angled) will place more pigment along the curves of
the cheekbone for a more dramatic sculpting effect.
Sephora Brand Professionnel Angled Blush Brush #40
*"Professionnel Angled Blush Brush
#40
What it is:
This angled brush defines cheekbones to the max.
What it does:
The slanted shape offers precision, so you can fill in contours and make
cheeks especially pronounced. Because it picks up more product than a normal
blush brush, it adds an extra pop, resulting in a truly sculpted appeal."
* Sephora Information
5. The bronzer brush is almost a replica of
the large powder brush with a slightly flatter dome. The bristle
softness will create a natural looking placement but the brush head will
place a little more pigment on the curves of the face mimicking that
sun kissed look (where the sun's effects are more dramatic tops cheek bones, mid
nose etc. ) or sculpting the sides of the cheekbones, depending on the desired
finish. 
Sephora Brand Professionnel Bronzer Brush #44
*"Professionnel
Bronzer Brush #44
What it is:
This brush blends bronzer—or any other powder makeup—flawlessly into the
skin for an even, airbrushed complexion.
What it does:
The rounded, tapered shape of the head fits perfectly into the cheekbone,
which results in a sexy, sculpted look. This Best of Sephora 2007 winner
boasts super-soft goat hair that blends beautifully and feels amazing on
your features." * Sephora Information
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