Advertisement:
I have always been intrigued by women who appear to of somehow mastered the art of creating that perfect makeup finish.
Fortunately since working in the spa and beauty industry, I realize the secret to their airbrushed finish is all to do with the application, which is only ever as good as the tools they use.
Selecting the best make up brushes is key in order to achieve that flawless finish, after all the better the brush the better the application.
There is an an array of brushes to choose from and selecting the right one can often be confusing. Brushes are very tactile and when you apply your makeup with a good brush, it feels really wonderful against the skin.
Cost of the brush does make a huge difference in the quality of the bristles. Generally the more expensive the brush the better the bristles are going to be.
The key point to remember when choosing a brush is the type of bristles that are available:
Natural Haired Makeup Brushes
These are generally used for applying powder bases, such as face powder, eye shadow and powder blush.
Natural brushes will tightly pack loose powder pigment together, giving a better delivery of product to the skin, and creating less fall out on the cheeks.
The most expensive brushes are made from squirrel, they are very delicate and have the softest feel of all the bristles. The downside is they tend not to be as resilient as other bristles, which is why they should only be used for the application of powder products.
Otherwise the bristles end up absorbing the liquid formula, which can really damage the expensive bristles.
Brushes made from pony and badger hair tend to be stronger and more durable. Because they are more rigid then any other hair it means they are a great brush for contouring and filling in eyebrows.
Out of all of the natural bristles I personally think the best makeup brushes are sable.
They are the most popular high end bristle that gives an exquisite application and finish and feels really lovely against the skin.
Of all the natural brushes goat is the least expensive. Again it is quite a coarse hair, making it great for buffing and blending into your skin. For this reason you often find the longer haired blusher and bronzer brushes are made of goat hair.
Synthetic Haired Makeup Brushes
These brushes are man made from either nylon or polyester. They are tougher then natural brushes and less likely to become damaged by solvents.
Unlike natural bristles they are really easy to keep clean as they don’t absorb ingredients.
Many makeup tips recommend avoiding the use of synthetic brushes, but I feel they have a place when it comes to makeup application and should not be ignored.
In my opinion they are a makeup artists must have, for applying really absorbent products and oil based makeup, delicate natural bristles are to far to absorbent and fine in texture to use with these formulas.
I find synthetic brushes really step up to the mark when it comes to applying damp and absorbent ingredients.
Makeup is a very personal and sensory experience, so it is really important that you are happy with the texture and feel of your brushes.
Because there is so much to think about when it comes to selecting the right brushes, before purchasing I recommend trying them against your skin first, this way you can check to see whether the bristles are scratchy or soft against your skin.
It is also worthwhile to check to see whether your make up brushes are the right length for the kind of application you want.
As a rule of thumb the shorter the bristles the more makeup a brush will deposit on the skin.
Many of us are guilty of having dirty makeup brushes, which can create a breeding ground for bacteria. However with a little care and attention your brushes will last you a very long time.
if you are wanting to know how to clean make up brushes, I recommend washing your brushes weekly in shampoo, because most of your brushes will be made from natural hair this should be an obvious choice.
The best technique is to place a small amount of shampoo in the palm of your hand and then gently swirl the brush around in the product.
Then wash your brushes thoroughly with water and squeeze out any excess moisture and reshape, before laying them flat to dry.
There are many types of make up brushes to choose from and the make up brushes set you have in your collection really does come down to personal choice.
As discussed earlier its great to have some synthetic brushes in you selection for liquid formulas, but other than that when I am looking to purchase professional make up brushes I find that synthetic bristles are far less likely to give a good finish, or last as long as natural bristles.
Brushes can be pricey which can be daunting, so start off small purchasing just a couple, building your collection slowly over time.
Advertisement:
Related posts:
About Samantha Miller