Makeup Brush
From Domicella's wikiStyle
The brushes that come with most makeup compacts are too small and narrow for proper blush application. Use a brush designed specifically for that purpose.[1] Look for brushes that are slightly dome shaped: it rolls best across the skin with the least drag.[2]
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Anatomy of a Makeup Brush
Bristle Types: Natural vs. Synthetic
Natural bristles consist of hairs from animals such as blue squirrel (most expensive), pony hair, goat, and kolinsky sable.[2] They are usually best for working with powder-based products-blush, powder, and eye shadow.[1] Regarding animal welfare, look for brushes that are labeled as "cruelty free" or other similar label that designates the human treatment of the animals in harvesting the hair.
Synthetics are best for applying creamy products such as concealer, gel liners, and lip colors. They are generally stiffer than natural hair, so they give you greater control and a more precise application.[1] Synthetics usually come in nylon or taklon material.
Ferrule
The ferrule of a makeup brush is the metal tube designed to hold the glued hair as well as providing a 'gateway' or connection for the handle and the hair. The most common for metal tubes or ferrules for makeup brushes are made of brass, copper or aluminum. Brass is the strongest of the three. Although ferrules are described as aluminium ferrule, this is rarely the case for makeup brushes as pure aluminum metal is impossibly soft to use hence 'Aluminum ferrule' can refer to aluminum alloy, which is aluminum mix with other metal, hence can be just as strong. Whatever the metal used to make the ferrules, they should be double crimped and seamless to avoid the risk of annoying wobbly handles sometime down the track.[3]
Handle
Cosmetic brush handles can range from acrylics to fancy metals. The makeup brush handle may come in a wide variety of colors and shapes.[3] Environmentally friendly handles can come in bamboo or recycled materials.
Makeup Brush Types
- Blush Brush - This needs to be wide enough to cover the apple of the cheek. The bristles should be soft with beveled and curved edges.
- Bronzer Brush - This is thicker and fuller than a blush brush and has a flat profile. It is designed for sweeping and pressing bronzer over cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin to provide natural-looking warmth to the skin.
- Brow Brush - A brush with stiff, short bristles cut on an angle. Designed for applying shadow to the brows.
- Brow Grooming Brush - This is for brushing eyebrows into place. It has stiff bristles cut straight across, like a toothbrush.
- Concealer brush - This should have firm but soft bristles that aren't too hard or scratch, since the brush will be used on the delicate skin under the eyes. Look for a brush with glossy synthetic hairs, as these slip along the skin. The ends of the bristles should be tapered to help you place concealer in hard-to-reach spots, such as the inner corners of the eyes, and apply stick foundation to cover any redness around the nose.
- Eye Blender Brush - A soft, fluffy, natural-hair brush with long bristles designed to blend eye shadow and eliminate lines of demarcation on the lids after applying multiple shades. It is also great for applying powder to set corrector, concealer, or foundation around the yes or over blemish cover.
- Eye Contour Brush - A round, flat-head brush. Short, dense bristles apply a greater amount of shadow in the crease to contour the eye.
- Eye Shader Brush - A wide, flat-head brush that can gently sweep eye shadow color over the entire lid, from the lash line to the brow bone.
- Eye Shadow Brush - Wide enough to cover about half the eyelid. This brush has natural, soft, rounded bristles with beveled edges that deposit a sweep of shadow across the lower lid without leaving any harsh lines.
- Eye Smudge Brush - A small-head brush with a slightly rounded point. This brush has soft, flexible bristles that help smudge liner to create a smoky look.
- Eyelash Comb - This has straight, stiff (often plastic,), fine teeth and is designed to separate lashes immediately after applying mascara (while the lashes are still wet). Mascara wands work just as well and are more convenient.
- Eyeliner Brush (Angled) / Eye Definer Brush - This small brush has very short, dense bristles cut on an angle. It is designed to use with shadow to strengthen thin brows or as an alternative to an eyeliner brush.
- Eyeliner Brush (Flat) - With flat, dense, synthetic bristles that are slightly rounded at tip, this brush can be used wet or dry to apply a precise line at the lash line.
- Eyeliner Brush (Ultra Fine) - The bristles on this small brush are synthetic, dense, and curve to a point. Perfect for the precise application of liquid or gel eyeliner.
- Face Blender Brush - A brush to deposit shimmer, bronzer, powder, or blush.
- Face Brush - A fluffy, curved brush that can be used to apply bronzer, blush, or powder.
- Foundation Brush - Synthetic brisltes in this full, flat-edged brush deposit just the right amount of foundation onto the skin.
- Lip Brush - Firm, long bristles come to a slightly pointed tip. This brush allows for the precise placement of lip color.
- Powder Brush - A large, fluffy brush with soft bristles that bevel to a slight point (for navigating around the nose and under the eyes). Designed for use with both loose and pressed powders.
- Touch Up Brush - Short, firm, frush used with foundation for spot touch-ups and for hard-to-reach areas around the nose and mouth. This brush can also be used to touch up concealer and apply eye shadow.
All material in this section is from "Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual"[1] unless otherwise noted.
Essential Makeup Brushes
At a minimum, you need four:
- Large powder brush
- Slightly smaller (than the powder brush) brush for blush, bronzer, and/or highlighter
- Eye shadow brush the size of a fingertip
- Smaller (than the eye shadow brush) shadow brush for smudging and blending.
- If you prefer applying concealer with a brush, it's best to have two: a slick Taklon one a half inch wide for under the eyes and a tiny, point one for blemishes. Foundation brushes tend to blob too much coverage right where they first touch your face.
All material in this section is from "How to Choose Makeup Brushes"[2] unless otherwise noted.
Brush Maintenance
A high quality can last 20 years with proper maintenance. Once a month, mix warm water with a little shampoo for natural hair bristles or dish soap for synthetics. Swish the brushes around, rinse well, blot with paper towels, and lay them flat until they're completely dry.[2]
