A complete list of makeup brushes that you must have

• 

How many makeup brushes does a girl need? What kind of makeup brushes should I purchase? Should I invest in a luxury one or frequently replace the cheap ones? Is there a single brush to work with everything? Such and many other questions pop up in our minds when we think of buying makeup brushes. The truth is, makeup brushes are just as important as the makeup itself.

We know that when it comes to makeup, fingers are the best friend to many. They allow quick and easy application of makeup. But irrespective of someone who just started with makeup or a professional, some makeup looks require brushes to get them right. They give you more clean and polished results.

• 

Building up a makeup kit with the essential brushes is a great idea to start your makeup journey. Now, when you are out looking for the right makeup brushes, always remember your purpose. If you want something for powder-dry products, go for makeup brushes with natural bristles. They are more porous and help you to blend the product evenly. However, for your cream and liquid-based products, look for brushes with synthetic bristles. They absorb less and prevent wastage of the products.

 So, if you just got into makeup, we are here to save your time and effort. Here is a rundown of a few essential makeup brushes that everyone must have in their beauty bag.

1. Blender Brush

We begin this list with the quintessential brush of your makeup that is the Blender brush. This brush is a good alternative if you are not a fan of blenders. Use this brush to work with the base of your makeup. It perfectly blends your foundation or any other liquid-based product. 

• 

The best blender brushes are those with firm, dense, flat, or domed-shaped bristles. But the rounder and bigger the tip, the softer and better will be the results.

You will find different variants of this brush. There are flat brushes to cover the unreached areas of your face. Such as the under eyes and the sides of your nose. You will also find some oval-shaped blending brushes that have dense and smooth bristles, giving you the experience of a face massage. Then there are short brushes with a chubby handle. Yes, we are talking about the Kabuki brush. It is a favorite brush of many celebrity makeup artists. So, the next time you are shopping for a makeup brush, make sure to add the classic blender brush to your list.

2.  Concealer Brush

• 

Now, moving ahead from the base to conceal your makeup, you will need a concealer brush. Certain areas of your face need more coverage, be it signs of a breakout, underneath your eyes, or sides of your nose. A concealer brush allows you to conceal those areas with precision. It is also helpful in removing the streaks of your foundation. These brushes usually look like painting brushes but with firm and dense bristles.

Most of the concealers that are available in the market are in liquid or cream form. So, go for the ones with synthetic bristles. Those with natural bristles will soak up extra moisture and will give you lighter coverage.

3. Blush Brush

The third tool in your makeup kit should be the Blush brush. Smaller than a powder brush, this brush usually comes in a dome shape with super soft and long bristles.

• 

While choosing your blush brush, remind yourself of the area that you want to cover. It could be on the apples of your cheeks or around your cheekbones. Also, if you want a wash of color, then opt for a bigger one. The one from the Sephora collection is a great option.

Next time avoid using your fingers to apply the blush. Instead, use a Blush brush in gentle sweeping motions from the apples of your cheeks back towards your ears. Use the one with dense, soft bristles to create a natural flush around your cheeks.

• 

4. Eye Shadow Brush

Coming to your eye makeup, you will need an eye shadow brush to create that cut-crease or shimmery eye look. With lesser variants available for this kind, you should be looking for a multi-purpose brush for everyday application.

Ideally, a flat eye shadow brush is all that you need. It allows you to create a smooth base for applying eye shadows to your lids. One of the best ones is from Urban Decay, with a perfect size that fits almost all eye shapes.

• 

You could also go with a crease brush. If you are looking for that perfectly blended eyeshadow, add this one to your list. These are shaped in a way to fit the curve of your eyes. Typically, these brushes come in both round and angular shapes. So, go for your pick as per your preference.

5. Fan Brush

Who doesn’t want that gentle sweep of gorgeous glow on their cheekbones? A good hit of highlighter adds a spark to your makeup look.

• 

Practically, we can apply a highlighter with any makeup brush or even use our fingers to do the job. But this fan brush allows you to dust the highlighter at the perfect spot. All you need to do is, pick a sufficient amount of the product on the sides of the brush. Then gently sweep the sides on the top portion of your cheekbones towards your temple, and there you have the most airbrushed effect.

Apart from this, you can use the fan brush to wipe off the excess fall-out of eyeshadows. Take a smaller one to rub the excess powder underneath your eyes. However, you can also use it to get a strikingly sharp contour effect. For this, use the edge of the brush in swirling motion.

6. Brow Brush

Another essential brush to add to this list is the Brow brush. These brushes are to groom your eyebrows. You can go for a double-sided eyebrow brush. It comes with a Spoolie on one end and a small, firm, densely packed flat brush on the other end.

• 

You can start by brushing your brows with the Sooplie. It will make your eyebrows look more natural and well-defined. Then go ahead with the other end to fill in those tiny spaces with an eyebrow gel. While using this, make you use shorter and gentle strokes on the outer arc of the eyebrow. It prevents you from overdoing them. If possible, do not fill in the inner corners of the eyebrows. Simply running through with a Spoolie should work.

7. Contour Brush

Having the right Contour brush could bring all the difference to your makeup game. Ideally, these brushes come in sizes smaller than a blender brush but bigger enough than an eye shadow brush. Most makeup experts use angular tips with soft and dense bristles. It prevents extra fall-out of the product on your cheeks.

• 

You can use a flat contour brush while working with a liquid or cream-based product. We would suggest you apply a small amount of the product on the back of your hands and then go ahead with the brush. Place the brush at an angular position and move with the natural slope of your cheekbones. If you are looking for that chiseled effect around your jawline and cheekbones, make sure you do not miss out on this tool.

So, now that you have a list of the essential makeup brushes, you will know which brushes to pick and which to avoid. But it does not end here. As much as it is necessary to have the right makeup brushes, it is equally important to maintain them. Washing your brushes at least once a week will prevent them from worn out. While starting with your makeup, please make sure that these are clean as it helps you achieve the desired result. Once cleaned, they work in the way they should. Good brushes will last you longer with proper care. Now, go ahead and build your kit of makeup brushes.

•