Hi again,
 |
| Brush Obsession |
Ok so it's clear to see that I've began to form a bit of an obsession. I mean do I really need all these brushes???
The answer is no. Nobody needs this many brushes unless of course your a professional. But over the past year or so I can't help but pick up a new brush to try out resulting in this collection (and these are the brushes I've managed not to loose). After all these are the tools to a flawless face.
Anyway in this blog post I'm breaking down the top 10 essential brushes everyone needs.
Eyes
Gone are the days when we apply eye shadow with a sponge applicator or worse again our fingers. (Actually can't believe I used to do that hahah) now no eye look is perfected with out the essential eye brushes.
So to begin with we need a flat shader brush. This brush is essential to apply the base colour, pack on glitter and apply colour to the eyelid area. My favorite brush for this is the 247 from MAC and the brushes from naked 1,2 and 3 work just as well.
 |
| from left to right brushes from the naked 1, 2 and 3 palettes |
The next brush essential for the eyes is a good blending brush there are a number of different shapes and sizes for this type brush; pointed, round, tapered, angled etc. Personally I like to use a variety of different blending brushes to create the most flawless look however if I had to choose one I would choose a medium size tapered or angled blending brush as this will help in blending in the outer v as well as the crease area. My favorites are the brush from the naked smokey palette and the angled shadow brush from real techniques.
 |
| naked smokey blending brush |
 |
| RT angled shadow brush |
For a great multitasking brush which doubles as a shader brush and blending brush is the real techniques base shadow brush. Turn it on the side and it packs on colour but use the tapered top and it blends effortlessly.
The next essential eye brush is an eyeliner brush and again there are a number of shapes and sizes but each generally do the same job however it is just a matter of preference; some find an angled brush easier than the classic eyeliner brush. My personal favorites are the C463 infinity angle liner and the c438 pro deluxe liner brush from crown brush.
 |
| c463 |
 |
| c438 |
The final essential eye brush is a short smudger or a pencil brush. This style of brush is great for smoking out the lower lash line and softening or smoking out eyeliner and also works well in intensifying the outer v of the eyes. My favorite is the 219 from MAC
Lips
Lips are simple one good brush will suffice for the lips. Look for a pointed or tapered end to ensure you can line perfectly and then fill in easily with the flat edge. I love the real techniques precision detailer brush.
Face
The first of the key face brushes is a good foundation brush. These vary depending on skin type,foundation type and the level of coverage you want. For example if your using a mineral powder foundation a flat foundation brush won't work. So to help with this I have a brush for each type.
Firstly for dry skin I would recommend a classic flat foundation brush such as the salon services flat foundation brush, as this will not raise any dry patches on the skin however I feel that the real techniques expert face brush does a fabulous job in buffing and blending at the same time to create a pixel perfect look. This is provided you are using a liquid or cream foundation.
 |
| Salon services flat foundation brush |
 |
| RT expert face brush |
For combination/ oily skin I would recommend using a kabuki style brush, like the black canvas F20 flat buffer brush. if you are using a cream or liquid foundation as this can be nicely worked into the skin for a flawless finish however a flat foundation brush or the real techniques expert face brush will work just as well.
When using powder foundations i recommend using a buffing brush or fluffy kabuki brush again to blend well into the skin. My favorite is the real techniques buffing brush.
For all skin types we can also use a stippling brush which will provide a lighter coverage or a more blended build-able coverage. I like the real techniques stippling brush. A kabuki brush will also work well on all skin just be careful not to lift dry patches.
Another essential is a good concealer brush. For this brush look for a small flat brush as this provides the best coverage for concealing spots and dark circles etc and wont raise dry or flaky skin on spots. Try the blank canvas F17 brush.
The next essential brush is a powder brush. Again these vary in size and style. If you have dry skin or just want a light coverage try a duo-fiber brush for this like the real techniques duo fiber face brush. For a fuller coverage go with a basic fluffy brush like the MAC 134 brush and for extreme coverage try a buffing brush. However in all cases try and get a large style for minimal effort.
 |
| RT Duo fiber |
 |
| MAC 134 large powder brush |
The next brush is a contour/bronzer brush. For this you want an Angled shape of a tapered brush for this. These shapes are the best for multi tasking however you can use a specific contour brush. If you don't contour these brushes will still work well for bronzing the circumference of the face. I like the real techniques contour brush and the crown brush c405 brush.
 |
| rt contour brush |
 |
| c408 angled contour brush |
Another essential is a blush brush. This brush can be used for blusher and powder highlighting. In this case it is more the technique of applying the Blush than the brush however it is important. I recommend a dense brush in a medium size so you get the best pigmentation but the colour will not be spread everywhere. I really like the real techniques cheek brush.
 |
| RT cheek brush |
And there you have it. The 10 essential brushes. I would also like to give a special mention to the blending sponge. If you have dry skin this will be your favorite base tool but again works well with all skin types and provides an effortless flawless look. The real techniques expert blending sponge is amazing.
These are my favorite brushes to create a perfected look. If your building a kit I hope this has helped you and if there are any brushes you love and think I should try let me know in the comments below
Tanya xox
