Brush Week: 7 Brushes You Need

the basics.

My heart sinks when I see people use the cheap spongy applicators that sometimes come with shadows, powders, and foundation. Reason being - they apply your makeup horribly and are incredibly unsanitary. Most makeup enthusiasts would agree - your makeup brushes are arguably more important than your actual makeup products. 

the seven brushes you need:

stippling brush. 
Say hello to my little friend, the Mac 187. It's technically a stippling brush, but it does an awesome job of making skin look airbrushed and perfect. This is the kind of brush that can make your drugstore foundation look like a million bucks. Here's how to use a stippling brush. 

powder brush. 
Use a powder brush after applying water based foundation to lock and seal your makeup all day. I use this brush differently than most, and I learned the technique here (fast forward to 3:00). Instead of fluffing the brush around your face with powder on it, pack the product on the sides of the brush bristles, and pack it onto your face. This will keep your makeup to stay in place all day. After applying, lightly brush off excess from your face so it doesn't appear cakey. I also use a powder brush after contouring to blend any harsh lines. 

blush & bronzer brush.

Okay, so if this was "top 8" brushes, blush and bronzer brushes wouldn't be in the same category. However, in a pinch I can use the same brush for both without noticing any real difference. To illuminate your face and give it a glow, use a blush brush (say that five times fast) to swipe some blush or highlighter on your upper cheekbones. This brush applies a light and even layer and allows your to easy big pigments on top of each other. With bronzer, sweep into the hollows between your cheekbones and jaw. 

stiff eyeshadow brush.
Use this brush as your primary eyeshadow applicator for lid colors. 

crease brush.
Use this brush to apply colors into your crease. Crease colors are also known as a transition color, because it helps give your makeup more dimension. 

dome eyeshadow brush.
Use this brush to blend all your eyeshadows after they've been applied. This gives your eye-makeup a flawless finish, and will ensure no one is seeing weird eyeshadow lines or definitions that aren't supposed to be there.

eyeliner/brow brush.
One of my favorite brushes. This bad boy is amazing for lining your bottom rims, cutting your crease, and even applying a dark eyeshadow as a liner. I have several of these brushes because depending on the bristles, it can be used so differently!

so there you have it!
I hope you all enjoyed BRUSH WEEK as much as I did, and leave any questions below. Brushes are not best learned from reading a blog, but instead getting in front of a mirror and trying it all out. So go, have fun, because that's what this is all about. Till next time! 

Brush Week: Cleaning & Care

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. 

-Henry Ward Beecher

Yesterday was the dreaded brush cleaning day.  Keep reading to learn the easiest way to make them last for last years. 

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how-to: clean your brushes.

Routine brush cleaning keeps your tools performing top notch and decreases the chance for bacteria-caused breakouts. You don't need to go out and buy expensive brush cleaner, you have everything you need at home. Here's an easy how to!

1. Lay out a paper towel where you'll be drying your brushes (next to a sink.) Create a small elevation with the towel by folding about 3 inches together. You'll set your brushes on a downward slope after cleaning to keep water from entering the brush handle. Too much water inside the base can ruin your brushes. See picture for an idea of how to fold. 
2. Grab a basic hand soap and push a half pump (about pea sized) onto your palm. Slightly dampen your first dirty brush with warm/hot water and swirl the bristles into the soap to create a small lather. 
3. Once lathered, continue the swirling motion on your hand under the facet. Keep swirling until the water runs clear. For really dirty brushes, I apply soap twice. 
4. After your brush is clean, squeeze any excess water from the bristles and lay on the towel. Make sure the bristles are on the low end of the towel so any excess water drains downwards.
5. Leave to dry over night, turning over once if your are a little OCD like me. :)