A Guide to Brushes: Powder Brushes

Powder brushes really don't need much introduction, do they?  They're used to either apply powder or to remove excess (old school style!) 

 

Large Powder Brushes

I probably should have put a smaller brush for comparison with these suckers because they are huge.  Pictured here are a Smashbox 1 and Cover FX Powder Foundation Buffing Brush 190, which is goat, and they are good for applying powder over the face, especially if you have a large face.  They're so big, they're best for applying powder as a first or second step; that is, if you are wearing powder foundation, or loose powder over your whole face on top of tinted moisturize, this is a good brush to do that with.  If you'd rather apply a controlled application of powder around already made up eyes and lips, or just to the T-zone, these are not the brushes for that.  In fact, they are so large, some people might find them better for use on the body, to apply shimmer powder on decolletage or shin bones and clavicle or to set a large tattoo cover.

If you are a fan of vintage makeup or stage makeup, then you probably know that the "classic" use of a powder brush is not to apply powder but to remove it.  I always cringe when I see someone try to "set" makeup, like cream foundations, with a brush.  Even when pouncing it on the skin (something I have seen YouTube's Pixiwoo sisters do) doesn't seem to lock it onto the skin the way a puff does.  To set makeup, a puff should be dusted with powder then pressed into the skin.  Any excess powder is then dusted off with a brush.  Uh, yeah, this is the type of brush you want to use for that. 

 

Small Powder Brushes

Do you remember how I said above that the large brushes were too large for concentrated powder application?  These brushes are what you want for that.  Small brushes like the Sue Devitt Powder Brush, pony hair, and the Real Techniques Setting Brush, synthetic, are great for going around lips, eyes, and nose, for applying powder to the T-zone.  If you apply powder as a last step, then you want a small brush.  They are also good for setting powder under the eyes, or applying powder to the eyelids.

Aside from powder application, these small brushes are good for applying highlighter to the cheekbones and blending it down the nose.  I also often use whatever powder brush I use on a given day to additionally blend my blush into my base.

Oh look!  I remembered a comparison photo for these babies!  This is a MAC 116 blush brush to show you how tiny these brushes are.

 

 Pointed Powder Brush

Another larger style brush, this Hakuhodo S103 goat hair brush works more like a smaller brush due to it's compact shape.  I have to admit to wanting to quote my idol, Lisa Eldridge, and call it directional like she would, but I'll refrain.  It's good for applying powder in small areas and around features, but can also apply a layer over the whole face.

The pointed powder brush is also amazing for applying brush to all parts of the cheek, and is superb for applying contour under the cheekbones, around the jaw, down the neck, around the clavicle.  In fact, I love it for contour so much that I probably should have put it under that heading.  It's also an awesome powder brush, though, and is the brush I'd most suggest if you came here looking for one brush to apply all powder face products.

 

Flat Topped Powder Brush

This brush, a Hakuhodo G527 goat hair brush, is a cousin to the flat topped foundation brush, and is, in its essence, a buffer.  It's great for buffing in powder foundation, which is what I usually use it for.  It's also a great blender for getting blush, powder, highlighter, and foundation seamless.  I know some people would use it to buff powder onto the whole face.  I don't do that.  Just talking about it makes me squeamish.  I'll buff in foundation, powder foundation, blush, even, but I'm very protective of my foundation and especially my concealer, once they are applied.  See my vent on setting makeup above.  Perhaps it's my oily, naturally shiny skin that makes me so anti-buffing when it comes to powder.  Nearly everything will move on my skin, so once I apply foundation and concealer, I want to set it and then not mess with it.  I have enough problems covering the red spots blemishes leave on my chin than to risk removing my concealer with buffing.

Now that I've dealt with one pet peeve about this sort of brush, it's time to deal with the real question you're asking is: Can you use it for liquid foundation?  I never have.  I usually use synthetic brushes for foundation, with the occasional white goat hair detour, so I would never use a dense natural hair brush for liquid foundaton simply because I wouldn't want to subject such a brush to the cleaning I give my foundation brushes.  I can't even imagine how much cleaning liquid foundation out of this thing would be!  Also, I prefer rounded edges on my buffing brushes, since faces are more round than flat.  I'm making this brush very complicated.  It's a good powder buffing brush, end of story.

 

Kabuki Brush

Another buffer, this synthetic Make Up For Ever kabuki brush, is used to buff powder.  I will not bore you again with my diatribe on buffing powder over foundation.  This brush is good for finishing, blending everything together, buffing on powder foundation.

This one came in a set with the HD Microfinish powder, and I still don't know why.  I have brushes I like better to apply powder foundation with, so this one just sits in a drawer.

 

Flat Kabuki Brush

This is a flattened kabuki brush, and is a cute little mini from Too Faced, called a Flat-buki.  It's good for flicking powder off the face after applying too much.  Really, it's just a cute tiny brush.  Good for travel.

 

Finishing Brush

This Hakuhodo Finishing Brush L, made of blue squirrel and synthetic hair, is pure luxury.  It isn't a necessity.  It's also not something to save on; it's a splurge, no doubt.  It's also akin to rubbing a bunch of kittens over your face.  Not that I've done that.  But I imagine it would feel good unless claws got involved.

This brush is used for brushing over the face as a last step, softening edges without moving anything around (which is good, remember?).  It can also apply a finishing powder, like Guerlain's Meteorites. 

 

Fan Brushes

Fan brushes like the Make Up For Ever powder fan brush and Benefit fan brush (goat), are good for brushing away eyeshadow fallout.  They are also good for contour and highlight.  The smaller fan brush is especially good for highlighter and softening super-pigmented blushes. 

They are also excellent for removing powder after it's been applied.  Look, at this point, we all know that powder brushes apply powder--do I really need to say it again?

 

Pros and Cons

Pros:  Unless you want to try applying powder with your hands (don't laugh, it can be done), you'll probably need a powder brush.  Even if you favor a puff, a brush will remove the excess and leave only a fine layer.  A large powder brush will dust powder over the whole face quickly, while smaller powder brushes apply it to one small area at a time.  If you want a powder brush that does everything from all over powder application to cheekbone contour, I'd suggest the pointed powder brush.  Finishing and Fan brushes finish the face and provide a delicate finish.  Flat top and kabuki brushes are great for applying powder foundation, including mineral foundations.

Cons:  As brushes go, the price point of all of these is higher than average, due to their larger size.  Furthermore, uncut ends, recommended for use with all powder products, but especially when you are using it over the skin, will make the price go up.  I will say this one more time: if your makeup needs to be set with powder because it doesn't set on its own, for example a cream (not cream-to-powder) foundation or blush (basically, if your grandmother might have worn the product back in the day) or a liquid foundation that doesn't dry down, a brush is not the powder utencil to use. 

 

The brushes featured in this post are: Smashbox 1 Powder Brush, Cover FX Powder Foundation Buffing Brush 190, Sue Devitt Powder Brush, Real Techniques Setting Brush, (MAC 116 Blush Brush), Hakuhodo S103 Powder-Blush Brush Pointed, Hakuhodo G527 Powder Brush D, Make Up For Ever HD Kabuki Brush, Too Faced Flatbuki, Hakuhodo Kokutan Finishing Brush L, Make Up For Ever Powder Fan Brush, Benefit Fan Brush (discontinued).  All were purchased and I received no compensation for featuring them.

A Guide to Brushes: Concealer Brushes

Concealer Brushes are used to apply concealer.  I'm making this real difficult, I know.  This post features brushes for applying undereye concealer, blemish concealer, concealing redness around the nose, or anything else you might want to hide. 

 

Medium Concealer Brushes

The most classic of concealer brush, the medium concealer brush, here a Paula Dorf Camouflage brush, Sephora Classic Concealer, and Sephora Platinum concealer, resembles a flat eye shader brush, but is usually synthetic, as these three are.  Good for basic concealing on blemishes, under the eye, or around the nose.  I think they work best for redness or under the eyes, as I prefer a more precision brush for blemishes.  I like these best with cream concealers, as I prefer smaller brushes with harder concealers (like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage) or liquid concealers (like Make Up For Ever Full Cover), but they are nice to blend after those are applied. 

 

The medium concealer brush is also useful as an eyeshadow brush (no surprise, since it so resembles an flat shader).  They're nice for applying cream eyeshadow (which reminds me I'd like to do a post on cream eyeshadow....), and can be really useful for applying those pressed loose powder products like Armani Eyes to Kill Intense and L'Oreal Infallible, since they're usually stiffer than natural bristle brushes.

 

Large Concealer Brushes

 

The large concealer brush is a larger version of the medium; these are Hourglass Large Concealer and Cover FX concealer brush both synthetic.  They work well for applying foundation as concealer, such as a cream or stick foundation.  They are also good for applying concealer over redness around the nose or on the cheeks, highlighting cheekbones or that triangle highlight everyone associates with Kim Kardashian even though Kevyn Aucoin was doing it on celebrities and models 20 years ago.  I also use them often for blending blemish concealer over my chin, if I'm using a more emollient concealer, like Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer.

 

Small Concealer Brushes

The smallest of the flat synthetic concealer brushes, these are by Japonesque and Real Techniques.  These are good for applying concealer to blemishes, especially the big swollen kind.  They also make great lip brushes, which is probably what I use them for most.  They can also be used for detail work with cream eyeshadows.

 

Fluffy Concealer Brushes

These are a Real Techniques Deluxe crease brush (also featured in the blending brush breakdown), and a Sephora Platinum Airbrush Concealer brush.  A lot of people also use eye shadow blending brushes, like oval blending brushes (MAC 217 and its dupes) or round crease brushes (MAC 224 et al.) similarly.  These are good for applying concealer under the eyes, and blending concealer over large areas of blemishes.  I like to use these with creamy or liquidy concealers, and I find them completely useless with hard concealers (like LM SC, mentioned previously).  They are great for blending, all formulations, though, and I like to use the Sephora like a mini buffing brush to apply something like KA SSE as a spot foundation. 

I think these are really useful brushes, as they're like tiny foundation buffing brushes, so I think they're easier to use and require less skill to apply and blend concealer. 

 

Long Concealer Brush

This Bobbi Brown Concealer brush (synthetic), is meant for applying undereye concealer, and I tend to use it exactly how Bobbi Brown intended (with her creamy concealer/corrector).  It's longer and thinner than the flat concealer brushes, and I can't imagine it being good for blemishes, though I am quite fond of it for creamy undereye concealer.  It doesn't blend well, though, so it requires the use of a fluffier brush or fingers to blend the edges.

 

Pinpoint Concealer Brush

The pinpoint concealer brush, this one by Kevyn Aucoin, is a must for precision blemish concealing.  I should say, this sort of shape is essential, but you may notice it's resemblence to gel liner brushes.  In fact, you may notice Lisa Eldridge, the queen of pinpoint concealing, using liner brushes to do so.  I'll include liner brushes in this idea, so don't think you need to buy this brush (I do have to make a massive recommendation for this brush though; it is truly phenomenal.  It really glides over the skin, as it's very dense and just the perfect stiffness.  I have honestly not used another brush to conceal zits since I purchased it).  

The tiny little point you see in this photo really allows the tiniest amount of product in exactly the place you need it, which is why this type of brush is so amazing for pimple coverage.  It works with all styles of concealer, and is especially good for really pigmented concealers, be they waxy or emollient.  It can deposit such precise amounts and placement, blending is barely necessary, though, especially if your concealer is not a perfect match, you may need to scribble a bit around the edges, and use a blending brush.  I often just press or pat the product into the skin with my fingers to blend, though.

 

Point Concealer Brush

Another great brush for concealing blemishes, it's wider and longer than the pinpoint concealer brush, but still tapers to a thin point.  This Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage brush is intended for use with her Secret Camouflage, and it really does work best with hard concealers like that. 

 

 

Pointed Concealer Brush

This is the concealer half of the Stila One Step Complexion Brush, this is a less fluffy version of the fluffy concealer brush.  It's good for under the eyes, around the contours of the nose, and for blending concealer on blemishes.  The tapered point allows more control, but less blending than the fluffier brushes. 

 

 

Square Concealer Brushes

This is an old Urban Decay Concealer Brush from an early brush line and a NYX small concealer brush.  The narrower square brush is good for spot concealer on blemishes, and the wider one is good for a dense application in a small area.  Not an essential brush, though the Urban Decay brush was one of my very first brushes over a decade ago and I still sometimes use it to stipple concealer on a zit, especially one that has dried out a bit (nicer to say that than "crusty and gross"), though it has been long discontinued.

 

Pros and Cons

Pros:     You can apply concealer with fingers, but it's still one of the first non-powder brushes you'll want.  A concealer brush provides more accuracy, better blending, and less wasted product, than using fingers.  Do you need every one of these styles?  Unless you're obsessed like I am, no.  The most useful of these are the pinpoint, point, and fluffy concealer brushes, and with either tiny brush and the bigger fluffy one, you'd be able to conceal anything, whether it's a blemish, undereye circles, or redness, and they'll work with pretty much any formula concealer you use (though with drier consistencies, the fluffy concealer brush would be just a blending brush).

Cons:     This is one of those situations where the most classic brush is one of the least useful.  Though the classic brushes are still useful, for under the eyes or blending, it's not likely to be essential.  In fact, they're probably better as a laydown brush for cream or loose powder than for concealer. 

 

The brushes featured in this post are:  Paula Dorf Camouflage Brush (from Travel Set), I think this may be discontinued, as I think the "Total Camouflage" brush currently on the website seems bigger, Sephora Classic Concealer 46, Sephora Platinum Concealer Brush 45 (The entire Platinum line was discontinued and replaced with the Pro line, this one appears to have changed shape in the switchover), Cover FX Concealer Brush, Hourglass No. 8 Large Concealer Brush,  Japonesque Concealer Brush from Touch Up Tube, Real Techniques Detail Brush (from Core Collection), Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush (from Starter Set), Sephora Platinum Airbrush Concealer 57 (This is carried over into Pro line), Bobbi Brown Concealer Brush, Kevyn Aucoin Concealer Brush, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brush, Stila One Step Complexion Brush 33, Urban Decay Concealer Brush, long, long ago discontinued, NYX small concealer brush.  All were purchased and I received no compensation for featuring them.

 

A Guide to Brushes: Foundation Brushes

Having finally finished with eye brushes, we have now moved on to brushes for the face.  I'm starting this series with the ever useful foundation brushes.  Now, you can apply foundation with your fingers or a sponge, but at some point most people will at least try a brush.  Most of these brushes are good for liquid or cream foundation, some are good for powder foundations, but an upcoming post will focus on powder brushes, so if you're looking for a powder foundation brush, you may also want to check out that one once it's up.  You'll also notice stippling brushes are not featured, though a lot of people use them for foundation; stippling/duo fibre brushes will have a post of their own along the way.

 

Flat Foundation Brushes

The classic foundation brush, this brush is usually used to stroke foundation on the face, rather than buff or stipple it.  It can leave streaks, but those are usually a result of using too much foundation, as they work best with small amounts and thin layers.  They also have the benefit of not irritating sensitive skin as buffing foundation can do.  If you're sensitive or dry, either one of these or a sponge will be your best bet.  I like these for liquid foundation quite a bit, especially thinner formulations; they are also good for cream foundations.  The smaller ones make for good concealer brushes for use in large areas.

From left to right: Sephora Platinum Foundation Brush, Paula Dorf Foundation Brush, Body and Soul Foundation Brush, Real Techniques Essential Foundation Brush, Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush.  These are all synthetic, and the orange are taklon while the two-color ones have been distressed  at the tip to aid in product pick up.  Smaller versions fit around the nose and under the eye, while the bigger brushes make for speedy work applying foundation.

 

Buffing Brushes

L to R: Cargo Magic Brush, Real Techniques Buffing Brush, Sephora Classic Mineral Powder.  I mentioned at the top that some of these brushes are good for powder: here they are.  These are great for getting good coverage and a flawless finish from a powder foundation; I imagine they're equally useful for mineral powders, though I have never used a mineral foundation.  They are also perfect for liquid foundation.  These buff foundation into the skin, so they're great for thick, dense, or cream foundations, allowing them to blend into the skin and either sheering down or building up the coverage.  I feel for thinner liquid foundations, they can remove as much as they apply, but I know plenty of people who use them for thin liquids, too, and they like them.

Buffing brushes are a great all around foundation brush, and they can also apply blush, cream or powder.  When I'm travelling, I often pack MAC Studio Fix plus powder and a blush and one of these brushes, and that's it.  I get really good results, and, if I'm wearing my glasses, I probably don't need eye makeup.  These can also blend foundation that's been applied with another brush or fingers.

 

Airbrush Foundation Brush

A big, fluffy foundation brush (also a powder brush) by Sephora, is also synthetic, like all the brushes featured in this post.  It deposits a fair amount of product, so you get good coverage from most liquids, but it also blends lightly.  It reminds me a bit of a stippling brush, but without the streaking often associated with those brushes, or like a much less dense buffing brush. 

If you compare the above picture with the end picture of the buffing brush, you'll see how much fluffier it is than the latter.  It has a very light touch.

 

Flat-topped Foundation Brush

A much denser foundation brush than the last one, this Sonia Kashuk brush has a flat top.  Again, good for buffing in foundation, the flat top (rather than the rounded top of the buffing brush) means that the foundation needs more blending around the edges.  It does, however, work the foundation into the skin more, which is great for creams or dense liquids.  It also doesn't really streak at all, since the dense, flat surface acts as a single entity rather than many individual hairs.

I like this brush even more as a cream blush brush, as it works cream blush into the skin really well.

 

Small Buffing Foundation Brush

 

 

I could not figure out what to call these brushes, the Sephora Airbrush Precision, Real Techniques Expert Face brush and Cover FX Cream foundation brush.  These brushes are terrific for cream foundations, even better for blending cream blushes into the skin, and are the best cream contour brushes I have ever come across.  I've been using the Cover FX one with my Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate and it is a match made in heaven.  As foundation brushes, these combine the best elements of a buffing brush and a flat foundation brush.  They can be used to both buff and stroke on foundation, work well around the edges and features. 

 

As you can see here, these have a pinched ferrule, which is, I believe, the feature that sets them apart from the round buffing brushes.  It's what gives them their versatility and their ability to glide around features and to contour and blend. 

 

Angled Foundation Brush

This Hakuhodo G5555 is technically a duo-fibre brush, as it has synthetic hairs that are longer than goat hairs, in this case, 2 mm longer.  I decided to include it here, because there are several other angled foundation brushes, by Sigma and Shiseido to name two, that I don't have, and I wanted to include the category.  The angle on this brush makes it feel nicer in the hand, and helps to ensure contact with the flat part of the brush against the skin.

I really like this brush, and it would be good for cream blush, but, since this particular Hakuhodo version comes in so many variations, I would suggest one of the smaller or 4mm styles for blush.  In general, I think angled foundation brushes provide the same benefits as the previous brushes in a more user friendly package.

 

Pointed Foundation Brush

Perhaps my favorite of the foundation brushes, the pointed foundation brush, this one the Stila One-Step Complexion brush, is the one I would recommend to those dedicated to using their fingers to apply foundation.  This brush replicates a lot of the good things about them, plus a lot of good things about brushes.  This is probably my favorite foundation brush for applying Make Up For Ever Face and Body (which is one of my favorite foundations of all time), and if I'm wearing it in one of my posts, it's likely been applied with this brush.  Because it's small it fits around the nose and under the eyes, but because it's dense, it blends flawlessly, and because it's pointed, it doesn't suck up too much foundation and waste it as it's mostly surface area.

The pointed foundation brush is also amazing for applying cream blush, cream contour, and powder foundation.  Good for blending concealer around the eyes and nose, which is handy as this particular brush has a concealer brush on the other side.

 

Pros and Cons

Pros:     All of these brushes apply and/or blend foundation onto the skin.  A lot of the choice has to do with the type of foundation you're using and the finish you want to achieve.  I think Buffing Brushes offer the best ease to result ratio, but my favorites are the Small Buffing brushes and the pointed foundation brush because they're smaller, more versatile, and provide more control.  Whatever foundation brush you pick, I really do prefer using a brush over fingers, though I do like using sponges, especially for cream foundations.

Cons:     The denser the brush the harder it is to clean.  Buffing brushes and their ilk soak up foundation, which makes them both wasteful and a pain to clean.  The flat foundation brushes are certainly easier to clean, but they have the reputation for streaks and unevenness.  The smaller brushes might be frustrating to use for applying foundation all over the skin, as they require more strokes and more time.  I would also never use a buffing brush of any size on sensitive or very dry skin as it would likely irritate it and/or make flakes more obvious.

 

The brushes featured in this post are:  Sephora Platinum Foundation Brush 47 (*the whole Platinum line has been discontinued at Sephora and replaced with the Pro line, the number and the shape carried over, but I have no idea on any other similarities or differences), Paula Dorf Foundation Brush (from a travel set), Body and Soul Foundation Brush (dc'd as far as I can tell), Real Techniques Essential Foundation Brush from Travel Essentials, Pointed Foundation Brush from Core Collection, Cargo Magic Brush, Real Techniques Buffing Brush from the Core Collection, Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush 45, Sephora Platinum Airbrush 55 (see above note on Platinum brushes), Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Flat-top Multipurpose rush, Sephora Platinum Airbrush Precision Brush 56 (again, see note above), Cover FX Cream Foundation Brush 160, Hakuhodo G5555-2mm Powder & Liquid Brush round/angled, Stila One-Step Complexion Brush 33.  All were purchased and I have received no compensation for featuring them.