The Glitter Trail

Let’s talk about brushes!

Playing around with makeup feels a lot like creating a work of art. Using your face as a canvas, you play with color, light, and shadow to put forward your work of art. But as any artist, you need the right tools to make your idea a reality. In can get a little overwhelming to see all of the many different options and brands, so in this post, I’ll go over the basic eye brushes. I’m a little picture crazy! So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the various types of brushes and tools for you to play with.

Synthetic vs natural bristles Makeup brushes are usually either made with natural bristles (animal hair such as goat) or man made synthetic ones. The difference between both is actually minimal: natural bristles are softer and hold more pigment, making them better for powders, while synthetic bristles are best for liquid and cream products. Personally, I find that they both work the same for me. It’s a matter of personal choice. 

Eyeshadow 

L-r: Urban Decay double-ended brush from the Electric palette, Sigma E55, Bettina flat shader, Studio Beauty double-ended shader

Most makeup looks are centered around the eyes, so it makes sense that this is the one with the most variety in shape, color, size, and budget. You can easily find a good eyeshadow brush in drugstores and even dollar stores; there’s no need to spend tons on one. 

Flat and stiff - Used for packing pigment onto the lid, these brushes are best for concentrating color on one specific area. Look for something flat but nicely packed with bristles so it can give you a nice even coat of color. Short shader - Your basic eye brush, this one can do it all. Look for one that isn’t too soft or too stiff. Finding the right one for your eye shape and size can be a bit of a challenge, so don’t be afraid of having multiples that work for you. Flat shader - Another workhorse, this one is nice for sweeping color onto a larger lid.  Fluffy shader - A fluffy shader brush is perfect for a soft wash of eyeshadow onto your eye. It can apply and blend at the same time, making a one-shadow look a no-brainer. 

Blending

L-r: Sigma E70, Coastal Scents Pro Blender, E.l.f. small blender, random Target blender, Sephora blending brush

Gonna get a little dramatic here, but I am so deeply in love with my blending brushes! If you find the right blending brush, you might not need another one; even better if you invest in a truly good one that will last you years. The key here is to look for brushes that are soft enough to blend your shadows into beautiful gradients, while still being firm enough to not wipe away your eyeshadows. 

Tapered - This is the basic one, used to deposit color in your crease and softly blend shadows into each other. It’s usually medium in size and comes to a point. There’s also the tapered fluffy brush, used majorly for blending and applying highlight colors. 

Slanted - Used best for softly blending and applying highlight colors, this brush can also be used to clean up the edges of your work to eliminate any sharp lines. 

Buffing - Usually small and short in size, these brushes are used for concentrated blending. 

Fluffy blending - This brush is usually a versatile one, used for both applying and softly blending shadow. It’s used best for an overall wash of color and soft blending. 

Detail/Eyeliner

L-r: Sigma E30, Sigma E65, Sigma E05, Tarte double-ended liner brush

These are the brushes for small details, lining, and eyebrows, thoe ones that take care of your small details. 

Pencil brush - These are small versions of blending brushes that are great for blending out color on the bottom lashline and to smoke out liner. Finding one soft enough is the key to those beautiful blown-out smokey looks. 

Slanted liner brush - This brush is usually small and flat, and is used mostly for eyebrows and for creating elongated cateye shapes with your shadow or liner. The best ones for the job are usually small and flat; too fluffy ones can make your line thicker than you’d like. 

Pointed liner brush - Small and pointed, this brush is perfect for small details and works best with gel or cake liner. 

Concealer 

L-r: Unbranded ebay brush, Sonia Kashuk flat concealer, Sephora + Pantone Universe concealer, Sigma F70

Concealer brushes are used to cover up redness and imperfections, but they’re also excellent to use with cream shadows and pigments, as well as shimmery highlights.

Flat concealer - The most common brush, this one is usually flat and stiff, and comes in a variety of sizes. It is best used to apply concealer in precise areas of the face.

Buffing - This brush is used to blend the concealer that has already been applied for a seamless look, but can also be used in a stippling motion to apply the product onto larger areas of the face. ]

Small concealer - A smaller version of the flat concealer brush, this one is perfect for “spot concealing” and getting into the trickiest contours of the face. It’s also perfect for precise application of shimmery highlight shades in the inner corners of the eyes or under the brow bone. 

The truth is that you don’t need a huge arsenal of eye brushes to complete your look. It’s really not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars to build up a huge collection just for your every day makeup. There are some brushes you will want to invest in (such as a really good blending brush), but even then there are excellent budget options. My absolute favorite of the bunch is the small E.l.f. buffing brush; it’s ridiculously soft and works perfectly, and it’s only 99 cents! I have two of them, one for dark colors, and one for blending. It’s all about finding what works best for your eyes. 

If you do want to invest in brushes that will last you for a while, I recommend one of the complete kits from the Sigma brand. It’s a pricey kit, but it has everything you need for a full face. It comes in various colors and offers both natural, synthetic, and vegan brushes. I’ve had mine for over a year and I use every single brush basically daily, with no shedding or discoloration whatsoever. They’re also superb for individual brushes, if you want to invest in a good one that will take a beating and survive it.