Five Essential Makeup Brushes

Just like a painter needs the right brushes to create a beautiful work of art, anyone who applies makeup needs the right tools. After all, makeup is the art of painting your face. Five essential makeup brushes should be in any woman's makeup bag.

Kabuki brush

Kabuki brushes have round, flat heads and are thick with short bristles. These are the most versatile makeup brushes. They can be used for applying dry foundation, face powders and bronzer. However, if you use different colors or shades, you should have a designated kabuki brush for each purpose to avoid muddy colors.

Blush brush

While many women apply powder blush with brushes that have a round head, a proper blush brush has a fan shaped brush head. This means that the bristles look just like an open, oriental fan with narrow sides. Using this essential brush to apply blush is imperative for achieving a nonstreaky look on your cheekbones.

Eye shadow brush

While there are different varieties, the most essential eye shadow brushes are pointy with either a sponge-type head or bristles. The pointy tip allows for proper control when sweeping the eye shadow across the lid from the part closest to the nose to the outer area. Eye shadow brushes also come in different sizes. Often, eye shadow kits will already have eye shadow brushes included.

Eyeliner brush

While many people use eyeliner pencils, eyeliner brushes with angled, short brush heads do a much better job. It is hard to control eye pencils, and their lines are often too thick. Instead, eyeliner brushes can be used with powder eye shadow shades or gel liner products in containers. This look is softer and more appropriate for everyday wear.

Finishing brush

Essential finishing brushes have rounded heads with very soft bristles. They differ from kabuki brushes because they are not thick, nor flat, on top. Often, finishing brushes are sold as powder or blush brushes. Use finishing brushes, also known as blender brushes, with mineral veil or translucent powder to set your makeup and softly blend the colors together.