You wouldn't pull out a set of stake knives to prep for a night of indulgent cooking, or if you were training for a marathon you'd purchase the best pair of runners you could find in preparation, right? The point i'm getting to is that when it comes to makeup, you need to make sure you're using the best tools you can, to do the best job you can. It makes things easier - so today i'm going to tell you what you need and where you can get them from.
If you've ever had your make up done by a professional you may have seen their serious quiver of brushes, tones of them! You probably thought wowzer...do they really use all those brushes, well yes they do, but you don't need to go over board. I am pleased to tell you that in my opinion there are five essential brushes you need.
The first brush you need is an eye priming brush. Before you even start to apply colour to your eyes you need to firstly prime the eye with a natural/ nude colour eyeshadow. Think of your eyelids as a painter's canvas, you need to prep the canvas, make it one even tone before apply colour. Applying some concealer and a nude eyeshadow is going to do this. For my examples today i'm focusing on brushes i like to use, which are Napoleon brushes, but you can by the below brushes from a Mac, Bobbi Brown or even a make up supplier store.
The second brush you'll need is a small to medium flat headed brush. This is for the application of your first colour (if you are using a three colour palette technique). The first colour is the lightest out of the three and will be applied to the inner half of the eyelids. Using a S/M flat headed brush will distribute the colour evenly and will cover a larger surface area with less room for fall out error. What is fall out you ask? It is eyeshadow that can fall from the brush when applying eyeshadow and land on your cheek.
Ok so once you've applied your first colour, you'll need a contouring brush to create shape and intensity. There are two types of brushes you can use and if you have the money, i would invest in both. There is what i like to call the bullet brush which is great for creating smokey eyes. This brush is a must have in your quiver, its short hairs and shape makes it easy to use, even for a beginner and can create some amazing looks. There is also what Napoleon calls a Diffusing Brush which has a small flat face and round edge and is a great all rounder. What i like most about this brush though is that its short hairs and flat face means it's great for applying eyeshadow under the eyes as it will create less fall out than the bullet brush and can apply a really fine almost eyeliner like shading under the eyes. I would definitely say these two brushes are a must have.
The last brush i would invest in is a bronzing and contouring brush. This is a large full brush that can apply powder, bronzer or blush. There are many great brushes out there but my fave at the mo is the Nude by Nature Kabuki Brush. It's not made of sable hair, which most good quality brushes are, but it's cheap, doesn't scratch the face (which i think the Napoleon Finishing Powder Brush does.....shhhh), and it's a good size.
Kabuki Brush
So there you have it. If you invest in these five essential brushes, you'll be looking and feeling fabulous in no time. You'll be surprised at what you can do with these brushes and how much easier it is to create different looks. It is a big investment up front, if you buy them all at once, but they last a life time and with the right love and care they'll never let you down. The Napoleon brushes i've just described are all sable and the best way to keep sable brushes in good nick is to shampoo and condition them, as they're real hair! I also wash and condition my Kabuki brush as well and it works a treat. I'd wash them every 3 three months or so. Happy makeuping!!
