Makeup Brush Sets 101: Which Types Are For What?

There are ten standard makeup brushes that are most common in the world of cosmetics. When choosing the right makeup brush, it’s important to invest in a high-quality brush that will last for years. Always test your brushes on the back of the hand to check for softness and shedding.

The first brush is a powder brush. This is a larger brush and mainly used for blending. It is most effective with powder makeup like loose power, mineral makeup, bronzer, and blush. It is large to cover the large parts of the face; forehead, cheeks and chin.

The next brush is a blush brush. A smaller version of the powder brush, this allows for more contour on when apply blush to the cheeks. It is tapered, and can be angled when precise coverage is desired. Both blush and bronzer can be used with a blush brush.

A concealer brush is a narrow and firm brush, usually with a flat edge. Liquid concealer works best when using the concealer brush. This is used on smaller areas of the face; around the eyes and on blemishes.

Foundation brushes come in many different forms. They are usually firm and dense to prevent all the makeup absorbing into the bristles. This brush works with any sort of foundation makeup. The brush may have a flat tip to apply the makeup under the eyes and in fine lines.

Kabuki brushes are short and dense brushes. They are used in a circular pattern for blending around the jawline and on the cheeks. These brushes can also be used like a powder brush for even larger coverage on the entire face. Powder makeup like bronzer and blush can be used.

Eye shadow brushes come in many different sizes and range from soft to firm. If the brush is softer and larger, that brush is used for blending eye shadow or applying a light color to the eyes. A firm brush is best for depositing dark color in a concentrated area on the eyelid- this is not used for blending. Small brushes give more control when using dark colors.

Eyeliner brushes are fine, tapered, firm brushes. They are small to give a precise line when working with eyeliner.

When applying color to the eyebrows, the angled brow brush should be used. This has firm, thin bristles and can also be used as an eyeliner brush.

Lash and comb brushes have to sides for multiple uses. The lash side is used to comb through lashes to remove any excess mascara and to separate lashes. The brush side is used for the brows to shape brows and blend makeup.

Similar to the concealer brush, the lip brush is small and tapered. The lip brush is used for blending and applying lip color. The lip brush can also be used with concealer for concealing very small, hard to reach areas.

Which ones do you find yourself using in your everyday routine?
Content Provided By: Alexia Hites