Friday, December 30, 2016

Makeup Brush Basics 1 - Powder Brush, Blush Brush, and Eyeshadow Brush

Hey girls!
Do you use makeup brushes?

makeup brushes
There are so many types of makeup brushes, aren't there?
I want to share what I have learned and my experiences with makeup brushes.
This is part 1 of 2 and it is about powder brushes, blush brushes, and eyeshadow brushes since these three are the most basic makeup brushes.
Part 2 will be about foundation brushes and eyeliner brushes that I'm going to write in the next post.
I will explain the basics, and share my failure story, as well (not about a bad choice of brushes, but about a wrong usage of a brush) using my brushes from Sigma Beauty, since those are what I have and I like their brushes.
I chose Sigma Beauty brushes because they are high quality items and they are not too expensive.
I'll mention some MAC brush numbers too (they are on the expensive side), since it is also one of the brands loved by people who are into makeup.

Now let's begin :)

- Powder brush (Sigma F30, MAC 129 etc.)
sigma large powder brush F30
Sigma F30

You can distribute face powder more evenly with a brush with light touches.
If you use a powder puff, more powder will be applied.

The brush I have is this: Sigma Large Powder - F30.
Let me mention that how to use a powder brush matters.
For a while, I felt "Hmmm. This brush is a bit scratchy..."
This brush has gotten so many good reviews, and they say this brush is soft and fluffy.
So, I thought I was doing something wrong, and I was.
I was stippling over my face.
I was doing so because I didn't want to mess up foundation.
Instead, you should stroke over your face very gently.
After trying this way, it's not scratchy anymore and it feels so comfortable to my skin.

sigma large angled contour brush F40
Sigma F40
- Blush brush (Sigma F40, MAC 168 etc.)

You can apply blush with long stroke(s) along the curve of the cheekbone using an appropriate blush brush.
Of course you can layer several long strokes but the key here is you can make long stroke(s).
If you use an accompanying mini brush, you need to apply blush with several small strokes that may lead to uneven application.

The brush I have is this: Sigma Large Angled Contour - F40.
The angled bristles go along the curve of the cheekbone well.






sigma eye shading brush E55
Sigma E55
- Eyeshadow brush

The brush I have is this: Sigma Eye Shading - E55.
I could do my eye makeup with only this brush.
According to Sigma Beauty website, recommended usage of this brush is for placing color across the entire lid for an even and strong application of product.
Not only that, I use it to apply eyeshadow to the outer corner of the eye, in the crease, etc.
When I place eyeshadow on the entire lid, I use the side of the brush (flat part), and when I apply eyeshadow to the outer corner of the eye and in the crease (outer V of the eye), I use the tip of the brush.

Of course, you can get other different types of eyeshadow brushes to use for more specific parts of your eye makeup.
Actually, many people who are into makeup use at least three different eyeshadow brushes, and I imagine that it's easier this way since bristle sizes are different.

1. Basic application brush (biggest bristles of the three)
This is used to apply eyeshadow all over the lid. (Sigma E55, MAC 239 etc.)

2. Blending brush (middle sized bristles of the three)
This is used to soften harsh lines and edges. (Sigma E25, MAC 217 etc.)

3. Crease / pencil brush (smallest bristles of the three)
This is used to apply color to small areas precisely, such as defining the crease, applying along the lush line, highlighting the inner corner of the eye, etc. (Sigma E30, MAC 219 etc.)
There are even more different kinds of eye makeup brushes such as a smudge brush, but these three are the most basic eyeshadow brushes.
(As a note, a smudge brush is used to apply color onto the upper and lower lash lines. Sigma E21, MAC 214 etc.)

A sponge tip applicator accompanying an eyeshadow is somewhat difficult to use to work on details.
I use it when I want to get my eye makeup done so quickly and make it simple. In this case, I put eyeshadow only at the outer corner of the eye, and don't even put it in the crease.
Also, I sometimes use a sponge tip applicator to apply eyeshadow all over the lid, so that I don't need to wipe my only one eyeshadow brush to use it with a different color for the crease. (In other words, you can use only one eyeshadow brush by wiping it against a wet wipe after using it with each color.

By using appropriate makeup brushes instead of mini applicators accompanying cosmetics, you can apply makeup easier and the result is better.
I really recommend to start with these three brushes if you don't have any currently:
-Powder brush
-Blush brush
-Eyeshadow brush

I will write about the basics of foundation brushes and eyeliner brushes in the next post.
Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading and have a happy new year :)

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