Everything You Need to Know About Makeup Brushes
There are so many different makeup brushes out there and it can be hard to find your perfect set for the daily face or night out glow-up. So what brushes are essential in your makeup bag? From beginner must-haves to the tools for precise contouring, we give you the low-down on makeup brushes and which are the right ones to achieve high-end results. Many makeup professionals swear by our extensive, cruelty-free brush collection, meaning you can achieve pro looks at home or on the go without the price tag of a trained MUA. Read on for your guide to our makeup brush essentials:
For an even, full coverage look, our collection of foundation brushes are essential when applying liquid or cream foundation. Made from high-performance bristles, our foundation brushes have been designed to evenly smooth out your foundation, working it flawlessly into the skin. With dense, synthetic fibres, the bristles allow precision and maximize control during application, especially when aiming to achieve a fuller coverage finish. Trust us: these brushes belong in every makeup bag.
Used for: Applying liquid or cream foundation and smoothing out evenly for a flawless finish.
How to use: For a smooth and even finish, apply foundation to the face, guiding your brush in circular motions to buff it into the skin, working from the centre of your face, out. Blend out any uneven patches of foundation from your forehead, down to your neckline, making sure you’re blending into the hairline and beyond your jaw.
Our favs:
1. GP2 Buffing Foundation Brush
2. F10 Foundation Brush
Specially designed to deliver a sheer and airbrushed finish, the Stippling Brush is ideal for the application of both cream and liquid foundation. By using this brush in a stippling motion, it will help diffuse or cover any imperfections. The white fibers of this brush pick up and deposit foundation evenly for a skin-like finish.
Used for: Applying cream or liquid foundation. This brush is also amazing for a diffused application of blush. Just make sure to wash your brush thoroughly to ensure your foundation colour isn’t affected!
How to use: Use small, light circular or ‘stippling’ motions to blend your cream or liquid foundation onto your face, which will help create an airbrushed finish.
Our fave:
F11 Stippling Brush
Define the shape of your face by contouring with our F14 Contouring Blush Brush. Designed with angled bristles to give more control over your application and achieve a chiselled look, this is a must-have when defining your face. If you prefer contouring with sticks, mousses and creams, our GD1 Kabuki Cream Contour Brush will let you shape and define with ease, designed with short, dense bristles to help deposit and blend cream products.
Used for: Contouring your face and evenly applying bronzer and blush.
How to use: Once product has been added to the end of your brush, sweep the brush from the middle of your ear to the centrepoint of your cheek, just underneath your cheekbones, for a defined look. Once this is done, use sweeping strokes to blend out the product and ensure it is smooth and even.
Our favs:
1. F14 Contouring Blush Brush
2. GD1 Kabuki Cream Contour Brush
A staple for both beginner and professional makeup bags, the trusty Powder Brush is great for achieving an even finish when applying powdered foundation, setting powder or bronzer. The soft, dense bristles of our F12 Powder Brush and GP1 All Over Powder Brush ensures a streak-free and flawless application. This multi-purpose brush is recommended for beginners when starting their brush collection.
Used for: Applying loose and pressed powders.
How to use: Apply your powder with sweeping motions across the face or body for an all over, light to medium coverage finish.
Made from incredibly soft bristles, our F13 Bronzing brush helps to achieve a smooth application of blush, bronzer, and other powders. Depositing powder evenly across the skin, each bristle grasps pigment for ultimate payoff and little patchiness.
Used for: Applying and blending out bronzer, blush and other loose powders.
How to use: To apply powder foundations, sparingly apply product to the brush and apply to your face using large circular motions. To apply bronzer, sweep the product in your contouring areas such as along your cheekbones, at the top of your forehead and along the bridge of your nose.
Our fave:
F13 Bronzing Brush
Fan brushes are a way to ensure precise highlighter looks that pop, leaving you looking fresh and glowy. The fanned out, soft, dense bristles allow the product to be evenly applied to the skin without leaving any patchiness, sweeping away unwanted product. Fan brushes are a great tool for highlighting the smaller areas such as cupids bow and bridge of the nose.
Used for: Applying highlight and contour to the cheeks, cupids bow, bridge of the nose, chin and forehead. Sweeps away unwanted product, without smudging over the face.
How to use: Apply highlighter to one side of your fan brush, sweeping lightly along the areas of your face the light naturally hits in a back and forth motion. To help create more definition and shape, turn the brush side on and blend directionally.
Our fave:
GD3 Precision Highlight/ Contour Brush
Achieve a perfectly blended eyeshadow look with blending and angled eye brushes. Each brush is specially designed with a narrow and tapered head to fit the crease of the eye, with synthetic fibres that draw together to give a streak-free application. Our GE1 Blending Crease Brush and E10 Blending Eye Brush are great for beginners who are starting to experiment with different shades and finishes. Giving you more control over contouring your eye look, our E11 Angled Contouring Eye Brush is perfect for those slightly more experienced in applying a naturally smoky look.
Used for: Applying, blending and building eyeshadow looks. Specially designed to contour the crease of your eye for professional results.
How to use: To achieve a seamless look when creating a bold, natural or smoky eye, use small circular motions to blend out the product towards the brow. When contouring, sweep a deeper, bronze-toned shadow along the crease of your eye from the outside in. To blend your darker shadow, gently sweep the brush back and forth in long, rounded strokes.
Our favs:
1. E10 Blending Eye Brush
2. E11 Contouring Eyeshadow Brush
A smudge brush is a go-to tool for achieving the ultimate smoky eye. With short, densely packed bristles, our Smudge Brush easily softens intense lines and helps create a bold, yet seamless look. This is a great tool to use for beginners who are yet to perfect straight lines to define the eye.
Used for: Smudging out intense application of eyeshadow, to create a more natural, blown-out look.
How to use: Once eyeshadow has been applied, place your Smudge Brush flat against the intense line of shadow and blend back and forth until you have achieved your desired intensity. To smudge out intense eyeliner, follow the same process along the lash line.
Our favs:
E13 Smudge Brush
Achieve brow-envy with the Brow-Eye Definer Brush. This sleek multi-purpose brush can be used on eyes and brows, to help create precise contouring, lines, and brow colouring. With superior synthetic fibres, this Brow-Eye Define Brush ensures a flawless application.
Used for: Applying eyeliner, filling in and shaping brows.
How to use: With a small amount of eyeliner or dark eyeshadow on the end of the bristles, use soft feathering strokes along the lash line from the inner eye outwards. For a perfect winged liner, extend the brush further along the lash line, creating a defined angle from the outside of your eye. When filling in your brows, lightly stroke the brush along the hairlines of your eyebrow, from inner to outer brow, creating a naturally fuller look.
Our fave:
E12 Brow-Eye Definer Brush
Our Lash and Brow Brush is the perfect tool to help brush out and smooth eyebrows, as well as separate eyelashes. The dual-purpose brush is double-sided, one to comb lashes and the other to smooth out eyebrows with ease.
Used for: Smoothing eyebrows and separating / brushes out lashes.
How to use: To effectively smooth your eyebrows, using the bristle side, start by brushing your brow hairs upwards. Once this is done, glide the brush along the top of your brow from the inside outwards. To separate your lash hairs use the comb side of the brush to glide through your lashes, back to front.
Our fave:
E14 Lash & Brow Brush
For those who want to stock up on makeup brushes, start building their kit, or are looking for a one-stop-shop featuring all the essentials, complete makeup brush kits are for you. Our essential Face Makeup Brush Kit includes an F10 Foundation Brush, F11 Stippling Brush and F14 Contouring Blush Brush for a flawless face, and our Eye Makeup Brush Kit includes an E12 Brow/Eye Defining Brush, E13 Smudge Brush and an E10 Blending Brush - suitable for achieving a natural or intense smoky eye look.
Now that you’ve nailed the ins and outs of makeup brushes, it’s time to shop! Find the perfect kit or create your custom collection here.