Makeup Application 101: Brushing up on the basics

When I first got married, I could not cook to save my life.

My culinary repertoire consisted of cold cereal, boiling water and, on a good day, maybe a scrambled egg.

Despite my gastronomic deficiencies, my mother and grandmother insisted on outfitting my newlywed kitchen with every utensil, gadget and pan known to mankind.  At the time, it seemed like overkill.  I mean, it was highly unlikely I’d be reaching for a meat thermometer to check a turkey when I was still trying to master toast.

But, as my cooking skills slowly improved, I discovered a need for various kitchen tools.  Time and again I would be thrilled to discover the perfect tool hiding out in my kitchen drawer (lovingly purchased by mom or grandmom) for use at just the right time.

What on earth does this have to do with beauty?

When you’re trying to do a job well, it pays to have the right tools in your arsenal.  Cooking is easier when you have the right utensils.  When it comes to makeup, what you use to apply it makes all the difference in the world.

You see, makeup application is all about blending.  Good makeup brushes help you achieve a well-blended look in less time and with less hassle.

Now, I am not going to advocate you spend hundreds of dollars on makeup brushes.  Brushes don’t have to cost a fortune.  There are reasonably-priced brushes available that will more than make up (no pun intended!) for the initial cash outlay.

Seriously. 

Here are the three basic brushes I can’t live without:

Foundation Brush:  I used to apply foundation with a makeup sponge, but I slowly came to the realization I was wasting a lot of product because the sponge soaked it up.  Also, I found I rarely got even coverage and had a hard time controlling where I wanted the makeup to go. 

These days, I use a one-inch tapered flat-head brush like this one.  If you’re using liquid or a cream foundation, you might find synthetic brushes (like those with nylon fibers) do a better job.  For powder foundations, a natural bristle brush will work best.

I use a liquid foundation, and the foundation brush really helps me control the coverage — I can go heavier in some areas and lighter in others, yet the brush blends it all together so it looks natural. It also does a better job blending around my eyes and nose.  And, my foundation brush does double duty because I use it to blend my concealer as well. 

Powder/Blush Brush: There are two versions of this brush.  One is big and fluffy, and the other looks like a smaller, thin fan.  The style you choose is a matter of personal preference. 

I prefer a fluffier brush where the bristles have a "dome" shape, like this one.  The idea behind the dome is that the color goes onto the center of the brush and the shorter side bristles help to blend the color onto your cheek.  Use the cheap brush that comes packaged with your blush compact, and you might very well find you have a "line of blush" streaking up your cheek.  A good blush brush blends the color to make it look natural.

Eye Shadow Brushes: Please ditch the foam applicators.  An eye shadow brush (like this one) gives you better control in terms of the amount of eye shadow you want to apply, as well as where you want to apply it.

If you hate having your eyeliner smeared all over your face by lunchtime, try applying eyeshadow along your lash line like Carol showed us a while back.  If you apply shadow as liner, you’ll want to use a small angled brush with stiffer, flat bristles like this.  It makes application close to the lash line infinitely easier.

Lastly, don’t forget to clean your brushes.  They harbor oodles of dirt and bacteria.  Run the bristles under warm water and apply a small amount of shampoo.  Lather and then rinse until the water runs clear.  Allow the brush to air-dry overnight.

So what about y’all?  What do you think of makeup brushes?  Do you use them?  Do you think they’re a waste?  Is there a makeup brush you can’t live without?  Let us know in the comments.  I’ll see you there. 🙂