ALL ABOUT MAKEUP BRUSHES!

Hello Beauties!! Recently I’ve had SO many people ask me about what makeup brushes I use, where I get them, my favorites, how to use them etc., so, I decided I would do a blog post ALL ABOUT MAKEUP BRUSHES!! I’m not going to go TOO much into depth about brushes (that would end up a NOVEL) so lets keep it basic and simple, these are some of my favorites I use the MOST often. There are a MILLION different types of brushes out there, for a MILLION different things, but for just an everyday gal wanting to apply makeup better/quicker/nicer etc., these are great for you!  
A little disclaimer:  The majority of these brushes are from the brand Sigma. I AM a “SigmaPro Partner”, but these opinions are my own honest opinions, they are not paying me to sell their brushes! ;P

So, first let’s start with the FACE:

My ALL TIME FAVORITE foundation brush is the Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki. This brush is so dense and soft it literally makes putting on foundation a BREEZE. It blends so beautifully and effortlessly and gives you that “airbrushed” finish.  It’s flat top makes it easy to buff the product into your skin. I’ve tried so many other foundation brushes, but I just can’t go without this brush! Because this brush is synthetic, you can also use it to blend cream bronzers or blush.

 

 

My favorite brush to bronze my face with is the Sigma f20large powder. This brush is so soft and big, that its great for bronzing (not nessesarily contouring) the cheekbones and forehead. You can also use this to apply just a regular powder (hence, the name) but I mostly use it to bronze, its gets the job done so quickly and easily! MAC also has a brush that is pretty much the exact same this as this one and it’s cheaper. (alot of sigma brushes are identical to MAC brushes, fyi ;) )

 

 

I have two favorite brushes to apply blush with that I switch back and forth from, the first is MAC’s 129 short handled brush. (caution: it is pricey, it was  a splurge for me) but I LOVE this brush so much.  I only use it to apply blush to the apples of my cheeks, and blend backwards, and it’s great! Its easy to work with because of the short handle.

Next is the Sigma F40 large angled contour. This is great for blush AND contouring. The angle makes it easy to really carve out those cheekbones. And because it is a white haired brush (goat hair) it doesn’t pick up ton of product, so the application of bronzer/blush is softer. So if you tend to go in a little heavy-handed sometimes, this is a great type of brush for you. It also blends very easily.

 

 

 

This next item is “technically” not a brush, but it’s something I have to mention it because I use it everyday. It’s the BeautyBlender. Now, this may look like an ordinary makeup sponge, but it’s oh so much more! I can’t believe I ever lived without this! I don’t know what it is about this sponge, but its AMAZE-BALLS. (yes, I said that ;P) I use it to blend out concealer under my eyes to cover up those dark circles, and it blends it all out in like literally 2 seconds! It’s also amazing to put your foundation on with. You can use it wet or dry, I personally like it wet. It doesn’t absorb a ton of product like a lot of sponges do, which is great because you’re not losing money. Remember, with a sponge, don’t “rub” like with a brush, but “bounce” or “dab” it against your skin. It can be used to blend out any cream product, and basically, I can’t live without this little pink baby.  (PS. sometimes on Amazon you can find a 2-pack for the price of 1)

 

Now onto EYES:

Depending on the look you’re going for, there are also a ton of eye brushes in the world, so I chose what I feel like are the most universal/essential brushes for creating that dramatic smokey eye, or even a natural every day eye.

 

First is the sigma E25 blending. Blending is KEY when working with eyeshadow, so this brush is one of two of my favorite brushes to blend with.  Again, this is a white/goat haired brush, so it’s not going to pack on a ton of color, but really help blend out your shadows.  It’s a little on the dense side, so it’s going to give you more control and precise blending and application. We don’t want any harsh lines now do we!?

 

 

 

The next blending brush is the Sigma E40 tapered blending.  This brush is synthetic, so it will pick up a little more shadow. It has a soft and fluffy rounded tip that really makes blending out shadows in your crease easy. Sweeping in back and forth in the crease will really diffuse those shadows and make it look flawless. I use this to really BLEND everything together seamlessly.

The Sigma E55 Eye shading brush is my next fav. Everyone needs a brush that will really pack color onto the eyelid evenly and strongly. You can use eyeshadows, pigments, and glitters with this brush. It’s very dense, so you won’t get a lot of fallout (shadow falling down onto your cheeks).  I cant say enough good things about this brush,  it really is just that awesome. A staple item for sure.

 

I really like to use a gel eyeliner rather than a pencil or liquid, because it’s so much easier to work with, and my favorite brush to do that with is the Sigma E05 eyeliner. It’s small and very precise, you can do anything from thick to thin to winged eyeliner. It makes is so easy (and that’s what I’m all about you know!) you can use gel or liquid with this brush.

 

 

 

And lastly for the eyes, has to be the Sigma E30 pencil. A lot of people have never used a pencil brush, but it is a must-have for me. It’s a small, pointed, white/goat haired brush that is awesome for blending out shadow/liner on the upper and lower lash line, or used to highlight the inner corner of the eye. It’s also great for any kind of precise detailing you may want to do. 

 

With all these brushes, you’re guaranteed to be able to create any look! Don’t be afraid to play around with brushes and find what you like.

I also use and love Real Techniques brushes, but I wanted to mainly talk about the ones I use and love the MOST. So check them out! They are all synthetic and great quality and more affordable.

If you read all the way to the end THANKS! And CONGRATS!! I have a coupon code for Sigma.com. Enter JAN2014 at checkout for 10% off your entire order for the month of January! I will try and keep this code updated every month, if not email me and i'll give you the updated code!