The Importance of Makeup Brushes

September 07, 2018

The Importance of Makeup Brushes

It’s hard to think back to what my makeup routine was like before makeup brushes came into the equation. Like, what did I even use?? I remember when I first discovered online beauty tutorials and seeing the variety of brushes. It seemed to make a big difference, but it was incredibly overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. I picked up a few drugstore sets before going crazy with Christmas gift cards in Ulta and Sephora. There was still a lot to figure out because there’s so many options available, but once I started noticing better results I realized the importance of using the proper makeup brushes and tools.

There’s so many steps within the makeup application process that all require their own brush. Although many brushes are labeled as they are intended to be used, it’s really all about finding what works for you. Not only does your face shape help determine what brushes will work best, but personal preference in application is also a factor. It’s also important to keep in mind what products you’re working with. Some products apply better with a sponge, some with a brush, and some even work best just with the fingertips.

This might go without saying, but the more dense a brush is the more coverage you’re going to get. And visa versa with loose fluffy brushes, those will apply the least amount of product. Sponges are a great option for a more natural finish on the face, but when using a sponge tip applicator on the eyes you will see a more intense color payoff from the eyeshadow. Sponges can get a reputation of getting dirty too quickly, and while that is true to an extent, most beauty sponges don’t allow product to absorb deep into the middle like you might imagine.

No matter whether you’re using a brush, a sponge, or anything else to apply makeup it’s going to get dirty and need to be cleaned. Check out my tutorial for that here. Not only will the brushes get full of excess product, it will also hold onto any germs. Using dirty brushes is a guaranteed cause for breakouts. I recommend washing your brushes 1-2 times a month, depending on how often they’re used. Sponges need to be washed more often, around 1-2 times a week. Take care of your tools and your tools will take care of you.

Of course there are going to be a wide variety of both low and high end options available. Sometimes you do get what you pay for and there might be a reason to splurge on a few high-end brushes, but most of the time it’s all in how you take care of them. If the brushes are well-maintained, they’ll last for years no matter what they cost. I’m a big believer in drugstore makeup, brushes included. There’s even been quite a few instances where some of my more affordable brushes have outlasted the more expensive alternatives. Let that happen a few times and you'll realize there’s a lesson to be learned.

Although many brushes might look the same, they don’t all perform the same. Take an angled eyeliner brush, for example. They all look extremely similar, but once you use enough of them you'll start to notice that they’re all completely different. I have multiple different angled eyeliner brushes that are all used for different purposes. Some are better with pressed eyeshadows, cream and gel eyeliners, brow powders, brow pomades, contours, etc. I wish there was a trick to finding the best brush for each purpose, but it’s really all about trial and error.

Next time you get a new brush, try it in all different areas around the face. Really use your imagination and see what it can do! I bet you’ll be surprised. Keep them organized in a way that makes sense to you and don’t be afraid to take the extra few seconds reaching for a more effective brush to get a better result. Using the proper makeup tools can step up your application game more than you can even believe.

If you found this post helpful, please feel free to share it using one of the buttons below. If you have any questions about anything I mentioned, or about any specific brushes, let me know in the comments. Have you got any new brushes recently? Where is your favorite place to purchase makeup brushes?