My Best Brushes

One of the most important moments in my beauty education was when I realized that makeup brushes are not optional. I’ve had some great brushes that I swear by, but also some less-than-great ones.I had a request almost a full year ago to do this post, so here it is…finally. Here are my top 5 brushes that I use every day.

Everybody knows about e.l.f. and there incredibly affordable products. I love my e.l.f. professional Blending Eye Brush. It’s soft, doesn’t shed, and blends all of my eyeshadows so well. I’ve definitely gotten my money out of it with the one dollar I paid for it. It does look kind of cheap, but I promise it doesn’t feel that way. If you’re looking to bulk up your brush set, I suggest checking these out. At worst, you’ll only be out a few dollars.

There’s something I just have to get off my chest. I don’t like the MAC brushes. I think that they’re hideously overpriced for what you’re getting. Of all the MAC brushes I’ve used over the past few years, only one has really stuck with me. It’s the MAC 219 pencil brush. I haven’t found another brush that is the same shape and density as this one, and it’s perfect for getting straight into your crease or along your lower lashline. This one will set you back $30.

Fan brushes are a little more specific. I like to use mine for contouring and highlighting and find that it works really well for building up that Angelina Jolie cheekbone. It’s also great for dusting on bronzer or shimmer when you’re trying to look glowy or tan. This one came in a brush set that I bought when I was like 14, by the brand Sarah Ashton. Also very cheap, the whole set is $10. The rest of the brushes in the set are essentially useless, but this one has stuck with me.

Also from a set is the Sephora Collection Antibacterial Synthetic Powder Brush. This set is one of the best investments I’ve ever made. I highly recommend the Sephora Collection brushes. They are some of the best synthetic brushes I’ve seen. They grip product really well and blend beautifully. That’s why I love this powder brush. It works wonders for last-minute foundation blending, powder, blush, and bronzer. The set is a pretty good deal at $60, but a lot of their brushes are available individually. Check out the display the next time you’re in the store.

I toss the brushes and sponge applicators and whatever other crap comes in with my eyeshadows and blushes almost instantly. The exception is, of course, the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. The brush that came with this has worked its way into my collection almost immediately. It’s called the Good Karma Shadow/Crease brush. It’s lovely. I was expecting it to be useless. Really useless. One end is idea for packing on color, and the other is the essential blending brush. I’ve gotten more use out of it than I thought I would and it continues to be an important part of my makeup bag. This one is only available in the palette.

So there you have it. My favorite brushes that I currently have in my bag. I have my eye on some high end brushes (I’m looking at you Tom Ford) but I can’t imagine that they’re worth the extra cash you’d have to pay compared to these brands. I don’t know. If you own some TF or Hakuhodo, you’ll have to let me know.

What’s your must have makeup brush?