Best makeup brushes to master every beauty look
Looking to expand your makeup brush collection? These are the best of the best.
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The time is gone for having one makeup brush from 2002 languishing in the bottom of your (dirty, let’s be honest) makeup bag.
For a truly flawless beauty look, you’re going to have to invest in a few makeup brushes to really blend, conceal and perfect. Don’t worry, though - this isn’t a case of needing twenty different brushes with names like “142 Contour”. Instead, work out what products and techniques you use daily, and buy brushes specifically for those uses.
Love an under-eye concealer? A concealer brush will be your best friend. Find yourself with a sheen by midday? The right powder brush will perfectly mattify your skin. The number one fan of a cat-eye flick? There are some genius eyeliner brushes in market for that.
Basically, buy what you need, and leave what you don’t. If you’re a total newbie, a makeup brush set can be a good place to start - but only if you think you’ll use the brushes.
Below, you’ll find our picks for the best makeup brush kits, foundation brushes, blending brushes and more.
BEST MAKEUP BRUSH KITS
EcoTools Start The Day Beautifully Makeup Brush Set, iHerb, $20.19
BEST FOUNDATION BLENDING BRUSHES
It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Brush, Sephora, $78
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Foundation Brush, Sephora, $51
BEST FACE POWDER BRUSHES
Spectrum C03 Tulip Powder Brush, Adore Beauty, $16.95
BEST CONCEALER BRUSHES
Make Up For Ever 174 Concealer Brush, Adore Beauty, $37
BEST BRONZING BRUSHES
Fenty Beauty Cheek Hugging Bronzer Brush, Sephora, $54
BEST BLUSH BRUSHES
Mecca Max Beauty Blush Brush, Mecca, $14
BEST HIGHLIGHTER BRUSHES
E.L.F Highlighting Brush, iHerb, $9.01
Sephora Collection Pro Highlighter Brush, Sephora, $46
BEST EYELINER BRUSHES
E.L.F Small Angled Brush, Adore Beauty, $9
BEST EYESHADOW BRUSHES FOR BLENDING
MAC Tapered Blending Brush, Myer, $56
Crown Brush Pro Blending Fluff Brush, Adore Beauty, $13.50
BEST LIP BRUSHES
HOW MANY MAKEUP BRUSHES DO YOU NEED?
This really comes down to personal choice. Have a think about what makeup you apply regularly, and go from there. Personally, I love my concealer brush for applying concealer as it can be tricky to blend it effectively with fingers, my powder brush to minimise shine and set makeup, my blending eye brush as I usually just add one colour to eyelids on occasion, and my bronzing brush as I don’t wear blush or highlighter.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN MAKEUP BRUSHES?
There are a lot of opinions around this, but one thing is for sure - you should be cleaning them, and regularly. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests once every seven to ten days, but don’t stress! It’s not too difficult to clean them. Just grab a bowl of warm water, add some gentle shampoo and swirl the tips until most of the colour is out. Then rinse under cold water until water runs clear, and leave to dry in the sun.
You can also buy makeup cleaning products, to make life easier. We love this Denco Brush Cleaning Mat, which makes cleaning makeup brushes a breeze, and this Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaning Liquid from Sephora is both affordable and effective.
Looking for more beauty recommendations?
We’ve rounded up the best sunscreens and best retinol serums, plus we tried the best Foreo devices for all ages and skin types.
Make sure you get the best deal on every purchase by visiting news.com.au Coupons, where you’ll find discounts on favourite stores from David Jones to The Body Shop.
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