How Much Do You Know About Makeup Brushes?

Your fingers carry oils that can transfer onto your skin and clog your pores. Makeup brushes eliminate this risk for the most part; however, breakouts can still happen if you aren't taking care of your brushes.

Sharing brushes with others means that you are sharing bacteria. This can put all of you at risk of getting pink eye, cold sores and more. Avoid the risks by reserving your brushes for your use only.

Makeup brushes are crafted with either natural or synthetic bristles. Natural hair is animal hair, while synthetic is often nylon. Each type has pros and cons, and each is best suited to certain types of makeup.

Makeup brushes are good for a while, but not forever. Knowing when to throw them out is key to getting the most out of them. When you start to have problems, such as shedding or the brush not coming clean, it's probably time to get yourself a new one.

A contour brush is great for strategically adding darker powder over your foundation, creating definition in the face. Available in different shapes, this brush usually has an angled edge in order to put that contour where you want it to be. Blending comes later!

For powder products, you'll have a much better experience applying them with natural brushes. On the other hand, you'll want to steer clear of liquid products with natural brushes. If you're using natural brushes, be aware that allergic reactions can occur.

If you want your makeup to be a bit lighter, a brush with long bristles is the way to go. But if you want to have complete coverage, you'll want to use a brush with short bristles instead. It all comes down to your preferences and needs!

While brushes are handy tools to have around, the foundation brush may not give you the full coverage you're looking for. If this is the case, a Beautyblender sponge can often smooth any uneven areas that the brush may have created.

Circular motions create a soft look that isn't so harsh. If you want sharp lines that have definition, then a side to side motion will help you to achieve it. Think about what type of look you're going for, then pull out the right moves to get it!

A kabuki brush is dense and can really pack a punch with any powder or pressed foundation, but it can also be used to apply liquid foundation. With this brush's nice density, you can be sure that you'll have an even spread of foundation that will look smooth and flawless.

A stippling brush is handy to have, as it can apply a light coat of foundation — actually tiny dots, much like airbrushing. The key to this technique is to use the very tips of the bristles.

The eyeshadow shader brush is useful in first applying eyeshadow to your lids. It's meant to pack on the product so that you can go in with another brush later and blend it all together. You can also use the setting spray technique with this brush.

Before using a Beautyblender, hold it under running water, then squeeze out the excess. Being a sponge, the blender will absorb liquid makeup, which is good, but you don't want it to absorb too much. Wetting it first will offset this for the most part.

A concealer brush is useful for applying concealer, as well as blending it all in. Concealer often comes with a small applicator, but a blending brush can keep the application even and consistent, especially under the eyes.

These brushes are meant for your face, which can be a sensitive place. You'll want your brushes to feel nice and gentle, to avoid irritation or damage to your skin. If the brushes feel rough, they're probably not ones you'll want to use.

A brow brush helps you get that precise and sharp brow that many want to create. It's versatile, whether you prefer gel, cream or powder, so this brush is a must-have for everyone who loves makeup.

A little setting spray can go a long way, especially when it comes to putting it on your brush! This trick will help makeup adhere to the brush or sponge. Spraying some on your skin later will allow your look to last longer, as well.

If the bristles are falling out of your brush and it's relatively new, then the brush may be of low quality. One or two bristles every now and then is nothing to worry about, but any more and you might want to buy a replacement.

Cleaning your brushes should be an essential part of your beauty routine. Simply cleaning your brushes at least once a week will keep your skin healthier, your brushes nicer and your makeup looking beautiful!

The pencil brush is an awesome tool for smudging. It allows you to blend the harsh line of an eyeliner pencil or blend multiple colors of eyeshadow. This tool works so much better than your finger!

Synthetic brushes are great for effectively applying makeup where you need it, while using less product overall. Since the bristles are not made of natural hair, they are not porous, so makeup won't be absorbed into the brush.

The fan brush is a great tool for anyone who wants to apply something very lightly. Because it's larger, with bristles further apart, it's great for applying some highlighter to your cheekbones for that extra shine.

This brush is one that isn't exactly mandatory, as most lip products come with a built-in applicator. However, if you want to be more precise when applying the product, then you might find this lip brush helpful.

Small, strong and precise, the eyeliner brush packs a punch, giving you all that you need to achieve the sharp line that you want. It's best used with eyeliner that comes in a pot, as most other liners come with their own applicator.

The brow brush is a helpful tool that can fill in your brows and style them. Typically, the round spoolie side is used first to comb the brows, then the brush side is used to accentuate them with gel or another type of product. A final comb with the spoolie makes everything tidy.

There is no such thing as a dimple brush, though a brush that makes dimples could be useful! A typical makeup set will include a foundation brush, blush brush, kabuki brush, contour brush and a few others that are standard in the makeup world.

There no single color that all makeup brushes come in, and you'll likely see them in all colors of the rainbow. They come in shades of white, black and brown most commonly, so you can choose a color that you like most.

Countless companies sell makeup brushes, including some of the biggest, like Morphe. Before you shell out the dough on a set, it's a good idea to shop around, comparing cost and quality.

Applying a thicker layer of eye makeup is best done with the angled eyeshadow brush, which can get to precisely where you need it. This brush is also good for cutting your crease to get that exact look that you want to show off to the world.

The highlight brush is what you need when you want to add shimmer to your face. A little can often go a long way, though, so you'll need to choose a highlight brush that suits your desired effect.

Soaking your brushes can be bad for them, as that water will have a better chance of getting inside the brushes and weakening the glue. It's better to run them under water briefly while washing them.

Setting powder is a useful product to keep everything in place. To apply it, a powder brush will do the trick. The fluffy brush distributes the powder across your face to protect your makeup.

If you run out of cleanser or just want to use a cheaper alternative, baby shampoo is your makeup brush's best friend! Gentle enough on the bristles, it will also give the brushes a good clean that will leave them working like new.

Now that all of your colors are on your eyelids, blending them is the next step. An eyeshadow blender brush will blend the colors together, removing obvious lines and creating a gradient. A good brush will make your lids flawless!

The size and shape of each makeup brush is important, as it must perform a specific task for you. Do you need a brush to apply a light hint of blush, or are you looking for the brush that will help you create killer cat eyes? Each size and shape of brush is designed to fill a specific need.