(*well, with some minor exceptions)
I haven’t been too fussed with makeup brushes in quite a long time. When I first got into makeup many years ago, I inherited a kind of starter kit from my mother’s rather large stash at the time. (You may think that it’s unhygienic to share brushes and you wouldn’t be wrong, but you know, we’re family.) It consisted of almost exclusively MAC brushes, including some timeless classics like the 217 and the 239. After that I grew my collection over time with purchases from e.l.f., Real Techniques, Eco Tools, & Sephora brand for everything from the eye, face and brows.
But somewhere along the way my makeup application got a lot simpler and I found myself using brushes less and less in favor of my fingers. It wasn’t that my previous makeup routine was insanely complicated, but back in 2012-2013 I distinctly remember routinely blending four or five different powder shadows on my eyes, and mixing blush shades together to create a custom color. I was just having fun.
Now most of my daily makeup menu consists of cream products that I apply simply by swiping, patting or stippling onto my face with my fingertips. (A post on my favorite cream products will be coming soon.) This includes everything from foundation, concealer, eye products to blush and highlight. I find creams so easy to work with and I enjoy the natural appearance they have on the skin. I prefer my application to be no fuss and my makeup not overly done. Just a strategic placement of defintion and color where I feel I need it. (And legend has it, according to her granddaughter Aerin, that Estée Lauder exclusively used her fingers to apply all her makeup.)
I still will use a brush here or there for a specific purpose. I’ll always love powder eyeshadows so my Real Techniques Base Shadow brush ($16.99 as part of the Eye Makeup Starter Kit, or $8.99 as part of the Eye Shadow Blending Brush Set), or the trusty MAC 217 ($24.00) is perfect for buffing out along the eye. When I need to set some of my creamier concealers, I use the Real Techniques Bold Metals 200 brush ($13.00). Or if I want to very subtly add powder to larger parts of my face, I’ll use the Eco Tools Sheer Finish Kabuki brush (sadly, this looks discontinued) for a light sweep of product.
What are your thoughts on makeup brushes? Must-haves or I’d-rather-not?
Leave me your thoughts & opinions!