The best makeup brushes: how to assemble the perfect set and care for it

 Professional makeup artists know that good brushes are the key to great results. We will tell you which makeup brushes are best and how to properly care for them.

They say that for a beautiful make-up, either brushes or a cometic should be of high quality. We are for you to respect both rules. But with the right "tools" to do what you want on your face will really be easier. 

Natural or synthetic

Makeup brushes are natural and synthetic. Many people think that natural pile is better, but this is not entirely true. Advantages of natural hair: softness and lightness when used to apply and blend loose and dry textures (powder, eyeshadow, highlighter, bronzer, etc.). The reason is the porous texture, which absorbs food well. These brushes are quite difficult to clean, and you need to do it often so that nothing "moldy" and does not deteriorate. 

For cream blush, eyebrow lipstick and lip enhancement synthetic brushes are better... They do not take food away, but wash better and faster than their natural counterparts. It used to be a common belief that synthetic brushes were less skin-friendly and tougher. But modern beauty gadgets can destroy both myths:

• First, synthetics can be many times softer than natural bristles. 
• Secondly, the risk of allergies is higher just when using natural brushes (as, by the way, and natural cosmetics, if you didn't know).

Another secret: a flat synthetic brush is best "Sticks" glitter on the face... If you are going to do a shiny New Year's makeup, take a note. 

From nylon to marten: what the brush will be made of

A little later we will get to the form, but for now, we will deal with the materials. "Natural" and "synthetic" are general categories that are internally separated.

The best synthetic makeup brushes come from:

• nylon - a dense and resilient material that works well with textures like foundation;
• taklon - elastic material, suitable for liquid and creamy textures;
• eco-fur (also known as "artificial fur") - brushes that are as close to natural as possible in appearance and sensation.

Natural brushes come from:

• proteins - pile of medium porosity, soft, not elastic;
• goats - porous and long pile, elastic enough, but can be tough (check on your hand);
• pony - smooth and resilient pile, but slightly stiffer than squirrel;
• martens - elastic, skin-friendly and least porous bristle, which is better suited for applying products, and not for shading;
• bristles - a hard and long bristle, which is more often used in eyebrow brushes. 

Best brands of makeup brushes advocate for the protection of nature and animalsso natural brushes are less commonly used and expensive. Considering that a non-professional can hardly distinguish synthetics from non-synthetics, we recommend buying synthetic makeup “devices”. 

How to build your first set of brushes

To know which makeup brushes are best to choose, look at the list of those that everyone needs:

• Kabuki- A classic tassel inspired by Japanese Kabuki Drama Theater, fluffy and well stuffed. Suitable for foundation , powder and blush. 

• Duofiber- it is easily recognizable by its two colors and bristles of different lengths. More sweaty at the base and thinner at the top, the brush is perfect for applying tones with a Photoshop effect. And also any creamy textures if you want them to look natural. 

• For foundation- usually of medium density and slightly flattened. She can also apply any cream products, including eye shadow, if you are planning on smoky eyes. In this case, the tone can be distributed over the face with hands or a sponge. If you like it more, you don't need a special "gadget".

• For concealer- looks the same as for foundation, but half the size. Almost every concealer comes with a sponge applicator so you may not need one. But make-up artists say that with a special "tool" the concealer can be applied more evenly.

• For powder- big, fluffy and generally the star of this party. Best for dusting the T-zone with a clear fixing powder. But with blush, bronzer and highlighter, if necessary, will also cope.

• For blush and bronzer - looks like a capsule and a powder brush at the same time. If you prefer a light blush, the brush should not be tightly packed. And if you like brighter colors on your cheeks - vice versa.

• For highlighter- a fine fan brush that will transform you into the queen of radiance in one stroke. Or two, if necessary, so that it can be seen from space.

• For contouring- tightly padded and beveled. Girls who have been wearing makeup for a long time can cope with the task with any brush. But beginners definitely need it.

• For eyes- flat to fill in the eyelid area and "barrel" to blend the shadows. These are the best eye makeup brushes that will cover all your needs. Optionally, you can add a synthetic eyeliner brush to the kit, which will help both apply and dim.

• For eyebrows- small, flat and beveled. Ideally, there should be an eyebrow brush on the back of the brush, but if not, you should buy a separate one. 

How to care for your brushes

Even the basic set of "tools" for creating beauty on the face will be many. And even if you decide to buy budgetary ones, you still have to pay a rather large sum for it. The good news is that if you take good care of the brushes, they will last ten or even fifteen years. Here's what to do:

1. Cleanse. Brushes should be washed with water and special soap or shampoo (if there is no “for brushes”, a regular child's will do) once a week. And after each use - wipe with a dry cloth. Cleaning spray or brush wipes can replace regular bathing. But even in this case, they need to be "washed" at least once a month. 
2. Dry properly. Do not put brushes on the battery or actively rub them with a towel. Spread them out on a paper towel or paper towel first to absorb excess moisture. Then dry it this way or in an upright position if you have somewhere to hang it.
3. Observe storage requirements. Boxing or a pencil case will help to make sure that the "gadgets" do not get dirty and dusty. Make sure that they are not crushed inside, as this can compromise the integrity of the villi. 
4. Use only for yourself. just as you shouldn't share your lipstick with your friend (no one canceled the herpes virus), you shouldn't give her your brushes. Or, if it does, it is important to handle them well before using them again.
5. Cherish. Some girls use brushes so aggressively and wash them so actively that the "gadgets" look "tired" after a few baths. To prevent this from happening, clean them in the "delicate wash" mode. 
6. Buy from trusted sellers. It may seem obvious, but don't buy brushes from questionable sellers on Aliexpress. It is better to give preference to well-known brands and official online or offline stores. 
7. Buy silicone pad... Designed specifically for cleaning brushes, this tool makes it easy. You will have to make less effort to get all the dirt out of the villi. 

If you want to feel like a real makeup artist, you might be tempted to buy a set of 20+ beauty “devices”. You don't need to do this for at least two reasons:

• The first - usually the larger the set, the less "popular" in it the "tools" were collected.
• Second, most brushes will probably not be useful to you in the end.

Professionals advise start putting together a cosmetic bag with basic brushes gradually moving towards special. And consider the products you use the most. For example, if your favorite for tone is bb cream that you apply with your fingers, you might not need a foundation brush. But if you use a highlighter every day and you have many different ones, it will not be easy to do without a fan in the kit.