The Best Face Brushes

The world of makeup brushes is scary and intimidating if you don't have much experience in it. There are so many, and how are you supposed to know which works best and what it works best for? Well, my recommendations are here to help! We're going to start with face brushes today, and then part 2 will focus on eye brushes.

Note that everyone's personal preferences are different - some people prefer sponges like the Beauty Blender to brushes, some use a lot more brushes than this, some use way less, and some just use their fingers! It's all about finding your own rhythm.

Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Face Brush, $48.00

 

For foundation, I have learned I prefer a domed, buffing brush to anything else. This one by Bobbi Brown is NOT cheap, but it is so worth the money in my opinion. It is so soft, has just the right amount of flexibility, and blends out foundation so quickly. It's also pretty compact, which is really helpful for travel!

 

Sigma is a brand you'll hear a lot in this post, and that's because they make really good quality makeup brushes for a lot less than many other brands. I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did, since the sharp angle on it seemed odd. However, that angle makes it absolutely perfect for blending the concealer under your eyes. I like to do a combination of sweeping motions and patting motions - since the brush is so dense, the patting motions act almost in the same way a sponge does. I also use that same patting motion to blend in concealer on any spots, redness, or discoloration elsewhere on the face. Swiping can just wipe it away, but patting with a dense brush blends it without undoing your hard work!

 

When it comes to cheap but effective brushes, e.l.f. wins every time. This Small Tapered Brush is perfect for setting under-eye concealer. I like to use a different brush for that than for the powder on the rest of my face, since it's a place that requires more precise application. This picks up as much powder as you want it to and is perfectly shaped to dab right over your concealer to keep it from creasing.

 

All of my Sigma brushes with the turquoise handles came in a Sigma brush set called The Essential Kit, and that is a great way to try out Sigma while saving money. This powder brush seems simple, but I like it so much more than every other powder brush I have tried. I think it's probably because it's got a lot more density and weight to the bristles, but something about it just picks up and applies my translucent powder exactly like I want it to.

 

 

I find that the best blush brushes are these angled contour brushes. They are dense enough to apply the right amount of blush, but because they're fairly small and compact, they don't get messy and apply over too large of an area. I appreciate these white-bristled brushes as well because I can tell when it's time to wash it!

Close match: e.l.f. Retractable Kabuki Brush, $6.00 

 

My last favorite face brush is a little complicated. It's definitely made by e.l.f., but it doesn't have the specific brush name listed anywhere on the brush, and it doesn't seem to be sold in this exact form on the e.l.f. website anymore. However, the Retractable Kabuki Brush I linked above appears to be similar, so hopefully it could achieve the same effect. I like this brush for highlighting because I go for a subtle glow 9 times out of 10, rather than a pinpointed "in your face" cheekbone highlight. These bristles are soft enough to apply highlighter gently and also blend it into the rest of your cheek products so it isn't obvious where it ends and where it begins.