Make-up brushes – the great guide

The wrong makeup brushes can completely change the effect of makeup. If you use too small and dense a brush, you can get too much product applied, and if you use too big a brush you can end up with a muddy and cloudy look.

Listen to my podcast episode below, where I tell more about makeup brushes and brushes and about how to clean and wash makeup brushes. At the bottom of the post I link to my beauty favorites, as I mention in the episode.

During the spring and in connection with the whole Corona situation, I made a lot of livestreams on instagram on both my own instagram and on Clinique's instagram profile. During those lives, there was one pervasive question from you: which makeup brushes to use for what?

I understand, that you ask, for it really is a jungle! That's why you get an overview of my most used makeup brushes here. Further down in the post you will get an overview of which brushes I use for what including links to my favorite brushes.

Also read: Have makeup drawer expired?

How many makeup brushes do you need?

How many makeup brushes and brushes, you need depends on a lot of your makeup habits. But there are still some brushes, which in my opinion are indispensable, to get the most out of its makeup products, and get the best finish.

Need to have og nice to have

Below are which brushes, who in my opinion needs to be in a base collection to get the most out of his makeup, that is, those who are need to have. In the pictures they are the number with black. Then there are the brushes that I recommend adding as needed and makeup habits. These are the ones that are nice to have, they are marked with the pink numbers.

Need to have – your base brushes

Skin / base
Foundationbørste (8)
Concealerbørste (7)
powder Brush (5)
Bronzerbørste (4)
Blush brush (3)

Eye shadow and eye makeup
Flat eye shadow brush (8)
Soft eye shadow blending brush (11)

Eyebrow
Oblique brush (7)
Spoolie (the one that looks like a mascara applicator) (7)
– most often these two are found in one and the same brush, like the one I show in the pictures.

With this collection of brushes, then you have all the options to put on a perfect makeup. As I said, you can choose to add more makeup brushes according to your needs. For example, if you use more (darkness) colors in your eyeshadow it is nice to have two of each eyeshadow brushes, for you can not clean the brushes between the colors.

Nice to have – the ones you can add as needed

Finishing powder brush (1)
Highlighter brush (2)
Flat foundation brush (6)
Small eyeshadow blending brush (9)
Flat eyeshadow application brush (10)
Large eye shadow blending brush (12)

Have you read: What 13 years of beauty- and the fashion industry have taught me about life

Which brush should be used for what?

So how should the individual brush be used? Good question, for as you can also read further down, so I like to use them in several ways. But here are as they are prescribed to be used:

Foundation brush (8)
A good foundation brush blends foundation into the skin until it lies perfectly even and looks almost invisible on the skin. One of my big favorites for this is this blending brush, Cliniques Foundation Buff Brush, which makes the job quick and easy. I use it in circular motions, which works foundation into the skin. In addition, it is impregnated with an antibacterial technology, which makes it easy to keep clean and hygienic.

Concealer brush (7)
In fact, a concealer should be able to do the same as above. But a concealer needs to cover a little more, and therefore it must be denser in the hairs. Here is already an example of me using the brushes crosswise, this is actually an eyeshadow brush, which I am really happy to use for concealer, Exactly Real Technique RT 300 Deluxe Crease.

Powder brush (5)
A good powder brush is relatively dense, but very soft in the hairs, to provide an even but light coverage and application of powder. There are many good ones out there, and it is up to you whether you want it very large as in the picture, or a little less. Her er Youngbloods Powder Brush, which is a good example of a soft, but still dense powder brush.

Bronzer brush (4)
A good bronzer brush is not too big, but also not too small. It is soft enough to dazzle the bronzer on the skin, but still so close, that it can pick up product. This brush is one of the cheap ones from Matas, and it's a fixture in my makeup purse, pga. its density and size.

Blush brush (3)
A blush brush should, in my opinion, be smaller than a bronzer brush, and softer, so that there is not too much color on the cheeks. I am going with the incredibly cheap brush Blush Brush from Normal's own brand, Makeup Library. The size is perfect that just fits my apple cheek. I bought it a few years ago for approx. 50 NOK, and it holds surprisingly well.

Flat eye shadow brush (8)
I use this brush to apply eye shadow on the entire eyelid, or just details like the movable eyelid or inner corner of the eye, as it can build up the color. It has the perfect size, and the brand Zoeva generally makes really good brushes for very reasonable money. Here it is Zoeva Luxe Classic Shade nr. 232 (in the link, however, it is black), but there are many other brands making similar models.

Soft eye shadow blending brush (11)
This type of makeup brush should all, who puts makeup ownership! It makes the eye shadow look nice with a snap. Here it is as well Zoeva Luxe Crease, which is canon quality for reasonable money.

Skråbørste/spoolie (7)
You will often find these two as a partner, with one at each end. The slanting brush is fantastic for all precision work, eg eyebrow pomade / shadow, eyeliner and lip products. You use the spool to brush the eyebrows up, blend the eyebrow makeup and separate the lashes. This is from Benefit.

Finishing powder brush (1)
A small round and soft powder brush is ideal for precise application of setting and finishing powder on areas of the face, where you want to fix and mattify the makeup eg under the eyes or around the nose. It can also be used as a highlighter brush, but I personally prefer a brush that is larger and softer to it. Here it is Real Techniques Setting Brush.

Highlighter brush (2)
A highlighter brush is narrow, long haired and soft. Then it can blend the highlighter easily and accurately, right where you want it. Again, Zoeva is just really good and makes one, which I have used for approx. 4 year, Exactly Zoeva 105 Luxe Highlight.

Flat foundation brush (6)
With a flat brush ‘you paint’ a layer on, instead of working your foundation into the skin, therefore you get higher opacity. The flat brush easily around in hooks, so you are sure to get everything covered. A minus is, that there may be streaks in the finish, and it may be necessary to dab with a sponge for a perfect finish.

Small eyeshadow blending brush (9)
This brush allows detailed work and with its oval shape it can dazzle in detail in the eye makeup eg in the outer corner of the eye to get more depth on the eyes. It can also be used on the bottom lash line. Here it is Zoeva 231 Luxe Petit Crease.

Flat eyeshadow application brush (10)
Such a completely flat eye shadow brush is super good for applying and building eye shadow, when the makeup needs something extra. I am happy to use this for loose eye shadow pigments and glitter, so I can apply it accurately and really build up the effect.

Large eye shadow blending brush (12)
For days where it has to go fast and I only have to use a single color of eye shadow on the eyes, then I love Cliniques Eye Shader Brush. It is a large and rich eye shadow brush. Perfect for applying eye shadow on the entire eyelid, from the lash line to the eyebrow. Ideal for blending the eye shadow in a snap.

Have you read: How will you estimate for the wedding: guide to hair care, skin and nails

Multi use brushes

There are some brushes, which I love to use crosswise. And I will definitely invite you to the same. Of course, there are some brushes that are more suitable for something than anything else. But do you think (like me) that the concealer brush is good for applying eye shadow (or the other way around!) så knock yourself out.

In the end, it's all about, to get the desired look and finish, and then it does not matter what the makeup brush was intended for in the first place! So for me, there is much get rules in makeup.

Makeup brush set

If you have no brushes at all or just want to go out and invest in something better than you have at home, then I would recommend you to look at some of the excellent makeup brush sets one can buy.

Here you often get a collection of brushes at a better price than if you bought them individually. It will be a good base to start with. If, on the other hand, you already have some brushes, which you are happy with, a full brush set might be overkill. You will end up having too many duplicates, and thereby have brushes you will not get used to. Then I will recommend you, that you buy the brushes individually, so you get some, which you actually need.

Here are two brush sets, I can recommend, which contains some super useful brushes. Makeup brush set below, Zoeva Rose Golden Luxury Set Vol. 2, is not only nice and girly, it also contains a number of good base brushes.

In addition, I would also recommend this brush set from Zoeva, with makeup brushes in travel sizes. It's super useful for you there (like myself) travel a lot. I bought the set myself a couple of years ago and am really happy to have my favorites on the go in mini sizes.

My beauty favorites from the podcast episode

Kérastase Resistance Serum Therapist

Resistance Sérum Thérapiste from Kérastase provides plenty of care, but without weighing down even perfectly fine hair, and then it smells great! Buy it here

Dyson Airwrap™ styler Complete

With its price, Dyson Airwrap is something of a depreciation, but it also in turn revolutionizes your hair styling and gives you the ‘salon look’ like never before. See more here

Jo Malone London

Jo Malone London has everything in fragrances for both men and women and for the home. Jo Malone London is the obvious gift idea, they are always beautifully wrapped in their signature boxes. See more here