MAC 187 Stippling Brush
The MAC 187 was my very first high end make up brush. The $50.00 CND price tag is not for the faint of heart but it has been worth every penny. This is a really great brush.
After reading many an internet review extolling the virtues of the MAC 187 brush for, among other things, flawless liquid foundation application, I was just dying to try it and was finally given one as a gift. Happy day!
The MAC 187 brush is about seven inches in length with a black wooden handle and a sliver ferrule, with the brush number stamped on the side. The bristles are a blend of goat hair and synthetic fibers. This brush is great for many types of cosmetics applications: liquid foundation, powder foundation, bronzer, blush, translucent powder.
I use this brush the most to apply my MAC Select SPF 15 liquid foundation. I squirt a bit of foundation onto the back of my hand, dab the brush in it, tap the brush all over my face (hence the term stippling), and then blend in circles until the foundation is smooth and even all over, and presto, wonderful, even, blended, streak free foundation application with an almost airbrushed look to it. One of the other great things about this brush is that I find I use a lot less foundation with this brush than I would applying with a sponge.
I would not live without this brush now and would most definitely repurchase if something were to happen to the one I currently own. The good thing about good quality brushes is that if you take good care of them they will last you years and years, so although the initial price is a bit scary, you can actually look at it as an investment. I personally have chucked many a cheap cosmetics brush in a short period of time due to poor craftsman ship and terrible make up application.
Try this brush, you will wonder how you ever did without it.
Update: I accidentally melted the bristles of the one I got as a gift (smack upside the head for me and lesson learned!) and missed it so much that I did go to MAC and purchase another one. Love this brush!
My Essential Make Up Brushes
Ok, so...something very important I have come to learn recently...
If you are going to apply make up, and you are going to apply it properly...the only real way to do it right is with proper brushes. Brushes make a world of difference in make up application. Throw away those awful little foam applicators that come with your eye shadow, throw away that tiny, narrow little brush that comes with your blush, throw away the powder puff that comes with your loose powder. No matter how inexpensive the cosmetics, brushes will help achieve flawless application.
There are a truly a dizzying array of choices when it comes to make up brushes and I was so overwhelmed trying to figure it all out, but, after watching countless Youtube videos and reading countless blogs and websites (thank goodness for all you lovely people out there that are happy to share your knowledge with us newbies!) let me tell you, as a beginner, what I have found to be the best basic brushes to start off with.
1. A foundation brush
If I could only have one make up brush on a deserted island with me it would definitely be my duo fiber stippling brush. This is one brush I use every single day that I would not want to live without. I use this brush mostly to apply my liquid foundation. I find I use less foundation with this brush than I would with a traditional flat foundation brush and it seems to go on much smother with no streaking. Just stipple the foundation on your face, swirl the bristles over your skin, and voila, foundation that looks air brushed! The duo fibre stipling brush is also great for applying blush and bronzer.
2. A concealer brush
The next brush I use the most would be my concealer brush. I use this for applying concealer underneath my eyes, around my nose, and anywhere else on my face that I can see redness. The only downside of a normal size concealer brush is that it is a bit big for covering up small areas that require more precision.
3. A powder brush
I have a kabuki brush that I use for applying loose powder. Using a brush with loose powder, seems to me, the only way to go. I just dip my kabuki brush lightly into the powder and then buff the powder in circular motions lightly into my skin. Much better than a powder puff. No cakey, powdery mask face that you get with a powder puff...powder and foundation are just beautifully blended and natural looking.
4. A blush brush
As for a blush brush, I do have a proper blush brush, which I do use regularly, but I do have to be a little careful with it so I don't end up with unblended stripes across my cheeks. It is a little trickier to use but much, much better than those horrible little brushes that often come with drugstore blush. Another great option is the afore mentioned duo fiber stippling brush which places blush a lot more lightly onto cheeks and tends to look a bit more natural. It depends on your preference, I guess, but everyone should have a good blush brush of some type. When I have finished applying my blush I will often take a large kabuki brush and buff it lightly in circular motions over the just applied blush to soften any harshness and blend it into my skin.
When it comes to the eyes there are so many different types of brushes that can be used and everybody has a different opinion on which ones are the best. You just have to figure out which ones you find the easiest to work with. Here are some of my favorites:
5. A blender brush
My favorite eye brush that I cannot live without is my MAC 217 shader/blending brush. This brush makes applying eye shadow in my crease and my outer v effortless and helps blend everything together beautifully. Whether a MAC brush or not, everyone should have a good blending brush. As I have learned, the blending can make or break an eye shadow look.
6. A shader brush
Also, it is always good to have a shader brush to plack the shadow onto the lids. I have a MAC 239 shadow brush that I use, but any medium sides shader brush would do.
Another issue, and an important one, is brush quality. Cheaply made brushes just don't work as well and they don't last as long. Buying a good quality brush is an investment. Good quality brushes give much better results and can last a life time if properly cared for. That being said, I also don't think you have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to get a good quality brush. Now, I am a huge fan of MAC make up brushes. I think they make one of the best quality brushes out there but...they are very expensive. Not being able to afford to fill my make up kit with MAC brushes I have done a fair amount of research on less expensive brushes and have found some brands out there that I feel comfortable recommending.
For a middle of the road price point I would highly recommend Sephora brand brushes. The quality on these is very good but they are a bit less expensive than department store brands.
On the lower end, if you live in Canada, the Shoppers Drug Mart brand, called Quo, has a great line of brushes that are reviewed very highly and won't break the bank.
Now, for good quality brushes that get great reviews and are ridiculously inexpensive I highly recommend Coastal Scents, which is where almost all of my non MAC brushes come from. Coastal Scents, an online company, has a huge line of great make up brushes at very cheap prices and I have been very happy with every brush I have bought from them. Keep in mind that comparing high end make up brushes, like MAC, to less expensive brushes is like comparing apples to oranges, but for the money, the Coastal Scents brushes are a great buy and great quality. It is a great way to for beginners start out and gives you an opportunity to try out brushes to see which ones you like without spending an arm and a leg.
Coastal Scents brushes can be bought online at coastalscents.com
Another new line of brushes that are looking promising are duo fibre brushes by Enkore of Youtube fame. I have one of his eye blending brushes and I love it. Check out his website.
Enkore Duo Fibre brushes enkoremakeuponline.com