Natural Vs. Synthetic Makeup Brushes
Makeup brushes can either be a girl’s best friend or her worst enemy. Sometimes they can even be the hidden reason lurking behind a nasty breakout or uneven product application. Here are five tips on how to best use natural and synthetic makeup brushes to achieve complexion perfection from some in the industry.
Natural Makeup Brushes Work Best With Powder
Natural makeup brushes are generally made from real animal hair and are very durable when cared for properly, even improving with use over time. They are the best choice for applying all kinds of powder, from bronzer, to loose finishing powder, to eyeshadow, their natural texture is ideal for blending and their flexibility allows for easy product application, reported Stylecaster for the Huffington Post.
Synthetic Brushes Are Ideal For Liquids and Creams
Crafted from manmade fibers like nylon, synthetic brushes don’t have a natural cuticle, so they don’t trap makeup and are perfect for use with a variety of liquid products, from foundation to cream blush, Stylecaster revealed.
“Synthetic bristles tend to gravitate toward one another, making them perfect for precise application.”
Keep It Clean
The unpleasant reality is, unless you are regularly taking at least some kind of measures to clean your makeup brushes, they are probably dirty, Bustle reported. Really dirty. So how regularly do you need to wash to avoid the nastiness? Elle’s Senior Beauty & Fitness Editor Julie Schott told Bustle that she recommends all brushes are disinfected and/or washed daily if they have been used, which is grim news for the busy workaday woman. Fortunately, makeup artist Allie Clark shared one of her tried-and-true professional shortcuts with BuzzFeed.
“I clean my personal brushes with a spray cleanser every morning after putting my face on. Just a quick spritz and wipe to get rid of nasties and the day’s makeup. I also properly wash them every week or two with baby shampoo.”
The Size and Firmness Factors
According to TotalBeauty.com, it’s essential to select the best makeup brushes for your face. If you aren’t sure how to tell, schedule a free makeover at one of the beauty counters at your favorite department store and get a lesson from an expert. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, but there’s no reason to go crazy and buy the most expensive makeup brushes you can find. Instead, go for a handful of essential brushes within your budget that are comfortable on your face and non-irritating, revealed MAC Senior Makeup Artist Louise Zizzo.
“Size definitely matters. You should take note of how it fits the area of the face in which you are using it, such as the eye area or the cheek area.”
Selecting the Essentials
In searching for the ideal set of brushes, it can be tempting to go for quantity over quality (better to be safe than sorry, right?) but in truth, you only need a handful of different makeup brushes to create all of today’s hottest looks, shared E! Style Collective pro Ashley Rebecca. Her core list of must-haves includes a separate brush for powder, foundation, blush, brows, eyeshadow, and eye blending.
[Photo by Carlo Allegri / Staff / Getty Images]
