I recently had a request to do a post on brushes. I had been thinking about doing one but postponed it until I got somewhat of a rhythm to my blog. Not yet musical but carries a faint tune I guess, I will do a couple of posts on makeup brushes. I will state that I won't do the usual review of "this is soft and great, worth the money to spend." No, I won't do that because personally I have done enough of those on Makeupalley. I think I will go on to show how brushes really are.
I know from experience that many brushes look great in a picture, the shape, the name, the price all make them so tempting. But all of that temptation is nothing when you can't use it the way you want to. If it doesn't work for your technique, it is going to be left in the "reject" stash or swapped away. I should know, I got rid of 1 1/2 pounds of brushes. Yes, temptation had me, now I just want brushes that work for me.
Foundation brushes usually come in a flat shape or round shape with tips that can be pointed, filbert, straight, angled, etc. They also come in synthetic and natural hair. Now, many say synthetic hair is for creams and liquids and animal hair is for powders and such. I agree to some extent but that rule isn't written in stone. I can say that synthetic hair is easier to clean and faster to dry when using with creams and liquids. Animal hair has cuticles and has to be washed thoroughly to get all of the oils out when used as a foundation brush. Also, the type of animal hair makes a big difference for liquids and creams.
Sable should be used since it is firm yet soft enough to blend cream color efficiently.
Kolinsky sable is the best and there is one company that charges an arm and a leg for it. Others just a leg so shop around. Also, there is controversy over kolinsky from the true fans. They are saying not all kolinsky is kolinsky but regular sable. Well, until I find my own Siberian weasel to cut the tail hairs off of, I am just happy with a sable brush doing its job. Going back to my foundation brushes, as you can see I have both round and flat. Yes, they are all synthetic. I just like mine synthetic because these are the ones that work for me at the moment.
Each one applies makeup as well as the other. The only difference is how my hand is working at that moment. That is how I use my brushes. I think you all have gone through this to know that a brush that was once your favorite changes because you find the result is different than what you liked when you first used the brush. This is normal, your muscular structure changes with age. I, also, do not restrict my foundation brushes to just the texture of product it is prescribed to. Just because it says the brush is good for liquid foundation, I don't listen. The brush doesn't know it is just for liquid. Only your brainwashed mind does so wash your brain again and just hold the brush that is right for you. Remember, it is only a brush to apply makeup the way you see fit.
The round ones like Alima, Tricia Sawyer, Adesign are mostly designed for someone who likes to work with the tip of the brush. The initial color can be applied with a brush, dotted on with fingers, or a sponge then blended with the brush. The finished application may be different to say a flat brush. Since a round brush is firmly filled in the center with hair, the pressure to apply foundation is greater, therefore coverage may differ from a flat brush. As you can see from the picture (I have done it on paper because you can see the results better.) the outcome (blending) differs a bit. Tricia's brush blends a small area softly. Adesign blends a small area also but with more precision due to its design with a pointed tip. Alima blends a large area. See, all three do a great job in application, it is just a matter of preciseness. Adesign does the most precise job but do you need that? Are you anal retentive and have time to do that in the morning? Of course, if you are a makeup artist, you aren't being anal but just precise. Are you in a hurry but still want to look softly blended? Alima may be the right one. Or do you like some preciseness and a soft blend? Tricia works.
The flat ones like Julie Hewett and Ve Neill are designed for someone who likes to use the side of the brush and the tip to blend. The initial swipe is done by sweeping the side to apply and bringing the tip to the skin to blend a certain area. From the picture, you can see that coverage can look spotty. That is due to applying it onto paper but it shows how much foundation can be applied onto skin. Flat brushes generally provide a more sheer application that is not to say that full coverage is not possible. Some people like to apply thin layers of foundation and build up to full coverage, blending with the tip to make brush strokes undetectable on the skin, buffing the edges clean.
Okay, so you see the differences in application. How about the different synthetic hair? Synthetic hair technology is fantastic now in my opinion. Synthetics can give animal hair a run for their money. They can be as soft as animal hair. Cruelty free is possible and makeup application can be just as good as animal hair. There is a difference in texture amongst the synthetics. Again, it is a matter of preference. The one by Julie Hewett is a taklon nylon which is a stiff type of synthetic. Then the one by Ve Neill is one of the softest synthetics that mimics animal hair. Do you like a stiff brush or a soft brush? Take your pick.
In the pictures I did use cream foundation which is my foundation of choice. All these brushes can be used for liquids, powders, and minerals. All it takes is matching how your hand works with the brush. And, don't forget the sponge and your digits! Simple tools yet still very effective and not to mention cheap if you buy the sponge by the bag and if you have fingers they are free!
Well, I hope I have shed some light on foundation brushes. Remember, this is just part one of my makeup brush series. Explanations on other brushes will continue.
