10 Makeup Brushes You Actually Need

A common question I get is what makeup brushes should I be using; there are so many.  And more so do I need all of them? 

To start with, investing and using makeup brushes is a must. Not only can it make a big difference in the final result, but makeup brushes can help you save money in the long run.  Yes, I said to save money, as when you use makeup brushes you end up using less product. Hence your makeup will go further. 

I Purchased These Beauty Lally Brushes At A Discount In Exchange For A Review

With that being said, it is not necessary to have every makeup brush in your makeup arsenal.  I know there are so many to choose from, so starting off with a smaller set that will help you accomplish your makeup needs is important! Similar to a painter, the perfect makeup strokes can’t be achieved without the right brushes.

Although there are so many brands and brushes to pick from, they all have a purpose.  Today I’m going to be referencing a 10-piece brush set from Beauty Lally.

This makeup brush set is perfect for those that are just starting out, as it has everything you need all in one. Starting with the container, this beauty works great to place on your makeup vanity.  The black vinyl case also will help to keep your brushes clean and protected all in one place, and it works perfectly for traveling! It even comes with a compact mirror, making this a one-stop beauty buy!

So without further ado, the top 10 brushes every woman should have!

Brushes For Your Face

The first weapon in your beauty arsenal is good foundation brush. The "Makeup brush" as Beauty Lally calls it, is ideal for applying liquid and cream foundations.  Using this brush will help you to build your desired coverage more quickly.

But before you start to use this brush you want to make sure that you have prepped your face first, by applying a makeup primer.  Otherwise, your foundation will sit in your wrinkles, dried skin, etc., and looked caked on.  Hence, highlighting the area you are trying to hide.

Next up is a Flat Foundation Brush. No more streaky foundation with this brush, as it is going to give you a more even, smoother finish.  It is great with both liquid and cream, leaving you with a high definition finish.

How to use: I like to start in the middle of my face and move my way towards my hair line, applying is a circular motion or a stippling approach.

Concealer Baby:  Got blemishes, under eye circles or skin imperfections?  Then this brush is the one that can help to conceal those.

How To Use:  I feel this is one of the most valuable tips to mention as applying your concealer incorrectly in your under eye area,  can do the opposite by drawing attention to your imperfections.

1. You want to dip your Beauty Lally concealer brush into your product and apply in a triangle, do not apply in a circle, as it needs to extend below the dark area. The triangle approach works, trust me! It brightens your look, allowing you to lighten the most shaded area, giving you an instant lift appearance.  It also will eliminate that caked on look that emphasizes a defined line; the goal is to have it disappear.
1. Starting at the inner corner, near the nose and extend outwards in a v to the cheek area and back up to the outer area of the eye. (See image below for this approach)
2. Blend well so there is not a distinct change in tone between the concealer and your skin.
3. You may need to apply an additional layer of coverage, but be careful not to overdo it.  You can create false wrinkles (yuck, who wants those), and or show your other flaws. The goal is to have a flawless look, so don’t rush.

Powder Brush:  The soft round head to this powder brush is the perfect for both loose and pressed.  And when it comes to pressed powders THROW AWAY THE PUFF that came with it as you do not want to be using these.  Instead, you want to dip your Beauty Lally powder brush into your powder making sure to tap off the excess before using in sweeping motions for a perfect application. There are a few options as to where to apply, for a more natural look only apply in your T-zone area or if you’re like me and like to set your foundation, use it everywhere. 

Blush & Bronzer Brush:  This fluffy angled brush will help you with high precision when it comes to applying your blush. Blush can either make or break a look. Do it wrong and you could look like bozo the clown, but if you do it right, you’ll be the hit...of the night!

How To Apply Your Blush:  Once you've determined your blush pigment, you can now define the color on your cheeks making your cheekbones pop, and showing off your beautiful features.  Simply smile and with the makeup blush brush, apply to the apples of your cheek. Sweep it in an upward motion towards your temples.

If you want to contour, this brush is also fantastic for applying your bronzer

Where & How To Apply For Contouring

• Apply under your cheek bones first.  The best way to locate this area is to suck in your cheeks, then apply bronzer to the reseeding area (parallel to your jaw line). It is important to blend well, so you don’t see the line of makeup.
• Bring the color to your hairline and edge it out there. 
• Smile! Yes, I said smile, when you do this, you will be able to add some color to the corner part of your cheekbones nearest your nose & lips. This will help minimize this area as well, allowing for that great cheek pop.  

Finish this look by applying some highlights above your blush by using an illuminator with the SHIMMER BRUSH.   You can also use this brush to apply the illuminator to the bridge of your nose, forehead area between the eyes, and the chin to give your skin a glow.

Eye Shadow Brushes

Choosing the right eye shadow brushes can also make a big difference between a great smoky eye, and a disastrous, “you got beat up look”. While there are tons of eye shadow brushes, the following two brushes are the most widely used eye brushes in the industry.

Eye Shadow Brush: This flat, stiffer brush has multiple uses...

• Great at picking up pigment and can be used to apply an all over eye shadow.
• Use it to apply a base eye shadow color.
• Use it to apply a highlighter.
• Overall this brush helps for a smoother finish.

Eye Shadow Blur Blush: This brush is more of a fluffy brush and is superb for blending! The bristles on this brush are densely packed, allowing you to pick up a lot of colors.  This brush also is good for applying shadow to the crease of your eye, shading, or to even use to highlight the brow bone

How To Use: Dip the tip of this brush into your favorite eye shadow (make sure to tap off any excess).  Then you want to apply the shadow in a windshield wiper motion starting from the outer edge of your eye and blending into the crease.

Bow To The Brow, Eyebrow Brush: A great frame can take an ordinary picture to a different level.  I view your eyebrows as such. Your eyebrows form a frame around your eyes taking them from Plain Jane to Glamorous Brow in 3 easy steps.  These "steps" are called eyebrow mapping (a method to defining the perfect shape of your eyebrows, by determining where your brow starts and where it ends).  There are 3 points to this map when all connected will form a V-shaped arch (with softer angles) for the perfect brow.  

How To Create: 

Point 1: 

• Start with the corner of your eye, closest to the nose to measure the starting point of your eyebrow.  
• Dip your Beauty Lally eyebrow brush into your brow powder or gel. 
• Place the brush vertically from the inner corner of your nose to the inner corner of your eye.
• Place a vertical line here indicating the start of your eyebrow. 

Point 2:
The Arch: Align the brush horizontally from the tip of your nose to the outside center of your pupil or the middle of your brow bone, place a dot. This is the arch & the highest point of your eyebrow, so keep this in mind when placing the dot.

Point 3:
The End: Align the brush from the outer corner of your nostril to the corner of your brow to place your final mark.

Once you have completed, you want to connect the dots or lines and fill in the brow with tiny strokes; think of little hairs and blend.

Liptastic Lips: The last brush in the Beauty Lally brush set is the lip brush, which is ideal for spreading the pigment more evenly, or for filling in the lips with expert precision.  Additionally, for a perfect pout try some of these tips…

• For a pouty lip: Apply a shimmery gloss to the center of your mouth.
• For fuller lips: Use a flesh-colored lip liner to extend your lip line.
• Cupid's bow: Another tip for fuller lips is to add some highlighter to the Cupid’s bow (this is the double curve of the upper lip).  The highlighter will draw attention to your mouth, giving you a better shape as well.

So as you can see beauties, you don't have to have a ton of makeup brushes or lots of money to look BEAUTYful. As the 10-piece brush set from Beauty Lally can be yours for only $25!