Fundamental makeup brushes

The previous post (where I talked about the eyeliner brush that changed my life) got me thinking about brushes. If you’ve ever seen a makeup artist operate, you know that they can use 20 different brushes while doing one person’s makeup. It makes you wonder, “Do I really need all that?”. The answer is, probably not.

What are the basic brushes you should have in your set, if you’re trying to create a natural no makeup look? Here’s my list of “can’t imagine living without them” brushes. Depending on the brand they’ll have slightly different names but you’ll be able to recognize them nonetheless:

1. Large fluffy powder brush

Honestly, you can’t apply powder in a natural way without a brush like this. This one is an absolute must have. Use it to set your makeup with a little powder, to apply bronzer or powder blush (I like to do that with a big brush) and to give a good once over blending when you’re done. It’s the ultimate multi-tasking brush.

2. Medium sized eyeshadow brush

When I first applied eyeshadow with a decent brush, I knew I’d never go back. This brush allows you to apply your allover color and it is small enough to that it will work on the crease as well. I also use it to blend all eyeshadow colors together and eliminate any hard edges. I must have another 5 eyeshadow brushes - different sizes, shapes, tightness of bristles - but I use this one 90% of the time.

3. Pointy eyeliner brush (bonus points if double-sided with smudge brush on other side)

It was the subject of a recent post and it was the reason I started thinking about basic brushes in the first place. I love it because it turns my entire eyeshadow collection into eyeliners. I can use it dry or wet, I can draw anything detailed, I can smudge pencil eyeliner, I can use it for gel eyeliner… Endless possibilities.

Those 3 brushes are my essentials, come rain or shine, at home or on the road, whatever style of makeup I’m wearing. I’ve got an additional 3 that depend on day, need, mood and product.

4. Mineral foundation brush

If I happen to apply mineral foundation rather than a tinted moisturizer, I’m going to need one of these. They’re sturdier than a fluffy powder brush and they are much better at achieving the buffing effect needed.

5. Liquid foundation brush (synthetic bristles)

Definitely less essential … I don’t *need* a foundation brush but I admit it achieves a beautiful effect and it’s easy to use. I wouldn’t carry it with me if I were traveling, I’d just use my fingers. Choose a synthetic one that isn’t porous, picks up the right amount of product and is easy to clean.

6. Small concealer brush (synthetic bristles)

I’ve seen two essential styles for concealer brushes – one is a larger brush meant to create a more “airbrushed” result and another one is a small pointy brush meant to reach inner corners of eyes and cover pimples or other imperfections very carefully. While I’m all about the airbrush, I find that I achieve that well enough with my fingers, so I rely on my concealer brush for detail work. Again, I could live without this on a desert island or most occasions, really. : )

1 to 6, left to right (just noticed that all my brushes are from different brands!)

What are the brushes you can’t live without??

One brush = endless eyeliner options - pic

I took this pic right after I wrote the previous post but never got around to sharing it.

So here's the effect I achieved using the Stila's wondeful brush and the darker shade of L'Oréal's HIP concentrated shadow duo in Dynamic - a beautiful metallic antique gold and a shimmery dark olive bronze. It doesn't really qualify as a forgotten eyeshadow because I actually use it a lot.

I got my bonus points by smudging it and I achieved a very natural look with a just a hint of color. I left my lashes bare so the eyeliner effect was clearer in this photo, but would normally have added mascara.

One brush = endless eyeliner options

While my goal is to pretend that I’m not wearing any makeup and just look naturally polished, eyeliner is my weakness and the only place where I get a little “showy”. We’ve established that in my previous three posts about different levels of eyeliner intensity, especially in that last one (read all about it here).

Eyeliner pencils are great but my eyeliner philosophy was greatly augmented when I discovered this magic brush – Stila #28 Smudge Pot Brush. On one end it’s a pointy (rather than flat) eyeliner brush and on the other end it’s a tightly packed smudge brush.

Though it was designed to be worn with Stila’s Smudge Pots (and I’ll surely write a post about them at some point), the really interesting thing is that you can use it to turn just about any eyeshadow into gorgeous, custom eyeliner!

Start slow and easy and pick up any basic old eyeshadow that you haven’t used in a while. Maybe it’s a basic brown that you’re not crazy about because it doesn’t go on evenly or a forest green that you bought after reading about it in a magazine, but can’t imagine wearing it all over your lid. Find it and let's get started!

Now dampen the pointy side slightly with tap water, wiggle it in the eyeshadow a couple of times and carefully draw a line as close to your eyelashes as possible. Pick up more eyeshadow if needed until you’ve completed both eyes. If you are worried that you’re not enough of an “artiste” to make this work, let it go. It’s honestly super easy and forgiving, nothing like liquid eyeliner.

You can leave it at that or turn the brush around and use the other side to slightly smudge the line. When you’re done admire your work and then go unearth all the forgotten eye shadows you can think of – you have just breathed new life into your eyeliner options!

  XQ2RU7SDRR6S

Eyeliner pencil – intensity 3

Well, once we go into eyeliner intensity 3 we are straying a little from our “no makeup look” ideals, but it’s worth it. Check intensity 1 and 2 for more natural styles and stick around for the heightened and smokin’ version of just eyeliner, as we line the inner rim of eye. I like this slightly disheveled and bohemian approach to eyeliner and enjoy sporting it in the evenings and even during the day on the weekends.

Start by adding concealer to dark circles and to the lid itself. Use something like bareMinerals Well Rested (check out my post about it here) or a creamier concealer applied with a brush and set with a little bit of powder. 

Now that the canvas is ready, take a kohl eyeliner such as Lancôme’sLe Crayon Khol in Brun or Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (a really inky and black liner) and sharpen it slightly so that you expose untouched product. Using your finger pull your lower lid down and show the inside rim. Line the inside rim of your eyes, both on the bottom rim and upper rim. Blink a few times and repeat the lining process.

For extra bonus run the pencil over the roots of lower lashes, working it in carefully. Do the same at the roots of the upper lashes, working from the top. Once you’re done, take a q-tip and smudge any excess around the roots of the lashes.

Add mascara and go show off this smoldering look!

Some people express concern over lining the inside of the eye – is it safe? Run a search online and you’ll find pros and cons. I’ve done it all my life, and though I’m a contact lenses wearer, I’ve never had any trouble. Here are a few tips that have helped me stay that way. Wash your hands with soap. Then sharpen your eyeliner slightly to expose new, clean surface. Don’t share eyeliners and discard if yours comes in contact with any kind of eye infection. Lastly, be careful when applying so you don’t accidentally scratch your eye (this is really not the makeup technique for a moving car…). If you wear contact lenses, you may notice a small amount of product accumulating on the edges of the lens. Remove and clean if it feels uncomfortable, and always clean extra well when you take them off at the end of the day.

Eyeliner pencil – intensity 2

For this second eyeliner post (see the first one here) we will focus on more definition and a hint of smokiness. Since we are going for a natural effect, I recommend using colors such as brown, grey or black. This application technique is one of the most traditional for eyeliner and is appropriate for most occasions. My favorite product ever, Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khol in Brun (or Black Coffee), is once again the recommended product.

Make sure that your eye pencil is reasonable sharp, pull at the outer corner of the eye to make eyelid taut and carefully draw a fine line from the inner to the outer corner, as close to the eyelashes as possible. Since this is not liquid eyeliner, you don’t have to do it all in one line and can go bit by bit until you’ve lined the whole upper lid.

Don't worry about getting it just perfect because we are about to smudge it. When you’re done drawing the line, run a fingertip over it until the edges are gone. Go sideways rather than up and down, so the eyeliner stays concentrated at the lash line. You can use a q-tip for more control and to clean up any smudges that have strayed too far.

You should have a smoky lash line right now with no hard edges. For extra credit, take your eyeliner and draw a very fine line right at the base of your lashes. Don’t smudge this last line, which should blend beautifully into your slightly wider smudged eyeliner. Add two coats of lengthening mascara and go show off your gorgeous eyes!

Curled lashes

Even though eyelash curlers always strike me as torture device, there’s no denying the effect of a good curl. Eyelashes look longer and more noticeable, which in turn makes eyes look bigger and more awake. So… find a way to deal with it, think happy thoughts of gorgeous lashes and do it.

If that pep talk didn’t work, as it hasn’t for me, consider this messy but effective little trick. Get something to use as a block – a spoon, a credit card or a folded tissue – and place it on the upper lid. Keep it there through the whole process. Apply your favorite mascara, wait a couple of seconds, then place a finger at the root of your lashes. Try to bend your lashes upward, against the folded tissue and keep it there for a little bit until it starts to dry.

Enjoy your curled lashes without worrying about pinched lids (just writing that makes me think “ouch!”).

Eyeliner pencil – intensity 1

What is the cosmetic product you take with you to a deserted island? (I’d love to hear your opinions in comments!) As for me, if I had to pick one it would probably be Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khol in Brun (a.k.a. brown).

Eyeliner is my weapon of choice, and I can say that this particular product goes above and beyond. It’s the perfect dark chocolate shade, it’s richly pigmented, it blends better than anything I’ve ever tried and it has considerable staying power.  As if that wasn’t enough, it also wears off well – when it’s a little smudged at the end of the day, it looks even better.

Intensity 1, the first post focusing on eyeliner, is all about intensifying the shape of your eyes in an understated way. Take a sharpened eyeliner pencil and carefully dot it between your upper and lower eyelashes, wiggling the tip into the lash line. Do it at small regular intervals, aiming for at least 10 dots. Run your finger over the base of your lashes gently to smudge any excess.  This technique makes the roots of your lashes darker, which in turn makes your lashes look fuller and your eyes more defined. The effect is very light, but you’ll see the difference. Look for intensity 2 next week.

 

Better than natural lashes

If the point is to look like you’re wearing no makeup, what should the deal be with lashes? Your goal is long, defined and clean lashes that still read as natural. There are a couple of lash tints on the market and while they look the most natural, the final look is lackluster (and for a girl who strives for subdued, that’s saying a lot).

Choose mascara that is lengthening or defining, and that doesn’t clump. Newer mascaras with rubber wands are great at creating the right effect, and drugstore brands provide plenty of options. Apply just a couple of coats to the top lashes only, from the root all the way to the tips. If you need to, separate lashes some more with an eyelash comb.

If your coloring is on the lighter side, try dark brown instead of black. Some makeup artists shun brown mascaras but unless your eyebrows are very dark, brown is much better at achieving a natural look.

Don't forget to change your mascara every 6 months or sooner if it starts to dry up and clump (another reason to use cheaper drugstore brands).

Eyes that look “well rested”

There are few things that I hate more than hearing, “You look tired.” Sometimes I really am tired (and during some phases of my life it was a very accurate statement most of the time) but it bothers me even more when it isn’t true. I hear those words a lot less these days thanks to my little trick.

Inspecting my eyes I realized that my lids are very transparent and naturally have a purplish hue to them. Also, the area above the inner corner of my eyes is rather dark. Even though my dark circles aren’t very noticeable and I took the time to correct them, the other two areas were messing up my work.
 

Concealer became my savior! I’ll still apply a little under my eyes, but the trick really is to do it all over the eyelid and a little around the inner corner as well. Start by trying your favorite concealer and see if it goes evenly on your lids. Mine wasn’t ideal for that area but I have become a fan of bareMinerals Well Rested, which really does what it promises. It doesn’t look like eye shadow, stays put all day and erases all the discoloration and dark spots. My mom is also a fan, since it doesn't settle into lines. Eyes that look fully awake are now available to all!