Anyone watching makeup tutorials on YouTube or TikTok lately is probably overwhelmed. I know I am! There’s always a new “must-have” product dropping, and trends change faster than the weather in New England. Keeping up is tough, but the truth is, as long as you have a solid routine that suits you, it’ll never go out of style.
The first step, though, is having the right tools in your arsenal. Now, granted, there are no rules for makeup. Want to use bronzer as an eyeshadow? Sure! A primer as a highlighter? If it works! Same goes for tools – lots of ~beauty gurus~ use the same two brushes for every part of their makeup routine, and if it works, it works. But if you’re, maybe, a little Type A and just want to know what the purpose of every little doodad is, well, we can tell you. These tools were developed for a reason, after all, and keeping your applicators separate to their specific products can’t hurt when it comes to clogging pores, keeping bacteria at bay, etc.
That said, do whatever you want. Makeup application is in the eye of the beholder, after all.
Eyeshadow
There are a couple versions of these, each with a specific purpose that can, of course, be used for not their specific purposes. To start, a stamp brush is usually flat and kind of stubby, which makes it great to use for your base colors; it’ll make it easy to cover your lid. It picks up a lot of product, so you can really stamp on your all-over shade for maximum wear. A blender brush is going to be bigger and poofier, so you can diffuse pigment around and erase sharp lines. A contoured brush is more elongated and ends in a point, or it can be angled – this is for your crease, making it easier to keep color in a defined area. A liner brush is angled and sharp, great for drawing winged eyeliner. A less dense version of a liner brush can be used to bring shadow across your lower lid, as well.
You’ll find variations of all of these, but this set will get you in a good place.
Foundation + concealer
Most of the foundation brushes you’ll find are duo-fiber brushes, meaning the bristles at the top are finer at the top and more compact at the bottom. This gives you a level of control when applying your liquid foundation without it appearing cakey or streaky. Bigger ones are going to be used for your foundation, but smaller ones are great for liquid blush, and can even be used for powders if you want a finer application.
While the type of fibers are the same on a stippling brush, these give you a breezier application and can also work for tinted moisturizers or other face products that you just need a light touch with.
Concealer brushes will look similar to standard foundation brushes, just at a smaller scale. Using these instead of the applicators that come with your concealers will not only make for a smoother and cleaner application, but it’ll prep you for the perfect blend.
Contour
Depending on the level of contour you’re trying to achieve, you can get pretty fancy with your contour brush (bristles cut straight across, cut with a bit of a curve, etc.), but your basic option will look like a foundation brush with a bit of a slant. The idea of contour is to sculpt out your cheekbones, so the shape of these brushes is specific to creating a nice, chiseled line, hence the slant.
Powder, bronzer + blush
Since these are products that don’t need as heavy a hand as your foundation and contour, you can pretty much use the same type of brush for all three. (Maybe not the exact same brush, though, since that’s a lot of colors mixing). These brushes come with a long handle and long, dense, fluffy bristles, which makes it easy for all-over application with the ability to concentrate areas where you need a little more color, warmth or matte-ifying power.
Meanwhile, a kabuki brush comes with a short, stubby handle and makes a killer powder brush. Kabuki brushes also work for certain types of foundations.
Highlighter
Again, your brush choice for highlighter will depend on your look. If you want a concentrated, obvious glow, use something like a kabuki or whatever you’ve been using for powder to pack it on. If you want a more overall glow, a fan brush is your friend. This looks just like it sounds, and makes for a diffused, all-over sun-kissed look.
Honorable Mention: Sponges
We love sponges (“beauty blenders,” if you’re familiar) because they're basically a foolproof way to get an even makeup application with liquid foundation. They also, of course, blend things like liquid or cream blush, concealer or bronzer like a dream. They basically do everything, with the drawback of not really being able to clear off pigment in between uses. But if you’ve stocked up on your arsenal of sponges, you’re in good shape!
The shape of your sponge, though, will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish: the typical cone-shaped sponge pretty much runs the gamut, but you can also get a mini cone for things like your under-eye concealer or a sponge with a flat end to really get into your under-eyes with setting powder
Have I covered every single brush all the beauty brands have come up with? Probably not by a long shot. But knowing which brushes work best with which products goes a long way! Next thing you know, you’ll be the one filming the makeup tutorial. Happy blending!