Nothing says "I'm wearing foundation" louder than a streaky application, and we know those flat foundation brushes are often the culprit. Say hello to the vibrating foundation applicator. This battery-powered sponge from POP Beauty was designed to be used with the brand's CC Cream, but you can use it to buff on your favorite liquid, cream or powder foundation. And, although it's too soon to see these results from our testing, the makers claim the sponge is anti-bacterial and the good vibrations also de-puff and improve circulation. To clean, you can remove the sponge top and wash it with soap and water. And, bonus, it comes with a backup sponge so you're not left without while it dries.
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The fluffy concealer brush
Yep, this is The Brush That Changed Everything for me. The bristles on this Sephora Collection Pro Airbrush Concealer brush are the perfect length for buffing out concealer under eyes -- just dot (or smear) concealer to your under eye and blend using small, circular motions. It's even small enough to blend out concealer around blemishes for natural-looking coverage. I'll never use a flat concealer brush again. Period.
This is a do-it-all kind of brush. In a pinch, it can be used to blend eye shadow. I've also used this little wonder to apply cream, liquid and powder highlighter to cheeks, in the inner corner of eyes, and under the brow bone. I've even used it to apply a matte bronzer around my nose for Kim K-style contouring.
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The chubby kabuki for sculpting
Kabuki brushes are a staple in most makeup bags, but the slanted shape of this brush from The Body Shop takes contouring to another level. The slant may look a little intimidating, but it's super easy to use. Just place it on your cheeks (with the point facing your ear) and use circular (not straight) motions to sweep on bronzer for a contoured look. The large size and slanted shape make this kabuki a great tool for swiping shimmer and bronzer onto legs and décolletage for extra glow and contouring.
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The blush brush for serious cheekbones
If you're still using a powder brush to apply your blush (I was guilty of this until a couple years ago), consider taking an angled blush brush (like this one from Sephora) for a spin. The angled shape sweeps along the contours of your face and makes blush pop. Swirl the brush in your blush of choice, tap off excess, and apply it in short strokes along your cheekbone. The dense, shorter hairs on this brush mean more control over the placement of your blush and the amount of color that goes on your cheeks.
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The clean sweep fan brush
How to use it: The fan brush is one of those tools that baffles people. It's a funny shape and the notion of applying any form of makeup on such a wide swatch of your face seems strange. Ironically, this brush is perfect if you tend to get heavy handed with blush or bronzer because it delivers just a light sweep of product.
There are a lot of fan brushes out there, but I love the Tarte Fanatic Bamboo Fanned Blush Brush more than any other beauty tool. This brush was designed to sweep away the stray bits of eye shadow/glitter that falls from your lids, but you can also use it when you want a light application of bronzer, blush, or highlighter. For bronzer, hold the brush so the fan is vertical to your face and sweep it, starting from your ears, down your cheekbones. Then, sweep over any area where the sun naturally hits your face. Dip the edge in highlighter and hold it so that the edge is facing you, then sweep the edge over the tops of your cheekbones and down your nose. Use a clean fan brush to apply your favorite face mask -- the brush provides a thin, even application you end up using less product.
Here's the ugly truth about makeup for most of us: you can spend a fortune on the best products, but if you're using the wrong tools to apply it, your makeup will never have the flawless look you expect from a $75 foundation. I had this epiphany recently. I was wandering through Sephora (because it's my happy place) and there it was: the giant display of makeup brushes. The one that takes up an entire row; the one I usually walk right past. But I've had profound doubts about my makeup lately, so I stopped to browse. What, exactly, does a Brush #57 do? Is that funny egg-shaped sponge worth a few bucks?
I'm not prone to hyperbole, so I won't say the teeny concealer blending brush (a.k.a. #57) I bought changed my life, but I will say the blending and coverage it offers is 10 times better than anything I've ever done with my fingers or the little flat brush I used before, and I was using the same exact concealer I've always used. Little 'ol #57 changed my entire view on makeup brushes and kick-started this foray into discovering the other brushes I've been missing out on. If you're looking to update your makeup brush set, see how one or two new brushes and can make over your makeup routine.
