Makeup Brush Guide: Learn to Make the Right Choices

Doing self-makeup is a daily challenge, or at least a frequent one for vain women who value this important beauty tactic. And to accomplish this task every day or a few times a week with greater ease, it is necessary to invest in the right tools, which will make the process simpler and more practical.

To learn more about the brushes used for each need, check out the options presented in the images, with a description of each one and a product suggestion for each type of brush.

foundation brushes

01 – Sponges: Sponges can be great options for applying products on the face. In order not to go wrong, choose the right type for each product. For example: porous sponges are indicated to apply powder products and the denser ones, liquid and pasty products.
Photo: Facial sponge pack of 6 units, R$10.00 at Panvel Pharmacies.

02 – Beauty Blender: it is an anatomical sponge that serves to apply liquid products on the face. In addition to the practicality of application, the Beauty Blender leaves the skin uniform and natural looking. The tip for not wasting product and ensuring a perfect application is to moisten the sponge in a container with water. You will notice that the accessory increases in size and becomes softer. The downside of Beauty Blender, besides the high price, is that according to some reviews, it thins the foundation and reduces the coverage of the product, but if you like a more natural finish, this product is for you.
Photo: Esponja Beauty Blender, R$79.90 at Cherry Cosméticos.

03 – Straight cat tongue: basically it has the same function as the traditional cat tongue brush. The only difference is that the top of the brush bristles are straight. The tip to avoid stains is to apply the foundation on the face making X movements with the brush.
Photo: O Boticário straight foundation brush, R$37.99 at O ​​Boticário.

04 – Cat tongue: foundation brush that serves to spread liquid or creamy products on the face. The positive point is the affordable price and the ease of finding it, but the finish is not the best. Despite leaving the skin with a high coverage, the cat tongue brush can leave the skin finish marked. The tip is also to apply the foundation on the face making X movements with the brush.
Photo: Revlon foundation brush, R$51.90 at Dafiti.

05 – Duo Fiber: this is a brush made of synthetic and natural bristles. It has a soft texture and leaves the skin looking radiant. It is suitable for those who prefer a lighter foundation coverage for the face. The tip to avoid blemishes and leave the skin uniform is to apply it by lightly tapping the entire surface of the face.
Photo: Sigma Duo Fiber Brush, $10.00 at Sigma Beauty.

06 – Kabuki: the brush in the kabuki format is denser and has a greater amount of bristles, thus providing greater precision and coverage for the skin. The tip for a flawless application is to deposit a small amount of foundation on the face and then use the brush to spread. Thus, you save product and avoid leaving the skin looking artificial.
Photo: Sigma F80 Kabuki Brush, $18.00 at Sigma Beauty.

concealer brushes

01 – Cat tongue: the cat tongue brush can also be used to apply concealer. With bristles made of white faux fur, this brush is designed to create a smooth surface and greater coverage, thus giving a better finish to the skin.
Photo: Ana Hickmann cat tongue brush, R$26.99 in cosmetics stores and pharmacies.

02 – Small cat tongue: look healthy and corrected with the synthetic bristle brush and rounded tips. This brush is indicated for a more precise application of pasty products.
Photo: Benefit Concealer Brush, R$109.00 at Sephora.

03 – Kabuki: this brush is ideal for correcting reddish spots, dark circles and acne marks on the skin. Because it’s a dense, precision brush, kabuki can accumulate more product than necessary, so be careful.
Photo: Sigma P80 Brush, $18.00 at Sigma Beauty.

04 – Medium cat tongue: it is a soft, narrow brush with a flat tip. It is used to correct large areas, such as dark circles, or small areas, such as acne marks.
Photo: Sigma F65 Brush, $18.00 at Sigma Beauty.

05 – Sponges: Sponges can be great for applying concealer on the face. Apply by tapping to ensure flawless coverage.
Photo: Facial sponge pack of 6 units, R$10.00 at Panvel Pharmacies.

powder brushes

01 – Kabuki: due to its density, the kabuki brush is ideal for applying mineral powder. To ensure a natural and uniform application, spread the product in circular motions.
Photo: Kabuki Artdeco powder brush, R$86.90 at Dafiti.

02 – Sponges: despite being more practical, sponges accumulate a lot of product and can leave the skin looking artificial. To ensure a lighter application, remove excess powder by tapping the back of your hand before applying to your face.
Photo: Facial sponge pack of 6 units, R$10.00 at Panvel Pharmacies.

03 – Powder or foundation brush: this brush is ideal for those who want a 2-in-1 brush, as it allows the application of mineral foundations and also face powder.
Photo: Make B brush for foundation or face powder, R$35.99 at O ​​Boticário.

04 – Regular powder brush: it is the most common brush model for applying compact powder on the face. Made of natural bristles, the accessory guarantees a velvety and uniform skin finish.
Photo: Revlon Compact Powder Brush, R$51.90 at Dafiti.

05 – Duo Fiber: ideal for those who prefer a smoother application of powder. The mixture of natural and synthetic bristles leaves the skin looking polished and natural.
Photo: Duo Fiber Kryolan Powder Brush, R$225.00 at Beleza na Web.

06 – Powder brush with fine tip: this is a precision brush, so it is suitable for applying powder to specific areas. Apply carefully to ensure an even finish.
Photo: Sigma F25 Powder Brush, $28.00 at Sigma Beauty.

Facial contour brushes

01 – Beveled: this brush format is suitable for those who want to make a more smoky and natural facial contour. For a flawless finish, slowly deposit the product onto the skin of the face.
Photo: BareMinerals Angled Face Brush, R$78.90 at Sephora.

02 – Beveled Kabuki: dense and precision brush. Therefore, to avoid exaggeration, remove excess product on the back of the hand before applying to the face.
Photo: Brush Pro Angled Contour 75 Sephora Collection, R$115.00 at Sephora.

03 – Small contour brush: precision brush model for facial contour. Ideal for contouring the cheekbones, chin and nose. For a more even effect, use a larger brush to blend everything out at the end.
Photo: Sigma F05 Brush, $16.00 at Sigma Beauty.

04 – Regular blush brush: reusing brushes can be a good option to save time and money. Use the traditional blush brush to contour your face gently and naturally.
Photo: Kryolan blush brush, R$74.90 at Beleza na Web.

05 – Angled brush: this brush is ideal for those who choose a contour with less precision, more smoky than marked. It is essential to be used lightly, as the bristles can be “open” easily.
Photo: Sigma F40 Brush, $16.00 at Sigma Beauty.

blush brushes

01 – Traditional blush brush: this brush model is the easiest to find and guarantees a natural and smoky effect for the cheeks.
Photo: Artdeco blush brush, R$68.90 at Dafiti.

02 – Beveled: the beveled brush is ideal for those who want a more precise application of blush. Be careful not to exaggerate the amount and get your face marked.
Photo: Sisley’s beveled brush, R$251.00 at Beleza na Web.

03 – Duo Fiber: ideal for applying high pigmentation blushes and creamy texture, as it blends and spreads the product evenly on the skin.
Photo: MAC Duo Fiber Brush, R$209.00 at Sephora.

04 – Beveled Kabuki: be careful when applying blush using this brush. Due to its density, this is a very accurate model and you run the risk of getting a scarred face if you don’t use it subtly.
Photo: Sigma F84 Brush, $18.00 at Sigma Beauty.

05 – Kabuki: to guarantee a natural and healthy effect for the cheeks, deposit the minimum amount of product possible on the brush before starting the application.
Photo: Laura Mercier Kabuki Brush, R$129.00 at Viva Dream Cosméticos.

Brushes for applying highlighter

01 – Blush or powder brush: it is possible to use the powder or blush brush to apply the illuminator, but it is necessary to take very little product and apply it gently so as not to exaggerate the dose of illuminator and get the appearance of oily skin due to to the luminosity of the skin.
Photo: Ana Hickmann blush or powder brush, R$29.99 at Ana Hickmann online.

02 – Pointed brush: ideal model to achieve greater precision when applying the illuminator. Concentrate the product on the tip of the brush and deposit by lightly tapping the desired area.
Photo: Sigma F35 Brush, $18.00 at Sigma Beauty.

03 – Mini Duo Fiber: this brush model is ideal for applying cream highlighters, as it guarantees a light and smoky finish.
Photo: Sigma F55 Brush, $16.00 at Sigma Beauty.

04 – Blending brush: this brush model is suitable for those who want to illuminate the face with precision in specific areas. In addition, it ensures a smoky and natural looking skin.
Photo: Sigma E40 Brush, $12.00 at Sigma Beauty.

05 – Small beveled brush: if you want a brush that spreads the product smoothly and evenly, this can be a good option. Apply the product to the brush and spread with light taps.
Photo: MAC 168 beveled brush, R$178.00 at Sephora.

Outline brushes

01 – Brush to outline the eyebrows: this brush model is ideal for filling in eyebrows flaws. You can even use this brush to shape your eyebrows however you like.
Photo: Artdeco eyebrow brush, R$68.90 at Dafiti.

02 – Outline brush with a straight top: the straight top brush is dense and guarantees more precision for your outline. It can also be used to apply eyeshadow to the lower part of the waterline.
Photo: Sigma E15 Brush, $10.00 at Sigma Beauty.

03 – Classic eyeliner brush: the pointy brush to line the eyes is the most common to be found, but it requires a little practice to ensure a perfect application.
Photo: Sigma E05 Brush, $10.00 at Sigma Beauty.

04 – High precision brush: this brush is suitable for those who already have experience in outlining the eyes. Prefer a product from professional makeup lines, such as Kryolan and Catharine Hill.
Photo: Kryolan high-precision brush, R$114.90 at Beleza na Web.

05 – Beveled brush: the beveled brush is indicated for applying gel eyeliner and disguising eyebrow flaws. With a little practice you will be able to make beautiful eyeliner lines.
Photo: Professionnel Brow Brush #10 Sephora, R$45.00 at Sephora.

Brushes for applying eyeshadow

01 – Angled brush: the thinner and denser brush model is ideal for marking the crease with precision and applying shadow below the waterline of the eyes.
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