Brush up on your Brushes

With less than 5 weeks to go 'til Christmas, I’m contantly being asked for beauty/style-themed Christmas present ideas.

In my opinion, make-up brushes are a fantastic gift for anyone who enjoys wearing the ole warpaint. A good set of bushes will last the owner for years, provided that they look after them properly of course.

The trouble with make-up brushes however is that there are loads of rubbishy ones on the market that irritate the skin, shed hairs and cause all manner of splotches and streaks. After much trial and error, I have listed my favourite brushes below, which might serve as a good guide to you.

I tend to buy brushes with natural hair as they are softer, generally last longer and give very even coverage. The trade-off for great quality is, as you might expect, high price. The recommendations below are quite pricy, but as I say, these brushes are brilliant and will last for years.

Foundation:
Good make-up starts with a good base. I recommend the MAC Foundation Brush (no. 190) or the Boots No.7 Foundation brush (my current favourite!). Elsewhere, I always think that foundation looks better if you buff it afterwards with a soft brush. The crème de la crème of soft brushes is the MAC Duo Fibre brush (no. 187), which is also great for applying face powder and blush. Jemma Kidd does a great ‘copy-cat’ version of this brush, which is available in most Boots stores.

Concealer:
I usually apply concealer with Bobbi Brown’s Cream Eyeshadow Brush (most concealer brushes are very small but this is a lovely medium size), but I must give an honourable mention to Boots No.7 Concealer Brush which is as soft as silk, easy to control and gives a lovely even finish.

Powder:
I heartily recommend the under-soft MAC Powder Brush (no. 129), which can be used for applying powder and bronzer.

Blush:
You can use the same bush for applying powder and blush if you like (provided that you clean it in between applications). If you prefer to use a separate brush for blush, go for the MAC Blush Brush (no. 116). For cream blush, either use your fingers to apply, or use a small Fibre Duo brush.

Eye-Shadow:
Again, MAC comes up trumps here. I use the MAC Blending Brush (no. 217) to build colour and I use the MAC Tapered Blending Brush (no. 224) to blend the edges for a softer finish.

Eye-Liner:
To apply shadow, gel or cream eyeliner, I use the MAC Small Angle Brush (no. 266) which gives great precision and control. If I want to ‘soften’ a shadow or kohl eye-liner (say under the lower lashes) I use a MAC Pencil Brush (No.219) which gives a wonderful smoky look.

Lips:
I use a Retractable Lip Brush by Barbara Daly from Tesco! Barbara Daly is a world-renowned make-up artist who Bobbi Brown credits as being the best in the business. Her diffucion range of make-up products and brushes for Tesco is excellent and this brush is no exception. I must also credit the MAC Lip Brush (no. 318).


I hope these recommendations help you with your shopping! One last tip - make sure that you only purchase your branded make-up brushes from genuine outlets. You would be amazed at how many cheap fake knock-offs there are out there, particularly in cyberspace!


Yours in style,
Caroline


Note: You’ll see that I have been very generous with my MAC recommendations. However, be careful. Last year I the unfortunate mistake of buying a MAC Brush Set (Christmas 2008 Collection) which unfortunately was an entire waste of €60. Although it contained 5 genuine MAC brushes, the brush heads were very small, had poor shape and obviously made of synthetic fibres. As a result they irritated my skin and gave poor coverage. So, the lesson here is to buy the individual professional brushes (and if you like, go for the shorter handle ones are cheaper).