If you’re new to the world of makeup and/or wear it minimally, looking at all the makeup brush choices can be confusing – am I right? You’ll be walking down the makeup aisle thinking “What the heck do people with that brush?”. You might be wondering which shapes you actually need. Which of the choices you are looking at are truly basic makeup brushes?
Been there!
The truth is – if you are someone who wears a minimal makeup look, you don’t need that many brushes at all! So, don’t stress about all those other brush shapes. Below are the three brushes that I believe you actually need for the perfect natural look.
#1 Powder Brush
If you’re a minimal makeup wearer, chances are you skip foundation all together and just use compact powder. I still do this sometimes when I am leaving the house for a quick errand, or when I’m preparing for a dance rehearsal. I find that it gives the face a natural, clean, and shine-less look that’s perfect for casual days. If you do this too, you will definitely need a nice powder brush.
Here’s what it looks like:
Key features:
➤ bristles that are fluffy and soft
➤ relatively long bristles
➤ dome shape
Logic behind the shape:
Powder brushes are designed to distribute just the right amount of powder as evenly as possible. The shape and fluffiness helps keep the powder from going on too thick or unevenly.
If you see a brush this size that’s not fluffy and domed, it was made for some other purpose such as foundation, blush, or contouring.
#2 Blush Brush
In all likelihood, you will be wearing some light blush even as a minimal makeup wearer. Why? Because blush helps restore some of that cheerful color in your face that gets covered up by the powder and/or foundation. That’s why you will need to add a quality blush brush to your collection of basic makeup brushes!
Here’s what it looks like:
Key features:
➤ fluffy
➤ smaller/shorter than a powder brush
➤ ideally angled, but can also be domed
Logic behind the shape:
Blush brushes are similar to powder brushes, but with a few important differences. Since blush is applied to smaller areas of the face, the bristles are smaller and shorter than a powder brush. I also recommend a blush brush that is angled/slanted, because this makes it much easier for the brush to conform to your cheeks. This leads to more natural-looking color without harsh lines, especially for people who are new to makeup and need more practice with application.
#3 Eyeshadow Brush
Even on my laziest days, I still like to apply at least one color of eyeshadow. I know I’m not alone! Most minimal makeup wearers will definitely need a quality eyeshadow brush. Choosing the right shape, however, can be a little tricky. The different shapes of eyeshadow brushes can get highly specialized, which is why I recommend choosing one that is more of a hybrid.
For example, the brush I use for everyday wear seems to be a cross between a shader brush and a tapered blending brush. I’ve tried many types of eyeshadow brushes in the past, and have found this one to be extremely easy to use. Since it’s fluffy, tapered, and wide at the same time, it is excellent for applying one color to the entire eyelid and/or the entire browbone area.
Here’s what it looks like:
Key features:
➤ fluffy
➤ relatively wide
➤ tapered
Logic behind the shape:
Since there are so many shapes of eyeshadow brush on the market, it is hard to generalize what will be the best for every minimal makeup wearer! A lot of it depends on what eyeshadow look you are trying to achieve. However, I will recommend the features above for the following reasons.
I like my eyeshadow brush to be fluffy and wide so that the color is not applied too thick or unevenly. Brushes with more compact bristles are generally designed to apply saturated color to a particular part of the eye. If you’re trying to cover a large swath of the eye area as evenly as possible and achieve a natural look, it’s easy to make mistakes with a thinner brush with compact bristles. I also like my brushes to be tapered, as this makes it easier to avoid harsh lines with my eyeshadow look.
I hope you find these recommendations helpful. Cheers to you achieving your perfect natural makeup look!