If you could only keep five brushes in your stash, which would you keep? Share!
MAC 239, MAC 272, Make Up For Ever #17S, MAC 116, Hourglass Foundation Brush
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YSL cheek brush
YSL eyeshadow brush
YSL lip brush
The Body Shop’s slanted eyebrow brush
Maybelline New York brush (that came with its gel eyeliner)
Real Techniques: Stippling brush, blush brush, domed shadow brush, shading brush
MAC: 263
Suqqu powder brush
Suqqu L- eyeshadow brush
Shu- Uemura 20H angled brush
Tom Ford eyeliner/ definer brush
Loew Cornell 1/2″ Maxine Thomas Mop Brush- like MAC 239 but cheaper, can get 1/4″
Real Techniques buffing brush, deluxe crease brush, and blush brush
MAC 239 and 217
MAC 116, 187, 213, 224, and 239. 🙂
Sonia kashuk small eyeshadow brush
Sonia kashuk crease brush
Mac 224
Angled blush brush
Too faced kabuki brush
Real Techniques buffing brush
Real Techniques base shadow brush
Sigma E70
Sigma E65
Sigma F70
MAC 217
MAC 239
Hakuhodo S100
Hakuhodo S103
Hakuhodo K005
MAC 239, Real Techniques buffing brush, e.l.f. “C” eyeshadow brush, e.l.f. angled liner brush, Eco Tools blush brush
MAC 226 and 239 for eyes, 187 and 138 for face, 316 for lips
Giorgio Armani Foundation Brush – the most nondescript brush ever, but works great for me
Hakuhodo S 100 Angled Finishing brush
Hakuhodo S 113 Highlight / Contour brush
Hakuhodo S 133 a toss-up between this, a softer eyeshadow brush, and S 132 stiffer eyeshadow
Hakuhodo S 163 angled eyebrow brush – couldn’t live without this baby
How are the S133 and S132 in size compared to a MAC 239? I love all my Hakuhodo brushes, but they are all a lot smaller or larger than the 239, I’m looking for something similar sized.
They are very similar size in width..maybe the Hakuhodos are 1mm or so wider, but they differ more so in length and texture.
The S133 is softer, but not as soft as a fluffy brush. It’s about 3mm longer than the MAC 239. Still, with a good quality eyeshadow, I can use this brush for packing on eyeshadow and yet it is soft enough for blending too. It’s a really good all around brush and a good size for my eye. I use it on my eyelid for the most part, but also use it to blend into the crease. It’s soft, but has substance. It’s a terrific brush.
The S132 is again about 3mm longer than the MAC 239 and quite stiff, but it has a bit of flex to it. I would say this brush is more similar to the 239 than the S133. I use this to pack on colour, cream or powder. This is a brush I will also dampen slightly to apply eyeshadow wet. I would not wet the S133. These bristles are packed tighter and are coarser/denser. The bristles are trimmed to perfection.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much! That was very helpful. I’ll probably go for the S133 as I prefer softer brushes and very rarely use wet shadows.
My five:
Yachiyo Nars
239 Mac
217 Mac
12 Nars
F80 sigma
Does anyone else other than me have these “pics” of the readers blocking their comment sections. Or is it that my laptop is old.
No, mine is doing that too…the pics of the commentators are blocking most of the responses 🙁 I think it is just because Christine is revamping the website. I’m sure they’re working on it:)
What browser are you viewing it on? I’m on Chrome/PC right now, and the avatars are on the left of the name/comment!
What browser are you viewing it on? I’m on Chrome/PC right now, and the avatars are on the left of the name/comment!
Actually, I just got this laptop and I don’t know lol 🙂 But the avatars are on the lef side of the responses and the commentors with pictures are really big and take up half of the response space. The ones without their wn pictures, and with the standard avatar (flower) are fine, but it is the ones with their own pics that are blown up larger..
It is fine now?? That’s weird:) Guess you fixed it Thank you 🙂
I’ve seen this issue, too, Christine, but only on my Firefox browser at home. On my IE and Chrome, it looks fine.
eco tools buffer brush for foundation
mac 217
a blending brush, any, maybe 1 by eco tools
a pencil brush to smudge out lower lashline
blush brush by sam chapman.
– Something like MAC 217: For laying down and blend eyeshadow on the lid and crease.
– A smaller version of MAC 239: To apply eyeshadow on the outer V and lower lashline.
– And angled liner brush: To apply gel and powder eyeliner, and to define brows.
– A pointed foundation brush: To apply and blend foundation and concealer.
– A small-ish angled cheek brush: To apply blush, contour, highlight, and powder.
MAC 239, 217, 231, 116
MUFE 5 SB
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, and Blush Brush
Mac 224, 266 &239
In no particular order:
– Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Buffing Brush (foundation)
– Sonia Kashuk Highlighting Brush (now the Large Duo Fibre Multipurpose Brush – my favorite brush ever! I use it for blush, and it’s perfect every time!)
– E.L.F. Small Smudge Brush (used to fill in brows with powder)
– E.L.F. Professional Eyeshadow Brush (all over lid/crease color)
– E.L.F. Defining Eye Brush (highlight)
I could really make due with just the first three brushes as I only wear eye make up for special occasions. I like the E.L.F eyeshadow brushes because they get the job done, but I am growing tired of how easily the ferrules come loose from the handles and having to replace them. I am planning to replace these brushes with brushes from Sonia Kashuk’s Core Tools line in the near future since I’ve had success with her other brushes in the past.
MAC 217
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush
Real Techniques Stippling Brush
Everyday Minerals Angled Blush Brush
5 brushes? Hmmmm….I’d say MAC 217 and 239, Shiseido foundation brush, my angled blush brush and powder brush (both are from Pur Minerals but has served me surprisingly well)
Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush, LMdB eye shadow brush, MAC 219, LMdB blush brush, Bobbi Brown bronzer brush. OK, that last one was the real hard decision.
Mac 219, 217, 239, 116, and eco tools kabuki brush.
Mac 217 and 266
Hakuhodo kokutan eye, b214bksl, and k002
Mac 239,187,109.
MUFE 17S.looking for a good lipbrush next.
– Kevyn Aucoin Super Soft Buff Powder Brush – BY FAR my favorite brush. I use it for buffing in a light layer of bronzer or illuminator, but sometimes I switch it up and use it for powder foundation. I want to get another one to devote to cream/liquid foundations. Feels like a dream on my face. Best $46 I ever spent on makeup tools!
– Dior Large Eyeshadow brush – perfect for applying a light layer of eyeshadow and for blending; I can do all my makeup with this brush!
– Tarte Buffy Bamboo Face Powder Brush – great for dusting on face powder and also works well for Guerlain meteorites. Would give this up if I had another KA brush (above) though, as I’m sure it would work just as well!
– MAC 168 – I’ve had this for almost 10 years, and it’s never let me down. Picks up a good dusting of color, and even after all that time, the bristles are still soft but have held their shape well.
– Laura Mercier Finishing Eye Brush – I joke a lot about how I could slap random color anywhere in my general eye area, and with this brush, it would immediately blend together for a perfect look. Seriously, though, it’s a fantastic brush, and way better than the MAC 217 in my opinion. So soft and just perfect for blending!
Only 5? Are you crazy??? That’s not possible, lol.
Jane Iredale Handi Brush for foundation
Jane Iredale Detail Brush for concealer
Hakuhodo S110 for blush
MAC 239 for basic eyeshadow placement
Hakuhodo Eyeshadow Brush T for crease work
Still need something for eyeliner, eyebrows and highlighter. See? I said I couldn’t do it. Let’s try with 10 instead.
Paula Dorf Eye Definer Brush for eyeliner
Anastasia Mini Duo Brush #7 for brows
Hakuhodo G5510BkSL for applying shadow to the lower lash line
Hakuhodo 212 Highlight Brush
Hakuhodo J242G for detail work on the eyes
And I just realized that I forgot a brush for setting powder/finishing powder/bronzer!
real techniques buffing brush
real techniques delux crease brush
mac 217
mac 266
mac 129
Real Techniques stippling brush, deluxe crease brush, MAC 239, 138, & Bare Minerals soft focus shadow brush.
Sephora #57 (pro airbrush concealer)
Sephora #55 (pro airbrush foundation)
Sephora #25 (pro cream eye shadow)
Stila #30 (double ended awesomeness)
Spoolie (I use one that I took from the free applicator section at Sephora)
I have that spoolie too! lol
I wasnt even sure that a spoolie was considered a brush, but I use that darn thing every single day! (Ive got a few and I treat and wash them like regular brushes)
I dont know what I would do without one!
Armani blender
Chanel #4
Chanel #25
Rae Morris Deluxe Kabuki
Tom Ford Bronzer
Real Techniques Buffing brush, MAC 217, 266, 109 & 210
MAC 130, MAC 239, MUFE 17S, MAC 134, MUFE 15S
*Shu Uemura Natural 10 (shadow)
*Shu Uemura 5r (shadow)
*Hakuhodo G5515BkSL (liner)
*Hakuhodo Large Pointed Yachiyo (blush)
*Sephora Pro #55 (powder)
All MAC
239
224
129
168
134
Oh shiz, that’s hard!
Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki.
Real Techniques Blush Brush.
MAC 217
MAC 215
MAC 239
Sigma F80, Hourglass Powder brush, Sonia K. stippling brush, Sephora angled blush brush, and (know this isn’t a brush, but I can’t live without it) Beauty Blender sponge:)
I forgot the sonia k. duo fibre stippling fan brush! It is beyond perfect for contouring, as it doesn’t pick up too much powder and depositsjust enough to build up to perfect! Gonna have to swap one of them for this one…but can’t make my mind up which one:) Also, I don’t wear alot of eyeshadow everyday..I’m more of a “flawless skin”makeup (or at least that is what I’m going for!) that’s why these are all face brushes 🙂
MAC 217
MAC 242
MAC 224
MAC 109
MAC 168
bobbi bronze bronzing brush, Lucy minerals buffing brush, Louise young ly38b brush, Mac 217, mac 109
(1) Mac 237
(2) Mac 217
(3) Tarte Foundation Brush
(4) Smashbox blush brush
(5) Mac 219
Sephora Pro Collection #55
Bobbi Brown Blush Brush
MAC 217 Blending Brush
Sephora Pro Collection Concealer Brush #57
MAC 130
Love Sephora 57 and 55!! (they are on my list too 🙂 ) #57 is a revelation!
Sedona lace 502 face brush
Sedona lace 620 face brush
Sedona lace E 13 eye brush
MAC 224 brush
Sedona lace angle brush (forget the number but it’s in the 7 piece set–think it’s Synthetic Small Angled Flat – 618
2 Paula Dorf sheer crease brushes, 2Hakuhodo eyshadow smudgers, 1 Hakuhodo yachiyo brush
Real Technique Buffing Brush
Bobbi Brown Eye Definer
Bobbi Brown Angle Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Eye Blender
Bobbi Brown Blush Brush
Sephora pro small eyeshadow
Sephora pro eyeshadow
Smashbox brush smoky liner brush (I use it as a crease brush…)
Bare minerals liner brush
Sephora + pantone blending brush
Um.. I think I only have 5..
Clinique foundation brush, Clinique powder brush, nars smudge brush, and Clinique eye shadow brush & eye shader brush. I used to like Clinique brushes more than I do now, but I use them every day and they still look like they did 3 years ago. I do wash them regularly.
Hourglass brush #2 (foundation/blush/all-purpose)
Hourglass brush #3 (eyeshadow all-purpose)
Chanel foundation brush
Hourglass brush #7 (finishing/setting powder, all over powder)
MAC 242 (cream shadow brush)
Can you tell I love my Hourglass brushes? lol. I think I want another #2; I use that brush for everything.
I would keep my Crown duo fiber foundation brush, Mac 109 for highlighter, Mac 217 blending eyeshadow brush, Mac 239 shader brush and my Estee Lauder blush brush.
My Hakuhodo eye brushes: J5523, J142 and G5523.
MAC brushes : 239 and 130.
Honorable mention: 224 and 217. Sorry Christine – I love my brushes and its hard to pick.
Adesign large powder brush (powder and bronzer)
Sephora Airbrush 56 (foundation and blush)
MAC 217, 226 and 252
Mac 239
Mac 217
Sephora #57 pro concealer brush
Posh firm control powder brush – angled brush I got years ago and rediscovered how amazing it is for blush application. The handle is loose so I need to reglue it but would love an alternative (fluffy, semi-dense soft animal hair angled) OR Mac 129 which I love
Mac 134 / RT powder brush (happily alternate between the two)
mac 109 239 224
sigma F80
paula dorf eye contour brush
MAC 239 and 217, Louise Young LY38, EcoTools angled brush, for sure. But then I’m torn between my e.l.f. Complexion Brush (Studio line) and my Sigma F80 (I use it for foundation). Argh!
mac217, mac 219, mac 239, Yachiyo Nars and Hakuhodo O22.
Hourglass retractable kabuki
Hourglass No 9 domed shadow
Hourglass No 10 angled liner
MAC 116
MAC 228
For face: Real Techniques Multitasking and Expert Face brushes
For eyes: MAC 217, 224, and 239
1. MAC 217
2. MAC 239
3. Bobbi Brown Face Blender (for blending blush after applying — seriously I cannot live without this brush)
4. Paula Dorf crease brush
5. Laura Mercier corner brush
Coastal Scents “C” brush tied with Bare Minerals foundation brush, ELF Studio crease, brow highlighter, small stipple and their other small brush I use on inner corner of my eyes.
Mine would be:
MAC 272, 167SH, 263, 168
Lancome #13
oops, I meant Lancome #17, the crease brush