When it comes to applying cream eyeshadow, synthetic brushes are my go-to as creams as natural hair brushes can soak up liquid and creams too much and produce either sheer or streaky results (and creams tend to necessitate washing often, and synthetics can take the extra washing easily).  I find a flat, synthetic brush is necessary for all-over lid application; a fluffy, dome-shaped brush key for diffusing crease color and applying creams to the brow bone; and a dome-shaped, denser brush for depositing pigmented color into the crease.

I would love to hear about the brushes you can’t live without for brows and detail work — share your picks in the comments!

For Contouring

From day-to-day, I don’t do much contouring, so I’ll leave you with the shape I still tend to reach for when I am testing a sculpting powder: the angled brush (always reminds me of a foot…).  I also find that tapered highlighting brushes can be held at an angle and often fit well into the hollows of the cheeks!

Hakuhodo B512, Hakuhodo G511

• Hakuhodo B512 Angled Brush ($65.00) is a medium-sized angled brush that’s moderately dense and has slightly tapered bristles along the edge so that it gradually sweep and diffuse product.  The size makes it most appropriate for contouring most of the face but would be too large for contouring the nose.
• Hakuhodo G511 Angled Brush ($44.00) is a small, angled brush that enables one to get a very precise contour on the cheeks and a more diffused contour along the nose.  It’s soft, fluffy enough to blend and diffuse edges, but dense enough to lay down color precisely.

For Finishing

These are my “details” brushes in a way, as I use them at the end of my makeup application for the little things that sometimes just bring everything together in the end.

Chikuhodo T-3, Hakuhodo G6070, Hakuhodo F1230

• Chikuhodo Takumi T-3 Brush ($65.00) is a smaller, flat-topped brush that I use for buffing out edges of blush, bronzer, or highlighter that just need that extra blending for a seamless gradient of color/finish.  I like larger buffer brushes but find that a smaller one like this ensures I just get the area I need and gives me less chance of muddying everything else.
• Hakuhodo G6070 Kebo Brush (32.00$) is an incredibly delicate, feathery brush with layered bristles that yields an impossibly soft, buildable application of any powder product.  For me, I use this for that last-minute accent of highlighter on the cheekbones, down the bridge of the nose, or on the cupid’s bow.  It also works beautifully for applying powder underneath the eyes to set or finish concealer.
• Hakuhodo F1230 Ougi Maru Brush ($138.00) is a large, rounded “fan” brush.  It has the style of a fan brush, but the shape is significantly different.  This brush is a newer favorite, but it’s been my go-to (since trying it) for finishing powders like Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders or Guerlain Meteorites for all-over the face application.  The much, much smaller F7135 Ougi Short Brush is excellent at applying powder underneath the eyes, too.

There are certain types of brushes that I tend to rely heavily on a specific brush and have less options, and this post reflects that.  I’m not sure if it’s merely because I love them so much and don’t love others nearly as much, but these were the ones I use often and stood out to me when I went to compile my favorites!

I would love to hear about the brushes you can’t live without for foundation, concealer, and powder — share your picks in the comments!

For Liquid/Cream Foundation

Maybe it’s old school, but I actually still apply my foundation with brushes over sponges (like the beautyblender).  I alternate between various beautyblenders and brushes, though.  I have found that angled, stippling-style brushes to be less foolproof compared to the ones below, and I have moved away from natural or natural-synthetic blends when it comes to heavier products like foundation.  I prefer very densely-packed, synthetic brushes with rounded edges that work well for spreading, diffusing, blending, and light buffing on the face.  Because they’re synthetic, I don’t have to baby them when it comes to washing, and I can use stronger cleansers to get all the foundation out in no time at all.

Long-time readers may notice that I did not mention Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, and while I love my original one, I loathe the second one I have (scratchy, very streaky application) and mildly dislike the third one I have (somewhat rough, subpar application).  They absolutely changed the quality and style of their brush fibers and neither of the two I more recently purchased are worth recommending.

IT #302, Marc Jacobs The Face II, Marc Jacobs The Shaper

• IT Cosmetics #302 LBD Foundation Brush ($38.00) is a medium-sized, extremely densely-packed rounded brush with a flatter, domed edge that is excellent at methodically buffing foundation onto the skin.  When I use this brush, I’ll dot my foundation all around my face as I won’t use the brush to spread the product as much as I will for blending and diffusing the dots together.
• Marc Jacobs The Face II Brush ($48.00) is medium-sized, dome-shaped, densely-packed brush with a slightly tapered, almost angled edge that works extremely well for spreading foundation and moving it downward and outward on the face.  It is great for someone who doesn’t want to buff their foundation on (like you would with the IT #302).
• Marc Jacobs The Shaper Brush ($38.00) is a small-to-medium-sized, flat-topped brush that is dense and firm (without being stiff) that works well for buffing and blending motions with liquid and cream foundation.  It is actually marketed as a “Contour and Blush Brush,” which it will work for, but I don’t personally use it for those things.
• Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush ($46.00) is a dense, rounded, lightly angled brush designed to work with cream foundations like the brand’s Vanish stick.  I forgot to photograph this one, as it wasn’t clean and I actually had it out-of-place, but it is so good at applying and buffing out cream/liquid foundations without streaking.  The way the bristles are shaped, they’re almost seamless on the skin and I often will use it to buff out foundation along the edges of my lips while doing lip swatches to refresh the foundation around my mouth.

For Concealer

I favor sponges (like the beautyblender) for underneath the eye, but I do routinely use the following brushes, particularly when I’m too lazy to go dampen a sponge (which is often enough!).

Real Techniques Setting, Marc Jacobs The Conceal

• Real Techniques Setting Brush ($7.99) is a small, fluffy brush with a rounded edge and light density.  I absolutely love this brush for blending and diffusing the edges of concealer.  With heavier coverage or more matte concealers, I’ll use a separate brush to apply and spread the product out and go back with this one to diffuse the edges.  With more luminous or sheerer coverage formulas, I’ll use this brush to spread and diffuse the product. 
• Marc Jacobs The Conceal Brush ($30.00) is a small, slightly angled, domed-shape brush that’s densely packed but has just enough give to move fluidly for superb application, blending, and spreading of concealer underneath the eyes (well, on the face, too, but I primarily use it for under eye concealer).

For Powder

I must be rather picky when it comes to powder brushes, as I have a slew of them, but I really only use these two on a regular basis!  I tend to like denser or flatter powder brushes so I can press setting powder onto my skin rather than fluffier, larger powder brushes that dust it on as more of a veil.

Make Up For Ever #128, IT #307

• Make Up For Ever #128 Precision Face Brush ($52.00) is a large, paddle-shaped powder brush that has been my go-to since it was released a couple of years ago.  It has a little bit of floppiness (in a good way!) that makes it feel very lightweight on the skin but pat, sweep, and press powder evenly and smoothly across the planes of my face.
• IT Cosmetics #307 LBD Powder Brush ($48.00) is an incredibly smooth, velvety brush that is densely packed and moves seamlessly across the face.  It doubles as a buffing brush, too, as it has a slightly flatter, larger edge.  I like to press and tap my setting powders on my skin, rather than sweep them on, so the density of this one works well for my application style.

This is the last post in my series on my favorite eye brushes, and it covers the more miscellaneous brushes for brows, detail work, and the like. These are the brushes I typically rotate through each and every week like clockwork (though there are more I use in a week, but these are the ones I’ll use first!).

I would love to hear about the brushes you can’t live without for brows and detail work — share your picks in the comments!

Brows

For the last couple of years, I’ve been using brow gel/creams to fill my brows (like Anastasia Dipbrow), and I prefer a stiff, angled liner or brow brush that isn’t too thin nor too thick. For grooming my brows, I’ve had no trouble using various spoolie brushes, but after discovering Smith’s angled spoolie, there was no going back!

Smith 214, NARS 47, Zoeva #17, Smith 205

• Smith 214 Spoolie Brush ($16.00) is an angled, spoolie brush that is excellent for grooming brows into place while simultaneously softening the brow after it’s been filled in.
• NARS 47 Angled Eyeliner Brush ($28.00) is a thin, angled brush that’s firm and stiff but in the best of ways for a really controlled, precise application of brow color.  Mine is actually the 38, but NARS updated their brushes, and it’s now the 47 (I have both and there’s no difference in the brush head, just the handle).
• Zoeva 317 Wing Liner ($9.80) is a strong, angled brush with a firmer feel that has just enough give to move in fluid strokes for filling in brows.  I have a few of these (they’re in a lot of the limited edition sets), and they’re always in my weekly mix of brushes to clean.
• Smith 205 Angled Liner Brush ($) is a small-to-medium, angled brush that’s firm without being overly stiff or rough on the skin.  It’s narrow enough to yield more hair-like strokes but gets the job done quickly.

Details & Lash Line

If you’ve seen my looks, I love a good punch of color on my lower lash line, so it’ll come as no surprise that I have several picks for detail work, particularly the lower lash line. I use these brushes for depositing more intense, deeper color into my crease (typically after I’ve applied other shades) as well as for applying color and blending said color out on my lower lash line.

Urban Decay Smoky Smudger, Hakuhodo G5548, Hakuhodo B5520, Zoeva 230

• Urban Decay Smoky Smudger Brush (E208) ($24.00) is a small, rounded domed, synthetic brush that is excellent with powder and cream products for depositing color into the crease without losing opacity.  It also works well for diffusing and blending out areas for a very blown out, diffused look.
• Hakuhodo G5548 Eye Shadow Brush ($27.00) is a medium, tapered pencil brush that is exceptional for depositing color into the crease (I prefer to do this after I already have done some blending work with crease/transition shades) to darken the area.  It also works well on the lower lash line! It’s like the big sister to the B5520.
• Hakuhodo B5520 Eye Shadow Brush ($22.00) is a small, tapered pencil brush that comes to a more noticeable point at the edge, so it can deliver precise application.  I reach for this one for inner corner work as well as for when I want a very thin line of color underneath pencil eyeliner.
• Zoeva 230 Luxe Pencil Brush ($11.50) is small enough to be precise but fluffy and rounded enough to smudge and blend eyeshadow (or liner) on the lower lash line easily.  It’s not the softest of pencil brushes (though not rough/scratchy), which I find practical for smudging pencil liner in particular.

Lower Lash Line

The first brush is my go-to for applying liquid glittery eyeshadows (like Stila’s Glitter & Glows) to my lower lash line, usually on top of another powder. The other two brushes I find particularly useful for really blown out, diffused lower lash line work.

Urban Decay Tightline, Hakuhodo J5529, SUQQU Eyeshadow Brush M

• Urban Decay Tightline Brush (E213) ($22.00) is a flat, synthetic brush with a domed edge that is quite small, which makes it perfect for applying liquid and cream products to the lash line.  I tend to use it with liquid, glittery eyeshadows that function as top coats on top of my eyeliner or other eyeshadow.
• Hakuhodo J5529 Eye Shadow Brush ($17.00) is a thin, narrower crease brush that’s a bit shorter than the average tapered, crease brush that I’ve learned to love for blending and diffusing darker eyeshadows along the lower lash line for a supremely diffused gradient of color.  It has quite a bit of give, which I think works on the lower lash line but can be too much for use in the crease.
• SUQQU Eyeshadow Brush M (£48.00 / ¥8,000) is a small, tapered crease brush that I’ve found invaluable for diffusing matte eyeshadow underneath my lower lash line, especially along the outer portion of my lash line.  It also works well for depositing color into the crease and for more precise blending work around the crease area.  The big downside is (besides the price) availability, as it takes some legwork to get shipped to the US.

When it comes to applying cream eyeshadow, synthetic brushes are my go-to as creams as natural hair brushes can soak up liquid and creams too much and produce either sheer or streaky results (and creams tend to necessitate washing often, and synthetics can take the extra washing easily).  I find a flat, synthetic brush is necessary for all-over lid application; a fluffy, dome-shaped brush key for diffusing crease color and applying creams to the brow bone; and a dome-shaped, denser brush for depositing pigmented color into the crease.

I would love to hear about the brushes you can’t live without for applying cream eyeshadow — share your picks in the comments!

Applying Cream Eyeshadow to the Lid

When I’m using a cream eyeshadow on my lid, I consider whether I’m laying down a sheer wash of color (or that I’m applying it as a base for powder eyeshadow) or using it as a standalone lid shade.  Typically, for the latter, I’ll reach for a flat, synthetic brush, which will pickup product well, apply and pack the color on without diffusing the edges or reducing the intensity much.  For a sheer wash of color, a fluffier, dense, synthetic brush will work best for picking up a moderate amount of product but giving an airier application that makes for a good one-and-done all-over wash of color.

MAC 242, IT 212, IT 322

• MAC 242S Shader Brush ($25.00) is a flat, synthetic brush; works best for applying color all over the lid (a uni-tasker in my arsenal but one I keep multiples of on hand as it’s so good at what it does).
• IT Cosmetics Essential Concealer Brush (212) ($22.00) is a small-to-medium sized, fluffy dome-shaped brush that has moderate density and a tapered, diffusing edge that works well for applying sheer washes of color all over the lid, diffusing and blending out crease color, as well as for laying down and blending out color applied to the brow bone.
• IT Cosmetics All-Over Shadow Brush (322) ($26.00) is a medium-to-large sized, synthetic brush with a flat, dense shape that is good for applying color all-over to a larger area; it has a softer, more tapered edge compared to the MAC 242, so it can apply cream eyeshadows with more coverage but can also diffuse and sheer out cream eyeshadows.

Applying & Blending Cream Eyeshadow in the Crease

I’ve found that working with cream eyeshadows in the crease can be a little trickier, so I tend to apply as a two-step process with one brush to apply the color more precisely into the crease area with fuller coverage and then using a different, fluffier brush to diffuse and pull the color outward as necessary to get a subtle gradient.  For working with color above the crease and on the brow bone, I use the same, fluffier, dome-shaped brush that I use for blending in those areas.

Urban Decay Moondust, Urban Decay The Finger, Makeup Geek Pointed Crease, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Contour, Urban Decay Tapered Blending

• Urban Decay Moondust Brush (E210) ($24.00) is a small, dense synthetic brush with a fluffy, tapered edge that grabs eyeshadow well and can really pack it on while also having good movement and the ability to blend out edges without sheering out the eyeshadow too much.
• Urban Decay The Finger Brush (F110) ($26.00 is a large, dome-shaped synthetic brush that works beautifully for diffusing crease color (also fab underneath the eyes for concealer) when a really diffused, sheer edge is desired (it’s larger, so it won’t work as well for any precision work).
• Makeup Geek Pointed Crease Brush ($8.50) is a small, lightly fluffed, tapered crease brush with synthetic bristles that I love using for applying dense, more opaque color into the crease.  The tapered edge also can help to blend out edges, but I prefer something a little fluffier for that purpose and tend to use this solely for depositing initial color into my crease.
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Contour Brush (E211) ($22.00) is a medium-sized, domed-shape crease brush that fits well into the socket to lay down and blend out cream eyeshadow.  It’s particularly good for transition-type shades into the crease as well as the inner corner.
• Urban Decay Tapered Blending Brush (E209) ($24.00) is a small-to-medium-sized, tapered blending brush with synthetic bristles.  It has a more pointed edge that has a flattened tip, so that it can apply color more precisely into the deeper crease but will not leave behind a harsh streak of color.