Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Make Up For Ever #128, SUQQU Cheek Brush, Wayne Goss Brush 12, Wayne Goss Brush 02, Chikuhodo Z-2, Chikuhodo Z-4, Chikuhodo Z-8.
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MAC 187 (for foundation), a fluffy angled kabuki from It Cosmetics that was part of a holiday set (for cream blushes), Real Techniques Expert Face brush. Real Techniques Blush brush.
Luxie 522 Tapered Highlighter brush (good for blush too!), e.l.f. Studio Angled Blush Brush (great for contouring) , Studio Small Stipple brush (perfect for Colourpop bright blushes) and their Studio Blush brush isn’t bad either, a kabuki brush that I bought at Ross last a few years ago that wasn’t all that cheap, but I (stupidly) threw out its packaging! It’s so soft, fluffy and durable, but I can’t remember who made it and no writing that I can find?
I love Sephora’s Pro Visionary powder brush #121 – it’s kind of like a paddle so I can use one side for perfect highlighter and one side for perfect bronzer in one go (double-sided, essentially) and it’s great for blending. Bummer that Sephora doesn’t ship that one to Canada anymore (for whatever reason) but I’ve never seen another brush like it and highly recommend it!
There’s also a Kat Von D foundation brush that’s a more dense, synthetic paddle brush (like a cat’s tongue) that I love using to apply Diffused Light under my eyes and on my cheekbones in a “packing” type motion, and then flip it around and use it for a more pigmented highlighter, with the same press/packing method. It came from an older brush set of hers that was awesome, no idea why they don’t still sell it!
WG 1 (cream blush), WG 2 (highlight), Sephora Pro 57 (cream contour), WG 13 (temples, chin line powder contour), WG 14 (pigmented powder blush), CK Noel Blush Brush (hard-packed powder blush) CK Z4 (all other powder blushes), CK Z9 (finishing powder), and Echo slanted kabuki (setting powder). I stick to my BB for foundation, and BB minis for concealer and color correcting.
I really want to get WG 14! It has been out of stock on Beautylish for ages. Once it’s back, it’s mine! ?
You’ll absolutely love it! I’m not surprised it’s sold out. It’s really versatile and perfect for targeted application and/or very pigmented powder products. I want another one!
I love this brush! I have two…..? Wayne Goss has beautiful brushes…..
Sigma F80, Sigma E25, Sigma E40, MAC 242, Sigma F86, Sigma F35
Still looking for a good contour brush! Need one that’s fluffy and smaller and less dense than regular angled contour brushes if anyone has suggestions!
The WG #2 is excellent for powder contouring. Pointed tip allows for controlled application, and lightly buffing in small circles makes blending a breeze. It’s also a great highlighting brush. Excellent quality for the money!
Hey, there is a brush made by rite aid (it’s renewal line) believe it or not that fits the description of what you’re looking for. I was very impressed by the quality of their brushes lol Hope it’s what you were looking for 🙂
I wish I could boast the expensive Japanese brushes or the designer ones (or at least have some experience in using them), but all I own is quite a few Real Techniques brushes and a couple of Sephora Collection brushes (which I got on sale). And you know what? I am really satisfied with them, maybe that contributes to me not lasting over MAC or even more expensive brushes 🙂
Of what I have, I would definitely say that the 5-piece Deluxe set from RT is quite a good buy, I like how all of the brushes from it perform (does anyone else? Please let me know), the stippling brush, the buffing brush and the setting brush from RT are also must haves.
From Sephora Collection I reeeeally enjoy the #43 Bronzer brush and #45 mineral powder brush. Easily recommend.
I love Real Techniques brushes. Very soft, perform nicely, wash well and don’t shed. Nice variety in their face brushes. I wish they had a bigger line of eye brushes, I’d buy them all.
Totally agree with you! They are good, affordable brushes that perform very well. With the eye sets they have I feel like I will only be using 2-3 at the most, so I still haven’t bought any. Loving the blending brush from the Deluxe set though 🙂
I agree! I bought three of the starter sets, plus the Collectors Edition Eyelining Set, and they’re all fantastic.
I like my e.l.f., eco-Tools and Real Techniques brushes better than the few I own from MAC.
A beauty blender, Sephoras blush brush and a bronzer 54.5, I think, and a soft brush for highlights. I use a very fluffy loose powder brush for a light setting. Sorry, can’t give brush numbers bc they don’t remain in my brain any more. Sephora is the main brand though.
Shiseido’ foundation brush (it long ago replaced the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and Stippling Brush as my fave for foundation/BB/CC creams), Real Techniques Contouring and Multi-Tasker and then 2 un-named/un-numbered and really old brushes from PUR MInerals – one a powder brush and the other an angled blush brush. I should probably replace both with newer, better brushes but I don’t know where to start….
I barely use face brushes… But three of my favorites are the Real Techniques Powder Brush, the tapered blush brush from Stelicious and the Beauty Blender (if that counts as a ‘brush’).
Real Techniques stippuling brush. Elf dome blush brush
Real Techniques Blush Brush, Wayne Goss 12, Wayne Goss 02
Again, same as the eye brushes, I’m very minimalistic when it comes to face brushes. Less is more…or I’m simply lazy, you choose!
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
MAC 224 (an eye brush but I use it for buffing out concealer)
MAC 169 (was LE I think – full-size contour brush that I use for blush)
SUQQU cheek brush (sooooo soft!)
Eco Tools powder brush
Eco Tools retractable kabuki brush
I think that’s it. I don’t really use anything else!
i luv my POMI by Lyric brushes
Marc Jacobs’ foundation brush was the bomb until it started falling apart! Possibly still worth the money anyway (lasted 12-18months ish)
Yikes! How is it falling apart? Mine is holding up fine for the same length of time, but I don’t use it every day. I prefer BBs, but I also use this brush, too. Too expensive to last only a year. I’d be really disappointed!
I always washed it carefully and made sure water isn’t left in the ferrule when drying, but I think because it’s so dense and I tend to “push” the water and shampoo out as I wash it maybe I was too aggressive. I’ve read reviews that this is pretty common with this brush that eventually it just sheds like a dog in summer
I don’t know what soap you’re using, but I always recommend Shea Butter African Black Soap. It’s a huge black solid bar that lasts forever, and is only about $6 at Target. I just keep gently swirling the brush over the bar — over and over — thoroughly blackening the bristles. It breaks down the bad stuff — foundation and sunscreen — better than anything I’ve ever used. All natural. Easy to rinse clean. Also, great for natural hair brushes!!! Just a tip that for $6 is worth a try. Plus, I always use brush guards to dry — my Walmart has those.
I tried a different brand of African Black Soap and I didn’t like it because it left a white residue on my hand and I could feel a residue on my brushes too. That has made me leery to try any other bar soaps so I’ve gone back to using shampoo to clean my brushes. Does the Shea Moisture soap leave a residue like that?
No, mine does not. Not at all. No residue. Needs less rinsing than other soaps — by far. But, I do thoroughly rinse. I love this stuff.
Is it the #1? Or #2? Or #3? I have the #2. It’s great for stippling (rather than buffing).
I have the 2 also
The only face brush I’m really attached to is the Real Techniques blush brush. I have three but I could use more lol.
In general I find the RT brushes to be pretty good/ okay, but the blush brush is awesome! I only have one but I am think of getting a second and marking it somehow (sticker? paint? Sharpie?) so it would be my designated bronzer brush. I wish they would release LE handle colors or patterns for summer, that would be perfect!
I like it for bronzer. I have one for cool toned blushes, one for warm blushes, and one for nude/brownish blushes and bronzer.
Tip the end with some nail polish.
First and foremost, my e.l.f. Ultimate Blending Brushes-I bought the first on a whim, and then grabbed 2 more. It’s a real multi-tasking workhorse, and works with all powder products, and every foundation I’ve tried it with (from Maybelline Fit Me! to Kat von D Lock-It to Revlon ColorStay). It also dries in under 2 hours. These have replaced my RT Expert Face Brushes, which didn’t quite play well with my thinner, sheerer foundations.
I love the EcoTools BB Cream Brush for undereye concealer, Essence of Beauty Angled Blush & Accent Brushes for contour/highlight powders (I also have the double-ended version for travel), and the e.l.f. Angled Foundation Brush for laying down cream/liquid contour.
The RT Blush, Powder, & Multi-Tasker brushes also deserve a mention. Although I use the e.l.f. UBB for daily use, these are 3 I always reach for when I do a more “structured” look, and use more products.
The Expert Face Brush, Powder Brush and Setting Brush from Real Techniques!
Bobbi Brown full coverage face brush, BB face blender brush, Charlotte Tilbury powder & sculpt brush, Wayne Goss #2, #13, #00/Holiday & my fave WG fan brush, MAC 137 brush.
I use the e.l.f. total face brush (white handle) for setting powder, sometimes bronzer, and for getting rid of fall out under my eyes. I use the e.l.f. angled blush brush (black handle/studio) for my contour, bronzer and blush. I also sometimes use it for highlight and setting my under eye area when my other brushes are dirty or when I’m being lazy. For my foundation I use my beauty blender, real techniques buffing brush, or my up & up complexion brush from Target. I actually really like some of the Target up & up brand brushes and I think they are really underrated! For setting my under eye area, for contour, sometimes bronzing and for highlighting, I use my real techniques contour brush. Both the RT contour and buffing brushes are from the core set with the yellowish/orangey handles.
There are some more RT, e.l.f. and up & up brushes I want to try out. I would also really like to try Zoeva brand, Sigma, and Morphe. I’ve heard hit and miss things about some of the Morphe brand brushes so I am a little reluctant to try them.
I also wish Kat Von D would start coming out with more brushes, especially ones that are not double ended. I have an eye brush set from a couple years back that’s from her line and I’ve really enjoyed them. They were the first makeup brushes I ever bought/used! I’ve heard things about her double ended brushes that are out right now though.
From what I saw of Kat con D’s Summer releases, there are going to be several new brushes, none double-ended.
Ah! that makes me so happy! haha
Man…thank goodness for these questions because all my face brushes are pretty…. bad… (no idea where to go from lol)
* the It Cosmetics liquid foundation brush that’s slightly angled with a flat top (I loathe paddle-style foundation brushes.)
* a fluffy Real Techniques blush brush
* the double-sided UD Naked face brush with an angled end that can be used for contouring or blush, and a flat-topped brush on the other end that I use for highlighting
* sometimes, my ELF concealer brush
I don’t think I have any. I like all the Armani, RT, and Tarte brushes I have. I think the closest to must have is the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. Chanel has a duo fiber that I really like but don’t own.
The Real Techniques Buffing Brush works for a variety of different purposes and products. The Real Techniques Contour Brush great for of course contouring and also highlighting.
For me, #1 would be the Real Techniques Blush Brush. It picks up just the right amount of product to suit my fair skin, and blends out blushes really nicely. Coastal Scents BR-C-N41 Classic Flat Tipped Shadow Natural for contouring my nose. For loose mineral powder foundation, my old bareMinerals Flat Top Kabuki brush, which they don’t sell any more. I need to find a good replacement, because mine is dying. The rest are e.l.f.: Ultimate Blending Blush for cream and liquid foundations; Small Stipple Brush for cream blushes (especially ColourPop); e.l.f. Contouring Brush; Angled Blush Brush for highlighting; and Kabuki Face Brush for setting powders.
My latest loves are the Artis dupes – I got all $10 brushes for <$10 off eBay and loved them so much I got a second set. They are a pain to clean but so worth it with the smooth application.
SUQQU Cheek brush, MAC 137 (so good for bronzing and powdering), MAC 159 and LAURA MERCIER Fan Powder brush for highlighters, LOUISE YOUNG LY34 Super Foundation brush, R.T Expert Face brush, SHISEIDO Perfect Foundation brush, BOBBI BROWN Powder brush, Bronzer brush.
The only one I use regularly is a Face brush from bare Minerals to take way Any powder which is too much.
Wayne Goss #00/Holiday brush for powder, WG #02 for highlight, BB blush brush, Beauty Blender and Zoeva Face Shape or buffer brush for foundation, WG and Zoeva brushes for eyeshadow, Mac 188 duo fibre brush for pigmented blush/highlighter, sometimes Mac 168 for bronzer
MAC 217 for blending eyeshadow and Economy Tools Eyeshadow brushes. One Eco Tool product comes as a set of two with different brushes on each end and the other is just a plain eyeshadow brush. I can do anything I need to do with these brushes.
What I’d like to know is what do you think is the best product to highlight the inner eye with a white or whitish color?
Try a small paddle brush and use the side of it (not the flat paddle part) for controlled application.
Thanks.
I’m assuming your question was about brushes.
Mac shroom eyeshadow with Mac 119 brush. Also perfect for highlighting under eyebrows.
MAC 128 for blush, Sigma tapered face brush for highlight, BareEscentuals Max Coverage Concealer brush (love, love, love it and don’t know what I’d do without it), and Marc Jacobs no. 12 for bronzer and powder.
Sonia Kashuk’s Synthetic Flat top multipurpose brush. This is amazing for cream foundations and/or cream blush. It also works well for liquid foundation but I found it gives me a perfect airbrushed finish when I used it with Laura Mercier Silk Crème foundation.
Sigma f80 or zoeva 102 brush for foundation/ bb/cc cream to even it out; and mac blush brush for blush as well as powder.
Real Techniques Powder Brush love it for my Bobbi Brown face powder. Sigma Flat Kabuki F80 for foundation gives better coverage than my wonderful Beauty Blender. My lovely Beauty Blender sheers out my foundation too much though I still love it for foundation at times and always for applying concealer. Real Techniques Bold Metals 100 Arched Powder brush which I actually use for blush. Love that it’s round with a slight point but flat so I can use one side for darker colors and the other side for light colors to sheer out the blush. Even though looks are deceiving on this brush and it looks SO soft and puffy it’s really not that soft which now I like as it can pick up more stubborn blushes. Lol! My BH cosmetics blending brush “for now”. Great for now until I can find and afford my dream blending brush. ? And my Morphe B42 bullet crease brush, perfection for the outer corner and crease of eyes.
I have a Face Value powder brush which I use for powder, to diffuse blush and to apply contour and bronzer. If I am without this particular brush I am lost.
I have the Real Techniques angled blush brush and the larger face brush for setting powders.
Oh, great! Thanks for the tip. Hoping for a trip to MAC next week.
I’m not sure what I did before I got Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea double-ended foundation brush. It’s amazingly good.
All of the face brushes I use regularly are actually from the Elf Studio Line, with the exception of The Handi from Jane Iredale (for powder)! I use the Elf ‘powder’ brush for liquid foundation, the ‘angled blush brush’ for contour, and their fan brush or blush brush for highlighting. I love them.