A couple of weeks ago I showed you my makeup essentials, those basic product I use in almost every single makeup look. I also have essential makeup brushes that I reach for everyday as well - and you may have noticed that: I always list all the brushes I use to achieve my makeup looks, and many of them are always the same - although I have a ton of brushes to choose from!
So I thought I could do another essential episode, focusing on brushes only this time - and that's exactly what I'm going to do today! I'm going to show you all of my favourite and most used brushes - face, eye, lip... Every kind of brush that it's irreplaceable for me!
Let's start with Spectrum Collections' ones, since my stash consist for the most part of their brushes! Which makes sense, since they create the most mermazing brushes ever ;D And you already know how much I am fond of their brushes, I'm sure! They're the softer brushes ever, work excellently, the quality is stellar - plus each set features an unique style/design that makes them absolutely irresistible.
(Click on each picture to enlarge!)
BombShell Set: comparisons ~ review
Siren Set: comparisons ~ review
Glam Clam Set: comparisons ~ review
Face Brushes
Almost all of my favourite face brushes are by Spectrum. A00* Luxe Powder and A01 Domed Powder (respectively from the BombShell Set* and the Glam Clam set) are my most used powder brushes: A01 is fluffier, less dense - perfect for lighter applications. On the other end, A00* is way denser, thus allows "stronger" applications - but I also love to use it as a big all over brush. (This brush is not sold individually as of now!). Long story short, I switch between them basing on my daily needs!
B01 Buffing Foundation (this one is from the Siren Set) is currently my favourite flat foundation brush, especially this one. It's so soft, of course, but most importantly is big and dense just to the right point. I always use it paired with my mineral foundations - so a powdery product, works just fine nevertheless. Gives a nice coverage, blends the powder evenly - the result is flawless.
Contouring is my Achille's heel, I don't do that very often - but when I try to contour my face, I always use C02 Flat Contour to apply the dark contour shade. It's specifically designed for this purpose - and I found it very useful and easy to use for beginners like me, too.
C03* Tulip Powder (from the BombShell Set again): the only tulip-shaped brush I own, and I love it. I use it mostly to apply powders in small areas or to remove any fallout from my under eye/cheeks. Its barely-there point is perfect for these purposes. Sometimes I even use it to apply blushes!
B03 Precision Buffer is my go-to concealer brush: I've used flat concealer brushes in the past, but I'm way happier with this one. Basically because it applies and blends the product at the same time - life saver, especially when you're in a big hurry!
B05 Luxe Blender (another unique, not sold individually brush from the BombShell Set) is my favourite highlighter brush ever. Its size, shape and packed bristles allows to achieve a glowing look - even with less pigmented powders. Irreplaceable to say the least! (Plus is the only one I own XD)
Eye/Lip Brushes
A06 Large Fluffy Shader is my brow bone shader brush. It's big and fluffy and I always - always - use it to apply my favourite brow bone colour (Antique White by NABLA Cosmetics). While I'm at it, I usually use it to blend some more the crease/transition shade. This one from the Siren Set is undoubtedly my favourite of all the A06 I own (and I own three of them!).
B06 Tall Tapered Blender - I have many blending brushes now but this particular one from the Siren Set holds a special place in my heart ♥ It blends wonderfully and easily too, it's one of the best blenders ever.
A07* Colour Applicator (previously known as Stubby Shader), supposedly an application brush - but I don't like it for that purpose. It's too thick and dense, not my ideal eyeshadow brush. BUT, I like to use it for my lower lid shades, both to apply and blend eyeshadows. Being quite big, it allows really quick and easy applications/blendings - and it's shape makes it perfect for the lower lid area.
A12* Fluffy Pencil - two of them, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set respectively. I included them both because, even though they're basically the same type of brush, they're quite different to each other. Marbleous one is fluffy and pointy, while the BombShell one is denser and rounded-to-flat. They feel like two different brushes, actually. I use them really a lot and equally love them. The first is more precise - thanks to the point - while the latter allows to build up the shade better - being more packed. They both can be used as some kind of small sized blending brushes, too.
A13* Short Smudge - two of them once again, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set. This time they're quite alike - the only difference being that the Marbleous one is slightly firmer, while the BombShell one is softer and more flexible. Both of them are fundamental for lower lid/lower lashline applications. The size and shape it's perfect to work in that tiny area - they're, like, the little brother of the A07 XD
A17 Angled Brow aka one of my brow brush. I actually use two different brush to do my brows - I use this one for the first half of my brows, to fill them in and blend the gel at the very beginning. I'll show you later the brush I use to draw the shape.
A15* Lip Liner, my three lip brushes in charge (from the Glam Clam, Siren and BombShell* sets). They're all different - the Siren Set one is the smallest while the BombShell one is the bigger and wider - but they're all equally useful and efficient. Must have, them three. Most of the time, I also use them on my eyes as small detailing brushes. Their size and firmness makes them just perfect for the lips and the eyes as well.
Moving to another brand, here are my MAC Cosmetics essential brushes. I have four in total, but only three of them are a must have for me (and I'll tell you why the fourth is not).
239 and 213 are my favourite eyeshadow brushes ever. Those are the kind of eyeshadow brush I prefer and find efficient the most. They're flat, thin, dense but not too packed. (239 is actually quite fluffy!)
239 is pretty famous - while 213 is less known and probably even underrated... But it's amazing! My friend Misato recommended it and I'm glad I followed her advice.
Overall, those two are holy-grail material.
217 is a well-known blending brush - must say, it's really really good. Kind of drop shaped, it's super fluffy and light - and allows flawless, effortless blendings. It was game-changing to say the least. Most of the time I use it for my transition shade application/blending and/or to improve any pre-existing blending. This cutie never fails!
(The one I didn't include is 224. It's a good blender, mind you... But I can't stand the fact that, after more than 6 months, he keeps on loosing bristles - or pieces of bristles every. single. day -_-" I mean, seriously, it stresses me out. I cannot excuse that, especially with a brush with an high price point!)
I own just a handful of Real Techniques brushes - most of them are eye brushes from their Starter Set. I bought it years ago and, to be honest, I don't use it anymore... I haven't used it for at least two years now. But, one of those brushes "survived" and not only I still use it, but I reach for it everyday. It's the tiny Accent Brush and I always use it to apply a black shadow (usually Nocturne by NABLA) on the lashline. Being so small it reaches the smallest areas so easily - thus it's good for smaller details too. (In case you're wondering, nope, I don't recommend the Starter Set)
Another must have from this brush is the Blush Brush, one of their most famous brushes I'd say. It's shape it's really interesting: not tulip-like (no point), it's more like a big, rounded drop. And it's sooo soft *_* It picks up the right amount of powder and applies it evenly, effortlessly, newbie/clumsy-proof! This is the brush I rely the most (almost exclusively) on for blush application.
Lastly, two of my oldest brushes, discontinued a looong time ago (like, three or four years ago).
The angled one is my other brow brush: being so thin and sharp it allows me to draw the brow shape with extreme precision. I use this one especially on the tail of the brows, both to outline it and to fill it in. It was supposed to be an eyeliner brush, but for that purpose I prefer another kind of brush - the other one showed in the picture. No angled bristles, just a teeny tiny fine point. The finer the better! It's perfect for both classical, winged liner and for more graphic, crazy liner style. I couldn't do elaborate lines with an angled brush! I need to find a new one (Spectrum luckly has one fine brush in the individual range), not to replace this one mind you - I simply could use another brush like this... Especially if I'm using two different liner colour and thus, having just one brush, I need to switch colours, cleaning the brush each time, and doing this back-and-forth until I'm done... The struggle XD
So I thought I could do another essential episode, focusing on brushes only this time - and that's exactly what I'm going to do today! I'm going to show you all of my favourite and most used brushes - face, eye, lip... Every kind of brush that it's irreplaceable for me!
All my favourite dinglehoppers in my favourite holder ;D My personal mermaid treasure ♥
Let's start with Spectrum Collections' ones, since my stash consist for the most part of their brushes! Which makes sense, since they create the most mermazing brushes ever ;D And you already know how much I am fond of their brushes, I'm sure! They're the softer brushes ever, work excellently, the quality is stellar - plus each set features an unique style/design that makes them absolutely irresistible.(Click on each picture to enlarge!)
BombShell Set: comparisons ~ review
Siren Set: comparisons ~ review
Glam Clam Set: comparisons ~ review
Face Brushes
Almost all of my favourite face brushes are by Spectrum. A00* Luxe Powder and A01 Domed Powder (respectively from the BombShell Set* and the Glam Clam set) are my most used powder brushes: A01 is fluffier, less dense - perfect for lighter applications. On the other end, A00* is way denser, thus allows "stronger" applications - but I also love to use it as a big all over brush. (This brush is not sold individually as of now!). Long story short, I switch between them basing on my daily needs!
B01 Buffing Foundation (this one is from the Siren Set) is currently my favourite flat foundation brush, especially this one. It's so soft, of course, but most importantly is big and dense just to the right point. I always use it paired with my mineral foundations - so a powdery product, works just fine nevertheless. Gives a nice coverage, blends the powder evenly - the result is flawless.
Contouring is my Achille's heel, I don't do that very often - but when I try to contour my face, I always use C02 Flat Contour to apply the dark contour shade. It's specifically designed for this purpose - and I found it very useful and easy to use for beginners like me, too.
C03* Tulip Powder (from the BombShell Set again): the only tulip-shaped brush I own, and I love it. I use it mostly to apply powders in small areas or to remove any fallout from my under eye/cheeks. Its barely-there point is perfect for these purposes. Sometimes I even use it to apply blushes!
B03 Precision Buffer is my go-to concealer brush: I've used flat concealer brushes in the past, but I'm way happier with this one. Basically because it applies and blends the product at the same time - life saver, especially when you're in a big hurry!
B05 Luxe Blender (another unique, not sold individually brush from the BombShell Set) is my favourite highlighter brush ever. Its size, shape and packed bristles allows to achieve a glowing look - even with less pigmented powders. Irreplaceable to say the least! (Plus is the only one I own XD)
Eye/Lip BrushesA06 Large Fluffy Shader is my brow bone shader brush. It's big and fluffy and I always - always - use it to apply my favourite brow bone colour (Antique White by NABLA Cosmetics). While I'm at it, I usually use it to blend some more the crease/transition shade. This one from the Siren Set is undoubtedly my favourite of all the A06 I own (and I own three of them!).
B06 Tall Tapered Blender - I have many blending brushes now but this particular one from the Siren Set holds a special place in my heart ♥ It blends wonderfully and easily too, it's one of the best blenders ever.
A07* Colour Applicator (previously known as Stubby Shader), supposedly an application brush - but I don't like it for that purpose. It's too thick and dense, not my ideal eyeshadow brush. BUT, I like to use it for my lower lid shades, both to apply and blend eyeshadows. Being quite big, it allows really quick and easy applications/blendings - and it's shape makes it perfect for the lower lid area.
A12* Fluffy Pencil - two of them, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set respectively. I included them both because, even though they're basically the same type of brush, they're quite different to each other. Marbleous one is fluffy and pointy, while the BombShell one is denser and rounded-to-flat. They feel like two different brushes, actually. I use them really a lot and equally love them. The first is more precise - thanks to the point - while the latter allows to build up the shade better - being more packed. They both can be used as some kind of small sized blending brushes, too.
A13* Short Smudge - two of them once again, from the Marbleous Set and the BomShell Set. This time they're quite alike - the only difference being that the Marbleous one is slightly firmer, while the BombShell one is softer and more flexible. Both of them are fundamental for lower lid/lower lashline applications. The size and shape it's perfect to work in that tiny area - they're, like, the little brother of the A07 XD
A17 Angled Brow aka one of my brow brush. I actually use two different brush to do my brows - I use this one for the first half of my brows, to fill them in and blend the gel at the very beginning. I'll show you later the brush I use to draw the shape.
A15* Lip Liner, my three lip brushes in charge (from the Glam Clam, Siren and BombShell* sets). They're all different - the Siren Set one is the smallest while the BombShell one is the bigger and wider - but they're all equally useful and efficient. Must have, them three. Most of the time, I also use them on my eyes as small detailing brushes. Their size and firmness makes them just perfect for the lips and the eyes as well.
Moving to another brand, here are my MAC Cosmetics essential brushes. I have four in total, but only three of them are a must have for me (and I'll tell you why the fourth is not).239 and 213 are my favourite eyeshadow brushes ever. Those are the kind of eyeshadow brush I prefer and find efficient the most. They're flat, thin, dense but not too packed. (239 is actually quite fluffy!)
239 is pretty famous - while 213 is less known and probably even underrated... But it's amazing! My friend Misato recommended it and I'm glad I followed her advice.
Overall, those two are holy-grail material.
217 is a well-known blending brush - must say, it's really really good. Kind of drop shaped, it's super fluffy and light - and allows flawless, effortless blendings. It was game-changing to say the least. Most of the time I use it for my transition shade application/blending and/or to improve any pre-existing blending. This cutie never fails!
(The one I didn't include is 224. It's a good blender, mind you... But I can't stand the fact that, after more than 6 months, he keeps on loosing bristles - or pieces of bristles every. single. day -_-" I mean, seriously, it stresses me out. I cannot excuse that, especially with a brush with an high price point!)
I own just a handful of Real Techniques brushes - most of them are eye brushes from their Starter Set. I bought it years ago and, to be honest, I don't use it anymore... I haven't used it for at least two years now. But, one of those brushes "survived" and not only I still use it, but I reach for it everyday. It's the tiny Accent Brush and I always use it to apply a black shadow (usually Nocturne by NABLA) on the lashline. Being so small it reaches the smallest areas so easily - thus it's good for smaller details too. (In case you're wondering, nope, I don't recommend the Starter Set)Another must have from this brush is the Blush Brush, one of their most famous brushes I'd say. It's shape it's really interesting: not tulip-like (no point), it's more like a big, rounded drop. And it's sooo soft *_* It picks up the right amount of powder and applies it evenly, effortlessly, newbie/clumsy-proof! This is the brush I rely the most (almost exclusively) on for blush application.
Lastly, two of my oldest brushes, discontinued a looong time ago (like, three or four years ago). The angled one is my other brow brush: being so thin and sharp it allows me to draw the brow shape with extreme precision. I use this one especially on the tail of the brows, both to outline it and to fill it in. It was supposed to be an eyeliner brush, but for that purpose I prefer another kind of brush - the other one showed in the picture. No angled bristles, just a teeny tiny fine point. The finer the better! It's perfect for both classical, winged liner and for more graphic, crazy liner style. I couldn't do elaborate lines with an angled brush! I need to find a new one (Spectrum luckly has one fine brush in the individual range), not to replace this one mind you - I simply could use another brush like this... Especially if I'm using two different liner colour and thus, having just one brush, I need to switch colours, cleaning the brush each time, and doing this back-and-forth until I'm done... The struggle XD
Hope you find this post useful :D
What are your most used, irreplaceable makeup brushes?
Mermaid kisses and starfish wishes ♥
*Disclaimer: Starred products are press samples, sent by respective brands for me to test and review.
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