Buy Makeup Brushes Online Guide
By BethanyGM
BethanyGM
Want to buy makeup brushes online? It can be confusing trying to figure out which makeup brush to buy. There are foundation brushes, blush brushes, eyeliner brushes, lip gloss brushes, and more! In this article, I review my favorite brushes and brands of brushes for each type of makeup, list the pros and cons of each, and tell you where you can buy each brush!
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Stila #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush
As I've mentioned in my other articles, Stila was the first brand of department store makeup that I tried. They won me over at the counter (unfortunately, Stila can usually be found only online now). I bought this eyeliner brush when I bought my Stila smudge pot. That was in 2004. I still have the brush. Yes, really. Almost all the writing is faded off, but it is made with real animal hair and none of the bristles have fallen out in 5 years. I think I originally paid $24.00 for the brush. It is now cheaper on Amazon, but I feel like I've certainly got my money's worth! The brush is not too thin and not too thick. I think the shape is perfect, and I really don't think I need to recommend any brush but this one for gel eyeliner.
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Stila #28 smudge pot brush
So, I recommend the above brush, but if you really would feel more comfortable having a thick brush and a super thin one for the gel eyeliner, Stila does sell a dual smudge pot brush. I know the quality is good, so I can recommend this even though I like the #4 better.
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MAC #168 Large Angled Contour Blush Brush
This is the brush I currently use to apply my blush. It is awesome because it is contoured, unlike a lot of blush brushes. You can take a darker shade of blush, put a small bit along one edge of the brush, and apply it below your cheekbones and elsewhere in order to "shape" your face. Then you put the lighter blush color on the puffy part of the brush and apply it on the apples of your cheeks. Then you blend. It works really well. The only downside is that the brush occasionally sheds. However, I have had it for almost two years, though, so compared to those really cheap brushes in the drugstore it is doing extremely well. (Also, sometimes brushes made with artificial hair shed a bit more than the ones made with natural hair, so consider that when buying). Overall I definitely recommend this, particularly if you want to do shading and blending with your makeup.
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Dior Dior Foundation Brush
I bought this brush when I tried on some Christian Dior foundation and mascara. After using the foundation for a few weeks I decided it was way too cakey, but the brush is awesome! (As is the mascara, see my mascara article!) I generally put on my primer and shimmer first with the brush, and then I pour a little bit of my foundation either right on the brush or in the lid of the foundation and get it that way. Then I put a few dots on my face and start brushing it outward. I just use any kind of sweeping motion until I get it how I want it. Sometimes I even buff it with my buffing /shimmer brush (see below.) My only cautionary advice is that you need to keep it clean! I generally wash it out with makeup brush cleanser or a little soap and water before I use it. And I use it wet, which is no problem. If you don't clean it you run the risk of causing yourself to break out if there is bacteria on the brush.
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Bare Escentuals Full Coverage Kabuki Brush
My sister doesn't know this, but she actually left this brush at my house the last time she visited Hawaii. I had been using a smaller, firmer brush, but I have been using this one since she so kindly left it in my bathroom. ;) It is perfect for buffing my face after I apply my foundation, and I also like to dip it in my MAC shimmer and apply the shimmer to my cheekbones, chest and shoulders when I go out. I think you can also use it with a loose bronzer for a sun-kissed look. A more stiff brush just wouldn't do the trick here, so I highly recommend this one. I noticed a few reviewers on Amazon said they had a bit of shedding with this brush. I haven't noticed anything and I've had it for a few months.
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MAC # 239 Eye Shadow Brush
This brush is great for use with the MAC paint pot (which is a primer for your eyeshadow and is reviewed in my Primer article), or with base color eye shadow. This is a very sturdy brush, as I haven't lost any bristles yet from it. I really like this brush. If you are using it with a cream based eyeshadow, make sure to keep it clean!
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Sephora Brand Professional Blending Eye Brush #29
This brush is perfect for putting eyeshadow in the crease of your eyelid. You must have a brush like this if you are going to create any sort of smokey look. You start on the outer corner of your eyelids and you rotate upward slowly around your crease in order to apply shadow with this eye shadow brush. You can also use this same brush to blend your eye shadow. I use this and my #4 Stila Brush almost more than any other brushes because my favorite makeup to apply is my eye makeup!
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