You pull-in to the parking lot, throw your car in park and walk into that beautiful Sephora, Ulta or makeup counter with one goal in mind – a new blush brush. You walk up to the brush counter look down and all of a sudden your lost. There are numerous brushes in front of you varying just slightly in size, shape, texture and color. Still, few brushes are really ever intended for the same purpose or result. How can there be so many brushes? Which one is best for me or my product?

Your simple goal of a new blush brush has turned into a daunting task. Luckily, NYIB has you covered!

So, how do you know what the right brushes for the job are? How many brushes should you have? Which type of brush works best for which product?

# Rules of Thumb to Follow When Choosing the Proper Makeup Brushes

We could  make this article all about the “X number of brushes every makeup artist should have.” But the truth is, it’s going to be different for everyone and every application.

So instead, we’ll go over some general rules of thumb that you should follow when choosing brushes for professional makeup application.

#1 – There are hundreds of different brush types out there, but these are the main categories of brushes you will most likely accumulate in your kit:

  • Foundation
  • Concealer
  • Powder
  • Blush
  • Bronzer/Contouring
  • Highlighter
  • Eyeliner
  • Eye Smudger/ blender
  • Eyeshadow
  • Eyebrow
  • Lips

#2 – There are two main types of brush bristle fibers: natural and synthetic. As a rule, use natural fiber brushes with powders and synthetic fiber brushes with cream- or fluid-based makeup products.

#3 – Makeup application requires a practiced technique. Each product and brush must be handled differently (whether you are applying foundation or blending eyeshadow). It is important to remember to use a light touch and layer each product on.

#4 – Some brushes can be used for more than one job, but not all. For example, if you’re in a jam and don’t have a blush, bronzer, or highlighter brush, you can substitute your powder brush for all of these jobs. Just remember that before each application, you should properly clean your brush, and when applying different products, use the appropriate technique.

Learn More at Our “Brush Up Your Brush Strokes” Workshop!

You can learn even more about how to use the proper makeup brushes by attending our complimentary, three-hour, hands-on “Brush Up Your Brush Strokes” workshop at the New York Institute of Beauty.

In this workshop, you will learn about proper brush use, how to discern brush quality, how to properly clean and sanitize your brushes, the benefits of natural vs. synthetic brushes, and much more. All of these lessons are essential to mastering your craft as a makeup artist and accelerating your career. NYIB will be offering a 20% discount on all our Make-up Designory brushes that night if you need to stock up your kit!

The workshop will take place on July 18th from 6pm to 9pm. You may register via Eventbrite or call (631) 582-4737. We hope to see you there!