Foundation & concealer brushes
Brushes for your foundation and concealer
Your base and your concealer belong together: it is the same step, just with a different amount of coverage in a different place. That is why you will find the brushes for both here, from a dense buffing brush for your whole face to a small tapered brush for your under eye area and single blemishes. What they have in common: they are all brushes for liquid and cream products, so dense and firm enough to buff product into your skin instead of pushing it across.
Which foundation brush suits your foundation?
The denser the bristles, the more coverage you get. If you work with a full coverage foundation and want to lay it down evenly and sharply, you want a brush with lots of firm bristles. If you use a light skin tint or a serum foundation, a slightly airier brush is nicer, because it spreads the product without pressing everything into the skin. Synthetic bristles are always the right choice here: they absorb little product, so you waste less.
Dense brush, flat brush or tapered brush?
A dense, round buffing brush is the all rounder: you work it in circles across your whole face for an airbrushed finish. A flat brush with a straight edge lays foundation down in stripes that you blend out afterwards, handy when you want a lot of coverage on a small area. A tapered brush with a point is meant for the places a big brush cannot reach: along your nose, in your inner corner and around your mouth.
Which concealer brush do you need?
With concealer, precision makes the difference, so those brushes are smaller. A small tapered brush with a point is the most versatile: you blend with the side and work your inner corner with the tip. A small flat brush with a straight edge places concealer precisely on a blemish without smudging around it, which makes it the best choice for spots. For your under eye area a slightly wider, soft brush is nicer, because you cover more surface in one motion.
How do you apply foundation with a brush?
Put a few dots of foundation on your face rather than all of it on the brush, that way you stay in control of the amount. Start in the middle of your face and work outwards in circles, so the most coverage sits where you need it. Build up in thin layers and let the brush get lighter towards your hairline and jawline, then you will not see a transition.
How do you blend concealer without streaks?
Place the concealer where you need it first and only blend afterwards, so do not spread it out straight away. Under your eyes, work in a triangle with the point facing down, and tap with the brush instead of sweeping so you do not lift the coverage back off. On a blemish, apply concealer with a flat brush right on the spot and then blend only the edge.
Brush or sponge?
A brush builds more coverage and works faster, a damp sponge gives a thinner, fresher layer and softens edges more. Plenty of people combine the two: spread the foundation with the brush and then go over it briefly with a damp sponge. For blemishes and the under eye area a brush is almost always the better choice, because that is where you want to keep coverage.
Setting concealer with powder
Under your eyes you want to set concealer with very little powder, because too much powder is exactly what brings out fine lines. Use a small, soft powder brush or a powder puff and press the powder in rather than sweeping. If you bake, lay a thicker layer of loose powder with a puff and sweep the excess away with a big fluffy brush.
How do you clean these brushes?
These are the brushes that get dirty fastest, because they work with liquid and cream formulas. Wash them once a week with lukewarm water and a brush cleanser or brush soap. Keep the bristles pointing down so no water gets into the metal ferrule, squeeze gently, reshape the bristles and let them dry upside down or lying flat. With a dense buffing brush a cleaning mat helps.
Shop your foundation and concealer brushes at Boozyshop
Looking for a new foundation brush, a tapered concealer brush or both? Discover the range at Boozyshop and filter by foundation or concealer. Order before 8 PM, shipped today. Not sure which shape suits your foundation? Our beauty experts are happy to help via chat or email.