Foundation & concealer brushes
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 under your eyes and individual spots. What they have in common: they are all brushes for liquid and cream products, so dense and firm enough to buff product into the skin instead of pushing it across.
Brushes for your foundation and concealer
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 smoothly, you want a brush with plenty 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 soak up little product, so you waste less foundation.
Dense, flat or tapered brush?
A dense, round buffing brush is the all rounder: you work it in circles over your whole face for an airbrushed finish. A flat brush with a straight edge lays foundation down in stripes that you then blend out, handy when you want a lot of coverage on a small area. A tapered brush with a point is meant for the places a large brush cannot reach: along your nose, in the inner corner of your eye 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 the inner corner with the tip. A small flat brush with a straight edge places concealer precisely on a spot without smearing around it, and that is the best choice for blemishes. For your under eye area a slightly wider, soft brush is nicer, because you can blend a larger surface there in one movement.
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 keep control over the amount. Start in the centre 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 jaw, 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 it afterwards, so do not drag 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 take the coverage away. On a blemish, apply concealer with a flat brush exactly on the spot, then blend only the edge away.
When should you reach for a sponge instead?
A brush builds more coverage and works faster, while a damp make-up sponge gives a thinner, fresher layer and softens edges more gently. If you want a light, skin like base on a day when you need little coverage, the sponge is the better choice. For blemishes and the area under your eyes the brush wins, because you want to keep coverage there instead of tapping it away.
Setting concealer with powder
Concealer under your eyes wants setting with very little powder, because too much powder pulls the fine lines forward. Use a small, soft powder brush or a powder puff for that and press the powder in instead of sweeping. If you bake your under eye area, lay a thicker layer of loose powder with a puff and sweep the excess away with a large 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 moisture gets into the metal ferrule, squeeze gently, reshape the bristles and let them dry upside down or flat. With a dense buffing brush a cleansing mat helps to get the product out of the bristles.
Shop your foundation and concealer brushes at Boozyshop
Looking for a new foundation brush, a tapered concealer brush or both at once? Discover the range at Boozyshop, or head back to all make-up brushes. Order before 8 PM, shipped today. With every order you pick your own free gift at checkout. Not sure which shape suits your foundation? Our beauty experts are happy to help via chat or email.