Have you gone make up brush shopping? The amount of types, sizes and brands of brushes can cause confusion to those who aren’t make up artists. During my beauty advisor days the most commonly asked questions about brushes was, “What brushes do I need for everyday make up?” and people who did their research would either ask for a specific kind/brand of brush or “is this a synthetic brush or is it made with real badger/goat/horse hair?”

To start off invest in these five essential make up brushes to create your everyday looks:

Powder brush

Your powder brush is your go to superwoman/man brush. This is the brush you take when you can ONLY take 1 brush with you. You can use it for powder (obvi), blush and bronzer. Only downfall to it’s multi-purpose function is that you need to clean this brush a lot more if you’re using colour on it. You also might be replacing this brush more often. Why? Well, to use it for blush or contouring, you’ll be pinching it (see video) and for bronzer, you’ll be fanning it out. All of this shape changing will cause the brush hairs to fall out or lose its natural shape. The best powder brush is usually fluffy and has soft bristles.

My favourite: Smashbox

Blush brush

If you’re not going to use your powder brush as a blush brush (I recommend not too, unless it’s an emergency) then this is a must have! Get one that is angled so you can apply your blush evenly above the crease of your cheekbone. Your blush brush can also be used as your contour brush if you’re on a budget and only if you’re using powder for contouring. Tip: Never attempt to use a hair make up brush for any kind of cream/liquid make up. You can kiss that brush goodbye if you do.

My favourite: Benefit Slant Powder Brush (It was meant for powder but it works perfectly for my powder blushes, especially because it’s slanted.)

Shadow brush

As long as you have a really good shadow brush you won’t need a slanted eyeshadow brush. To get that precise straight edge at the end of your lids, use tape or an eyeshadow shield to make sure you get that perfect line.

Crease brush

Your crease brush is your beauty blender for your eyeshadow. It will soften any harsh eye shadow lines made and of course do its job as creating a crease.

Concealer brush

Make sure you get a synthetic concealer brush,especially if you usually break out into pimples. Synthetic brushes also hold more concealer for quicker applications. A small pointy one will get into all the nooks and crannies near your nose, eyes and above your lip.

My favourite: Bare escentuals

So you must be wondering why I didn’t add a foundation brush to the list. Well it isn’t an essential brush you absolutely need. You CAN live without one. As long as you wash your hands and apply your foundation gently with your fingertips you’re good to go! However, I recommend the beauty blender as well. It’s so perfect for blending in your foundation without getting your fingers messy and also the sponge effect is a lot nicer than the brush. Goodbye foundation streaks/strokes.