PROFESSIONAL BRUSHES

Makeup brushes for re-creating yourself come in many shapes and sizes. Most makeup artists and cosmetics companies ask the perennial question: Why spend good money on makeup and use poor tools to apply it? A good makeup brush can create a flawless look. Which is the right brush for me?  A specific brush is made for a specific task. Look at your makeup collection. Look at your routine. Then, decide which makeup brushes will help you make the most of your unique features.

Our complete collection of makeup artist-tested brushes for the ultimate in luxury, durability, and craftsmanship. Each makeup brush is handcrafted from top-quality natural and synthetic fibers. 

As you know, makeup brushes come in many different types, shapes and sizes. The main difference between the brushes is the type of bristles used (for different purposes). They are either synthetic- or natural-haired.

Physical Difference between Naturals and Synthetics

Synthetic brush bristles are softer and smoother upon touch. Now I know that natural hair bristles can also be very soft, but at first touch, synthetic brushes are softer and appear more shiny. Natural-haired brushes feel just a tad rougher compared to synthetic-haired brushes. That does not mean they are better; just that they are meant for different uses.

Synthetic-Haired Makeup Brushes

• Man-made, using either nylon or polyester filaments.
• Common types are taklon and nylon. These are very similar to the taklon or nylon paintbrushes you see at art stores.
• Less prone to damage from makeup and solvents
• Easier to keep clean compared to natural-haired brushes as the filaments do not trap or absorb pigment.
• As the bristles are very smooth, they don’t hold powders very well. Thus, they are better suited for soft layering of powder, or best for application of creams (liquid/cream foundation, cream blushes, cream eyeshadows, etc).

Natural-Haired Makeup Brushes

• Natural-haired brushes are made from natural hair like squirrel( very soft) , badger (firm), pony and kolinsky.
• Slightly more difficult to care for compared to synthetic-hair brushes.
• Used for powder makeup applications – face powder, powder eyeshadow, powder blush.

The brushes can come in a variety of colours; it’s just a matter of dyeing the hairs. In general, synthetic-haired brushes can come in a slightly more colourful variety (brown, pink, blue, white, etc) compared to natural-haired ones (mostly black, brown or white).

Many learned the difference between the brushes the hard way i.e. using synthetic-haired eyeshadow brushes to apply powder shadows. This would create a lot of powder fall-out upon application. Also, using a synthetic-hair brush on powder (loose or compact) gives a sheerer cover, whereas the natural-haired one packs more punch per application. Many makeup professionals like using a natural-haired blush brush when using blush, which are less pigmented or use a synthetic-haired blush brush instead to gain more control over the amount of flush delivered.

Natural hair brushes are the best type of brushes as they can deliver and apply makeup more effectively, as they trap and hold the powders the best. When pressure is applied from the brush against your skin, they release these powder trappings (foundation, blush, eye shadow, etc). Synthetic hair (nylon or taklon) is not absorbent and does not trap powders, making it more suitable for concealer brushes, eyeliner brushes, or liquid foundation. Natural haired brushes will get softer with each use over time, and are most appropriate for powder brushes, foundation brushes, eye shadow, and blush brushes. Conversely, synthetic brushes will get stiffer with each use. For powder applications, the softer, the better.

Both hair type and cut will determine the quality and softness. First cut hairs are the highest quality and are cruelty-free. The tips of the hairs on first cut or virgin cut bristles are soft and pointed, while second or blunt cut hairs are just that: flat across. Think of how soft the hair on your forearms is compared to the hair on your legs as the stubble grows back after shaving and you'll get the idea. So now we've determined 2 factors you want to look for in a brush, no matter the price range: handmade, first cut hairs.

Here is a list of types of animal hairs commonly used in cosmetic brushes:

Kolinsky/ Sable - is an animal found in the coldest regions of Russia and China, and is a mink species. Kolinsky brushes are the finest, softest, and most expensive brushes.

Badger Hair - Badger can come in different forms, making for differing quality and uses. Badger "tapers" are conical in shape, and have more elasticity, making them springier and softer on your face. A high quality badger hair brush will have a variegated appearance: light-dark-light. Badger gray hairs are less tapered, less elastic, less soft, and less expensive. These brushes are really more suitable as barber's brushes!

Squirrel Hair - Squirrel hair is extremely soft, and is the most popular with makeup artists. Only long squirrel hair is considered to be valuable, as the hair ends in a very fine point. These must be handmade to preserve the tips.

Pony Hair - Pony hair makeup brushes are less expensive than squirrel hair while still providing good quality. They are soft, but have less pointy/fine tips than the kolinsky sable or squirrel brushes.

Goat Hair - is the most commonly used hair type in a mid-range price point, and have the widest range of quality. The softest goat hair is the first cut, where the tips are still intact and soft. Sometimes the first cut goat hair may be referred to as a "squirrel substitute".

Mass produced brushes are most likely made of blunt cut goat hair, and are not of significant quality or softness.

A kabuki brush comes in a very short handle, with a lot of bristles firmly packed at its circular base. It’s used for application of mineral foundation, or face powder. The very short handle makes it very easy to buff the powder onto the skin, and the firmly packed bristles in a circle give it more coverage. Its principal purpose is to create an even and thorough coverage of the powder on the face.

This is not to say you cannot use a kabuki brush as a blush brush. But in general, it’s not used for that purpose because you don’t want to accidentally puff too much colour onto your cheeks, making you look like a clown. A proper blush brush is better used for even distribution of colour and natural looking definition on the cheeks, because of its tapered, flat head.

The difference between a face brush and a kabuki brush is that the kabuki brush packs more coverage onto the skin, whereas with a face brush, you’d just want to sweep some powder onto your face to set your liquid foundation. A light sweep of powder will do to avoid the cakey look, and a face brush does just the job.