For the perfect, flawless look, good makeup products are essential; however, the tools, like makeup brushes, that you use are equally important. Wrong brushes, even with the best of products, also can ruin your makeover; and you don’t want to spend an hour doing your makeup and come out looking like a mistake (you know what I’m saying..lol). The right brushes don’t just make it easier to apply makeup; it can also allow you to be more precise. For beginners especially, choosing the right brush from a variety of options can be confusing.

Before we dive into buying, lets quickly dive into knowing what brushes to have. Shall we?

1. Foundation Brush

Use it to smooth liquid or cream foundation for streak-free application.

2. Beauty Blender

A beauty blender when wet with water will also help blend your makeup as smoothly as possible. It can also be used to apply cream blush, blend out harsh makeup lines, apply powder for baking your makeup, and remove excess product.

3. Kabuki Brush

This big brush is perfect for softly applying bronzers and powders, and for evenly distributing product across your face or body.

Alternate use: Buff out harsh lines by swirling the brush around your face.

4. Powder Brush

The long, fluffy bristles evenly diffuse loose powders and can be used for applying blush.

5. Contour Brush

The slanted bristles make it easier to apply products perfectly to your cheekbones.It fits nicely under your cheekbone, doing the contour work for you.

6. Concealer Brush

These useful little brushes allow you to apply product with precision to the little nooks and crannies of your face, like under your eyes, on either side of your nose, over a blemish, and to clean up messy lipstick edges.

7. Flat Eye Shadow Brush

This brush works great for applying shadow to the lid and blending it out.

8. Eye Shadow Crease Brush

This type of eye shadow brush is small and slightly more pointed at the tip. This shape helps you apply and blend products into the crease of your eye with ease.

9. Smudger Brush

You use this to soften eyeliner for a smoky, sultry look, and also in applying intense pigment to target areas around the eye, such as the inner and outer corners

10. Angled Eyeliner Brush

This brush helps creates thin and precise lines with cream or gel liner or shadow.

11. Spoolie Brush

Spoolie brushes serve a few different purposes. They’re great for removing clumps following mascara application. They are also extremely useful when it comes to eyebrows, whether it’s for distributing pigment for bold brows or just grooming an errant hair.

12. Fan Brush

Use this to clean up fallen product or gently apply powders and highlighters on your cheekbones, temples, and cupids bow.

So now that you know, let’s move to the buying part

What should you  look out for

• It is advisable to understand the application technique you use. Whether you are a light-handed or a heavy-handed person. If you are a heavy-handed person, you may have to buy brushes with longer handles; this will ensure softer application of makeup. If you apply makeup looking closely into the mirror, you might want to opt for shorter brushes, which will enable ease in application.

• Determining the type of hair on the brushes is important. Depending on the type of product you will use, choose the hair of the brush. There are different such as natural (blue squirrel, pony hair, goat, and kolinsky sable), synthetic, or brushes with both synthetic and natural brushes. Natural hair brushes are good for powdered products; they absorb the powder easily, while synthetic brushes work well with cream-based and liquid product applications.

• Price! Opt for the best brushes you can afford. Makeup brushes can be on the pricier side, but they last long when used well. Always choose brushes that are firm and feel good on your skin.

• Consider the shape. Your blush will blend easier when applied with a tapered brush (Longer in the center and shorter on the outside) same is true with your crease eyeshadow. Fluffy brushes blend and apply less product (Crease, bronzer, blush, powder), Flat brushes pack on color (Brow highlight, lid color, lipstick).

• Your face type or shape and your features too, will help in deciding what kind of brushes you will need. For example, if you have closely placed eyes, you will need smaller brushes to provide more detailing for the eye makeup. If you have a wide face, you may need bigger brushes to cover large areas with ease and uniformity.