Brushes That I Frequently Use

I'm serious! I use THAT many brushes! I kid you not! Don't get me wrong though. It's not because I HAVE to use that many brushes. Think of it this way; what's the point of having so many brushes when you don't utilize them all? Right? Right?

In this post, I'll be listing (almost) all of the brushes that I use quite often and go through one by one what I use it for, how I use it and why I think it's essential... Sounds like a boring lecture? Well, take in whatever you wanna take in. Maybe you'll find some useful information? And they said Math wasn't important.

Read on. Read on. At the end of the post there'll be a summary of what brushes I think are truly essential to anyone ie. must-have if you wanna start a brush collection.

Face Brushes


Italian Badger Short Handled Blush Brush: For applying blush on the apples, for travel and for applying my MAC Mineralized Skin Finish or any colored glow powder. I usually apply two types of blush on my cheeks so I use this strictly for the pinkish blush/glow powder. I avoid dipping this brush into any strong-colored blush.

Everyday Minerals Flat Top Brush: For applying mineral foundation. It can be multi-purpose but I avoid mixing my brushes so that I don't have to keep deep-cleansing between usages. Click here to learn how to use this brush for mineral foundation.

Deluxe Buffer Brush: For applying blush on the entire cheek. This brush blends color well onto the cheeks so that the blush doesn't look patchy. Also great for contouring to make the cheeks look more shapely. Nothing to it; Just buff.

MAC 187SE Duo Fiber Stippling Brush: Yet another multi-purpose brush but I use this mainly for liquid foundation for an airbrushed look. Tutorial coming soon.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush: I seldom use this brush but it plays its part for applying full coverage of foundation. Use it as how you would with any foundation brush. Pretend you're painting the wall.

Pink Kabuki: Strictly for my e.l.f. Healthy Glow Powder in Luminance. The kabuki buffs glow powder well on the skin so that it blends with the loose powder and foundation. Can also be used to apply loose powder and mineral foundation.

La Mei La Kabuki: Why do you need two kabuki brushes? You don't. I don't either. But I love kabuki brushes. They're cute. For the sake of utilizing two kabuki brushes, I used this one for my loose powder. My pink kabuki has served me well for the loose powder but this brush is less dense hence it's more light handed when applying powder to avoid that cakey poofy look.

Eye Brushes


1. Spoolie: This is used to neaten up unruly brows and also to blend any eyebrow color that I've filled in so that it doesn't look like I have sticker-brows. I sometimes use it to comb out my lashes between coats of mascara but very seldom. Although, that can create a cool effect!

2. Eyebrow Shader Brush: This stiff brush is used to fill in my brows. It's stiff enough so that it blends the brow powder whilst I apply it.

3. Eyebrow/Eyeliner Brush: I don't use it as an eyeliner brush. I use this as my eyebrow brush when I'm travelling and since it has a flatter tip compared to the Eyebrow Shader, I use this brush to draw the "tail" of my eyebrow.

4. Lip Brush: I don't use it as a lip brush. I use this for base eyeshadows that I need to apply on small areas. For this purpose, any small synthetic brush would do. This brush can also be used as a spot concealer brush.

5. Synthetic Eyeshadow Brush: Strictly used for applying pigments wet. It doesn't work too well with dry eyeshadow. You can use this for eye base or cream eyeshadows as well. I just have a different brush for that.

6. Concealer Brush: Which brings us to this brush. It can be used as a concealer brush but I much prefer using my handy fingers for concealing. Thus, this brush has been reassigned as my base eyeshadow and cream eyeshadow brush. It packs on the color evenly and it's easy to shape with.

7. Gel Eyeliner Brush #1: I love this brush but the bristles goes wiry. Darn it! This is the best brush-shape and stiffness for gel eyeliners. I use this when I wanna get a very precise line.

8. Kate Gel Eyeliner Brush: The quality of this brush is excellent but it's slightly too long and too soft for my liking. It works but not for very precise and thin application. I use this when I travel.

9. Synthetic Eyeliner Brush: This artist brush costs only a buck and no one should pay more for this kind of brush. I use this when I wanna create a line with wet pigment/eyeshadow.


10. Ianti Big Fluffy Eyeshadow Brush: It can be used for one-wash eyeshadow but I use this for applying highlight eyeshadow when no further blending is required.

11. Doe Foot Stippler Brush: If you have a workable crease, you may like this but since I don't, I use this for applying my highlight. It helps to blend the highlight shadow with the crease shadow.

12. Artist Mop Brush: I paid less than 5 bucks for this brush and it's one of my favorite brushes. I keep this brush for ultra bright eyeshadows that look a lot brighter than when applied. The bristles are dense but soft so they pack on colors really well especially neon colors that don't tend to stick on the lid well. I need more of these. They're excellent eyeshadow shader brushes.

13. e.l.f. Eyeshadow Brush: I use this to put color on the lid. It's really soft and cheap; USD1. The shape is great for blending as well so I can basically do both the applying and blending with this brush.

14. Elianto Medium Eyeshadow Brush: Quite similar to the e.l.f. brush but it's slightly smaller and fluffier. I like using this to apply the darker shadow on the outer half of the lid. Catch my drift? Also, blends like a charm. Soft and affordable too.

15. Tapered Crease Brush: With this brush, you can create a smokey eyes look in 5 minutes. I'm serious! Very easy to work with to apply shadow into the crease and smoke! It's small enough to fit into an Asian crease.

16. Ianti Small Eyeshadow Brush: Not as dense as I would like it but it comes in handy for more detailed eyeshadow application. Especially when I need to use many colors on one lid.

17. Pink Round Crease Brush: This kinda serves the same function as the small eyeshadow brush. I never use this in the crease. Just to apply shadow on small areas. Blends well.

18. Italian Badger Short Handled Eyeshadow Brush: A very basic eyeshadow brush that is nicely fluffed, able to blend shadow and handy for me to use when I travel.

19. Italian Badger Short Handled Round Crease Brush: Safe to say; The brush that I cannot live without. My favorite brush out of all the other brushes. This is a poorly-defined-crease girl's best friend if you know how to use it! This brush helps to create a crease or make it appear deeper. I use this to apply small amount of color into the crease and also to add dark shadow on the outer crease. Patience is needed with this brush but it can create beautiful things.

20. Bobbi Brown Eye Contour Brush: Nowhere close to the full-sized or even short-handled one but since the damage has been done, I use this for highlight. *sighs*

My Recommendations for Beginners: Deluxe Buffer Brush (Blush), Kabuki (Powder), Brush #14, Brush #19, Brush #11.

My Recommendations for Intermediate: Deluxe Buffer Brush (Blush), Kabuki (Powder), Brush #1, Brush #7, Brush #11, Brush #13/#14, Brush #15, Brush #19