Starting Off: Makeup Tools
I can’t believe this is the last post for this 10 week Starting Off project.
Hopefully at least someone has gotten some tips and help from these posts, as that was the whole point in this 10 week series.
There is a new series starting on the 12th November so keep an eye out, as that one will run right up until the 24th December.
So onto this weeks topic – makeup tools.
I won’t be doing an in depth post on every type of brush/tool out there, as that would be a ridiculously long post, plus I have talked about most brushes already in a lot of the other Starting Off posts, so I will do a quick summary of the ones I have already talked about, and then I will mention a couple of other bits I haven’t mentioned previously.
I will start off with the brushes! Face first and then onto the eyes. So for applying foundation I feel there are two types of brushes that work best for this, a standard foundation brush (top photo), and a slightly more dense, rounder foundation/buffing brush (lower photo).
I find these types of brushes are best for applying very thin, liquid foundations as it helps to apply the product all over the face without too much work or blending. I don’t use this style of brush often, but they are good when used with the right product.
Then we have my preferred choice of foundation brush…
This style of brush is a lot easier to work foundation into the skin I find. I feel this style of brush blends foundation better, whilst also buffing in onto the skin at the same time, giving the best, smoothest and most even finish to the skin.
After that we have concealer. Now I don’t use a brush to blend my concealer into the skin, I use my finger, but I do use a brush to apply it. I just use a standard concealer brush, and don’t find there to be much difference between the different brands. They look like this…
Almost like a really small flat foundation brush. They are great for applying the product to areas of the face where you want to apply the product to a very specific area.
After applying foundation and concealer it’s onto powder to set. For that I find that large powder brushes work best. Swirl the brush into the product, and tap off any excess so you don’t get clumps of powder on your face.
So you have your foundation on and blended in, concealer on to hide any imperfections, and powder on to set it all. After that I would then apply my bronzer for colour and contour and my blush for some more specific colour on my cheeks.
When applying bronzer as a contour I use an angled blush brush, as I find they give good control over where you are applying the product, but without being a very harsh line.
To apply my blush I either use the same style of brush as shown above, or my new favourite, a tapered blush brush like this one below, as it gives an amazing finish due to the difference in lengths of the brush hairs.
After the face is done we have eyes! I went into detail how to use each of the following brushes in the Starting Off: Eyeshadow post I did for this series, but as a quick overview…
You generally only need 3 styles of brush to create nearly any look you want. The top one is a flat/dense eyeshadow brush for applying colour to the lids, the bottom one is for accurate/specific colour placement, whether you are using a bright colour, or a very dark one. It means you can be very careful where you apply the colour, and then the middle brush is a blending brush. It’s used to blend colours together, help get colour more even all over, and to stop there being any harsh lines or edges.
I will include a quick note on eyeliner brushes, purely as I need them to be able to apply my favoutite type of eyeliner, the gel liners (the ones in the little pots). The best types of brush I have found to apply these are this style here:
(Yes, nail art brushes really do work just as well and are generally a lot cheaper too.)
So that’s all the brushes covered I use on a regular basis! There are of course a lot more brushes, and a lot more things you can use them for, but I feel the ones listed above are the basics and you can’t go far wrong if you own these. The only other two things I will mention on here which haven’t been mentioned anywhere else in this series are sponges for applying foundation, and eyelash curlers.
Face sponges are another way of applying foundation, and can also give you an amazing finish to the skin. You put a little foundation onto the back of your clean hand, and then just dab the sponge into the product and then dab it on your face. The only reason I don’t use them all the time is that I find they can be a bit of a pain to clean sometimes, and also, as much as they do give a good finish, they can take a while longer to get all foundation blended evenly over the skin.
If you have the time they can be great tools though.
Here is an example of one of the face sponges I own.
The last thing I want to talk about are eyelash curlers.
This is one of the tools that is so worth it, and can make such a difference to your whole face! (It’s also one I am guilty of not using enough.)
These small metal contraptions do look a little scary, but all you do is open your eye and look down, then put the curlers round your lashes and then squeeze down – not too hard!
It will open your eyes more, and also help your mascara go on a lot smoother I find.
They are not a necessity, but you can pick lash curlers up for like £1 and they really are worth it, you will see a difference.
So that’s it! 10 weeks of this series done!
I hope you enjoyed these posts and that you got something out of them.
I have had a lot of fun writing them!
Did you enjoy them? Let me know in the comments below!
Clare
October 29, 2013 at 6:43 pmGreat last post. Can’t believe its all done now. Really like the look of using a more fluffy brush for my foundation. May have to try that. Does it not make dry skin stand out more?
Clare xox
Budgetbeautyhealth.blogspot.co.uk
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 6:55 pmThanks! I know it’s weird thinking that was 10 weeks ago!
No I don’t find it does at all. As long as you moisturise well and use a primer it’s all good! 🙂
x
Lianne
October 29, 2013 at 6:47 pmLoved your #theSOproject posts hun!!
You’ve got a fab collection – Ive yet to use a face sponge, hmm I might have to try one, they sound great!
Lianne | TheBrunetteSays…
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 6:56 pmThanks! I loved yours too – yours was the first blog I went on this evening to have a read! 😀 The sponges are great is you have the time for them! You should try one! 🙂
x
katie
October 29, 2013 at 6:55 pmI really want to try elf brushes!
got a nice range of different brands great post!xx
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 6:56 pmThe elf brushes (well most of them) are actually fab! Especially for the price of them! x
rachna
October 29, 2013 at 7:02 pmloved the post…very nicely compiled…following u on fb and bloglovin. Do check out mine.
http://www.mybeautyexpress.com
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 7:09 pmThanks! I will check yours out now! So glad you decided to follow my blog 🙂 xx
Hannah
October 29, 2013 at 7:13 pmOh I never thought to use a nail brush as an eye liner brush, I always fine that eye liner brushes are too big. May have to buy one now haha.
Loved reading all your posts.
Hannah xxx
http://adayinthelifeofanortherngirl.blogspot.com
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 7:19 pmYeah I find that in general the eyeliner brushes are too big, where as you can buy a set of nail art brushes for really cheap! 🙂
Thank you, I loved yours too! xx
Rebecca Sheen
October 29, 2013 at 7:16 pmI LOVE the RT Expert Face brush – it’s the best one I’ve ever used for foundation! I’ll miss your #theSOproject posts!
Rebecca x
Cloud Nine Indulgence
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 7:20 pmIt’s amazing isn’t it! The Sigma one is the only other one I find that is even close to doing as good of a job! It’s a little more dense than the RT one, so can take a while longer to blend foundation in, but is amazing for heavy/thick cream ones!
Thanks! I am quite sad it’s over! Are you taking part in #TheWinterProject posts? x
carly
October 29, 2013 at 7:41 pmI love seeing what brushes people use! I don’t have a huge brush collection so I’m always looking out for new ones to try! Great post!
sundays grace beauty blog
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 7:52 pmThanks! Well I would highly recommend the Real Techniques ones if you are wanting high-end type quality but for a fraction of the cost! 🙂 x
Louise
October 29, 2013 at 7:59 pmI totally forgot about eyelash curlers! Great post 🙂 xx
http://kinderhealthandbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/starting-off-makeup-tools-you-need.html
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 8:12 pmThank you! Eyelash curlers I love, but always forget to use! 😛 x
Laura
October 29, 2013 at 8:31 pmGreat post! It’s always fun to read how others apply their makeup 🙂 xo’s
Laura
pinkfrenzymissl.blogspot.com
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 8:34 pmThanks! Yeah it’s great, it’s great knowing what works for everyone else in case someone has a tip that works amazingly for you too! 🙂 x
Ebony Jay
October 29, 2013 at 8:32 pmI want to do a series like this! (: do you have to sign up for it?? Oh BTW great post! I was so confused about brushes when I first started doing makeup because there were so many of them and I did not know which ones went for what part of my face (:
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 8:35 pmNope no signing up! Just join in! There is another one going on in 2 weeks time, TheWinterProject – I will tweet you the link and hashtag! I hope you join in! 😀
Aww I am so glad it has helped! 🙂 x
Rebecca
October 29, 2013 at 9:14 pmI love the Real Techniques Blush Brush for contouring my cheeks really lightly. The tapered end fits so well into the hollows of my cheeks without making a harsh line. It is really great for blush though as well (of course)!
x
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 9:23 pmOh that’s a good idea! I am going to have to try that now too! Thanks! 😀 x
S
October 29, 2013 at 11:27 pmThis is a great post, very informative, The sigma brushes were meant to be a cheaper alternative to mac, but I find them still out of my budget, so I use elf.
♥ S
Kammitted
October 29, 2013 at 11:34 pmThank you for the lovely comment!
The Sigma brushes are lovely, but some are better than others!
Some of the elf ones are really good! Especially their studio line!
xx
popcosmo
October 30, 2013 at 1:07 amCurious how you clean the pink sponge you showed… it’s why I tend to not use sponges! Thanks!
xo ~kim & chloe
Kammitted
October 30, 2013 at 1:21 amThey can be a nightmare to clean!
I use a mix of fairy liquid (squeezey dish washing soap) and olive oil!
The dish soap has the cleaning and antibacterial properties, and the olive oil helps to break down traces of stubborn makeup, but also helps to not dry it out!
It’s the same way I clean my brushes 🙂
Then rinse realllllly well! 🙂 x
Shalunya
October 30, 2013 at 3:04 amGreat detailed post!! I really enjoyed reading your post. I didn’t participate in the SO project but I really enjoyed reading others posts. Thanks so much for sharing. (◕‿◕✿)
Kammitted
October 30, 2013 at 7:48 amThank you so much for the lovely comment! 🙂 xx
Jenny
October 30, 2013 at 10:51 pmI really need to grab a set of real technique brushs they sound so good! <3
http://www.krystelcouture.com ♥
Kammitted
October 30, 2013 at 11:13 pmReally do! They are 3 for 2 in Boots at the moment! 🙂 xx
Vivienne
November 2, 2013 at 2:08 pmI have yet to own a face sponge.. lol I’m a little late to the game.
Kammitted
November 2, 2013 at 3:24 pmThey are lovely if you have the time, but I wouldn’t say it was a necessity 🙂 x
Alice
November 2, 2013 at 10:49 pmAre the sigma brushes good? I have heard mixed opinions… Lovely post though xo
Kammitted
November 3, 2013 at 12:24 amI really like them, the only thing I don’t like is that they do shed, especially the large powder brush! So much so I don’t use it any more…. but their foundation, blush and eyeshadow brushes are fab! x
Elaine
November 10, 2013 at 10:47 amGreat post, I love real techniques brushes they are really great for people starting out, i really love the blush brush it picks up the right amount of colour for my very pale skin!
Kammitted
November 10, 2013 at 8:06 pmI am the same as you! I have very pale skin so I don’t always want a huge amount of product! x