Makeup Brushes 101

Applying makeup is not as easy as pie. It didn't use to be like when we were kids; a pretty pink blush and a bright lip gloss and we were cute as a button. Today, there are so many looks to choose from and that's not all, your makeup could also represent your personality. You could look gothic with extra eyeliner, look like a Korean with expressive eye makeup, be Latina-looking with a bronzer or look chic with neutral makeup. It all depends on you, and with the changing seasons comes changing makeup styles as well. Makeup has truly evolved from the mod makeup style of the 90's to today's natural but fierce makeup style. If you are serious about achieving a specific look, you need to use makeup brushes to get the accuracy and precision you need. Here are some makeup brushes to help you:Face BrushesGetting just the right colour for your face makeup is essential. You don't want your face looking too bright or too dark. The best way to attain the prefect complexion is by applying liquid or mineral foundation using a foundation brush. This will help you balance the tones of the face and neck. Foundation brushes are flat and have long bristles (either natural or synthetic) that taper at the end. The next brush is the concealer brush; this is used to apply concealer to cover dark circles under the eyes, pimple marks and blemishes. Another face brush is the powder brush; this is used to apply loose powder over the foundation and concealer to set the two elements. This may also be used for bronzing, removing excess makeup and blending several areas of the face to get genuine natural looking skin. The powder brush is greatly recommended. Finally, the blusher brush is used to apply colour to the cheeks or contour the face, this is a fluffy brush that may be big or small.Eye BrushesThe eyes are the integral portion of every makeup regimen. The eyes are the windows to the soul and may express emotions depending on how you dress them up. The first eye brush is the eye shadow brush this covers the eyelids and blends the eye colour to get the desired effect. It can be darker for a dramatic look or lighter suitable for everyday makeup. The eyeliner brush is used to apply eyeliner, this makes the eyes more defined. Using eyeliner you could make your eyes look bigger or smaller. The other brush is the eyebrow brush; this brush forms the eyebrows and fills in areas to create a good-looking arch. The last brush comes with your mascara to apply evenly on your lashes, this may also come with small brushes to arrange lashes and remove extra mascara.Lip BrushesThe lips can change a look from neutral to fierce. With a change of lip colour from pink to red you can unleash the fiery diva in you. The lip brush is a small, fine and tapered brush that evenly coats the lips with lipstick or lip gloss. This blends colours if mixed to avoid uneven colours on the lips. Lip brush techniques can make your lips fuller or thinner.Special BrushesMost special brushes are made for the eyes. Several special brushes include: contour brush, crease brush and lid brush. The contour brush may be angled to gently apply defining makeup on the eyes, while the crease brush is specially made to apply eye shadow on the crease of the lid, also used for blending in fine detail. Finally, the lid brush applies the first layers of the eye shadow to the entire lid to make sure that it is has the same colour tone.