My Favorite Eyeshadow Brushes & Brush Care

I get asked a lot what brushes I use to get flawless blending on my eyes. My favorite brushes and the one's I'm currently using are from MAC. Why MAC? Well I started off buying MAC makeup and those were the first brushes I was introduced to. With proper care these can last you a very long time. I know there are dupes out there which I will list but since I am a MAC pro member I get them for a good price.

First I want to talk about brush care. Taking care of your brushes is very essential. If you have good quality brushes they will last you a long time. Brushes carry a lot of bacteria especially after using them on your skin. I wash my brushes about once every 2 weeks. By washing I mean I shampoo them and let them air dry. It's natural for brushes to shed but washing them properly will help them shed less. I also have about 3 or 4 of the same brush style so I alternate them so that they don't wear out fast. You want to make sure that you don't submerge your brushes under water or let them float in a sink full of water. This can cause the glue of the brush to dissolve and it can ruin your brushes. I accidentally left one of my brushes wet and the handle started breaking apart. For in between use, I clean my brushes with MAC's brush cleanser. I spray my brush with the MAC cleanser and I gently wipe my brush on a soft tissue. You want to use clean brushes before every eyeshadow application. This will help the brush grab the true color of the eyeshadow. Don't use dirty brushes that have yesterday's eyeshadow. That can tend to give your eyeshadow application a muddy look.

So what brushes do I use on my eyes? I have a few favorites.



MAC 224 Blending Brush

MAC Brush 224- $32.00 USD
Dupe: Sigma E40- $14.00 USD

I use this brush on a daily basis. I apply my crease color with this and it blends nicely. This brush works for people who have a large crease area. I like to use my lightest shades with this brush since I use my lightest shades as my transition colors. Since this brush is fluffier than the other ones I use, it evenly blends the eyeshadows on my crease.



MAC 217 Blending Brush

MAC Brush 217- $24.00 USDDupe: Sigma E25- $12.00 USD
 
I love this brush. I also use it in my crease. Since this brush is more tapered than the MAC 224, I have more control of my eyeshadow placement. For this reason I like to pick up my darker crease eyeshadows and apply them with this brush. Brushes with white bristles tend to pick up the eyeshadow better. This brush is also great because you can go back in and blend out any harsh lines.

 MAC Brush 242- $25.00 USD
Dupe: Sigma E60- $14.00 USD

This is one of a few brushes that I like to use for my brow bone highlight and lid color. I like that it's very flat and the eyeshadows grab on pretty good. If I want the eyeshadow to look more pigmented or opaque I wet this brush with MAC's Fix + and then I dip it into my eyeshadow. This is the only brush i'll ever use to apply my glitter glue and glitter.

MAC Brush 219- $25.00 USD
Dupe: Sigma E30- $12.00 USD

This is what I call the pencil brush because it reminds me of a pencil's tip. So what is this brush good for? Well several things. I love using dark eyeshadows especially black with this brush. It picks up the right amount and places it directly where you want. It is a very precise brush and creates the shape that you want. I also like using this one to smudge out the lower lash line. It's a good brush for creating a smoky effect.

I use a variety of different brushes but I think the ones mentioned above are great for those of you who are starting and want to know what brushes are good to start with. I think the brushes make all the difference in makeup. You can use drug store makeup or department store makeup and they can both look equally just as good with the right brushes. This blog is not to persuade you to purchase MAC or Sigma brushes. I think you can purchase anything similar of good quality that will give you the same results.

 

Hope this blog was useful to some of you. Thank you for stopping by!!!