Face Brushes: A Makeup Artist's Go-To Tool

Ask any makeup artist and they’ll tell you: the right tools make all the difference. You can know all the tips, tricks, and Instagram trends, but if you don’t have the right makeup brushes, your ability to create the perfect smoky eye is slim.

At RMS Beauty, we love using clean fingertips for makeup application. Because our products are all formulated with living ingredients, the warmth of your fingertips helps the product blend easily to create a flawless finish. However, we also love a good brush.

Face brushes are made to apply products like foundation, concealer, and powder. Some specialized facial cleansing brushes can be used with your cleanser to cleanse and exfoliate your skin.

Let’s talk brushes, why you need them, how they work, and why it’s important to use only vegan, cruelty-free brushes for application.

What Are Face Brushes?

You’re familiar with eye shadow brushes and probably use a brush to tame your brows. Your favorite mascara uses a specialized brush called a spoolie. Unlike eye makeup brushes, face brushes are larger, designed to cover more surface area, and made to work with your favorite foundation products.

How Do Face Brushes Differ From Eyeshadow Brushes?

Eyeshadow brushes are generally very small and are designed to help you blend eyeshadow powders and creams on your eyelids.

Some eye makeup brushes, like liners, help you achieve precision application on your lash line. Eyeshadow brushes may also be angled in a way that helps you apply shadows to the crease area on your lids.

Most face brushes have a much larger surface area, and bristles that are shaped differently than eye makeup brushes.

What Types of Face Brushes Are There?

There isn’t just one type of face brush, there are many. Let’s look at a few different types and why they should have a place in your makeup brush sets.

Foundation Brushes

It’s hard to get a foundation brush right, but at RMS Beauty, we believe we have the best available. Made with fingerprint-like, circular bristles that mimic skin to skin application, our Skin2Skin Foundation Brush allows you to apply foundation without so much as a mirror.

Our brush helps you press the pigment into your skin instead of layering it on top of your face. The Skin2Skin Foundation Brush glides easily over every angle of your face, helping you get even coverage without streaks or harsh lines.

Blush Brushes

The size of your blush brush matters. Use a brush that’s too large, and you’ll end up with clown-like color. Use one that’s too small, and you’ll spend a lot of extra time blending product away from a concentrated area of color.

The RMS Beauty Skin2Skin Blush Brush also mimics skin-to-skin application and features bristles that are extra soft at the tip. This helps our brush deliver the perfect amount of color to your cheeks without lifting your already applied foundation.

The result is blush that looks airbrushed onto your skin with seamless edges and perfect blending.

Contour Brushes

You may love the way contouring looks on a Facebook video, but the reality is, most of us don’t really need it. Contouring works for people who will be on camera, but for real life, contouring can go woefully awry if you aren’t able to do it correctly.

The best contour brushes have a flat, angled edge, to allow you to apply contouring powder or cream with precision. When contouring, it’s almost always necessary to use your fingers to blend so you can avoid harsh lines.

Highlighter Brushes

It goes without saying, Luminizer is the ultimate go-to for creating both luminous skin and highlighting areas where you want to draw more attention. We love to use our fingertips to apply Luminizer to help boost its ability for a naturally brightening glow.

For powder highlighters, RMS Beauty’s Luminizing Powder Retractable Brush is the essential brush in your collection. The brush head is angled and densely bristled so you can get the perfect amount of highlighter in one sweep.

Fan Brushes

For more precise application of luminizer, or if you want a light dusting of bronzer on your skin, a fan brush is the solution. Fan brushes help apply a small amount of product, create an even distribution of color, and allow you to apply light powder over cream-based products.

Brightening Brush

The secret weapon in your arsenal is a good brightening brush. Made with medium length, dense bristles and a rounded head, these little brushes allow you to add highlights to special features on your face, like the bridge of your nose, the centers of your eyelids, and just above your cupid’s bow.

You can also use a brightening brush to apply concealer. It will help evenly distribute product and make sure it doesn’t look cakey or artificial.

Do I Need Face Brushes as a Beginner?

You don’t need to ever use a face brush if you don’t want to, but it does help you perfect application, especially if you’re brand new to makeup application.

Face brushes are essential in helping you create new looks and trying out new techniques, so it’s a great idea to invest in a multi-piece brush set and learn how to use them.

How Do I Know What Type of Brush To Use?

Most brushes are labeled specifically by what type of product they are meant for. If you can’t figure it out, you can always check out RMS Beauty’s how-to videos, or schedule a one-on-one online consultation to ask our makeup artists how to use a brush properly.

How Often Should Face Brushes Be Washed?

Most dermatologists recommend you wash your makeup brushes once every 7-10 days to ensure the removal of makeup build-up and bacteria. Even odor-resistant and antibacterial brushes need to be washed frequently. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin or if you struggle with acne.

To properly wash your makeup brushes, start by rinsing them under warm water to remove any remaining residue from your loose powders, liquid products, or creams. Place a small amount of mild soap in the palm of your hand and press your brush into your palm using a circular motion.

Rinse your brushes under warm water until the water runs clear, then set them on a dry towel to dry.

Can I Use Sponges Instead of Face Brushes?

Makeup sponges are perfect for using liquid and cream-based products and offer you the benefit of damp application, which can help you blend your products better. Whether you prefer brushes or makeup sponges really depends on the desired result and your own comfort level with the sponge or brush.

The Bottom Line

Face brushes are essential for blending product effortlessly on your skin, helping you master application techniques, and giving you a flawless finish. It’s important that you make sure your brushes are vegan and cruelty-free. Animal hair collected for brushes is never done so in an entirely “cruelty-free” manner.

For the best vegan, cruelty-free face brushes, you know who to trust. RMS Beauty delivers the highest quality, most effective makeup brushes, tested by our experienced team of makeup artists. Our brushes are never made with animal products and won’t cause irritation for even the most sensitive of skin types.

Sources:

How to clean your makeup brushes|AAD.org

Speak Up for Badgers Violently Killed for Their Hair | PETA

Acne clinical guideline|AAD.org