Makeup Brush Must-Haves

By Kate - 09:54:00


I absolutely love makeup brushes, I love treating myself to new brushes and just makes doing my makeup so much better when you have found the perfect brushes to apply it with!
I was quite baffled when I realised I had never done a full post on my makeup brushes so for this post I've picked out my top favourite makeup brushes that I couldn't survive without!!

Also I keep my brushes in a very good condition by doing a deep cleanse monthly and small cleans weekly! You can read how I clean my makeup brushes here.


 Real Techniques Buffing Brush;

This is a must-have for everyone in my opinion. I absolutely love Real Techniques and this is definitely one of my favourites from them. This buffing brush just makes doing your makeup so much easier to blend in and I can fully blend in all of m foundation in seconds. It's perfect to use for foundation and concealer as it blends it all in giving a smooth finish with not losing any coverage from the product. 
The brush also has the softest bristles and even though I'v had mine for a very long time and have got so much use out of this, it is still so soft. The only downside is that you can only buy it in a set (which is the Core Collection) however I personally think this set is a must-have for everyone!


 Real Techniques Blush Brush;

Another Real Technique favourite of mine is of course the Blush Brush. One of my favourite products is bronzer so this brush is perfect to give a natural bronzer glow as it applies the product really lightly. I personally don't use it for blush as I think it's a little bit too big however I would recommend for bronzer as it couldn't be more perfect. 

The brush head is tapered at the top which lets you sculpt out your cheekbones easily and because the brush is not dense at all it's blends the product really well leaving no harsh lines. Also for £10 this brush is a bargain as it lasts for ages and never sheds whatsoever. Definitely a staple in my brushes.

 Seventeen Powder and Blush Brush;

This is quite an old brush of mine however I'm still loving it till this day, (don't worry I've replaced it before!). It was originally only a  blush brush however now the name has changed to a powder and blush brush which suits the brush a lot more. I use this brush only for powder although it would be useful for blush I think it's best role is for powder. I have a big powder brush which I use for all around my face however I love this for packing on powder in areas I get a bit shiny and especially under my eyes.
The best thing about this brush is that it's so affordable, it's £2.99 which is an absolute bargain considering it's so soft and last for ages.

 Ecotools Angled Blush Brush;

I got this brush quite a while ago in a set with other Ecotool brushes, the only downside is it was a travel set so this is why the brushes have small handles which is a bit of a pain however the brush is still incredible!!
I love using this for my 'contouring' (I don't really contour, I just kind of try to sculpt my cheekbones a bit...) as the angle makes it super easy to define under your cheekbone and down your jaw. The bristles are also quite free and loosely packed together so there is lots of movement in the brush so even if you do apply a bit too much product, it's easy to blend it all out.
Like all Ecotools brushes they are so soft and feel so much more higher quality when using. They never shed as well which I love as I've found with some cheaper brushes they can occasionally shed a couple of bristles but these never have and I could never image them to. This brush also seems to dry really quickly which is a good bonus as I hate waiting!


 Real Techniques Setting Brush;

Yet again another Real Techniques brush! A favourite of mine has to be the setting brush which has been a firm favourite of mine for quite a while now. It's the perfect brush for highlight which is what I tend to use it for. It is so useful for highlight as the brush head is small however has lots of movement so using it light handly gives a natural finish.
I also find this brush makes applying a product super buildable and it's the perfect shape for highlighter as it applies the product to the tops of your cheekbones lightly. It is also an ideal brush to pack powder underneath the eyes which I occasionally use it for as it works wonders!

 Ecotools Angled Eyeliner Brush;

I don't actually use this brush for eyeliner, I use it on my eyebrows which works perfectly. Because the brush is super dense and so thin it's perfect to use on the brows as it gives small strokes so you can achieve a defined brow. I love using this brush with my brows pomade as I can create small hair like strokes which looks natural and is super buildable.  
This brush is also suited perfectly as the handle is quite long which makes life so much easier and like all Ecotools brushes are so soft and smooth.

 Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush;

This is also a staple for me when it comes to eye brushes as I love it as it's super dense and the bristles are so soft so it makes it really easy to blend out the crease. I will usually use a small brush to get right into my crease and then use this to blend it all out which is so easy and requires no effort whatsoever. The brush leaves my eyeshadow blended and smooth as the brush head is quite big so it picks up all the product around your eye and blends it like a dream. I do really recommend this as it gives a perfect blended eye which is so effortless to do but of course is essential.


  Spectrum AO6 'Shady Lady';
I only own two makeup brushes from Spectrum but they're are actually incredible, the only downside is they can be quite pricey compared to other brands but they for sure have the best quality.
This brush is wide, flat shape so it's perfect for eyeshadow as it picks up a lot of product and apply's it smoothly. I love the super long handle to this as well as it makes it really easy to hold and then apply. Also the design of this brush is just to die for, there is a light baby pink handle with blue and purple bristles. This is one of the softest brushes I own so I would 100% recommend these brushes for sure!!


 Morphe 'M321' Bullet Crease Brush;
Another one of my must-have brushes for the eyes is this Morphe bullet crease brush which if you haven't guessed from the name is a small brush perfect for getting deep into your crease which gives such good depth. The brush head is super dense and compact so it picks up lots of product and then blends out like a dream. I definitely want to get more Morphe brushes as they are affordable but very good quality. Also this brush has a long handle which is ideal as I like to use a light hand when using this. The only downside is with this, is when I do use it a bit more heavy handed it can feel a bit scratchy however when I use it light handle it always feels quite smooth however it's only a tiny bit so it's really a big problem.
My eyes fold over massively so it's pretty hard to see my eyeshadow because from my brow bone down, my eyelids just folds in so I love to use this brush to apply a darker shade to my crease and blend it out as it really opens up my eye more.

  Freedom Contour Eye Brush;
I only got this brush recently but I'm so happy with it. I saw it for £1.99 on Superdrug and felt like a hadn't bought a new makeup brush in ages so I thought for £1.99, you can't really go wrong! I love this because the angled bristles are perfect for my eye shape as it fits right into my crease so I can really build up depth. I feel like this could be used as an 'all round' eye brush as it is perfect to use on the upper and lower lash line as the thin edge means it's so easy to blend. I also mainly use it on my crease as it's the perfect shape and size and blends so so well.
This is my first brush from Freedom however considering it's so soft and good quality as well as being super affordable, I'll definitely be buying more!


 Spectrum Unicorn Tears Blending Sponge;
(I know it's technically not a brush but I love it so much so I couldn't not include it!)
First off, I would buy this just based on the name because I think we can all agree it beats the usual 'beauty blended' name for sure! 
I picked this up at the Clothes Show last year for a bargains price of £3 and ever since then I've loved it. I didn't use it much when I first got it as I was still head over heels in love with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, which don't get me wrong I still love, but when I started using this more I was pleasantly surprised! I was not expecting it to be this good.
I much prefer this to the Real Techniques sponge as I love the shape as the rounded bottom is perfect for blending out foundation and the point perfect for under eye concealer. When ran under water it expands so much and is so bouncy which makes your makeup so easy to blend. I will definitely be buying a new one of these

What are your favourite makeup brushes?
Kate Xx

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5 comments

  1. I wouldn't be anywhere without my real techniques buffing brush! I use it everyday without fail for my foundation. X

    Kate// itskaterose.com

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  2. Nice post! I love Real Techniques Buffing Brush, my foundation always looks amazing when I use it for application. I have been loving Blank Canvas Cosmetics brushes, they are a similar price to Real Techniques but their quality is amazing.
    Róisín
    totallyro.blogspot.ie

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  3. I love all of the ones you picked, The Real Techniques Buffing Brush is such a good brush! I use it for concealer and it's amazing!xx

    Hannah | luxuryblush♡

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  4. I REALLY need to step up my brush game, these were so pretty and sounded amazing! I've been joined at the hip with my beauty blender and love everything real techniques so i'll have to agree with you there!

    Definitely going to have to invest in a few of your suggestions!

    Laura x
    www.wartsandallweb.wordpress.com

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  5. I'm on the lookout for new make-up brushes so this post is super helpful, thank you! Xx

    Kirsty | The Monday Project | themondayproject.co.uk

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