My Current Favourite Makeup Brushes! + Video

Hi loves!

It's been quite a while since my last post (I feel) but in all honesty I have been struggling to write posts and deal with the amount of work I have to prepare for classes. The workload is amazingly huge and literally consumes all my time. At the end of the day, I'm left feeling knackered and all I want to do is do nothing, you can understand. =)

Anyhow, I previously shared how I washed my makeup brushes, and I thought it was high time I shared my current favourite makeup brushes with you dolls! I am a fan of using my fingers to apply makeup as it is quick, easy and costs nothing! However, there is only so much my fingers can do when it comes to precise application and/or contouring- and that is where makeup brushes enter the picture!

The brushes I favour mainly consist of eyeshadow brushes and face/base brushes because I do not use brushes for certain makeup products in my makeup routine (like eyeliner, eyebrows, lips, cream products).

I'll start off with the face/base brushes first! =)

From left to right:

1. e.l.f. Studio Complexion Brush

I started really getting into using this brush a few months back after I had a change of heart and decided that my e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush was giving my blush a finish a little too heavy for my liking. I have always used this brush to apply powder to my face, but now I love using it to apply bronzer and blush too! For blush, it gives such a nice, natural and soft finish, and because the synthetic bristles are not very dense and compact, it gives me better control over how much product is applied to the face. For bronzer, it also gives a natural finish, which is perfect for when I want to get a slightly contoured look without making it obvious that I am wearing bronzer.

2. Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from the Core Collection kit)

On days when I do not feel like using my fingers to apply my foundation, this is the brush I turn to. Its synthetic bristles prevent foundation getting absorbed into the bristles, and when I use this to buff foundation into my skin, it always ensures my foundation blends smoothly and almost flawlessly on my skin. This brush is also multi-purpose- I use it to apply blush when I want a more heavy look for my blush, and also to press face powder onto my skin. The bristles of this brush are also super soft- sometimes I just like fluffing it against my face just because it's so soft - hee!

3. Etude House Oblique Shading Brush

This is the only brush I own from the Korean brand Etude House, and it has natural bristles made of pony hair. It's not the softest brush I own, and it can feel oh-so-slightly scratchy on the skin at times, but I like how its thin shape and dense bristles make it a fabulous brush for contouring. The width of this brush (which is not very wide) makes it perfect for when I want to contour the hollows of my cheeks for an angled, chiselled look. The angled shape of this brush also does wonders whether it comes to contouring, or when I am looking to apply blush in a sharp, angled way. I also find that the natural bristles of this brush picks up powder products very easily. Oh, I almost forgot- this brush is good for applying highlighter to the cheekbones too!

4. Real Techniques Contour Brush (from the Core Collection Kit)

This tapered dome brush does exactly what its name says it does - contour! I enjoy using this brush for applying bronzer and highlighter to the face. For bronzer, I feel it gives a bit of a heavy look, but because it is domed, it spreads out the bronzer so it is not so densely concentrated on one area, if that makes sense. For highlighter, this is a breeze to use. It applies highlighter to my cheekbones beautifully and is definitely my favourite brush to use for applying highlighter. This synthetic bristles brush is also lovely for blending out concealer on my under-eyes, and leaves my concealer looking nowhere near cakey and does not emphasise fine lines or dry areas on my under-eyes.

Moving on to my top eye brushes!

5. Lash Bar Fluffy Eye Blending Brush

Lash Bar is a shop found in certain places like Sunway Pyramid and Midvalley Megamall which stocks makeup brushes, fake eyelashes and a few makeup products. For some reason, the brushes from this shop is not that popular, but it think they should be because all the brushes that I've purchased from here are of really good quality. This Blending Brush is no exception. Its natural bristles are made of goat hair, but oh golly it is soft! When I first bought this, I could not stop fluffing its bristles on my family's hand/face- crazy I know but I was so excited to share with them just how soft the bristles are. This brush is perfect for blending out harsh eyeshadow lines or for applying eyeshadow to the crease of my eye. It blends beautifully and leaves my eye makeup looking one step nearer to being perfect. Always.

6. e.l.f. Studio Contour Brush
This brush is great for applying eyeshadow to the outer V of the eye, or to apply eyeshadow to the eye area for a heavier, more defined look due to its tightly packed bristles. Its synthetic bristles are not that soft, and it is a teeny bit scratchy- but I've had this brush for almost three years now and for only £3.50 back then, I can hardly complain. It's served its purpose well!

7. e.l.f. Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush

This brush has firm, densely packed synthetic bristles which is brilliant for packing on eyeshadow to the eyelids. I like how I have a lot of control when using this brush to apply eyeshadow, and it helps me apply eyeshadow easily and smoothly onto my eyelids. Again, not the softest brush I own, but I hardly mind because it is not very pokey or scratchy, and it does the job well. =)

That's pretty much my current top brushes! I have recently purchased a set of the Sigma Mr Bunny brushes, but I had them sent back to Malaysia instead of the UK, so I have not been able to test them out yet (soon hopefully!), but these are what I currently like. I am not very fussy about brushes, as long as they do not shed like crazy or are scratchy, I am fine.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a video with you from House of Fraser relating to how to use makeup brushes to apply makeup and what brushes to use for different makeup products. I like this video because it is short, concise but explains all the basic need-to-knows really well. Hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did and find it helpful!

What are your favourite makeup brushes? How do you like using them? =D

xx Amanda