Highlight Brush. Left: Posh Blending Brush, Right: MAC188

My favourite highlight brush is MAC188 (right). It will pick up a little product if you brush it on the product lightly. Start from the start of the cheekbones and make a half circle bringing the colour around the eyes – up to above arch of the brows. This brush picks up and delivers just the right amount. I also live this brush as a blush brush. It can also be used to apply lightweight foundation like MAC187 brush.

This Posh brush (left) is called Blending brush. The size is such that don’t know if it is a blending brush for eye makeup or face makeup or cheek makeup. However, I found a use of this brush. I use it to highlight on the days when I want a strong highlight. It is very dense and picks up a lot of product. But I wouldn’t consider this brush a necessity.

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Contour Brush. Left: MAC186SE , Right: MAC109SE

My personal favourite contouring brush is MAC109 (right). It is a dense and narrow brush with a circular tip. It is just the right size to contour my face. I pick up my bronzer and its very easy to apply – no tricks involved. I starts from my temples and come forward towards the centre of my face.

My second favourite brush for contouring is MAC168 (left). It’s an angular dense and narrow brush. It can be used to contour holding it sideways – starting from temples and coming forward. It can also be used as a blush brush holding it normally – starting from the cheeks going towards the temples.

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Blush Brushes left to right: MAC188, MAC129SE, MAC168SE, Posh Angle Blush Brush

I absolutely love MAC188 as a blush brush (first from left). I swirl it on my powder brush and then swipe it couple of times on my cheeks – and that is it. I start from the apple of my cheeks (I little bit behind it actually) and finish close to my ears. It picks up small amount if you want a light coverage and it picks up more if you keep swirling it. It is the baby version of MAC187.  Which means the black hair is goat hair and the site is synthetic hair. So this brush is great for people who apply cream blushes. This brush can be used to apply foundation as well. I also highlight my cheeks with this brush sometimes.

A traditional blush brush is like MAC129 (second brush from left). You swipe it from the apple of the cheeks and finish in front of the ears. I personally don’t like it. I tend to apply too much blush while using this brush. I tend to look older since the blush makes my cheeks look like it is sagging.

Another traditional blush brush is MAC168 (third from left). It is quite dense – picks up more colour and I tend to avoid it. It is very good for contouring the cheekbones though. If you use a bronzer with this brush and apply it on the hollow under your cheekbones, it gets a nice lift and makes your face look slimmer.

Posh Angle Blush brush (last brush from the left) looks similar to MAC168. It’s dense but softer and fluffier than MAC168. So this brush is not so good for contouring but a great brush for blush. If I ever lose my MAC188 (God forbids!) I will use this brush till I get a new MAC188.
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Concealer brushes. Left to Right: non name brand 18a, MAC194SE, Posh Concealer brush (big), Posh Conceal Brush (Small)

My favourite concealer for under eye area is a non name brand. It’s the first brush from the left that says conceal-18a. It is just the right size for under eye area. It’s soft and firm at the same time. I can pat on concealer with it. The tip is fine enough to get close to the corner of the eyes. I also like this brush for the 2 dark patches I have on both of my temporal bones. I also like this brush to cover the redness around my nose and on the cheeks.

My favourite brush to conceal blemishes is MAC194 (second from left). It is the right size to conceal a blemish and the area around it.

Posh makes a pack of 2 concealer brushes. They are very soft and very good buy for the price. The big Posh brush (third from left) is my alternative brush to conceal under eye circles, dark spot and redness on my face. The small Posh Brush (Last from left) is my alternative brush to conceal blemishes.

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Foundation Brushes. Left to Right: MAC187SE, MAC190SE, MAC 181SE

My favourite foundation brush is MAC187. This brush is best to use with lightweight foundation. It’s a stippling brush. It has duo fibre. The black fibres are goat hair and the white hairs on top are synthetic hair. It is best for lightweight application. It doesn’t pick up too much product so foundation application is not cakey. If you apply foundation and starts blending – you won’t benefit from this brush, you would rather use a dense brush instead.

To get the most out of this brush I stipple the foundation on my face. I use it with my Makeup For Ever HD Foundation. I pump 1 pump on the back of my hands. I dip this brush on the foundation and only get half the product on the tips of the white fibre (very lightly). Then I use a quick stipple motion on my right side of the face. I keep stippling till the foundation blends in (I don’t swirl). Then I pick up the rest for my left side of the face.  It gives a flawless application.

MAC187  has a narrow version MAC188. MAC 188 can be used the same way – the advantage is that it can be reached to places like sides of the nose, close to eyes and above the brows.

My next favourite brush is MAC190. This is a traditional foundation brush. It is great for foundations with thicker formula such as Revlon ColorStay or MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation. You pick up the foundation onto the brush from the back of your hand. Then apply it on your face with a downward stroke. It works since the tiny facial hairs also go downwards. If you move the brush upward the hairs will stand up. Keep blending the foundation in as you apply it.

Another brush that you can apply liquid foundation with is a kabuki brush like MAC181.  If is designed to apply powder foundation but it works great with liquid foundation. The only con is that it can be hard to get to narrow places like the sides of the nose.

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1. Foundation: Foundation is the base for all your other makeup. It is totally worth it to spend some money towards it. Even if you don’t have a face primer, even if you have a cheap concealer, a great foundation will make you look fabulous nonetheless.

2. Brushes: Brushes are very important. Yes, foundation can be applied with hand, but you apply more, waste product and it goes on cakey. Yes eyeshadow can be applied with a sponge tip applicator, but colours won’t blend and won’t last long. Brushes achieve the details needed for a complete look.

3. Eye primer: Eye primer will enhance the colour of your eyeshadow, prevent eyeshadow from creasing and will make it last longer. An eye primer will increase the value of your eyeshadows even if you have budget friendly eyeshadows.

4. Waterproof eyeliner and mascara: Most women have eyeliner and mascara anyways. When you run out of them and make your next purchase, consider getting waterprood liquid and pencil eyeliner and waterproof mascara. It will prevent smudging.

5. Clear Lipliner: You don’t need to waste money getting every coloured lipliner for every lipstick that you own. Get a clear one – I recommend Revlon ColorStay Lipliner in Clear. It will go with every lipstick/lipstain/lipgloss. Line the edges of lips and then fill your lips in with it. It will prevent lipcolour form bleeding and will make it last longer.

That’s all I remember right now. I will edit this post if I find something new. You don’t have to get all these in one day. I call these investments because they are worth a bunch of money. Get one product per paycheck and you will have all the staples within a year or so. Enjoy the weekend.

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