So you’ve got the basic make up must haves in your make up kit and now what you really want to do is use them. But how are you going to go about it without basic make up brushes? Brushes for make up are the next most important things to have in your basic make up kit next to your basic make up essentials.

It wasnt till later in my experimentation with make up that I found make up brushes essential. They allow for greater precision and accuracy of your make up application, on top of giving your make up a more flawless and even finish. Although there are so many brushes out there, I’ve come to realise certain basic make up brushes are the essentials ones that everyone should own. These are the brushes that you must have and absolutely cannot do without because they help you achieve a flawless make up face.

1) Large face brush

A large fluffy face brush is highly recommended as the first make up brush anyone should have. If you use pressed powder or loose powder, this brush’s purpose is simple: to allow even application of your powdered foundation. The bristles of the large powder face brush are widely spread out to form a rounded top. Because of its shape, it gently deposits powdered foundation over a greater area of your face, resulting in a smooth yet natural finish perfect for everydays.

2) Concealer brush

Some people believe that concealer should come before foundation, while others believe vice versa. But to me, it doesnt matter. As long as you have a concealer brush in your basic make up brush set, application of your concealer will be even and well-blended. I only started using a concealer brush recently; a change from using my fingers and I could instantly tell the difference. Bristles of the concealer brush are broad and flat, making it suitable for use with both powder and cream concealer. Of course, to fully ensure that your concealer blends well, the shade of concealer should exactly match your natural skin tone.

3) Blush brush

A blush brush may look similar to a large face brush but really is smaller in size and has bristles that are packed very closely together. The denser blush brush can be used for both contouring cheekbones and applying blusher to the apples of your cheeks. Unlike the usual brushes that come with blushers, the rounded head of a blush brush allows for better distribution of blusher across the cheeks. This helps to closely mimic your face’s natural flush. If there was another must have make up brush that I think everyone should own, it’d be this.

4) Eyeshadow brushes

If you pay attention carefully, you will probably realise there a dime a dozen eyeshadow brushes and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. But if you are not doing make up professionally, and are only looking to start your first brush set specially for make up, you might want to start small. An all-over eye application brush and a blending brush are probably the 2 basic eye brushes you might want to start with.

The all over eye brush helps deposit eyeshadow all over the eye socket and should be generally flatter and wider than the blending brush. I personally love a good blending brush because it softens and makes your eyeshadow melt into each other. Definitely one of the essential make up brushes especially for the eyes. Blending brushes are usually fluffier (it’s so fluffy!) and rounded in shape to help eliminate any harsh lines in your eyeshadow.

5) Lip brush

I find lip brushes to be sorely underrated and sadly, have only been paid lip service (pun fully intended). Lol. I have to admit, I love lippies and lipglosses, but I never got about to using a lip brush until just last week. So, this brush you see right here is the latest addition to my basic make up brush set.

Lip brushes are used for precise outlining and filling in the creases of the lips. The pointy tip of the brush gives you better control and accuracy when it comes to plushing up your pout, something that you don’t always get with the wand of your lipgloss or lipstick. And I must say having a lip brush keeps your lippies and glosses that much more hygienic.

There you have it, 5 basic make up brushes I think every girl should own. You might have realised that all my brushes are from various sources. I pick them up as I go along and discover a need for it instead of buying an entire set. But stick with the essential brushes and you probably wont go wrong. I know that most people think a nice soft brush is the defining mark of a good brush, but it’s actually about finding one that picks up your pigments well. Remember girls, good brushes arent cheap and cheap brushes arent good.