3 Top Makeup Artists Share Their Brush Essentials
What makeup brushes are essential? We asked three top makeup artist to share their favorites. (Photo: Jon Paterson)
It can be a challenge to navigate the makeup brush aisle. Kabuki brushes, blending brushes, liner brushes, angled liner brushes, powder, bronzer, and blush brushes — the list is literally a mile long. Looking at my arsenal of brushes the other day, I realized out of almost a dozen that sit on my dresser, I only use three of them on a regular basis. So what do you really need to have in your kit? I know I couldn’t be alone in my confusion, so I asked three of my favorite makeup artists to list their essentials and what they love about them. Print this out and bring it with you on your next trip to Sephora — you’ll be glad you did.
Nick Barose’s Brush Essentials
Nick Barose’s clients include Lupita Nyong’o, Brie Larson, and It girl Alicia Vikander — so yeah, he knows a thing or two about makeup application. Here’s his list of brush essentials:
For blush and contour: Lancôme Cheek & Contour Brush #25 ($40)
“It’s the perfect size to apply blush and the other side of the brush is perfect for defining cheeks and contouring.” - Nick Barose
For bronzing, contour, and powder: Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt Brush ($49)
“Perfect for spot powdering to keep skin dewy in certain areas. You can target the T-zone, side of nose, chin, and more.”
For eyeliner: Lancôme Dual-End Liner and Smudger Brush #24 ($20)
“All you need to line eyes and create smoky eyes.”
For lips: Chanel Angled Lip Brush #33 ($32)
“The angle makes it ideal to create a precise lip shape — it fits every areas from upper V to the corners.”
For powder and bronzer: MAC 138 Tapered Face Brush ($53)
“Its slight point makes it versatile and easy to work around hard to reach areas like hairlines and the under eye.”
From lip brushes to shadow brushes, these are the top picks from makeup artists. (Photo: Jon Paterson)
Lisa Aharon’s Brush Essentials
I first met Lisa Aharon when she did my makeup for a photo shoot, and we had an instant connection. She’s become my go-to for all beauty related questions, and with a client roster that includes Florence Welch, Jena Malone, she really knows her stuff. Here are the brushes she loves:
For powder and bronzer: Tom Ford Bronzer Brush ($115)
“This brush is great for applying powder or bronzer lightly and evenly.” - Lisa Aharon
For blush: Laura Mercier Cheek Colour Brush ($45)
“This dome-shaped blush brush can be used for both powder and cream formulations.”
For eyeshadow: Kevyn Aucoin The Base/Shadow Brush ($40)
“This fluffy eye shadow brush makes blending on the top lid extra easy.”
For eyeshadow: Shiseido Eye Shadow Brush ($20)
This small, soft brush is perfect for shading and contouring under and around the eyelid.”
For lips: Chanel Angled Lip Brush #33 ($32)
“Perfect for when you’re wearing a more dramatic shade and need preciseness around the edges.”
For liner: Make Up For Ever Angled Eyeliner Brush #262 ($24)
“If you wear a gel eyeliner, then you’ll need a good angled brush for application.”
Keep these makeup brushes in your kit. (Photo: Jon Paterson)
Fiona Stiles’ Brush Essentials
Dakota Johnson, Emily Ratajkowski, and Chrissy Teigen have all put their faces in the hands of makeup artist Fiona Stiles, who also runs the super cool online beauty shop, Reed Clarke. Her years of experience in the industry make her a total brush pro.
For powder: Surratt Artistique Face Brush ($230)
“The goal is to look polished — not heavily made up — so having the finest application of powder is key.” - Fiona Stiles
For blush: Jenny Patinkin Blush Brush ($72)
“I like a soft, domed brush that will lay the color down evenly and minimally. Anything too stiff will deposit too much color, making the application look blotchy and uneven.”
For concealer: Jenny Patinkin Concealer Brush ($22)
“I prefer a medium sized, synthetic, very flat concealer brush. You want to really be able to control the product and get the concealer just where you want it. I use concealer brushes for lots of things; cream eye shadows and lipstick to name a few.”
For eyeshadow: MAC #217 Blending Brush ($25)
“This shape is so versatile. You can sweep shadow all over the lid with it, define the crease, and/or blend out colors like a pro. I always, always use this brush when I work.”
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