When I first started learning how to do my makeup, I discovered that using the right brushes makes a world of difference. Good quality eyeshadow brushes don’t have to be expensive though, a lot of my favorite brushes are in the $8-$15 range. Is it worth it to splurge on brushes? Yes, because they’re your tools to create your flawless beat. However, you do NOT need to spend a ton of money to get good ones. Periodt.
I have a solid 6-7 eyeshadow brushes that I use to create all my makeup looks. Every. Single. Look. I do want to point out that it’s important to have brushes that are great for blending in your crease, as this is where a lot of the magic happens.
My Favorite Eyeshadow Brushes
All About That Base
Before you can lay down a bomb eyeshadow look, you need to lay down a good base. To do this, I like to use a flat concealer brush to carve under my brow and apply my base.
My favorite brush for this is my Zoeva 144 Soft Concealer Brush. You could use just about any flat concealer brush for this, but I like this one because it’s larger (and I have a lot of lid space). I also use this to carve out my lid for a cut crease because it has a perfected rounded shape.
For The Crease
Blending out your crease shades really well is what makes your eyeshadow look POPPIN. I have about 3 brushes that I really like to use in my crease. For my transition shade, I like to use the Morphe M505 Tapered Blending Brush. It’s full, fluffy, blends well, and is $8 at Ulta. Don’t forget to use Ulta’s coupons!
As I continue to work in my crease, the lower I go, the darker my eyeshadow gets, and the smaller my blending brushes get. The Morphe M441 Pro Firm Blending Crease Brush is always next in line, as while it’s still fluffy, it’s more firm and controlled.
The Zoeva #227 Eye Lux Soft Rose Golden Vol. 2 Brush is the second to last brush that I use as I start to get into the darkest shades for my crease. It’s a lot smaller than the previous two brushes, so it allows me to get up in there and really blend out darker shades.
Lastly, I LOVE using the Zoeva #224 Luxe Defined Crease Brush to blend out my crease’s darkest shade. This is also perfect for blending out dark shadows for a smokey eye. It’s definitely a must-have, as it’s the best brush I’ve ever tried for really blending out deep dark eyeshadows.
For the most part, I use the same eyeshadow brushes that I use in my crease, on my lower lash line.
Cut Crease + Lid
To carve out my lid for a cut crease, I use the Zoeva 144 that I also use to apply my base. I will also use this to apply glitter if I’m doing a glitter look. This is because the brush is firm, flat, and great for packing.
For my lid shades, my favorite eyeshadow brush to use is the MAC 239 Synthetic Eye Shader Brush. It’s the most expensive eyeshadow brush that I use (Retail $28 at MAC), but I’ve had mine for YEARS, and I haven’t found anything else that I like as much. It’s a flat eyeshadow brush that’s great at picking up a bunch of shadow and packing it on your lid. This is not for blending (preferably in circles), but for literally packing shadow on your lid.
Nice to Have For Details
There are a couple of other eyeshadow brushes that are nice to have on hand. They help me get in there and be detailed with my look.
If I want to smoke something out under my lash line, I use a smudger brush like the Morphe M508. For my inner eye highlight, I like to use a pencil brush (that I’ve sprayed with Fix +) like the Morphe M431 to apply that in my inner corner.
When it comes to applying eyeliner, I’m a gel liner fan, and I like to use an angled liner brush to apply that. The flatter and thinner, the better (because you can be more precise), which is why I love the Zoeva 317 Wing Liner Brush.
Overall these brushes are my ride or dies. I’ve used them for years, and they’ve helped me create just about all the looks that I’ve done. If you want to see them in action, check out some of my makeup tutorials on YouTube!
What are some of your favorite makeup brushes? Do you have some that you swear by? Let me know in the comments!
Stylishly Yours,
Theresa Seyi
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