Brushes are some of the most important tools a make-up artist can have. They allow you to create different effects, textures, and coverage levels with foundations, eyeshadows, and other cosmetics products!

But here’s the kicker: they can also be incredibly expensive!

So before you go out and spend a small fortune on brushes, it’s important to know which kind you prefer, and what brushes you should start with.

In my opinion, not every single cosmetics wearer needs expensive, high quality brushes. BUT, if you are serious about makeup, invest a lot of time in experimenting with different looks, higher quality brushes would probably be best for you.

Here’s another important thing to consider: the average makeup artist uses 5 brushes. Just 5! While we may have many more, to complete a look, most of us have found 5 brushes we adore and stay true to.

If you are new to using make-up brushes, it’s my opinion that you should start with a less expensive brush set. This way, you can experiement with the different brush types and find 5 or 6 “favourites”. Then you can eventually invest in higher-quality brushes, and instead of buying 5 that you might like, you know you’ll make good use out of all of them!

If you’re looking for a great line of inexpensive brushes, my favourites are the Professional brushes from ELF (Eyes Lips Face) Cosmetics. Their brushes are synthetic, making them less expensive, but they’re easy to clean and certainly get the job done! I purchased mine for 70% off during one of their promotional deals, and now they are offering a discount on their professional line again!

You can find ELF products online at http://www.eyeslipsface.com/.

ELF is also PETA approved, meaning they are a certified cruelty-free brand.

If you have found your ideal brushes and are hoping to invest in a higher-quality brush, these are some of my favourites:

MAC

Of course MAC, right? Pretty much every MUA loves this brand. Their brushes are in the 25-45$ range, and phenomenal. I’ve had some of my MAC brushes for more than 5 or 6 years, and I use them daily. They offer every kind of brush imaginable, and, in my opinion, the prices are very reasonable.

Find them at a MAC store or counter, or online at MACcosmetics.com

MAKEUPFOREVER

Makeupforever’s brushes are slightly more expesive than MACs, but are also excellent quality. Their brushes range from about $25-60. They are made of either synthetic (for some concealer brushes) or natural bristles.

You can find them in some department stores, Shoppers Drugmart, or online at http://www.makeupforever.com/

CRUELTY FREE HIGH QUALITY BRUSHES:

SMASHBOX

I haven’t personally tried SMASHBOX brushes, I have only tested them in stores. They are approximately the same price as MAKEUPFOREVER; I chose to buy MAKEUPFOREVER simply because their powder brush was larger, and at the time I was searching for an all-over brush. However, I do love SMASHBOX because they are a cruelty free cosmetics brand. One thing that concerns me about natural bristle make-up brushes is how the fur is collected to create them. SMASHBOX actually raises their own animals, and brushes them once a year to collect the animals’ fur to create these brushes. Now, part of me questioned the conditions these animals would be living in, but after doing some research I’ve learned that SMASHBOX is actually supported by PETA…and although there is controversy about PETA euthanizing animals unnecessarily, they are generally very strict about animal living conditions. You can find these brushes in certain departmentstores, or online at http://www.smashbox.com

As for my 5 favourite brushes?

MAKEUPFOREVER Eyebrow Brush

MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush

MAC 190 Foundation Brush

MAC 239 Eye Shading Brush

MAC 222 Tapered Blending Brush

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