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Chicago Tribune - Brushwork: The Tools of the Trade
2005-03-16
by Dawn Klingensmith

At first blush, buying makeup brushes can be a hairy proposition. Encouraged by popular TV makeover shows, women are more apt to splurge on beauty tools, but the cosmetics industry has responded ``to the point where there are so many brushes that it's hard to sort them all out,'' said Denese Barrera, makeup artist and co-owner of the Marquiz Salon and Spa in Wheaton, Ill. A makeup minimalist can get away with six must-have brushes, she said. A makeup maven, on the other hand, can expand her collection to include 30 or more (www.sephora.com alone offers hundreds).
Barrera, along with Chicago freelance makeup artist Ann Marie Chuman, shared some brush basics, insider tips and the six essentials for every cosmetics kit.
Face and body brush -- applies powder and bronzer to face and decollete.
Large powder brush -- fuller, denser, rounder brushes pick up lots of powder but provide for an even dusting.
Lash brush -- for mascara and comb for separating lashes.
Foundation brush -- applies, distributes and blends foundation.
All-over eye shader -- paddle-shaped bristles for lid-to-brow coverage.
Brow brush -- defines, fills in and adds color to the eyebrows.
Tapered lip brush -- defines the contours of the lip.
Blush brush -- applies color to the apples of the cheeks; shades and highlights cheekbones.
Blending brush --- blends and softens eye shadow.
Crease brush -- defines and creates depth in the creases and corners of the eyes.
Flat eye definer brush -- square-tipped bristles for lining and defining.
The basics
n Brushes with a domed or rounded shape and soft bristles ``are very good for blending and achieving a natural look,'' while angled brushes contour, reach into corners, and add depth and drama, Chuman said.
n Brushes with all-natural animal-hair bristles (sable, goat, pony or squirrel) last longer and provide a smoother fin-ish, Barrera says. Urban Decay's Good Karma brushes are made of Taklon, a synthetic fiber designed to simulate fur.
n Chuman and Barrera advise women to give foundation brushes the brush-off. Those disposable wedge-shaped sponges sold at drugstores are better for dabbing on base.
n Artists' paintbrushes ``look and handle like high-quality makeup brushes but are easily half the price,'' Chuman said.
n Brushes harbor bacteria so clean them thoroughly at least every two weeks. ``Whoever sells you your brushes will also try to sell you a brush cleaner, which you don't need,'' Barrera said. Place the bristles under warm water, add a dab of shampoo and work it in gently until the rinse water comes out clear. Reshape the bristles and lay the brush out flat to dry.
Build a collection
n A powder brush. The tapered-dome No. 136 Large Powder Brush ($62) from MAC Cosmetics (www.maccosmetics.com).
n A blush brush. Trish McEvoy's 2B Blush Brush ($42) is available at Nordstrom. ``Those teeny tiny blush brushes that come in drugstore com-pacts will give you narrow streaks and too much color,'' Chuman says.
n Defining eye brush. The Eye Definer Brush ($24) from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, sold at finer department stores, lines eyes and fills in and shapes eyebrows. Chuman says brushes beat pencils for precision and softness.
n The Eye Shadow Brush ($24), also Bobbi Brown, for lid-to-brow coverage.
n An angled or tapered contouring brush, such as the Eye Contour Brush 14S ($29) from Make Up For Ever (available through Sephora.com), for apply-ing color to the crease and outer corner of the eye.
n A lip brush to prevent feathering, which, Chuman says, occurs when lip-stick is applied right out of the tube. Barrera likes MAC Cosmetics' No. 318 Lip Brush ($20) because the bristles retract, but this is one area where you can scrimp: ``Cheap or even disposable ones from the drugstore will do the job but won't be as soft,'' she said.

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