Brush Basics + Ulta Overhauls

 

Just because makeup artists have a broad arsenal of brushes to choose from, doesn't mean that we all do... 

The good news is that you don't need one in order to achieve a flawless makeup application...you just need to make sure you have the right ones. So today I wanted to cover the basic brushes that are a must for anyday makeup. (...or these are my musts at least.)

First up: a great foundation brush! Having the correct foundation brush is the crux of great makeup application. You can get away with using just about any brand of makeup, whether it's drug store or designer, as long as you can blend it well. And a quality brush will do just that. 

These are my two favorites (shown above and below) For a powder foundation I prefer my Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 because I love how well it disperses coverage without ever building up too much product. It's super easy to clean and can be versatile as well....you can use this brush for foundation, setting powder, blush, bronzer, you name it....and the synthetic bristles feel luxurious on the skin (not to mention they never shed on you!) For a liquid foundation, bb cream, or concealer I prefer the IT Airbrush Blurring Foundation Brush #101 available at Ulta Beauty. It has a ton of control and with it having a dense, softly rounded edge, it makes it great for stippling as well. (Which is why I really like using it for concealer)

 

Then for a typical setting powder you want something large and super fluffy to give you an invisible layer of staying power. You should never look chalky from powder (which denser brushes can do) I'm really liking this IT Powder Blending Brush #211 at Ulta. (below) It feels so soft, never sheds, and works well for both loose and pressed powders. 

A fan brush is one of the most understated brushes that you can have in your makeup bag, and that's because it can serve a number of important functions: it can be used clean to whisk away any excess shadow powder than could've fallen underneath the eye, it can dust off any excess loose face powder without taking off the coverage, OR (my personal fave) it can swipe on darker pigments in the softest way possible. Which means that when I want to wear bronzer or a shimmery blush (both of which you NEVER want too much of) it applies soft, buildable layers until I reach the desired look. (Sooooo much better than trying to wipe off too much later with a tissue....which of course never works! ) I really like the MAC 184 Fan Brush (shown above) but Ulta has some excellent options as well.

In fact, I'm sort of obsessed with Ulta at the moment to be honest....I recently had an Ulta Overhaul to pick up some summer beauty essentials and I swear next to Target, it's the second most dangerous store to go into for "a few things". LOL. So just for fun, check out my recent purchases for under $150. 

click the pics below to see details....

I hope this helps... I'll be doing a more in-depth product round up soon for literally every summer essential on a budget you'll ever need! But in the meantime I highly recommend you check Ulta for some steals. 

TGIFFFFFF!!! 

❤︎,