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Beauty -Make-upBrushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Susan Kilcoyne, Owner of SekaCosmetics and freelance make-up artist, adds: “a certain brush that works for you may not be the best for the next make-up artist. Most students are taught to use the brush that the educator uses so the student tries to continue to use the educator’s tools. The difference in your work will be huge when using the brushes that work with your techniques.”


Natural or synthetic


Make-up brushes are mainly made from natural animal hair, which is suitable for applying powders, and synthetic bristles, which are better suited towards applying products with a creamy texture, as they don’t stick to the synthetic fibres. “Nylon prevents the product from sticking to the fibres allowing for easy transference and blending,” says Jane.


Brushes with animal hair bristles are often a favourite for make-up artists due to the way that they apply powder make-up to the face, in particular mineral make-up. They hold powder products most effectively due to the scales on the hair, which help to hold the powder particles on the brush until it is applied to the face.


Natural brushes can be made of single animal fibres, or even a mixture. Many brushes are made from badger hair and these are often regarded as some of the best brushes. Sable hair is often used for smaller, finer brushes because of the rich, silky texture, whilst squirrel hair is often the most expensive and manufacturers mix the bristles with pony hair to bring down the price.


“One of the distinguishing features of a good quality brush is the standard and type of natural hair used and how that hair is shaped and attached to the handle by the ferrule. The type of natural hair chosen, the shape and the density (amount of hair used) all contribute to the performance of the brush and how it delivers the pigment onto the surface of the skin,” says Jane.


A quick search on the internet brings up several discussions about how the hair is collected from animals for


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the purpose of make-up brushes, with many people throwing in the argument against fur and the fact that many cosmetic companies today are against testing their products on animals, yet continue to use animal hair in their brushes.


One of the main things to remember here is that it is only the bristles, or hair, from animals, and not the actual fur. “The natural hair used in many of Jane Iredale brushes is obtained from living animals, such as goat and pony, and is generally obtained from combing or brushing, then made sterile for use on the skin,” says Jane.


However, if you do feel uncomfortable about applying make- up with animal bristle brushes, then select a few good quality synthetic brushes instead. Brushes made from Taklon, which is made from a polyester fibre, are designed to mimic the characteristics of natural hair.


Safe and sound


When using make-up tools on your clients, it’s important that you keep them safe from any contamination. All make-up brushes should be sanitised before using on the next client. A brush cleanser can be used to keep brushes bacteria-free.


A build-up of old make-up on a brush can also have an impact on the application of make-up: “If you are working with a brush that has a build-up of make-up on it, it is so hard to work with and you cannot achieve the desired look,” says Audrey Heffernan, Hennessy Hair and Beauty Ltd.


Your kit should also contain disposable items such as single-use disposable mascara wands, brushes and applicators; otherwise you end up double-dipping your brushes and a potential infection to your clients. “An essential tool that everybody should have in their kit is some cotton buds. These are so simple and cost practically nothing but are great if you need to tidy up under the eye or wherever you need to use them,” says Audrey.


Turn over for a round-up of products for your kit...


essential kit


IB takes a look at which brushes should be staple in your kit...


Foundation brush:


To apply liquid foundation, use a brush with large, synthetic bristles and for powder or mineral foundation us a brush with a round head.


Large powder brush:


Tends to be the largest brush in the kit and is used to apply loose powder.


Blusher brush: Normally made from natural bristles, these have a full, large head with slight tapering for definition and contour across the cheekbone.


Concealer brush:


Should be made of synthetic bristles, firm and with a tapered head.


Wide eyeshadow brush: Made of natural bristles, these brushes are designed for sweeping colour across the eyelids and blending.


Eye blender brush:


A long, fluffy natural bristle brush that is tapered at the end and used in the crease area to blend.


Eye definer/contour brush:


A medium-narrow slightly firm natural haired brush that is tapered.


Eyebrow brush: A synthetic or natural haired brush cut at an angle to apply shadow, crème or gel to brow hair.


Eyeliner brush:


A synthetic, very thin brush that comes in a number of shapes, but is generally flat and pointed.


Slanted brush:


These natural bristle brushes are designed for the application of fine lines.


Lip brush: A synthetic brush similar to a concealer brush in shape and designed for blending lip liner and lipstick applications


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