5 Make-Up Artists Choose Their Favourite Brushes

Shiseido’s brush collection is all made in Japan – so you know they’re the real deal. This one has a really unique design and shape, plus the brush hairs feel exceptionally smooth and hug the face – making application an easy and effortless process. Another favourite is M·A·C’s 217. I’ve used this blending brush for around 20 years and it’s probably my most frequently used eye brush. It’s the perfect size for buffing in concealer, too, making it so worth the investment. Finally, VIEVE’s 117 Foundation Brush is always in my personal make-up bag – and I always have at least two in my pro kit, too. I love the shape and density of this unique brush –its firmly packed brush hairs cleverly buff and smooth out any liquid texture in the most seamless way.

Hanatsubaki Hake Polishing Face Brush, £69 | Shiseido
217S Blending Brush, £21 | M·A·C
117 Foundation Brush, £27 | Vieve

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The IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush is the best two-in-one. Incredibly versatile, it makes make-up application a breeze – especially when you’re on the go and want to save space in your make-up bag. The large, fluffy end flawlessly applies liquid foundation, while the smaller brush helps blend away imperfections. I love using the large end for foundation and the smaller end for spot concealing and under-eye concealer. Joy Adenuga’s 004 Brush is my favourite angled brush and is such a multitasking wonder. Its unique shape is perfect for contouring and bronzing – plus, it effortlessly helps define your facial features. It's also great for applying foundation, giving you that flawless finish every time. Finally, the Hourglass No. 6 Tapered Brush is a game-changer for eye make-up. Its tapered shape allows for precise blending in all those small contours around the eyes. The soft and fluffy bristles deposit just the right amount of colour and it blends out to perfection.

Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush, £30.40 (was £38) | IT Cosmetics
Multi-Use Face Brush Cream/ Liquid/Powder - Brush 004, £18 | By Joy Adenuga
Nº 6 Tapered Blender Brush, £34 | Hourglass

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First and foremost, I love my Magnetic Brushes which are hygienic, precise and multi-functional. They give me really great control, too. Elsewhere, the Anisa Angled Concealer Brush is one of the most versatile brushes I own. I can do almost a full face of base with it if I had to. Shaped like a fingertip, it gives you good shape and control, so you can press in and blend with the right pressure for each area of the face. Last but not least, Shiseido’s Naname Fude Multi Eye Brush is brilliant for buffing, blending out and softening eyeshadow. Cut on the diagonal, it has densely packed fibres that are super soft, making it ideal for sensitive eyes.

01 Magnetic Brush Set, £25 | Ruby Hammer
Angled Concealer Brush, $28 | Anisa Beauty
Naname Fude Multi Eye Brush, £32 | Shiseido

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Sigma has been a go-to brush brand for years now – it always get it right. One brush that I always recommend is the F80 Flat Kabuki Brush, the reason I come back to it time and again is because it guarantees that flawless foundation finish, no matter the formula. I’ve recently started using Rephr brushes and already it's almost impossible to choose a favourite. Those brushes are some of the most well-made and well balanced tools I have ever used. Hand-crafted in Japan, they are lightweight and perfectly shaped. If I had to pick one brush from the brand’s eye collection it would be the Brush 3, which is an eye pencil brush, and one of the most-used in my entire collection. Finally, My Kit Co. has so many incredible brushes to choose from – the one I reach for on almost every job is the Flawless Face Medium Brush. It’s the best for blending all the products you are using together.

F80 Flat Kabuki Brush, £20.60 | Sigma
Brush 03, £22 | Rephr
0.22 My Flawless Face Brush, £24 | MyKitCo.

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My Kit Co’s 0.16 brush is my absolute favourite foundation brush because it is slimmer in width, which gives you so much more control over application. It also doubles up as a concealer brush.
I’m also a big fan of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Brush and use it mostly for blush – applying it with the smaller end, then using the larger end for blending it out. It's also great for powder too. The Charlotte Tilbury Eye Smudging Brush is another brush I couldn't live without – it's perfect for smudging pencil liner deep into the lash line. The size is just so considered, and the construction is also great for more detailed work. 

0.16 My Smoothing Concealer, £17 | MyKitCo.
Ambient Lighting Edit Brush, £47 | Hourglass
Eye Smudger Brush, £26 | Charlotte Tilbury

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