THE BEST MAKEUP BRUSHES- this review is graphics-intensive, please be patient--it's worth the wait
You've just bought some new makeup products and are eager to try them at home.  Chances are, the makeup artist at the store used professional makeup brushes to make your new look work.  If you really want to re-create that look, you should consider getting a good set of makeup brushes, too.  

Good quality makeup brushes are essential, especially if you are not a makeup artist. You can use the little applicators standard in makeup compacts, or inexpensive brushes sets selling for $5.00 a set, but the bristles are always rough, thin, or improperly shaped  (this can streak makeup). They clump with color almost immediately,  and  gather dust and unhealthy bacteria.  If you try to wash them, they will quickly disintegrate.  Inexpensive brushes are often poorly shaped,  with poor quality bristles that constantly shed, making it impossible to apply products smoothly.  

A good brush will help you apply makeup as it was intended to work.  They are well crafted of fine materials that won't  shed or disintegrate when cleaned.  Many experts prefer natural hair brushes of goat, sable, squirrel, pony, or a combination for appeal and durability, but there are also some excellent synthetic brushes on the market that look and feel like natural hair.  Synthetic or natural, good brushes have hairs that are hand placed and graduated rather than sliced.  Each is formed precisely – specialized as to their function. They may shed a few hairs now and then, but they will not thin out and lose their shape. Inexpensive brushes usually have cheap wood or plastic handles that can break or feel sticky and awkward in your hand.  Good brushes have smooth, easy to hold handles in lacquer, matte, silver, wood,  lucite or crystal that give you control over the brush, and the results. 

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BRUSH?  When you check out a brush, look first for loose bristles and overall craftsmanship. Natural or synthetic bristles should feel luxurious, soft, smooth, silky and light. Rub the brush across the inside of your wrist. If the bristles feel stiff, coarse, prickly, or rough, you can bet that’s how they’ll also feel on your face. Flip the bristles back and forth in your hand. Lightly "tug" the bristles. Some new brushes will shed a few hairs, but if you get more than a few in your hand, it’s probably not very well made.  Examine the handle. Most are polished wood, although some are plastic or rubber. They should feel comfortable and substantial, not oddly-shaped or fragile. Super long handles look elegant, but one longer than 10" will be hard to use, especially if you need to get close to the mirror! The most popular handle sizes are 5-6" and 10-11". Look at the place where the handle joins the top of the brush (the ferule). If it is loose or poorly made, your brush could shed bristles, loosen from the handle, or fall off entirely.

Most experts prefer natural bristle brushes, but if  you’re allergic to animal hair, opt for synthetic hair. They have come a long way and many of the synthetics we tested were comparable or better to natural hair. Synthetic bristles also tend to pick up less color, so you'll get a lighter application. Nylon bristles are always the best choice for applying concealer or cream products, because natural bristles absorb creams and may clump. 

WHICH BRUSHES DO YOU NEED?  Makeup brushes come in many different sizes and shapes, but in three basic cuts: straight, chisel and tapered. When you need to make a straight line, a straight-cut brush, where all the hairs line up evenly in a straight line, is best. Most straight-cut brushes are used for eye lining and eyebrows. Chisel cut brushes are cut slightly layered into the end of the brush. They have a rounded look, used for blending, contouring, and any place where you want a soft touch, such as any brush for applying shadow to eyelids, or blush brushes. Tapered brushes have their ends rounded out almost to a point and draw good curved lines. Lip brushes and concealed are the classics in this shape.

Margin Dennis, a professional makeup artists, says her favorite bush is a  wide flat synthetic brush to a variety of products.  Professional makeup artists Donna Fumoso and Sara-Seidman-Vance sometimes use paint brushes from art supply stores (not recommended for beginners).  A set makes decisions easy, but if cost is a factor, choose quality over quantity.  Better to buy just one good brush at a time. Consider asking friends and family for an addition to your brush collection for holidays and birthdays.  If you're just starting your collection, choose your first brush based on the makeup products you apply most often. You might even opt to get more than one of the same brush , if you don't wear a lot of makeup products but use a lot of different colors of one type.  

READY FOR NEW MAKEUP BRUSHES?  BELOW IS THE REVIEW OF THE BEST-OF-THE-BEST FOR YOU TO TRY,
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