The face makeup brushes 3 pros can’t live without

While your average, run-of-the-mill makeup brushes aren’t quite as exciting as a shimmering highlighter or a foundation that delivers the perfect dewy coverage, they are essential if you want to achieve great results from your makeup products. To find out exactly which face makeup brushes we should be investing in, we spoke to three of Australia’s top makeup artists. These are their go-to face makeup brushes.

Nicola Burford, celebrity makeup artist

After spending more than 20 years mastering the art of red carpet, magazine, television and runway makeup, Nicola Burford is an industry icon. These are three of her all-time favourite face makeup brushes: 

Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Setting Powder Brush: “As the name suggests, I love this brush to set my foundation application. It applies powder effectively without overloading and with the gentlest of touch on the skin – like butterfly wings! I also love it for applying a wash of bronzer around the face in a ‘halo’. Being made from synthetic fibres, it is very strong and cleans really easily after each use.” 
NARS Kabuki Ita Brush: “My flat kabuki brush is my favourite to apply liquid or cream foundations. Its elongated shape with densely packed, shorter length bristles allow me to cover the skin in fast, precise motions around all the contours of the face. The brush is really soft but strong, which makes foundation a joy to apply, layer and buff with a streak-free finish.” 
Zoeva 110 Face Shape Brush: “This is my multi-use face brush. I love this brush for precise contouring and highlighting, applying and blending cream or liquid blushes, or touching-up foundation during the day.”

Alphie Sadsad, Sephora Australia National Artistry Lead

Because Sadsad is able to work and play with all of the 141 brands available at Sephora, you can rest assured his top picks will be serious winners. Here are three of his most-loved face makeup brushes:

Sephora Collection Ultra Liquid Foundation #83: “This is my foundation brush and blender all in one. The short, flat bristles help liquid formulas really melt into the skin.”
BECCA The One Perfecting Brush: “This brush is such a multitasker! I use it for everything from applying primer and contouring to body makeup, regardless of whether I’m using liquids, creams or powders.”
Sephora Collection Pro Brush Angled Blush #49: “I love the way this blush brush sculpts the cheek. The angle helps distribute powder evenly, and the length of the handle is perfect for diffusing colour rather than packing it on.”

Michael Brown, celebrity makeup artist

If you’ve ever been inspired by Jesinta Franklin’s, Delta Goodrem’s or Ksenija Lukich’s makeup, there’s a good chance you have Michael Brown to thank. Tasked with painting the faces of some of Australia’s top celebrities, Brown sure knows a thing or two about creating a flawless finish. Here are his go-to face brushes:

NARS The Sculptor: “It’s best to use an angled brush for clean shade application under the cheekbone… The shorter part of the brush picks up most product when dipped in the pigment, whereas the longer part is left relatively clean; so upon application, the shorter applies and the longer blends. Together the angled brush gives a more seamless colour compared to a flat brush. My favourite brush that does all that and more is from NARS. It’s nice and compact to give a sharper under-cheekbones shading, but has soft edges that allow for easy blending.”
Zoeva 114 Luxe Face Focus: “As blush should be softly placed on the apple of the cheekbone so it appears as a light flush, giving lift to the skin, I like to use a brush that’s compact and flat with rounded edges. This Zoeva brush works perfectly to accentuate the cheek by adding soft and blurred colour. I also love that it works with both powder and cream textures.”
Rae Morris Jishaku #20: Concealer Brush: “Brushes that are small and flat like this Rae Morris one are best for dabbing on coverage, but also work for pinpointing small areas of the face.”

Now you’ve got your face brushes sorted, stock up on these eye makeup brushes that top makeup artists can’t live without. 

What’s your favourite face makeup brush? Let us know in the comments below.

Main image credit: Sevak Babakhani