My Favourite Makeup Brushes of 2013

Next up in my ‘best of 2013’ series is makeup brushes! I feel like I gained a whole host of new makeup brushes in 2013 and I definitely discovered a few gems that I’d now consider ‘holy grail’ and part of my everyday makeup routine. I can’t believe there was a time when I used to apply all of my makeup with my fingers – well apart from powder as that would be quite impossible but even then, I used the rubbish little pad you find in cheap powders and smeared it over my face. Nice! Makeup brushes definitely make a huge difference to the appearance of my makeup and help give it a more polished and professional look. All of the brushes featured in this post are my ‘go-to' brushes and most of them get used every single day. Here's a bit more about each and why I love them so much ...

Real Techniques Powder Brush | Link

I couldn't write this post without featuring one RT brush (okay, three) as they're just so damn amazing and definitely my favourite brushes. When I first bought the Powder brush my first thought was 'oh my, its huge'. Seriously, this bad boy is almost the same size as my head. Okay, not quite but for a makeup brush, its pretty huge! I first thought this would pose a problem as it would be too bulky for my face but its actually perfect for setting my foundation as it gives my skin a light dusting of powder in one quick sweep. I also like this for applying bronzer if I want to pop it all over my face to get that glowy summer tan look. 

Real Techniques Blush Brush | Link

Another of the RT's face brushes and this time its the blush brush (what a tounge twister) which I think could be my absolute favourite brush. I mean its Pink so that's already a winner but aside from the pretty appearance, this brush is perfect for applying bronzer with. I use this when I want to add my beloved NARS Laguna into the contours of my cheeks and it works perfectly - so soft and easy to blend with. Its quite a large brush so definitely not one for precise contouring but for an everyday wash of bronzer or blush, its perfect.

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush (from the eye starter kit) | Link

Another Real Techniques brush, what a surprise. The base shadow brush is definitely my favourite from the eye starter kit and surprisingly, I don't even use it on my eyes. I use this brush to blend concealer under my eyes or for really detailed contouring as its a great size and quite dense yet still great for blending. I can't comment on how it would work on the eyes as I have other favourites to use with eyeshadow (more about those below) but in terms of concealer blending, its bloomin great!

MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush | Link

The MAC 239 has been one of my favourite makeup brushes, if not my all time favourite, since the first day I bought it. This flat little eye brush packs eyeshadow onto my eyelids like nothing else. Its brush fibres are firm and dense whilst still being soft and gentle on the eyelid. If I'm applying eyeshadow, particuarly for a night out, this is the brush I'll always reach for as like I said, it packs colour onto the lid exceptionally well and I find I can create really intense colour on my eye with complete ease.

Sigma E25 Blending Brush | Link

As a dupe for the famous MAC 217 blending brush, the Sigma E25 Blending Brush is the perfect companion for my MAC 239 and together they're all I need for flawless eyeshadow. I do have other detail eye brushes for applying shadow on the inner corner or lower lash line but in terms of adding a lid and a crease colour - the 239 and E25 are all I need. If you hadn't already guessed by the name, I use this brush to add shadow to my crease and it blends it exceptionally well. Its light and fluffy but still dense enough for blending - fabulous!

Crown Brush C160-1/8" Angle Liner Brush* | Link

I have to be honest when I say I wasn't blown away by the face brushes I tried from Crown Brush but their Angle Liner brush is an absolute gem and I use it every single day alongside my HD Brows palette to fill in my brows. The angled edge creates nice sharp lines and the brush fibres/hairs (what on earth are they called? someone please enlighten me) are fairly flexible and soft so after creating the shape of my brows, its also great for filling in any sparse areas too. For only £2.29, I'd highly recommend it.

Have you tried any of these makeup brushes? Which were your favourite makeup brushes to use last year? I'd love to try some new ones from new brands!

Lots of Love,

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