MY ESSENTIAL MAKEUP BRUSHES

I've travelled quite a bit this year, and these brushes are the ones I seem to always have around with me - I know there's quite a few! I do switch it up between them when I'm at home, mainly because it means I don't have to wash each brush straightaway after every use. I think I have a good balance of less expensive to high end brushes, but I believe a good brush is worth a little investment as it should last years and years. What are some of your essential/favourite makeup brushes? ;)

(L-R: Sigma Flat Kabuki F80, Chanel Foundation Brush #6, Real Techniques Contour Brush, Sephora Pro Precision Blush Brush #73 and Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush #127)

Sigma Flat Kabuki F80 & Chanel Foundation Brush #6

My 2 favourite foundation brushes - and I refuse to pick between the two! :P I find the Sigma kabuki great for everyday use because it spreads liquid foundation very evenly and does not require a lot of strokes to blend the product into the skin. I grab the Chanel foundation brush when I need to build up coverage, and it's great for manoeuvring around intricate areas on the face. I haven't had much luck with flat foundation brushes up until this point, the application tends to be streaky (this may vary with different foundations) but the Chanel foundation brush is so densely packed that it blends product very easily. Like most foundation brushes, I recommend washing them very thoroughly - I use the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove (which I know is a little excessive) but it gets the job done so much quicker!

Real Techniques Contour Brush

I've been quite impressed with Real Techniques, mainly with the brushes for the face, the bristles are really fine and they pick up makeup really well. I don't generally apply finishing powder all over my face, just around my t-zone and underneath the eyes, so this brush is the right size for getting the job done. Another great thing about Real Technique brushes is that they are a great choice for beginners or anyone who is on a budget.

Sephora Pro Precision Blush Brush #73

My go-to contour brush! The head of the brush is quite flat, so it is perfect for reaching in and around the hairline as well as the cheekbones. The bristles on this brush are probably the softest amongst the ones I've noted so far - which is really saying something about the quality of this brush. I really do wish Sephora was more readily available here down under, I would highly recommend checking out the Pro Series brushes.

Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush #127

I'm still new to Zooeva brushes, but have been loving them so far - especially the price tag! This brush is pretty much the same as the Sigma F40 (or any angled contour/cheek brush) which I also have in my collection, but I find the bristles on the Zoeva brush to be softer and more gentle on the skin. Both brushes actually pick up powder blushes/bronzers quite well, but I would opt for the Zoeva one!

Jump for the eye brushes!

(L-R: MAC 217 Blending Brush, MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush, MAC 214 Short Shader Brush, Sigma Small Angle Brush E65 and Zoeva Crease Brush 228)

MAC 217 Blending Brush & MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush

My ultimate eye makeup brush duo! I'm sure most of you have seen these 2 brushes around, and they are worth all the hype in my opinion! I probably grab the 217 more than the 239, it's great for everyday looks because the finish is very natural. It also blends amazingly well, creating a softer effect whilst the 239 packs on more product. A word of warning though - I used to spot clean these brushes quite often with the Cinema Secrets Professional Brush Cleaner, but it leaves them with a stain, so now the bristles have a weird greenish tint - not happy!

MAC 214 Short Shader Brush

I started off using the tapered pencil brush for my lower waterline before I discovered this brush. And as much as I loved my Sigma E30, it really does not give as much precision as the MAC 214. I use this almost religiously - it grabs a good amount of product and applies eyeshadow onto my lower waterline with relatively clean edges.

Sigma Small Angle Brush E65

I've come across a few variant of brushes for eyebrows - they all differ in size, density, shape, etc. The Sigma E65 is relatively small, but the bristles are densely packed and works really well in blending out the product. The size of the brush head combined with the short bristles makes it perfect to draw on my brows (which are almost non-existent), it allows me to create sharper lines and is not too flimsy to use.

Zoeva Crease Brush 228

Another one of my new loves from Zoeva! I don't always use the blending/crease brush because I find the MAC 217 to be just enough on a day-to-day basis, but for looks that are darker, this brush is great for blending the crap out of those harsh edges. Many would say the key to good eye makeup is to blend, blend and blend, so it's always handy to have this around!

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what some of your favourites brushes are! :D