Wherever I go, whatever I’m doing, it’s not enough to have my favourite makeup products with me if I can’t apply them easily, and in a way which gives a professional looking finish.  I have collected lots of brushes over time, but there are six that I couldn’t live without, which I keep in a little zip-up case, and which travel with me everywhere. I like that these e.l.f. brushes are both cruelty-free and anti-bacterial, and they have become my makeup bag staples:

 

 

Once you have chosen your brushes, it’s important to look after them. Brushes quickly become loaded not only with makeup products, but also with skin cells and oils and, left this way in your makeup bag, become home to bacteria which can not only damage your brushes, but cause skin infections and breakouts. It’s therefore important not to share brushes, and to clean them after each use to help to reduce product build-up (either using a makeup wipe, or brush cleanser spray with a tissue). Also, make sure you wash them thoroughly every few days with brush shampoo and warm water, reshape the bristles and leave air dry thoroughly on a paper towel before re-using. Then you can look forward to years of service from your loyal brushes!

 

Anna x

e.l.f. products used in this photograph:

Visit Anna's website: www.annafurlaxis.com

There are a couple of rules on which brushes are best used for makeup.  Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your e.l.f. brushes. 

 

Softer, fluffier brushes are generally used for placing products on the eyes and face (such as shadows and blush).  So eye shadow brushes tend to be fluffy and not very dense, such as the Eye Shadow Brush from the regular line.  It is a light and medium density eye shadow brush which is excellent at placing shadow on the eye lid. However, it doesn't have the firmness to push shadows on the lid in order to blend them effectively. Trying to blend as you go with this brush will just lead to messy fall out.

More dense brushes with firm bristles are better for blending, shading, defining and lining.  The Eyeshadow C Brush is a great example as it is dense and firm.  The purpose of a blender brush, like the core line Blending Eye Brush, is to provide a seamless transition between colours and shades.  A blender brush is generally used clean to blend, but you can also add your chosen blending colour with this brush. Sometimes this makes blending easier. As the brush becomes saturated with eyeshadow however, change to a clean blender brush.  This gives the most natural look and removes excess shadow with ease.

 

Rules are made to be broken, and this is no exception!  To create a cut crease look if your eyelids are quite flat or deep set, a more definitive brush, such as an angled brush then, blended softly with a small contouring brush is best.

When using cream products such as lipsticks, liners, shadows and blushers, a synthetic brush will give the best results as it does not drink up the moisture from the product and making it more difficult to apply evenly.  Which is why liner brushes and most foundation brushes are synthetic.

 

Cleaning your brushes

 

Clean your brushes regularly (after every use is desirable) to keep them in good condition and free of acne causing dirt, grease and germs.  So many people blame products and makeup for skin conditions, take a good look at your brushes before laying the blame!  Brushes are an absolute heaven for germs and oils.  A quick spray and then wipe with e.l.f. Daily Brush Cleaner is a quick way to keep brushes clean.

 

If you use a silicone based primer, such as e.l.f. Mineral Infused Primer, on your face prior to foundation or a foundation containing silicone, it's best to use a brush cleanser which foams. The e.l.f. Brush Shampoo is a gel which foams with warm water and agitation.  Silicone is harder to remove as it is water resistant so a detergent is required to remove it from bristles. 

 

Taklon brushes are very hard wearing so you can use a more powerful detergent to clean them. The Studio brushes are all Taklon and antimicrobial too so are less likely to harbour germs.  Hair brushes are less resistant to chemicals and rougher treatment so use gentle cleansers or even oils to remove stubborn makeup, shampooing thoroughly afterwards.

Always rinse thoroughly and leave to dry flat, but angled downwards to protect the ferrule where the bristles are glued to the handle.  One way to achieve that is to use a partially rolled up towel and place the handles on the fatter roll and the brush heads facing down towards the flatter part of the towel. Turn the fluffier brushes (like kabukis) regularly to avoid them becoming flattened on one side.

 

A favourite brush is the flat top Studio Powder Brush.  It is very versatile, as a soft buffer it is great for applying powder products, but as it has a little more density and firmness it can be used for blending and buffing your face makeup to a fine polished finish.

 

There is no such thing as the "perfect" face, we believe that true beauty comes from being unique.  Here are a few guidelines to making the most of e.l.f's key face products blush, bronzer and highlighter.

 

Blush is the cherry on top of the cake when it comes to make up.  It has the ability to draw out a natural looking flush, making you appear fresher and radiant.  Picking your shade depends on your skin tone and the colours of the rest of your make up. A simple guide is: 

 

Pink tones like Shy and Studio Blush Tickled Pink are great for pale to olive skin tones. Coral/Red/Plum tones suit Asian skin tones. Opt for richer shades such as Rose and Peachy in the Mineral range or Mellow Mauve in the Studio range or Flushed in the core line. For black skin tones, well you're lucky, pink, coral, red and plum all work amazingly but my particular favourite is the blush from the Studio Blush & Bronzer compact. It has rich golden undertones.

 

When you're applying your makeup, wait until last to apply blush.  If your eye or lip makeup is bold then play down your blush. If your make up is barely there or natural then play up the blusher. If you have uneven skin texture seek a matte blush such as some of the mineral blushes, if you have drier skin then seek a shimmery blush to add radiance Studio Blush Fuchsia Fusion is our most sparkly blusher and well worth the look.

 

Where to apply your blush?  Always apply your blush along the cheekbones, trace this out with your fingers to be sure then follow with the blusher brush.  Draw an imaginary line down from the centre of your eye to your cheek, your blush should not go beyond this line towards the nose.  This keeps your blush looking natural and accentuates the right part of the face. Some people say smile when you apply blush, this is a good way to find your cheek bones but be sure to apply a little higher than this as when you stop smiling the cheeks drop and the placement of blush is lower down than it should be. Use an appropriately sized brush like the Studio Blush Brush or core line Blush Brush or squeeze a larger brush head between thumb and forefinger to the shape and size for application.

 

Now this is where is gets more complicated for most.  Bronzers and highlighters fill some people with fear! I have heard many women say they just don't know where to put either to make the most of their features.  They tell tales of 80's streaky cheeks and overhighlighting making them feel like a 100Watt light bulb.

 

Highlighters are used to bring out and create high points on the face.  Pick a shimmery product like a Shimmering Facial Whip, All Over Colour Stick or a powder product like the lighter shades of the Studio Bronzer compacts.  You can also use products which have no shimmer such as a foundation or concealer which perhaps you bought and were too light for you. Apply a small amount under the eye brow arch and sweep down in a C shape to the tops of your cheek bones.  If your nose is flatter and you'd like a slimmer nose then apply a small amount down the bridge of the nose.  You can also plump your pout by applying a dab to the cupid's bow (just under the nose of the top lip).

 

Bronzers are used to emphasis depth or hollows, if you haven't got them then you can fake them!  Pick a shade which is significantly darker than your natural skin tone.  Do not be scared: used in moderation this has the best results. Pick a cream product such as your concealer/foundation which may be too dark for your skin or an All Over Cover Stick and blend with a damp sponge which is slightly trickier than using a powder product like the Studio Blush & Bronzer duo.  The hollow of the cheeks is a common place to use bronzer/shaders to suck in the cheeks and lift the cheek bones. Apply a small amount delicately from the ear towards the mouth blending away any harsh lines with a clean brush, sponge or puff.   You can also scuplt your jaw line by using a sweep in from the the ears towards the chin and down the neck.  To reduce a large forehead by applying to the forehead and blending outwards towards the temples and hairline.

 

The key is always to blend away any harsh lines and if you feel you've put on too much of any product, it can be dampened down by using a translucent or pressed powder or a dab of foundation.

 

A video to accompany this post can be found on our YouTube Channel.