My Top Ten Brushes

When I went away last week, I tried my hardest to scale my brushes down, so this post is half favourite brushes and half the brushes I take away with me. I have to say after taking pictures, I realized that there are a couple that on the whole I prefer (which I have written below) but these are the ones I take away with me as a lot of them are multipurpose. 

Bobbi Brown Full Coverage Face : This is a great little multi-tasker so I always take this away with me. On the whole I prefer applying foundation with my fingers but some formulas do need a brush to help buff them in.
This brush is very soft, travel sized and is my favourite brush for blending foundation in seamlessly in no time.
I also use it to blend in cream products whether that be bronzer/blusher, but especially my Smashbox Contour Sticks  as not only does it work them in well, but it is small enough to blend in a contour without smearing it all over my face.

Real Techniques Setting Brush : I use this for concealer- again not all the time because I think with some concealer formulas you really need the warmth of your fingers to help blend in, but with my Urban Decay Concealer, when I do my upside triangles, this does a great job of blending without wiping away the coverage I have created or disturbing my foundation underneath. I need to pick up another one of these, its fab. 

Charlotte Tilbury Blush Brush : This is my favourite Blush Brush when it comes to working with sheerer blushes. Its the only brush I use for my Nars and Clinique blushes as they are not as crazy pigmented, so this helps to pick up that extra bit of product as the bristles are fairly dense. It's fairly soft as well, which is a bonus.

Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush : This brush is great for contouring and highlighting (although it can pick up too much highlight so I have to tap off the excess), but I use it mostly to set the concealer under my eyes. To be honest, I often use it for everything, including blusher (If my CT blusher brush is dirty) as it is so small and tapered than you can get a really precise application. This is a real workhorse so I think it would fit most peoples needs. 

I have to say though if we are solely talking powder contour, then my Mac 168 is my absolute favourite as it really carves out the cheek bones whilst diffusing the edges, making everything look natural. 

I would have included that here, but I couldn't justify taking another brush away me when this brush is so multi functional. 

 Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brush : This is my favourite brush of all time. If I were only allowed to keep one face brush- this would be it.
It is soft, never picks up too much product, has many uses, washes like a dream, dries V quickly and manages to bounce back every time I squish it in my make up bag.
I use this for a fine dusting of powder, whether that be under my eyes or all over. You will never get a heavy, powdery look with this brush.
This works brilliantly at applying and diffusing bronzer- the brush is tapered so I can turn the brush on the side to blend out powder contour as well.
Even though this brush is larger, I use it for my more pigmented and creamy blushes as well, for example my Charlotte Tilbury blushes. It just makes them look so seamless on the skin.
This brush is very affordable - it comes in a three set which is priced at £23.99.
I don't use the other brushes a whole lot, but it is worth picking up for this brush alone.

Smashbox Fan Brush : I use this with my powder highlights- my super pigmented ones anyway, such as The Balms Mary Lou- Manizer and Kevyn Aucoins Starlight.

I don't want to look metallic or glittery and this fan brush picks up just enough product and applies a very light layer to the skin with precision. 

Mac 217 : I'm sure you all knew this little brush would make an appearance! If I am after a wash of colour all over the lid, this brush comes in handy, but it is my favourite crease brush for blending out powder eye shadows as somehow it helps me create that almost feline eye. I use it flat to deposit the colour in the crease and then I tun it on the side to blend out and it helps to diffuse my eye shadow upwards and outwards.

Mac 239 : This is my favourite brush for packing shadow onto the lid, it is fairly stiff and not as fluffy as the 217 so you can get a precise, dense application of shadow.

Liz Earle Blend and Contour Brush : I absolutely adore this brush. I use for a sheer wash of colour all over the lid but it is my favourite brush for blending out cream eye shadow. For a full review, click here.

Real Techniques Accent Brush : This is such a robust little brush I always take it with me. I use it to add my inner corner highlight and to clear up the mascara smudges on my eye lids as it is so tiny it applies the product exactly where I need it.

I also use it to smoke out my lower lash line.  I do prefer using my Mac pencil brush for that purpose as it is larger, but as this performs several functions, I took this instead. 

What are you're favourite brushes?