Everything you need to know about how to use your makeup brushes and, most importantly, a guide on buying the correct brushes to ensure a seamless beat. M.A.C National Artist Mokgadi Shogole shares all the deets to make the process easy and efficient.
Glamour: Which brushes can you use all over your face?
Mokgadi Shogole: Duo-fi bre brushes, combining dense black bristles and soft white ones, are best for any formula used on your face, be it liquid, cream or powder. These brushes include 187s (1), 286s (3), 188s, 130s and 164s.
G: Which brush is meant for your cheeks?
MS: They usually resemble powder brushes except they’re slightly angled and smaller to control placement. You can also use them to contour. These brushes include 168s and 116s.
G: Which brush is meant for your eyes, and which is for blending eyeshadow?
MS: Eyeshadow brushes vary from tapped to blending and usually have small bristles. The dense ones are to pick up product and place strategically and the soft fl u y ones are for blending. These brushes include 139s (2), 217s (4), 224s, 219s and 242s.
G: What does a lip brush look like?
MS: This brush has very small, fi rm bristles, often in an oval shape to help get into the inner corners of the lips and to shape the cupid’s bow as desired. These brushes include 316s and 318s. Mokgadi Shogole M.A.C National Artist IVANKGADI
G: How does M.A.C help its consumers identify the brushes they need for the different sections of their face.
MS: Our numbers series consists of one, two and three. The one series is for the face (foundation, concealer, powder, blush, highlight and contour), the two series is for eyes (eyeshadow and blending) and the three series is for lips. These include 190s foundation, 150s powder, 217s (4) eyeshadow and 316s lipstick.
G: If you’re new to makeup, which essential brushes should be first on your shopping list?
MS: A foundation, concealer, powder, blush, and two eyeshadow brushes, one for placement and another for blending. These brushes include 190s, 150s, 168s, 270s, 239s and 217s (4).
G: How often should you wash your makeup brushes, and what should you wash them with?
MS: If you use your brushes for one colour daily, wash your brushes at least once a week with a brush cleanser. Other detergents are very harsh on the hairs and may break or harden them. Remember: only put the bristles in the water and not the whole brush, as it may loosen the glue holding the strands and ruin the lacquer on the brush handle.
G: What should you look for when buying brushes? How do you distinguish quality brushes from stiff ones, and what does it mean for makeup application?
MS: Good quality brushes are handcrafted and lacquered three times or more. When you buy brushes, ensure their bristles are soft. Although bristles are synthetic, they shouldn’t look and feel the same as plastic as they may damage your skin and won’t give you a smooth application.
G: Your top three makeup-brush tips?
MS: Clean them regularly with a decent brush cleanser; only wash the bristles and dry them laying flat on a towel in the shade. New brushes should be washed before use.
G: How do you know when to part with your brushes?
MS: If properly cared for, a good makeup brush can last eight to 10 years. However, if you notice that it’s lost most of its hair or is starting to feel uncomfortable when you apply makeup, let it go.
This article was originally published in the November Issue of GLAMOUR SA. Grab your digital copy here.
