There is a sudden hype around brushes used for applying makeup. I have seen my mom,aunt apply foundation using hands and then came sponge for liquid foundation. When there is so much of innovation going on for types of foundations, why not for the method of application.
What is the need for a foundation brush?
Foundation brushes are made of synthetic fibres & help in transferring all the foundation on the face & doesn't absorb the foundation like our hands or a sponge. There will be wastage of product when we use our hands or a sponge for blending. Hmmm that's interesting !!!! The fibers tend to uniformly distribute the product on uneven surface & it can reach the nook & corners in our face.
Types of foundation brushes :
1 : Flat Foundation Brush: This type of brush can work wonders for liquid & cream products to give maximum coverage.The strokes have to be in the direction of facial hair growth & not against it, so from top to bottom.
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| Flat Foundation Brush |
2 : Foundation buffing brush : Flat topped dense brush that gives a more natural finish to the skin & the foundation is slowly buffed into the skin.
3 : Foundation stippling brush : It is a duo fiber brush that tends to give an airbrushed effect & the application stroke is circular motion.
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| Foundation Brushes |
Now let us see about the ELF Stipple Brush that was part of my London haul (read here)
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| ELF stipple brush |
What ELF claims :
This new antibacterial, synthetic haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. Studio brush! The layered bristles create a soft airbrushed look that's perfect for applying foundation or adding colour definition to cheekbones or highlighting with soft layers. Use this brush with any liquid or powder face product such as foundation, blush or bronzer to build your coverage from sheer to heavy.
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| ELF Studio Stipple Brush Review |
ELF Stipple Brush Packaging :
The ELF Stipple Brush is a taklon duo fibre brush that has a thick black plastic handle & can be firmly held while applying foundation.I really love the classy black packaging.It comes in a transparent plastic pouch which is very sturdy & keeps the brush safe during travel.Though the ELF stippling brush looks quite heavy , it is quite light weight while handling. The fibres are very soft, runs like feathers on my skin & do not hurt my skin in anyway. Even after 2 washes, the fibers have maintained their shape & there was no shedding.
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| Duo Fiber Taklon Bristles |
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| ELF Studio Stippling Brush Packaging |
ELF Stipple brush Price :
3.75 pounds from ELF site
Indian readers can buy it online from amazon here :
My experience with the ELF stipple brush :
I saw some videos on Youtube before I started using this brush for applying foundation. It was instructed to put on a few drops of foundation on the back of your palm & slightly press the brush on the foundation & in rotating motions apply it on the face.Why I am mentioning this technique is that, it did not work for me as expected. I ended up wasting a lot of foundation on my hands.When we press the brush on our hands, it tends to blend the foundation on my hands first & picks up only a little.
My technique for using the ELF stipple brush :
Just take a few drops of foundation on yr fingers & dab it on yr face, slightly wet your ELF stipple brush using a face mist or water & blend the foundation in circular motion.This really worked wonders on my skin.It gave an airbrushed effect, at the same time my face did not look made up or cakey. The foundation was evenly blended out & looked flawless. I usually use a flat foundation brush which also gives me an even skin finish but the advantage of suing Stipple brush is that , it consumes very less product when compared to flat brush.
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| ELF Stipple Brush Review |
Pros :
1 : ELF stipple brush used up very little product to create an even skin tone.
2 :
3 : Bristles do not absorb the foundation, but transfers everything onto skin.The brush after use looked as clean as it was when I started using it.
4 : No shedding, easy to clean, dries very quickly.
Cons :
Price in Indian online sites is INR 1370