Smudge Brush

Product Information

Alyssa Kaplanis an experienced writer in the beauty industry and product tester specializing in cosmetics. She has tons of experience using all different types of eyeshadow brushes and eyeshadow formulas, and is a personal fan of many items on this list. To gain additional insight and recommendations for this story, she consulted with Gita Bass, a New York-based makeup artist who's worked with clients like Elizabeth Olsen, Emmy Rossum, Laura Dern, and more. The Cut Crease Brush: this effect is so popular it’s got a dedicated brush to help you achieve it. The small shape lets you reach the inner corners of the eye with ease, while the flat bristles help sweep out the colour. Smudge the eyeliner into the lash line. Lujan says to use the tip of your brush to start smudging the liner in the roots of the lashes, slightly expanding, and stretching outward in the desired shape. This will cover any visible skin.

Crease Brush: Dome-shaped, tapered tip, which makes it ideal for applying eyeshadow to the crease of the eye and blending it out. It helps add depth and dimension to the eye makeup look. Eye makeup application also focuses on a much smaller area than, say, applying foundation or highlighter, so brushes provide greater control in terms of the depth and definition. How many eye makeup brushes do you need? According to Bass, brushes with synthetic bristles are best for cream eyeshadows since they are less absorbent and easier to clean. "Synthetic hairs tend to grip and deposit cream shadows best," she says. "I like a flat rounded brush to deposit pigment and a small domes brush to blend." The Eye Contour Brush: useful for smokey eye looks as well as less dramatic daytime, this angled brush helps you highlight the edges of the eyes.

No matter the look you’re trying to create, the best eye makeup brushes will help you achieve a polished, precise finish

My range of artist-inspired makeup brushes have been expertly crafted by hand to be so easy to use they practically apply the make-up themselves. I wanted to create a functional but beautiful, luxurious range, in my signature rose gold and night crimson colours. The maximum hair-count brush heads are hand-pulled into the perfect shape by a master brush maker in Europe. Eyeshadow brushes are used to both deposit and blend makeup," says Gita Bass, a New York-based celebrity makeup artist. "They help to create precise lines and graphic shapes, diffuse washes of color, and blend out any lines for a more natural or smoky finish." Line the inner rims. For that Avril Lavigne/Victoria's Secret Angel look, Lujan says to apply eyeliner all the way around the waterline. For best results, Ferreira and Lujan says to use an eyeliner that has a creamy texture, like Kevyn Aucoin's The Precision Eye Definer, so that it can glide and be blended with ease, while Taylor Davis prefers to use a water-resistant kohl liner, like Smashbox's Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner, as she says they're soft and easy to smudge. Eyeshadow Brush: The essential brush for applying eyeshadow to the eyelids. It typically has a flat or slightly rounded shape, allowing for precise and controlled application of color.

Apply eyeliner to the roots of the lashes. Now that the waterline is done and the color has been smudged into the lash line for that tight-line effect, move on to applying eyeliner to the roots of the lashes on both your top and bottom lashes. "Keeping closer to the lash line makes for an easy smudged liner look that works on most eye shapes," adds Ferreira. Prep the area. Taylor Davis says that eye prep is key for long-lasting results. To do so, she says to use an eyeshadow primer that's either transparent or close to your natural skin tone. All my artistry is in the brush. I believe women need just a few key brushes to achieve a perfect finish, so my range is edited down to eight essential brushes, which work perfectly with my formulas. It is make-up made easy!For added control, also use pointer finger with a light touch on handle, this will act more as a "guide" during application. The Eye Blender Brush: once you’ve got your colour where you want it, use this tool to soften the edges into seamlessness. You can also get contoured and flat blending brushes. Angle Brush: Used for various purposes. It is commonly used for applying eyeshadow along the lash line, creating a precise and defined eyeliner effect or filling in eyebrows with powder or gel.