Use Makeup Brushes Correctly

While some women use their fingers or a sponge to apply liquid foundation, others prefer a foundation brush because sponges aren't reusable, and fingers can carry bacteria and pull delicate skin.

The ideal foundation brush is a blend of natural and synthetic fibers so it holds the right amount product but also releases it without streaks.

To use, pour a little liquid foundation on the back of your hand. Dab the foundation brush into the liquid and apply to your whole face, starting at the top. Cover eyelids, and go to your ears and past your jawline so skin tones blend.

If you're wearing a low cut or scoop-neck top, tuck tissues in the garment and apply foundation to your neck and décolletage.

Wash after each use with warm water and hand soap. Allow to air dry.

Apply powder after foundation to set the foundation and prevent shine. It also provides a base for blush and eye makeup to help them last longer.

The puffs often included with powder tend to apply the powder too heavily and unevenly. A powder brush is a better choice. It's the largest of all the makeup brushes, usually 3 to 4 inches across with a dome-like end. The best types are natural bristle.

To use, tuck a facial tissue or two into the neckline of your shirt to protect it.

• With loose powder, dip the brush lightly with a slight swirling motion.
• With compact powder, dip it lightly. Tap the brush lightly to get rid of excess powder.

Apply all over your face with light strokes, starting at the forehead and working down. Include eyelids. Also brush your neck and décolletage if they will show.

When you load and use a powder brush properly, no powder should be left on the brush. If there is, brush it onto the back of your hand or a dry tissue.

The tiny brushes included with powder blush are far too small — don't use them. A blush brush should be large, about 2 to 3 inches across. Natural-hair is the best for powder blush since it holds just the right amount for a natural look and even dispersal. A slight angle to the brush is ideal for easiest application.

Use one blush brush for bronzers and second one for reddish-pink blushes to prevent colors from mixing. (If you want to get really precise, there's even a special bronzer blush brush called a kabuki brush, which is slightly smaller than a traditional blush brush.)

Load the brush by gently brushing and swirling it in the product. Tap it on the back of your hand to remove any excess.

• Apply blush gently to the apples of your cheeks in short strokes. Brush a little on your nose and the tip of your chin for a sun-kissed look.
• Apply bronzer with gentle, sweeping, upward motions to the top of your cheekbone and around the hairline of your forehead. If you're wearing a lower-cut shirt, also brush some along your collar bone. If you're wearing your hair up, you might want to brush some right behind your ears and along the hairline descending from the ears.

When properly loaded, there should not be excess product on the brush. If there is, clean the brush by brushing it across the back of your hand or on a dry tissue.

Eyeshadow brushes apply powder and cream eyeshadows more precisely than the sponge applicators that come with shadows, without pulling delicate skin around the eye. There are several different kinds, each for creating different effects with different product.

• For powder eye shadow, use a brush with longer, softer, natural bristles — it picks up product easily, disperses it smoothly and allows easy blending.
• With cream shadow, use a brush with shorter, stiffer, synthetic bristles. They prevent buildup of product.

Brush or dab the brush into the shadow. Apply where desired, using a different brush for each color.

Wash the brush a little hand soap when done and let air dry.

Concealer brushes have a point that allows precise application onto shadows, blemishes and other imperfections. Synthetic bristles are ideal because liquid concealer is thick.

Use a concealer brush for liquid concealer; dab stick concealer directly on the skin. To apply liquid concealer, pour a tiny amount onto the back of your hand and load the brush. Apply the concealer to dark circles under eyes by starting on the inside corner of the eye and working outward. Get the entire undereye area, covering a half-moon-shaped area, feathering it out as you reach the outside edge of the eye.

Wash with hand soap and warm water after each use.

An eyebrow/eyeliner brush for applying liquid liner is small and pointy. The brush for creams and powders is flat and angled. Many have a rubber tip for smudging. Most have synthetic bristles for easy cleaning.

Use an eyebrow brush by dabbing the brush in the product. Apply to brows with light upward and outward strokes. Smudge to soften the look.

To apply eyeliner, dab the brush in the product. With very short, precise strokes, apply right along the lash line (a well-lit magnifying mirror makes it much easier). Applying under the lower lash line is optional. Use a cotton swab to remove excess product. Smudge with the smudging tip or a cotton swab.

Wash in hand soap and warm water when done.

Lip brushes have a small, pointed, slightly stiff tip that applies lipstick more precisely than you can directly from the tube. The brighter and stronger the color, the more important it is to use a lipstick brush, or the results can be messy. Synthetic brushes are ideal because they wash easily.

Dab the brush into the lipstick and line your lips, following the natural line of your lips. Then fill in the centers.

Wipe the brush clean with a tissue after use or clean on the back of your hand. Wash lipstick brushes frequently in hand soap and hot water. Keep several on hand so you can use one brush for similar shades with fewer washings.