Shopping for makeup brushes can be quite a daunting tasks with so many different brands, shapes, and styles to choose from, and with prices ranging from practically nothing to barely affordable.  In time, your brush collection will start to tell a story about your journey through the cosmetics world, but if you are buying brushes for the first time, you can get away with five good brushes.  With brushes, you get what you pay for, so don't be afraid to fork up that extra dough for quality, otherwise you will end up with stray bristles on your face or worse!

My basic rule of thumb when it comes to brushes is this: natural fiber for powder, and synthetic for cream or liquid.  Brushes should be cleaned with SD Alcohol for quick changes  - don't fall into the gimmick of expensive brush shampoos, they are a marketing ploy.  For a deeper cleaning (I recommend once a week, unless you are using them on people besides yourself, and then clean before each use) to keep your brushes sanitary use any conditioning hair shampoo.  Alcohol from the quick change dries out fibers and can lead to breakage so using a conditioning shampoo is crucial to extending the life of your brushes! Synthetic fiber brushes are best cleaned with DAWN dish soap - it works the best to remove the oils contained in cream and liquid makeups.  For best results, allow brushes to dry thoroughly overnight before using.

THE 5 ESSENTIALS

MEDIUM ROUND POWDER BRUSH
These can be used to apply powder foundations, blush, bronzer, and powder highlighter.  Dip the brush into the powder and tap off excess before applying to your face in a circular motion.  For cheek contours, use your fingers to squeeze the brush into an oblong shape.