What Brush For What? Brush and Product Advice From Molly Stern!

This week I attended a "Webinar" from Cover Girl, in which makeup artist Molly Stern showed a few looks with their new eye shadows (I'm in the process of writing them up, you're gonna die these looks are so amazing!). Plus, she's one of my all time favorite makeup artists, she really balances fresh new ideas with still looking like a "normal" person!

Anyways, she referred to a few makeup brushes and how they help you get the look you want. So, I decided to ask her for her favorite brushes and how to use them with her favorite Cover Girl products for a great result! These are the products that she's reaching for most often right now, many of them I've tried and love as well. I've added a few comments about products that I've tried below.

While all of the brushes she referred me to were from Shu Uemura (she started working there when she was 16!), you can use these as a shape reference and then pick them up from other brands if you want (or even consider buying paint brushes from the art supply if you can't afford them). Investing in good brushes should last you years if you take care of them.


Concealer
Shu synthetic brush #10. It's best to use a synthetic haired brush when using creams. This shape of this brush is great for getting into all of those nooks and crannies.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: TruConceal

I've used this concealer a lot, and love it! While it is more pigmented than many other mass market concealers, I think that it blends more easily into your skin. The TRUblend products use a different pigmentation technology than most other products on the market, allowing them to blend onto your skin more easily as well as look more natural.


Foundation
Shu synthetic brush #14. This brush shape helps to blend out foundation and spread it around for a flawless application.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: TruBlend Liquid Makeup

Similar to the TRUblend concealer, again there are different pigments used in this foundation (Read my review of the TRUblend products here).


Powder
Shu natural brush #18R. I love this tool for powder because it picks up just enough powder to work as a finisher. It is not too dense, so it doesn't cake on the powder.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: TruBlend Pressed Powder

I've already repurchased this powder. Twice.


Blush
Shu natural brush #20. A perfect applicator for powder blushes. Its shape is perfect for a rosy cheek.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: TruCheeks

I love that the blush has the same numbering system as the powder, foundation and concealer. So, you know that if you're a 1 (light like me), then the #1 blushes are probably the best fit for you. You can always go higher or lower for a lighter or more intense look if you want. There are 3 blushes in each compact, giving you a few options each day!


Eye Shadow
Base Shadow:
Shu natural brush #10. This flat brush is great for pressing is a base color, and because of its natural hair it picks ups just the right amount of product.
Crease Shadow:
Shu natural brush #8HR. This brush is contours the crease perfectly as the shape fits right into the crease of the eye.
All Over Blending:
Shu natural brush #13G. This looser hair brush blends all the colors on the eye smoothly and easily.
Eye Liner/Smudge:
Shu natural brush #5F or synthetic brush #5F. It's a firm haired brush and does a great job by keep the eyeliner in a concentrated spot.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: Eye Enhancers

I'll be writing more about these shadows sometime soon. In the meantime, I just want you to know that these shadows are great pops of color that are surprisingly pigmented for mass market products, do blend pretty well and that I've been very impressed by them so far! They have both great "everyday" neutral palettes available as well as a lot of brighter "fun" options.


Lips
natural brush #6M. The rounded edge of this brush helps create perfectly kissable lips.
• CoverGirl Product Recommendation: Wetslicks AmazeMint Lip Gloss or Outlast All-Day Lipcolor

While I've used Outlast Lip Color in the past, I still haven't lucked out to find the AmazeMint Glosses available near me. They have Crest's minty taste and help your breath. All of the shades are meant to be a bit sheer, offering a nice hint of color.





Image via MariaCasa on Flickr