The five must-have brushes that changed my makeup life

As a beauty lover, there’s a lot of emphasis on carefully curating your beauty collection by investing in high-quality makeup and finding the best formulas. And while you might already have products that work like a charm, using them with just the right tools can take the experience to greater heights. Trust me. These five brushes are total game-changers!

Zoeva 104 Buffer (P1,500 at Sephora.ph)

A smooth, even base is the specialty of this mother of a buffer. I have enlarged pores near my nose area, and some foundations just don’t readily sink in. The hairs on this brush are soft and dense but not too tightly packed, so the circular buffing motions don’t feel abrasive on the skin. Thicker formulas are easily diffused without losing a lot of the coverage. This brush also works well with concealers, and I was particularly amazed at how this was able to prevent the famed Tarte Shape Tape from looking too thick and cakey.

Zoeva 142 Concealer Buffer (P800 at Sephora.ph)

Basically the mini version of the 104 Buffer, the 142 brush helps get liquid and cream concealer formulas onto those hard-to-reach places, like the corners of the nose and mouth and the under eye area. It helps gently spread out drier, balm-type formulas without much drag. (Think the likes of The Saem Cover Perfection Pot Concealer.) The small size also helps concentrate coverage on blemishes.

Nichido Pro Makeup Powder Brush 191 (P288 at Watson’s)

There are certainly gems in the drugstore category, and this fluffy powder brush is living proof! Granted, the hairs aren’t particularly dense, but the extra soft and light touch more than make up for it. This is my all-over pick that applies setting powder, blush, highlighter, and bronzer evenly, without digging into the base underneath. Synthetic hairs allow for the brush to retain its shape and softness post-wash, so this is also an excellent low-maintenance option.

The only caveat: The handle is extra long as this is supposed to be for makeup artist use. This may present a challenge when you want to stuff this in your on-the-go kikay kit.

MAC 217 Blending Brush (P2,000 from MAC counters)

I was blown away when I attended a MAC techniques workshop several years ago and discovered the use of this eyeshadow brush. Up until then, I was using this ancient generic shader brush that seemed to be doing a decent job for all-over shadow work. But the 217 blender definitely elevated the experience. While it works as a regular shader brush, the considerable fluffiness can pack the pigment on a certain area and then sheer out the rest. If you’re just beginning to build your brush collection, this is a worthy investment for your makeup tool starter kit.

Emax Design Tapered Brush ($9.99 + SF on Amazon, part of a 12-piece set)

Even with hooded eyes, I make it a point to emphasize my socket line with a tapered brush. With my limited eyelid “real estate”, it serves as a guide that helps prevent my shadows from going up and over to the brow bone area. The domed shape at the top easily finds the contours of the socket line. The brush set that includes this was gifted to me by my cousin several years ago, and I still use them to this day. The entire set is sturdy and affordable.

What brushes leveled your makeup game up?