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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Wednesday Question: Affordable Makeup Brush Edition

Name ONE affordable makeup brush that you can't live without.

Since the question is to name ONE, I'm going to have to go with the e.l.f. Studio Small Stipple Brush ($3). When this brush first became available in-store at Target, I immediately bought one and now I have three. I use it for applying my blushes (so wonderful for pigmented blushes like the Milani Baked Blushes, since it gives you so much control) and also for applying my setting powders. I love that I can really get into the little areas of my face like the sides of the nose with this brush, and it never deposits too much (or too little) product. Aaaah, I would be lost without this brush!
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31 comments

  1. I will have to go with real techniques expert face brush, it's my every single day brush for foundation application and it's flawless for me.

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    1. Try the new Real Techniques sculpting brush. It applies makeup just like the Expert face brush, but angled and the bristles are so much softer! Its wonderful!!'

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  2. Ecotools Expert Face Brush. Wonderful for liquid foundations and a dupe for higher end brushes. The price has gone up, but it's still a fabulous low-cost option!

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  3. Sonia Kashuk economy small shadow brush and rounded blending brush. I've got a ton of brushes and still reach for those two every single day. Unfortunately they discontinued the rounded blender, but the pointed one is almost as good. I have rather small eyes and nothing else fits perfectly like they do.

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  4. Elf's Small Stipple brush is perfect for blending out. I use one for my concealer and another for my foundation. It feathers out perfectly. At $3.00 a pop, you cant go wrong.

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  5. Real Techniques Blush Brush. It's just SOOO versatile. Blush. Bronzer. Contour. Highlight. Powder foundations. I feel like most everything in your makeup routine could be done with fingers, but a good blush brush is essential.

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    1. This is my favorite blush brush and it's so easy to clean. I think I'm going to buy another one for highlighting. Thanks for the tip :-)

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  6. The elf complexion brush. I use it to apply my loose translucent powder and it comes out flawless every time!

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  7. Real Techniques liquid foundation brush. I have both a MAC and a Bobbi Brown brush, but this one is smaller and ideal for every nook and crannie :) xxx

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  8. Elf small tapered brush.. perfect for highlighting, placing contour(not blending it though),and setting undereye Concealer. It is so soft, gets the job done and gets it door WELL and is only $3.. WHAAAT??!
    ALso my beauty blender or real techniques completion sponge(this is the ONLY thing I've found to rival the beauty blender) but it makes your foundation And concealer look flawless and seems to just absorb the excess product to prevent cake face!

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  9. The ELF small stipple doesn't work for me. It's not stiff or dense enough, but then again I've only tried it with blush. I love love love ecotools fan brush. This baby applies contour with amazing precision and blends like a dream.

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    1. I had the same problem with it, plus it was prickly & the head kept coming unscrewed.

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    2. YES! I thought it was me or I got a defective one because a couple of friends raved about it. I heard it was especially good at applying the e.l.f. highly pigmented cream blushes. I made the worst mess and followed their instructions to a t. Then the head fell off while I was washing it. I ordered another real techniques blush brush last night plus their stippling blush. Hopefully that will work better.

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  10. Wow, it is so tough to pick one. I'll say the elf studio powder brush, the flat topped one. It applies my powder so nicely and gives great coverage. I also used to use it to apply my Asian BB creams before I got into more types of brushes.

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  11. 95% of my brushes are affordable lol! I guess if I have to pick ONE it's the real techniques buffing brush. :P

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  12. The Real Techniques EFB. I HATE blending foundation with my fingers.

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  13. The Elf Powder Brush. I've been using it a ton lately with my powders and liquids. It's one of my favorite brushes. I also have like 3 lol

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  14. The e.l.f. Studio Powder Brush is my favorite powder brush ever.

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  15. How can I decide?!?! I would have to say it's a tie between real techniques expert face brush and blush brush. I use both every day! Second place tie is elf complexion brush and the bigger concealer brush. Sorry I have 4!

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  16. Definitely agree that it's a great brush! I've been wanting to buy a few more as well.

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  17. i'm going to have to go with the real techniques blush brush. i can seriously do all my face powders with this one brush: setting powder, blush, contour...i love how light & fluffy it is and it doesn't disturb my foundation!

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  18. ELF Eyebrow/Eyelash brush, I used it to help separate my sparse lashes because no matter what kind of mascara I use (even the "non-clumping" kind), it makes my lashes stick together and look almost like a uni-lash (not pretty). This $1 beauty separates my lashes out and lets the mascara do its magic.

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  19. My newest favorite is the e.l.f. Kabuki brush. I can apply my powder foundation so quickly and evenly with it.

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  20. I could never pick just one!! My elf small tapered brush is indispensable. The flat top powder brush is magical. I have several Coastal Scents brushes that I love (angled blush brush, pro blending fluff, angled liner brushes) and I'm obsessed with my Jessup angled flat top kabuki (eBay Sigma kabuki dupes).

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  21. I'd like to hear a top 5 one day!

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  22. Real techniques buffer brush..... That was hard. Lol

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  23. I have two I go back to repeatedly. Both e.l.f. studio: the Powder brush (the flat top works well for me, buffing and blending beautifully, whether I use liquid, cream or powder products) and the complexion blush. I use that mostly to set everything with a translucent powder, but the powder brush is my all-time fave. I love everything in that line, though, and want to get some of the other foundation and concealer brushes.

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  24. Definitely the ELF Small Tapered Brush, I got mines at Marshalls for $2.69 it is an amazing brush. Use to set under eye concealer, highlight, contour & blush it's just the best inexpensive brush I have ever purchased.

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  25. My fav is a foundation brush by SOHO, I got it while away from home and didn't pack a brush and it was on sale for around $4 so I grabbed it and actually fell in love with it. I use it for concealer and foundation. My fav brushes of all time though would be Real Teqniques. I also gotta say that I splurged on an IT! Cosmetics airbrushed foundation brush this holiday season and I'm really loving that one as well!

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