Brush Up On Your Brushes

To really make your makeup work for you and bring out the best in your looks, you should get your hands on these new tools.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

1. The old tool: A small flat brush to apply concealer.

What’s better: A siliconetipped brush like Shiseido’s Daiya Fude Face Duo ($65).

Why: The jelly-like sponge at one end blends concealer seamlessly without streaks or patches (which tend to result from using fingers or a flat brush). Use the bristled end to buff some setting powder.

2. The old tool: A small angled brush or big fluffy brush for contouring powder.

What’s better: An angled fluffy fan brush like Nyx Professional Makeup’s Face & Body Brush ($33).

Why: When used horizontally, the brush fits right in the hollow of your cheek for the quickest, cleanest and most flawless contouring action.

3. The old tool: A fan brush or dense, rounded brush for pressed highlighter powder.

What’s better: The sharktooth brush, like Fenty Beauty’s Cheek-hugging Highlight Brush 120 ($48).

Why: The angled groove hugs cheek contours so you can buff and blend the right amount of highlighter over the highest point of the cheekbones.

4. The old tool: A fan brush for loose shimmer powder.

What’s better: A dense, tapered, oval-shaped brush like 13rushes’ Precision Highlighter ($19).

Why: Loose shimmer packs a lot of pigment, which can end up as a streak on your cheek. A denser brush disperses it more evenly, and the tapered tip blends it seamlessly.

TEXT CHELSEA TANG PHOTOGRAPHY FRENCHESCAR LIM ART DIRECTION SHERLI CHONG