Friday, March 20, 2015

Best Brushes for Beginning That Smoky Eye


I think I've finally gotten a handle on the perfectly blended smokey eye, something I've been trying to achieve for a while. While choosing shadows is a whole different story, I've come down to three brushes I think are great for getting the look:

Blending Brush: (Step 1-left brush) I think this is a great brush for any eyeshadow look, but even better for blending that darker shadow in the crease and under the eye to get a good gradience in color, rather than a line of light color and a line of dark. The Mac 217 brush is a great option, with cream or powder shadows. A more budget friendly brush is the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, which is very similar in size and density of bristles. 

Large Crease Brush: (Step 2-right brush) I think this is great for getting that smudged darker shadow in the crease, and creating that initial smoky look, without getting to precise that its hard to blend, and ends up being wiped off and starting over. My favorite for this is the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush (part of the same set as the base shadow brush), which is oversized, and starts of light, but can really be built up. Another great option is the Hourglass Crease Brush, both which are very similar in shape, density, and feel.

Medium Precision Brush: (Step 3-middle brush) This brush is perfect for adding that last bit of dark shadow straight into the crease right at the corner of the eye, or right under the eye in the corner. It's not too small where it looks like you're drawing eyeliner, but not too big where the powder gets lost when blending. It's a perfect middle ground, which is why I called it a medium precision brush. I always reach for Sephora Precision #61 Brush, which is precise, but also gets that perfect amount of blending that is signature for that smoky eye. 

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