Spend some bucks on your tools. At Napoleon Perdis’ Makeup Academy in Hollywood, Rebecca Prior, NP’s National Educator, begins the first lesson by introducing us to our tools. “To me, tools and products are equally as important as the makeup skills that you have,” she says. For example, let’s say you were using mediocre brushes, mediocre products, and had average skill. Just by improving the quality of your brushes and using richer pigmented products, the application would immediately be better, even without improving your technique. So if you really want to apply your makeup like a pro, Los Angeles-based educator Felicia Alva says, “Do what the professionals do: Use the proper brushes for application.”
Here are the eight basic brushes you need:
1. Foundation brush
2. Concealer brush
3. Fluffy powder brush
4. Blush brush
5. Small blending brush
6. Flat eyeshadow brush
7. Precision angle brush
8. Lip brush
Once you have your tools, you need to know how to hold them. Make Up For Ever educator Lijha Stewart says, “Where you hold a brush on the handle affects your control. The closer your fingers are to the barrel (the silver section beneath the brush head), the more pressure you put on the brush head and vice versa.” In general, if you want to apply color evenly, place your fingers on the center of the brush handle. Another tip: You can easily turn a fluffy brush into a flat, angled brush by wrapping your hand around the bristles and flattening them.