Did you say you need an affordable makeup brush that lasts and blends like a dream?
Morphe brushes are a staple in my personal makeup bag and professional makeup kit. I use everything from their blending and packing brushes to their concealer brushes and beauty blenders.
Brushes and beauty blenders can get very pricey. I like this brand because it offers so many options and always has sales on its website. Amazing starter kits are available to help you learn about each brush and use the products before you expand your collection.
The Morphe X James Charles The Eye Brush Set ($53 on Morphe.com) is one of my favorite starter kits. It includes:
Pro Firm Blending Crease Brush
Pro Firm Blending Fluff Brush
Mini Firm Blending Brush
Tapered Mini Blender
Oval Shadow Brush
Firm Shadow Brush
Oval Camouflage Brush
Smudger Brush
Flat Concealer Brush
Angle Liner/Spoolie
Detail Liner Brush
Medium Chisel Fluff
A custom container to store all your new brushes
Now let’s talk about cleaning, a necessity no matter which brushes you own. You should clean your brushes at least once a week, but let’s be honest — who really does that? As a professional, I clean mine after every client, but in my own makeup kit, I clean them about once a month. My all-time favorite brush cleaner is Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap in lavender scent ($8.38 on Amazon.com).
To start the cleansing process, set your water to a lukewarm temperature. If the water is too hot, your brushes will start coming apart. While your water is warming up, put some of your soap in a bowl and dip your brush into the soap, using the inside of your hand or a brush cleaning pad to emulsify the soap into the brush. Once you’ve washed them, it’s time to rinse. Pro tip: never run the water with your brush pointing up, always rinse them with the bristles pointing downward. This will help them to not lose their shape. The very last step is to reshape the brushes with your fingers and lay them on a towel to dry overnight.
Follow these steps, and you’re guaranteed to have clean, great-smelling brushes — and you’ll be preserving their quality.
Lauren Riley is a makeup artist and hairdresser on the Coast, specializing in on-location wedding and event makeup, blondes and hand-tied extensions. Contact her or learn more at www.laurenrileyhairmakeup.com or facebook.com/laurenrileyhairmakeup.