Make-up brushes are tools in the art of make-up which are often misunderstood.

In my master classes, 121 lessons and general observation over the years, I have realised most people aren’t sure which brush to use where, and even what some of the brushes are used for.

One of my favourite tips with make-up is to let the warmth of your clean fingers help blend the product into the skin. However, this can be quite hard to do with all types of make-up products and if you aren’t taking hygiene seriously this can leave you with breakouts and contaminated products.

Make-up brushes come in different lengths, densities, sizes and bristle shapes. I’m going to be expanding your knowledge on a few brushes you can use for skin products. I will cover a range of different brushes in future blog posts.

Stippling brush: This is a brush well known for its duo fibres. This means that the brush has two kinds of bristles which are different lengths. The bottom half of the brush is more compact whereas the bristles at the top of the brush are a lot finer.

This will give you a soft foundation application and won’t make your application look heavy. You can also use this brush to apply cream products such as blush, bronzer and liquid highlighters and also tinted moisturisers. When using this brush to apply products, use quick circle or swirl motions and use a light hand.

Foundation brush: This is the typical brush people go for when applying foundation if they don’t have much knowledge of other types of brushes, as it’s called a foundation brush. It’s usually a dense, pinched flat brush. People usually go for synthetic bristles for ethnic reasons and they can also be slightly easier to clean.

Synthetic bristles are great for liquid products. However, I will always recommend a natural bristle brush for powdered products as it has cuticles which will allow the powder to cling to it, which will hold a lot more product and apply better. Blend your make-up outwards when using the product and ensure you are getting the edge of your jawline and hairline for an even application.

Bronzer and blush brush: This brush will have long bristles which are usually quite fluffy. If you want a light wash of colour – which can help you if you apply too much as it becomes buildable rather than a one application and then blend situation – go for a fluffier brush.

If you haven’t set your foundation, don’t drag your brush around. Pat the product on to start with and then start to blend more. This will ensure your foundation and concealer aren’t moved around, which will give you an uneven application.

You can place it on your cheekbones, upper forehead, down the sides of your nose, just under your bottom lip and under your jawbone to give you a healthy glow.

I will cover contour brushes, highlight brushes, powder brushes and sponges in my next column, and then go into eye brushes and eyebrow brushes.