These brushes put the “art” in makeup artistry

I’ll admit it, I’m a bit intimidated by makeup brushes. With so many shapes and kinds of bristles, I’m always worried I’m using the wrong one for a particular spot or type of makeup. I know I should probably relax and just use what works (considering I’ve basically be using the same ones the same way forever), but easier said than done. And after I took this shot of my current brush collection, it dawned on me that I probably only use about five of them on a regular basis.

Then I received two gorgeous brushes from Artis, and I instantly felt less application-tool anxiety before I even unboxed them. As you can see bel, each box illustrates the many ways each one can be used—and it turns out, the Oval 4 and Oval 6 alone have most of my every-day needs covered.

An attitude shift was already underway, and then I actually touched the brushes. Unlike any others in my current rotation, they are super-dense yet velvety-soft, and best of all can be used with powders, creams and even skincare products without fear of damaging the bristles or sacrificing your final makeup results. 

Their shape is obviously wildly different than traditional makeup brushes, and this is because they are designed to mimic the way you’d use your fingers to apply your own makeup—and you’d be surprised at the difference it makes when your brush’s handle doesn’t obscure your view of the area you’re trying to put makeup on. (Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?)

Just as I was about to attempt my usual makeup look with only these two brushes, a little voice in my head said, “Paige, if you do your eyes first then you’re going to get shadow on your cheeks when you get to blush.” Alas, I was able to shut her down immediately since I also had the Brush Cleaning Pad. This genius microfiber cloth-covered plate prevents unwanted color transfer when moving from one part of the face to another simply by swiping your brush along the surface a few times between products. Problem solved. (The Brush Cleaning Pad can also be used for periodic deeper cleaning by adding a bit of Brush Cleansing Foam.) 

And yes, I was able to create my “usual” look with these two brushes (plus the one that comes along with my Glossier Boy Brow). With spring cleaning on the brain, it might be time to Kondo my current makeup brush situation—and fill in any gaps (if there are any) with the appropriate Artis options. Stay tuned!