Today I wanted to share with you my make-up brush collection; it's taken me a long time to find what brushes work well for me and suit the make-up I choose to wear so why not give it a little love?! Now I don't often use brushes for the purpose they're marketed for but there's nothing wrong with that at all, everyone's facial structure is different and it's about making things work for you! However, because of this I'll be sharing what I use each brush for instead of what they're 'meant' for (plus the fact I can't remember their original uses as most came in mixed sets rather than individual purchases, whoops!)

Face Brushes

1. The biggest of the oval brushes is of course the one I use for applying foundation, don't get me wrong I adore the effect this brush gives in smoothing and blending my foundation but it was super tricky to get my head around working at first, it's such a transition from a normal brush. I've accidentally whacked and flicked myself plenty of times with this brush but it's still my fave!
2. In contrast to the previous brush this contour brush works so easily at sweeping that contour line on and blending around your forehead. I only had powder bronzer to use but have bought a cream contour stick which I think the brush will work much better with
3. This little lovely is for blending my concealer, it's the perfect size for working it in around your eyes and the creases either side of your nose. I know a lot of people typically use this size for popping on liquid lipsticks and that sort of thing
4. I love using this stumpy little brush for my highlight and have done for a while, sweeping highlight on with a delicate fan brush just isn't something that works for me so patting it on with this over my strobe cream works like a charm & sets everything in place without smooshing it everywhere (very professional description!)
5. I find it hilarious how huge this brush looks in comparison to the others but that's what makes it a great powder brush, even though I rarely sweep powder over my whole face I have the option to do so quickly & efficiently! Usually I'll just sweep it over my eye area and nose, anywhere I know is likely to get more greasy than the rest of my face

Eye Brushes

1. Typically I use this brush for applying eyeshadow just on my eyelid and no further up, it's a really solid shape that allows you to pat & load the pigment on
2. Albeit this was classed as an angled eyeliner brush I use it for doing my brows as it helps to give the best shape and manoeuvrability needed for getting my brows 'on fleek' 
3. I love this angled fluffy brush for using on my brow bone, whether it's popping on a neutral shade or a highlight, it sweeps through that part of my eye with ease
4. I use this little brush for putting eyeshadow underneath my bottom lash line, it's perfect for this because it's solid enough to get a good line but also fluffy enough to blend out shadow so it's not too harsh looking
5. This one is my eye crease brush, it's a great shape for starting at your outer corner; I usually wiggle in small circles then sweep it in and out of the crease to darken things up
6. This chubby brush is great for darkening above the crease of your eye if you're into that, alternatively it's also useful as a clean 'blending out' brush

Spare Brushes

1. I loved this Body Shop brush for a long time until I got given the ones I'm currently using, it's a fabulous foundation brush and gives a really smooth, airbrushed finish. It's such a surprisingly soft brush too so it's really pleasant and easy to use, I would highly recommend it if you're into round foundation brushes or looking for a change!
2. This is a contour brush and shockingly I actually used to use it for that purpose too, it's perfect for getting the right shaped contour and fluffy enough to blend it out so you don't end up with a harsh line
3. I've used this one for absolutely all sorts, from concealer to highlighter to eyeshadow, its a really handy multi-purpose brush!
4. I bought this brush for its original purpose which was to blend in concealer and soon got bored of using it for that so instead if I'm wanting to wear quite a dark eyeshadow in my outer corner/crease I use this instead to get a more 'pinpointed' look that doesn't blend out as much
5. Another like my small under eye brush, great for shadow and for highlighting your inner corner, I just like spares okay?
6. This new little cutie came in my Makeup Revolution advent calendar and the only thing I've used it for as yet is as an eyeshadow brush

These are my go-to products for brush washing and they get my brushes squeaky clean! I first got into Dr. Bronner's after becoming cruelty-free and having noticed them often when I was browsing the bath & beauty section in TK Maxx. What's great about castile soap is that it has a tonne of uses aside from washing make-up brushes; I use it in the shower as body wash, you can use it as a household cleaner, a shampoo, a laundry detergent, a pet shampoo and loads of other things! So naturally it's exceedingly good value for money especially since at most you need to just add a few drops to a large amount of water because it's so concentrated and lathers up a treat, a little goes a seriously long way. Another thing I love is that it's super eco-friendly and ethical, "their soaps are certified by the USDA as organic and by IMO as FairTrade. They do not contain SLS. Pure Castile soaps are made from vegetable oils and do not contain any synthetic detergents." Even better, they come in lots of scrummy different scents such as lavender and rose.

The pink brush pad was another recent purchase by my Mum which she gave to me and it basically acts like an old-fashioned wash board that people used to scrub clothes on. It helps get right into the brush without roughing it up too much and gives me piece of mind that my brushes are actually getting fully cleaned, you simply use the suction cup to stick it to your sink and wash away! Both of these products help to make sure my brushes come out as new each time I wash them and I think that also says a lot about the quality of the brushes I use, they don't get frayed/frizzy, they don't shed and they don't come out looking worn.

Products shown:

EcoTools Starter Set

EcoTools Essential Eye Set

EcoTools Correcting Concealer Brush

Real Techniques Core Collection

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation Brush

Dr. Bronner's Hemp Green Tea Castile Soap

Primark PS...Pro Brushes

Primark PS...Pro Make-up Brush Cleaner Pad

Makeup Revolution Advent Calendar Brush

What's your go-to brand for brushes and cleaner? I'd love to know your thoughts & any cruelty-free recommendations!

Stay curious