Brushing up your skills....

If there is one thing that I see go unnoticed and unused by many many many gals in the beauty world it is make-up brushes. For many, there are deemed unnecessary or only for hard-core make-up gals. Well I am here to tell you differently.

Make-up brushes can make or break anyone's look and without a doubt they are one of the top things that I am always talking to people about when they look for advice. It doesn't matter if you have all the right products in all the right colors...if you are not putting them on correctly and with the correct tools, you are doing yourself a major disservice. Think of a painter trying to do a clean, flawless portrait using only their fingers. The job will get done, but it won't be as pretty as it would if that painter was using their favorite brushes. Now, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times in make-up land when using your fingers is effective and 100% the way to go. But for the most part, you need good make-up brushes - plain and simple.

Now BGND can appreciate that not everyone wears every kind of make-up everyday. Many of us are lip gloss, mascara and blush gals. Well, I would still say that you should invest in a few good brushes for your fancy nights out or for when you feel like stepping out of the box a bit.

The good news in brush land is that make-up brushes have come a long way in the past ten years. There are of course expensive Aston Martin - level brushes but there are now also Prius - level efficient brushes that also will get the job done (and at some savings to you!)

So without further ado, here are my picks (in no particular order) for the best brushes out there for the budget savvy as well as those looking for a real investment:

For BGND gals with $$$ to invest:

- Kevyn Aucoin Brushes - $25-$65/brush - http://www.beauty.com/

- Prescriptives - $16-$45/brush - http://www.prescriptives.com/ or nationwide at Prescriptives counters

- M.A.C. - $17-$62/brush - http://www.maccosmetics.com/ or nationwide at M.A.C stores and counters

For those looking for a more reasonably priced brush:

Sephora - $10-$35/brush - http://www.sephora.com/ or nationwide at Sephora stores

Sonia Kashuk for Target - $7.99-$19.99/brush - http://www.target.com/ or nationwide at Target stores

Essence of Beauty - $4.39-$9.99/brush - http://www.cvs.com/ or nationwide at CVS stores

Now a few general notes on brushes:

1. You get what you pay for. In the case of the "investment" level brushes- if you take care of them they will last a LONG time - years and years in fact. So if you can afford it, spring for the pricier brush and take care of it.
2. What does it mean to take care of it? Be NICE to them. Store your brushes in a brush case ( I recommend the Sephora soft brush cases) and keep them clean. This means using a brush cleaner every week (if you use them daily) and when you wash them, use a gentle facial cleanser or a brush cleaner. Most every make-up brand makes brush cleaner.
3. Natural fibers and hair are always better than synthetic.
4. If you can only afford a few brushes the few you should get are - a large fluffy powder brush, a good blendable eyeshadow brush, an eyeliner brush and a blush brush.

I love my brushes and know that they make my make-up look the way it does. Hopefully you will go out and find some brushes you love as well.

Keep looking fabulous!

BGND