TOP FIVE MAKE-UP BRUSHES

I do love make-up brushes. I wash them to keep them clean and germ-free, and replace them when they look tired. I have loads, as there really is a brush for every occasion. Below are some of my favourites....



Max Factor Foundation Brush, £10
exclusively at Boots. http://www.boots.com/

I was a lover of my MAC foundation brush, but it cost a bloody fortune, and my little sister one day decided she would paint with it - actual GREEN paint... it never recovered. Anyway, I've recently switched to the Max Factor Foundation brush, and I love it.  Famously Max Factor is the 'make-up of make-up artists', so it's no surprise that Caroline Barnes is a fan of this brush. It's really firm - great for precise application. It's made with smooth capra hair - it's lush, and at a tenner - you'll be able to buy one for your little sister to use for her art project (and still spend less than you would at the MAC counter!).

EcoTools Eye Shading Brush, £4.10
http://www.boots.com/

Renowned make-up artist Lauren Parsons (she's worked with Mario Testino!) says that 'looking good shouldn't cost the earth' - which I totally agree with. She's an ambassador for EcoTools brushes, which as well as being unbelievably soft, are one of the first to use sustainable resources to minimise the negative effect on the environment. I adore the Eye Shading Brush - it's really large - so is great for shading. The best part? You can feel good about spending money on make-up!!

Cosmopolitan TM Smokey Eyes Brush Set  £5.99

http://www.tesco.com/

Have you ever come a-cropper on a Monday morning, as you go to apply your 'day eyeshadows' for work... You go to apply a nice cream/brown shade and then spend twenty minutes rubbing the brushes on tissues/your hand/dressing gowns trying to get the dark colours off the brushes because you gave yourself a sexy smokey eye at the weekend!!? The answer? Get a special set for your dark eyeshadow with Cosmopolitan’s Smokey Eyes Brush Set. The trio of professional brushes have been specifically designed to create a truly smouldering eye. The base brush is there to layer and blend your desired colour, using deeper colour on the outer corners of the eye to make them appear larger. The angled brush can then be used to add a deep colour to your top & bottom lash line, finally the smudger brush can be used to add a white or silver shadow to the inner corner of your eye to make them appear brighter... and leave your regular brushes free for your pale shades!

Now, apologies that I don't have an image of this brush - but it's fab, so I'm going to talk about it anyway. It's a black Kabuki brush from Boots. It costs about £4/5 and is amazing for applying bronzer - you can use the side of it to apply to cheekbones, but it has a really big head, so if you want to apply to your whole face/shoulders, then it's great for this too. Boots don't appear to sell it online either : ( but I've bought about four... and loads of my friends have one too, so I doubt very much they discontinue it! Have a search....

Paint brush, cheap
all good art shops

I was on a shoot recently, and a lovely make-up artist was telling me that she uses artist paint brushes for applying gel eyeliner. What a great call. Good make-up brushes like this can cost £20, but art shops sell these tiny brushes for a couple of quid. Even an expensive brush won't last forever, as you need them to be so precise, so stock up on a few artist ones next time you're in an art shop - now that's what I call crafty!

Any brush suggestions from you?