JennieT2002
Member
I am loving all the FOTDs that you guys post, but am wondering about how to get really good with blending...any tips and what brushes to use would be great!
Blending info
- Thread starter JennieT2002
- Start date
gildedangel
Well-known member
Brushes can really help, try to find brushes like the MAC 224 or 226. I do kind of a windshield wiper motion, but it is all up to personal preference. With blending, start with browns and then go from there, you can't mess up brown! HTH!
malaviKat
Well-known member
Generally speaking, it is possible to blend with virtually any brush as long as the appropriate technique is applied. However, some brushes facilitate blending better than others. I'm going to discuss MAC brushes here but you should know that it's much more important to know the properties of a brush so you can buy a brush made by anyone rather than buy a brush solely for its name.
Brushes:
Really great blending brushes to have (in my opinion) include:
MAC 224
MAC 222
MAC 226 (LE)
All three of these brushes are 'ponytail' style brushes, typically used for blending crease colours. The 226 has a very tapered head which makes precision blending of the crease easy. This is especially good if you have a small crease/limited lid space or if you want a very precise crease.
The 224 and 222 work equally well, with the 222 having a slightly smaller head than its counterpart. The bristles of both of these brushes fan out more than the tapered head of the 226 and as such are good for smokey eye looks as they will disperse colour over a larger area. You may need to play around to determine which one is best for you as some people prefer the 224 over the 222 and vice versa.
MAC 217
A great overall blending brush is the MAC 217. All told, I favour the 217 the most as it can blend anything from eyeshadow to concealer. It has an oval head with a rounded tip and can blend both in the crease as well as on the lid. If I have to recommend any 'starter' brush, I would recommend the MAC 217.
All of the above brushes are made with natural bristles.
Technique:
Start by laying down your colours using whatever brush you prefer. If blending between colours on the lid, use your blending brush to pick up the darker colour and lightly feather the brush back and forth over the spot where both colours meet. You can alternate between the light and the dark colour to make the line of transition seamless, adding more shadow as you blend. A slight circular motion will help, but if you have small lid space this might muddy the colours so a back/forth motion will be fine.
When blending colours in the crease, use a circular motion starting at the outer corner (darkest) and blending inward. You can then follow this with a windshield wiper motion to bring some colour into the corner of the eye. If you are doing a smokey eye, whenever you add extra colour to your brush be sure to start at the outer corner (darkest) part again so you don't inadvertently throw a dark splotch of colour into the middle of the lid.
All told - general rule - take your time and practice.
Hope that helps!
Brushes:
Really great blending brushes to have (in my opinion) include:
MAC 224
MAC 222
MAC 226 (LE)
All three of these brushes are 'ponytail' style brushes, typically used for blending crease colours. The 226 has a very tapered head which makes precision blending of the crease easy. This is especially good if you have a small crease/limited lid space or if you want a very precise crease.
The 224 and 222 work equally well, with the 222 having a slightly smaller head than its counterpart. The bristles of both of these brushes fan out more than the tapered head of the 226 and as such are good for smokey eye looks as they will disperse colour over a larger area. You may need to play around to determine which one is best for you as some people prefer the 224 over the 222 and vice versa.
MAC 217
A great overall blending brush is the MAC 217. All told, I favour the 217 the most as it can blend anything from eyeshadow to concealer. It has an oval head with a rounded tip and can blend both in the crease as well as on the lid. If I have to recommend any 'starter' brush, I would recommend the MAC 217.
All of the above brushes are made with natural bristles.
Technique:
Start by laying down your colours using whatever brush you prefer. If blending between colours on the lid, use your blending brush to pick up the darker colour and lightly feather the brush back and forth over the spot where both colours meet. You can alternate between the light and the dark colour to make the line of transition seamless, adding more shadow as you blend. A slight circular motion will help, but if you have small lid space this might muddy the colours so a back/forth motion will be fine.
When blending colours in the crease, use a circular motion starting at the outer corner (darkest) and blending inward. You can then follow this with a windshield wiper motion to bring some colour into the corner of the eye. If you are doing a smokey eye, whenever you add extra colour to your brush be sure to start at the outer corner (darkest) part again so you don't inadvertently throw a dark splotch of colour into the middle of the lid.
All told - general rule - take your time and practice.
Hope that helps!
