Brushes or finger tips?

I’m often asked whether you really need to use brushes to apply makeup, instead of using your own (free!) finger tips. 

Makeup artists, including me, usually use a combination of both. But it doesn’t mean they are interchangeable. When I use a makeup brush, it’s because the result will be far superior to my finger tips, and vice versa. It always depends on the situation and the person’s face.

But to make things easier, and because a lot of people I know are a fan of rules, here are some circumstances when I prefer to use a brush: 

1. Applying makeup to small areas of the face. For example the inner corner of your eyes, or on small pimples or age spots. These areas require precision application, and finger tips can be too big and inaccurate.
2. The type of makeup. For creams and powder based makeup I use brushes for application control and blending ease. More often it’s the liquid based makeup I save for my finger tips.
3. Layering makeup. When I need to apply several products on top of each other, like a corrector and concealer to cover eye bags, using finger tips can be counterproductive. This is because the warmth of our finger tips can dissolve and lift off the makeup which has already been applied. Using a brush allows you to apply new layers on top, without disturbing the makeup underneath.
4. Bacteria Containment.  Once bacteria are on your finger tips it can quickly spread to other areas of your face. So on any inflamed/infected area; I’ll either use a brush which can be disinfected immediately after use, or a disposable option like a cotton bud.