Most women are raised seeing their moms, sisters, aunts and grandmothers applying lipstick and lip glosses to their lips directly from the tube. This is also how you probably first learned to apply your lipstick, and very well may still do it like so to this day. If you have never used a lip brush before, now is definitely the time to make the switch and start using a lip brush to apply those lip colors and glosses rather than apply them straight to your lips.
What is a Lip Brush?
A lip brush may come in a number of different bristle shapes and sizes with a different length for the handle, though generally all lip brushes have soft, short and smooth bristles that come with a “retraction” feature so that the brush is not damaged in your make up case.
Why would I Use a Lip Brush?
First of all, when you use a lip brush to apply a gloss or lip color, you can get away with using less of the product than if you were to apply it to your lips. By brushing the lipstick or lip gloss onto your lips, it is applied smoothly, evenly, and lightly without you needing to slather on coat after coat of color. Lip brushes are also designed in such a way that you can precisely apply your lip color, meaning that your lip stick is less prone to smudging outside of your natural lip line.
If you use lip liner (as you should) then you can easily blend in the lip liner with the lipstick. This is particularly important as the lip liner you are using should be a neutral and natural shade that more matches your natural lip color than the lipstick itself. Blending is key in making your make up look flawless and naturally beautiful.
TIP: Never share your lip gloss with any one, even a close family member. As it is a brush, it can easily hold bacterial and other “stuff” that could cause illness or disease if shared between persons.
Where can I Find a Lip Brush?
You can find a lip brush almost any where it seems. Check out any make up store, drug store, department store, or even a dollar store to see if they carry a lip brush (there’s a good chance they do!). Be wary of the brush you choose; the most expensive does not mean the best, but the cheapest brush will almost certainly become hardened and flakey well before the one-year mark.
How do I Clean a Lip Brush?
As with any make up brushes that you use, a lip brush needs to be cleaned regularly (i.e. at least once a week). All you need to do is turn on the warm water and gently wash them out with a shampoo. Once washed and fully rinsed, gently nudge the brushes back into shape and lay them on a paper towel to dry.
TIP: If the brush begins to become cakey, stiff, or if more than a year has gone by, it’s time to replace your lip brush.
