Have you been staring at your fan brush wondering what on earth it does? You’re one of many. We see a shadow brush and we intuitively know it’s there to apply color to our lids. We see a big domed fluffy brush and we think, ah, powder or bronzer. But that funny little fan? Who’s she? Well, get ready to be in the know, as here are 4 uses for a fan makeup brush.
A light layer of shimmer
If your fan brush is quite wispy and sparse, its primary use is for shimmer. Because the bristles are lightly packed, the brush won’t pick up a lot of product. What’s more, because they move loosely and freely, the bristles will disperse the product lightly and evenly onto the skin. This is ideal for applying shimmer powders to the high points of the cheeks and bridge of the nose without that “stripe” of opaque shimmer.
Dip the brush into your shimmer or highlight, tap the excess off onto your hand, and use a light, flicking motion to buff it into the skin. Because there’s not a lot of surface area, the brush will lay down modest amounts of product, so you have more control over where you’re adding it.
Applying contour and sculpting products
If your fan brush is more robust, thick, and tightly packed, it’s ideal for contouring products. Because the brush has a long, narrow edge, it fits neatly into the hollows of your cheeks, along the jaw, and along the hairline on the forehead. To make the brush even more dense and narrow, you can squeeze it at the base of the bristles to get a more defined contour application. If the brush has synthetic bristles you can use it for cream, powder, and liquid contour products to chisel that gorgeous visage.
Flicking away fall-out
Fan brushes, thanks to their long row of brush tips and “flicky” nature, are great for shimmying eyeshadow fall-out off your face. Take a clean fan brush and use a fast, flicking motion to whip away any fallout as soon as it drops.
Sweeping away excess powder
After you’ve applied your setting powder, use your fan brush to flick and sweep any excess (especially if you’ve “baked”). The brush is light and delicate enough not to disrupt any color products or cream layers underneath, but simply shifts any layers of powder lurking on the surface.
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