MUST HAVE EYE MAKEUP BRUSHES

Switching over to high quality eye makeup brushes might have been the most mind blowing experience I've ever had... in terms of makeup that is. Let's not get carried away here (I'm looking at you Better Than Sex Mascara). It's pretty incredible though because, with the right brushes, suddenly all of my shadows seemed to be 10x more pigmented and blend like a dream. I feel as though I've narrowed down my staple brushes to a total of seven. Does that seem like a lot? Nah.

1. Sephora Pro Crease 10
This is the brush you want for creating a soft haze in the crease. Its sparse, long, flexible hairs mean that you'll never apply shadow too heavily and you'll always get a nice, diffused blend.

2. Zoeva Soft Definer 227
The Zoeva 227 is very similar to the MAC 217. I have both and I like them equally. The 217 is a touch more dense and tapered. These brushes are the “do it all brushes.” They're great for applying shadows all over the lid and also for defining the crease.

3. MAC 239
If you're looking to pack on shadow, then you'll want something like the MAC 239. It's a dense, natural hair brush, which means it'll pick up a lot of product. I use this if I want an intense shade all over my lid or if I want to smoke out the outer corner of my eye. The small size is perfect for adding colour just where I want it.

4. Zoeva Petite Crease 231
The Zoeva 227/MAC 217 will add a softer, slightly blended bit of definition to the crease, but if you're looking for precise crease placement, the 231 is excellent. It's much more stiff and dense so you have a lot of control. It's also an excellent brush for smoking out the lower lash line.

5. Sephora Pro Shader 18
This is another wonderful multi-tasker brush. I like using it for smudging out liner, for smudging out the bottom lash line and also for smoking out the outer v. It's more flexible, fluffy and petite than the MAC 239, which means it allows you to be more detail oriented and also to lightly blend as you go.

6. Sephora Pro Bent Liner Brush 23
I've just got a place holder for the photo, but I'd recommend the Sephora Pro 23 for fine lining. I use it all the time at work and it's still in good condition. Sturdy bugger. Brushes like this are great for creating thin, precise lines with gel liner. I always thought the bent shape was a gimmick until I experienced it for myself. It's much easier to do your left eye (assuming you're right handed) when there's a bend in the ferrule.

7. Zoeva Wing Liner 317
A good angled liner brush is useful for so many thing. They pair well with gel liner, brow pomade, brow powder, shadows, etc. I like the Zoeva 317 because it's very thin and steeply angled and also quite flexible, due to the longer hairs. I also like the Sephora Pro Angled Liner Brush 22, as it's a little bit less flexible and less angled, which is better for certain products.