What's in My Makeup Bag - My Essential Brushes

Greetings! I'm enjoying post tax season. I'm currently traveling for 5 days, and of course I bring  along some makeup with me. I'm used to doing makeup with brushes, so I don't want to go anywhere without my makeup brushes, especially the ones that I'm about to share with you. You will also find some care tips for makeup brushes while you're on the go. 

I think the brushes I have here represent essential tools I need for doing my makeup. I tried to keep them compact and in one place so it's easy for me to reach for when I'm traveling. I did sacrifice some brushes I love and use often because they just don't fit in the relatively short makeup bag I carry my brushes in. I have quite few brushes, so I do have alternatives for my favorites, which work just as well.

Here are my top brushes - I love them so much that I bring them along with me on this trip!

from left to right

Face:

-Real Techniques buffing brush (from core collection set): I use this mainly with mineral foundation, but while traveling I also use it to set my makeup with  powder

-Real Techniques contour brush (from core collection set): I honestly don't use it as much as I'd like to because I don't really contour, but this is good for blush/bronzer application

-Real Techniques Expert face brush: This brush blends foundation beautifully

-Real Techniques Blush brush: I love using this brush to apply bronzer all over my face because of its fluffy/tapered shape. 

-Sigma F40 blush brush

-elf Small Stippling brush: This works great for cream blushes, especially somethng like Maybelline bouncy blushes

-Real Techniques Base shadow brush (from starter set): Despite its name, I use this brush to blend my concealer, especially under the eye area. It blends beautifully, just make sure you clean it after every use, otherwise concealer will pile up on the bristles making it 'lose' its blendability

Eyes:

-Real Techniques Brow Brush: I use it to set my liner with brown shadow everytime I use brown liner 

-Sigma E25 eyebrush & 2 Coastal Scents Pro Blending fluff: They are dupes to each other. The brushes are great to apply shadow all over lids and blend on the crease

I just realized that the majority of the brushes I have here is from Real Techniques. Real Techniques brushes are really well-made. Read my review on Real Tecniques brushes here. Another thing that made me brought RT brushes is because their length is just perfect.

I put my brushes in this mesh I find on ebay. They come in a long roll that you can cut any size you want to fit your makeup brushes. This helps keep the bristles in shape and protect them from being tangled inside bag. For eye brushes, because they're smaller in sizes, I purchased The Brush Guard. It's the same idea with the mesh roll, but they're pre-cut and the mesh is relatively thicker and narrower for eye brushes. The Brush Guard also has one for face brushes.




I also bring along a brush cleaner when I travel. This helps me to use clean brushes without having to bring tons of them. I love MAC brush cleanser  because I can use if for spot cleaning. It is particularly important for me to clean my eyebrushes after each use so I don't end up with messy eye look when I do my makeup the next day. 

Hope you find this post useful. 

If you have any recommendation or brush care tips/ideas, share 'em with me!

Have a great day!