What is a stippling brush?

Have you ever stared at a wall of make-up brushes only be to dumbfounded? Not only by the sheer volume of brushes available, but by the confusion of what they’ve each been designed for.

A foundation brush is a pretty easy one to get – it helps you apply your foundation. Same with a blush brush, it’s meant for blush. But what about a brush like the stippling brush? What the heck is that meant for?

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Luckily, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for…

What is a stippling brush?

A stippling brush is used for – you guessed it – stippling. But stippling what exactly? As it turns out, it can be used for a lot of things. The brush can be used to apply foundation, blush, bronzer, powder and highlighters. It also works a treat in applying liquid and cream products.

What does a stippling brush look like?

Many stippling brushes feature two sets of bristles: white synthetic fibres at the top to pick up the product and help deposit it on your skin and a black natural fibres at the bottom, which are denser.

How do you use a stippling brush?

To apply foundation, squeeze some foundation on to the back of your hand (or on your make-up palette if you’re fancy), then dab the stippling brush in the foundation, making sure that the product is sitting on the white bristles only. Then, lightly pat the brush on to your skin (almost like you’re dotting the product on). Once you’ve dotted enough product on your face, lightly swirl the brush in small circles to blend in the foundation. And Voilà! A flawless finish that looks completely natural.

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To apply blush or bronzer, follow the same instructions as above (you may not need to put any product on the back of your hand if you’re using a compact or if the product is a pressed powder), but focus the blush only on the apples of your cheeks and the bronze under your cheekbones. This will give your cheeks sheer colour that isn’t too intense – perfected for those blushes and bronzers that are a tiny bit too pigmented.