Beauty guru reveals you’ve been using your makeup brushes all wrong

Article originally posted in the Daily Mail Online.

5 - minute read


You've been using make-up brushes all wrong! Celebrity beauty guru reveals the right way to use each brush and the common mistakes made - including storing them in the bathroom

  • EXCLUSIVE:  Celebrity make-up artist Edy London revealed her top tips to Femail
  • Eyelash extension expert revealed common mistakes people make including storing them in bathroom, not cleaning them enough, and using the wrong one
  • Guru is loved by celebrities, including Trinny Wooddall and Ellie Goudling  

Edy London, an eyelash extension specialist beloved by the likes of style guru Trinny Woodall, Love Island's Arabella Chi and singer Ellie Goulding, has recently launched her own brush line, which has already got critical acclaim.

Now, speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, the beauty expert revealed how people don't clean their brushes often enough, whil

A celebrity make-up artist has revealed the common mistakes people make when using brushes, from picking the wrong one to storing them in the bathroom. e also using bad quality ones can lead to bad skin.  

Here, she reveals the common mistakes people make... 

CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES

'Most of all, I can not urge enough how important it is to clean your brushes!' 

'When I say clean It, I don't just mean the handles! I mean washing the bristles is so important!' 

'Never just throw your brushes into your bag, I see so many women touching up their make-up and just throwing their make-up brushes into a handbag all together with a wallet, change and who knows what else!' 

'If you can't fit a make-up bag into your handbag, find yourself a nice thin linen bag, I am sure you can find a space for that and you can save yourself a trip to the dermatologist.' 

Despite only launching a few months ago, Edy's make-up line already has a celebrity following, with the likes of Made in Chelsea's Verity Bowditch posting about her love for their brand Love Island's Arabella Chi has also posted her adoration for the brand

Despite only launching a few months ago, Edy's make-up line already has a celebrity following, with the likes of Made in Chelsea's Verity Bowditch and Love Island's Arabella Chi posting about their love for their brand

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT MAKE-UP BRUSH  

BLENDING BRUSHES 

'Blending brush is designed mainly for smokey eye, or to blend the colour on the crease to soften the look. It is not designed to apply the eye shadow directly.'

ANGLED BROW BRUSH  

'Angled Brow brush, often people mistake it for an eyeliner. Brow brush is way too thick to create a fine line on your eyelid.'

APPLICATOR BRUSH 

'Applicator brush is for applying only, the look should be always perfected with a crease and blending brush or just blending brush!'

USE A BRUSH FOR THE COVERAGE YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE  

'It's all about the coverage and finish you would like to achieve.'

'For light and medium coverage, use a buffing brush.'

Tapered Oval Foundation Brush 06 Make-up Brush EDY LONDON Lemon


For heavier foundations she recommends a buffing brush, such as her number 07.


Small Tapered Blush Brush 08 Make-up Brush EDY LONDON Turquoise
A thicker circular brush is best for blush (Blush Brush 08)

Some brushes are more versatile and can be used for more things, such as the Soft Blender / Concealer Brush 20, pictured above, which can be used for cream and eye shadow

DON'T STORE THEM IN THE BATHROOM   

'Storing brushes in a bathroom is a terrible idea!' 

'Most brushes need to be stored away from baths and showers in a dry cool place.'

'A damp brush can make your application impossible in some cases, and it can also cause damage to the actual brush, for example it can shed.'

USE THE RIGHT BRUSH

'For some, using the right brush can be obvious, for some it can be as difficult as operating a spaceship to me.'

'The more people I speak to, the more I start realising some people don't have a clue.'

'This is why I described every single brush in my online store to simplify make up application and make it as easy as possible.'

'Applying makeup can be very simple if you know how to use brushes correctly.' 

USING BAD QUALITY BRUSHES

'Sadly I see so many on the market at the moment!'

'I can only imagine what a make-up application can feel like on one's face or most of all look like.'

'I am mortified when I am watching YouTube tutorials.'

'Good quality brush should have a perfect amount of bristles and have ultra fine synthetic bristles shaped precisely, for example contouring and buffing brushes don't always have enough bristles!'

'To me, that would have been my biggest nightmare. Or brow angled brush made out of a few scratchy bristles.'

'Not only the application is uncomfortable but it is also impossible for the bristles to pick up the perfect amount of product.'

BE GENTLE WHEN APPLYING MAKE-UP 

'Applying too much pressure, especially when applying blusher with a blush brush is another issue I see.'

'A good blush brush is designed to pick up a perfect amount of the product, and apply the blusher with a gentle touch!' - Edy London 

Essential Brush Set 505 Make-up Brush EDY LONDON

EDY London Essential Set 505 contains all brushes needed to achieve a full makeup look!

How a celeb-loved eyelash extension expert launched a make-up brush line in lockdown

Edy London was working as an eyelash extension expert, but had to temporarily close her doors at the start of the year during the first lockdown.

To occupy her time, Edy designed make-up brushes, as she was frustrated with the lack of good options on the market.

'Having started my career as a make-up artist—working with brands like Maybelline and at events like London Fashion Week, and some A-list models and actors and actresses —I understand eye shapes and bone structure,' she explained. 

Edy owns an eyelash extension salon at Oxford Circus in London and is the go-to artist for stars like Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora, Lily Allen, and Kaya Scodelario.

'The idea to grow my beauty offering came to me during lockdown. As I pressed pause on my eyelash extension business, I realised this was the moment where I could be as productive as possible and launch a collection of high-quality at-home make-up brushes and strip lashes,' she explained. 

'Surveying the market and from my previous experience, I saw that make-up brushes seemed to fall into one of two categories—they were either exorbitantly expensive, or cheap and scratchy'.

'I launched a collection to 28 carefully designed brushes with wooden handles and ultra-thin, silky-soft bristles that are vegan and cruelty-free.'

'I chose four of my favourite colours for my clientele to choose from and eight different sets carefully designed to my clients' needs with a careful and precise description of the purpose of the brush as well as the purpose of the set.'

'The brushes can be bought in sets or individually. Designed in four different colourways—turquoise, lemon, cool grey, and pale pink—the matt paint finish assures a better grip.'

'Sold in "everything" purpose sets, or just face or eye sets, it is possible to mix and match, so each colour of brush has its own purpose, or to choose a complete set in a single radiant colour.'

'The colours were always part of my branding. I love to give options from a classy cool grey to fun and sporty yellow!'

'If you are sisters living in the same household, you can just get exactly the same brushes in different colours, no one will ever question you whether you have borrowed their brush.'

'Most of all, nowadays in the post-pandemic times, for a make-up artist working on a busy catwalk, or a photoshoot you don't need to be worried about using the same brush on two different people.'

'You will never have to guess again, you just allocate one colour to one model.'

'Creating a high-end at-home product was a natural progression for me.'

'My passion and precision has earned my praise in leading publications, such as Harper's Bazaar and Vanity Fair. All of which has cemented my position as one of the UK's leading beauty experts.'