The Best Makeup Brushes to Use for Every Type of Eyeshadow

For Cream Eyeshadow

“I tend to like to apply them in a sheer, painterly way and I find a fluffy brush allows for more transparency,” says Parsons. Try a medium-sized fluffy eyeshadow brush like the IT Cosmetics Airbrush Dual-Ended Eye-Transformer Brush.

“For a more opaque application, I’d use a flat synthetic brush,” she says. We love the Sigma Beauty E32 Exact Blend Brush.

For Packed Powder

“I love a firm shader brush that’s soft and dense at the same time,” says Parsons. “It packs on pigment and blends the shadow seamlessly.” For this, her go-to is the Rephr Brush 02. 

For Loose Powder

Parsons recommends looking for an elongated, tapered brush to apply loose powders. Try the NYX Professional Makeup Buffing Brush.

“I like to spritz the brush with a water spray, then I dip it into the product and it makes the shadow go on like a cream,” says Parsons. “This isn’t for blending — it’s meant for impactful swipes.”

For Liquid Eyeshadow 

Go for a densely-packed, soft brush like the Artis Oval 3. “It’s great to seamlessly blend out a liquid shadow,” says Parsons. “This type of application looks like it’s blended into part of the skin and not on top of the skin.”