Midweek Post: My favourite eye makeup brushes.

There are a few brushes that I cannot imagine being without now, so I thought I had better share them with you so that you don't miss out too!

Real Techniques eyeshadow brush; This is a great eyeshadow brush for packing on the product. It's not too big which I find so many others to be, it is just the perfect size for my eyelids! This is made of synthetic hair so can be used with creams or powders, but I especially love it with powders because I think it picks up product so well.

MAC 217; This is often sold out on the website so you may have already gathered that it is a popular brush. This is a great brush for blending and adding product into the crease of the eye.It's tapered head means that it accesses the crease well without spreading the product over the lid. It also blends powders really well.

Illamasqua Blending Brush 1; This is great for blending eye makeup seamlessly. I always keep it clean and do not use it to apply product with, just swirl it over a smokey eye to blend the colours and fade. Like all the brushes at Illamasqua, it is synthetic hairs which I generally prefer to use.

Laura Mercier Smudge Brush; This is an absolute must have for smudging any under eye colour to create a more smokey or blended finish. It's a great size- it is small enough to be precise but wide enough to remain firm which is an important quality in any smudger brush. Works great with powder and pencil/gel eyeliners.

MAC 210; I have already spoken about this a couple of times before, for me it is a must have for applying gel eyeliner, whether it be for a winged flick or onto the water line. The only downside is that it has frayed slightly and I haven't had it a year yet.

Illamasqua Angled Brush; This is the best angled brush I have ever used for several reasons. Firslty, the brush is made of synthetic hair which makes it both cruelty free and multipurpose in terms of being able to use it with liquids, creams and powders. The length is perfect- it's as if Illamasqua have taken a standard angled brush and cut it in half, making it short and wide, therefore a lot firmer (perfect for creating straight lines or sculpted brows with ease) and alllowing more control as it isn't as flimsy. My brows have improved ten fold since I have been using this brush, the size is just perfect. Worth every penny.

Going back to the F80....

I've recently returned to the Sigma F80 buffing brush after neglecting it over the Real Techniques buffing brush which I bought in March.

While the Real Techniques brush is softer with a rounder head, I always feel it absorbs a bit too much of the product I'm trying to apply. At times it disappointed me because I felt it could make foundation streaky on my skin, no matter how much I buffed and circulated the brush. Don't get me wrong, I'd totally recommend this brush; it's cruelty free, it's readily available in Boots stores in the UK and does have that quality you'd expect from an expensive brush at an affordable price... I just don't think it beats my...

Sigma F80! I've owned this for well over a year and while ordering from Sigma is a pain in the a (they're based in America so expect to wait a few weeks for shipping), it was totally worth it for the quality of the brush. The heavy, chunky handle helps application and the fibres don't seem to soak up product like the R.T. buffing brush does. It applies evenly, and personally I think it gives better results with the foundation I use and on my skin. The F80 fibres are both denser and firmer which are two contributing factors as to why I think it is a better brush.

Both of these brushes are well known, and 'hyped', if you like. Both are good brushes, but I do prefer my F80. For now.

What's your favourite brush for foundation application?