Makeup Tools, Products, and Application Techniques
Tools and their jobs
Know the brush families and what each does: foundation brushes (flat, buffing, stippling), concealer brushes (small flat, tapered), powder brushes (large fluffy, tapered), blush brushes (angled, domed), eyeshadow brushes (flat shader, blending, crease, pencil, smudge), liner brushes (angled, fine point), and lip brushes. Synthetic fibers suit cream and liquid products; natural fibers suit powders. Clean brushes regularly with appropriate cleanser and dry flat with bristles over an edge. Sponges are used damp for a pressed, seamless base.
Product knowledge
Understand formulation families and behavior: water-based versus silicone-based foundation, cream versus powder blush, pencil versus gel liner, matte versus satin versus shimmer eyeshadow, and long-wear versus hydrating lip products. Know coverage levels (sheer, medium, full) and finish (matte, satin, dewy). Understand that setting powder controls shine, fixing spray melts layers together, and setting spray adds longevity.
Application techniques
Master thin layers, tapping rather than dragging, blending edges, and building intensity gradually. Know placement for eye shapes and how to adjust liner for hooded, monolid, and downturned eyes. Know brow mapping using the three-point method. Understand that cream over powder pills, so order matters.
Traps
Questions often test which brush suits which product, or the consequence of applying cream over set powder. Another trap is using a natural-hair brush with a liquid foundation and expecting an even finish. Watch for answers that ignore brush cleaning or that overload the brush.
Rule of thumb
Thin layers, correct order, right tool: build coverage gradually and blend each edge before adding more product. If you need a second layer, the first was too thick.
Worked example
A seamless base for a photoshoot. Plan: damp sponge with a stippling motion for thin, even layers, build only where needed, set selectively with a small powder brush, then fixing spray to merge the layers before color.