Knowing your Makeup Brushes

I have been on the quest for answers as to which natural hair is best used for make up brushes. and I found this article, I think it would be nice for us all to learn more info regarding our brushes.

I've copied and pasted the article below. or you may visit this site: http://www.urbanapothecary.com/Tools/t_professionalmakeupbrushes2.htm (I just added images for reference.)

Makeup brushes for re-creating yourself come in many shapes and sizes. Most makeup artists and cosmetics companies ask the perennial question: Why spend good money on makeup and use poor tools to apply it? A good makeup brush can create a flawless look. Which is the right brush for me? A specific brush is made for a specific task. Look at your makeup collection. Look at your routine. Then, decide which makeup brushes will help you make the most of your unique features. 

Synthetic Makeup Brush Bristles
Synthetics are man-made of either nylon or polyester filaments. They can be tapered, tipped, flagged, abraded or etched to increase color carrying ability. Often, synthetic filaments are dyed and baked to make them softer and more absorbent. The common filament are taklon and nylon. Advantages of synthetic brushes are: 1: They are less prone to damage from makeup and solvents. 2: They are easier to keep clean than natural hair brushes because the filaments don't trap or absorb pigment. 3: They are better suited for for soft layering of powder color or cream color and concealer.

Natural Makeup Brush Bristles
Various types of natural materials include squirrel, badger, pony and kolinsky. Hand stacked in place for various shapes and sizes. Natural bristles are used for layering of color with a variety of touches – from very soft (squirrel) to firm (badger).

 

Badger Makeup Brushes
Stiff enough to define and shape, thin enough to fill in sparse brows. Badger bristles provide the coarseness necessary for firm brow feathering and a more natural-looking eyebrow pencil application. Badger hair is an age-old tradition. It comes from various parts of the world and is more readily available than most animal hair, although the quality varies greatly. Badger hair is thickest at the point, and relatively thin at the root, so it has a distinctive bushy appearance.

 Capra Makeup Brushes
Capra or goat hair makeup brushes provide optimum bristles which basically makes it impossible to get a bad application! Like all other hair types used for makeup brushes, they come in a wide range of quality within its type. The softest goat hair is, known as capra, or the first-cut with the tips still intact. This top quality bristle is hand-made like any other high quality cosmetic brush to preserve their precious tips. Luxuriously soft, goat hair provides a medium to full application for both the face and body.

Kolinsky Makeup Brushes
Kolinsky makeup brushes have the best porosity for application of the most intense, truest form of color. Kolinsky, sometimes referred to as kolinsky sable, is not from a sable at all, but comes from the tail of a species of mink that is a member of the weasel family found in Siberia and northeastern China. It is generally conceded to be the best material for precise layering of color, especially for creation of specific gradations due to its strength, spring and ability to retain its shape ("snap"). It holds a very fine point or edge for precise application that is favored by professional makeup artists around the world. This is considered a professional grade of hair, and if properly cared for, Kolinsky will last for many years.

 

Pony Makeup Brushes
Pony Hair is soft but strong, from mature animals at least two years of age. It is primarily used for blush or eye brushes. The wonderful bristle strength and strong snap makes the bristle prefect for contouring. The versatile bristles can s create a variety of different captivating looks. Dampen the brush to provide opaque coverage or use dry to create a light wash of color or a soft, foiled effect The versatile bristles give the flexibility to achieve dramatic matte color or a soft, smoky look. Pony makeup brushes are often blended with other hairs such as goat. 

 

Sable Makeup Brushes
Red Sable is obtained from any member of the weasel family with "red" hair, not at all from the animal known as the sable. It is found in a variety of brush styles for many varied mediums, with quality and characteristics varying greatly. A good quality pure red sable makeup brush is an alternative to the more expensive Kolinsky, with slightly similar performance and durability. Often, weasel hair is blended with ox hair to make a more economical brush, but the fine point is sacrificed.

 

Squirrel Makeup Brushes
The softest, gray or blue squirrel (Talayoutky), provides a soft, natural wash of color. Native to Russia and nearly always in short supply. Brown squirrel (Kazan) is more readily available, and is used mainly for medium quality makeup brushes. A very fine, thin hair, taken from squirrel tails, it points as well as Kolinsky, but has very little "snap" because the hair is not very resilient. It works best for contouring and blending shadows to perfection. Perfect for detailing and for using in the crease. It gives more definition because of the compact head.

There, now you know more about the different types of brush bristles, you may choose which one would better suit your use. Honestly though as long as a brush is soft enough for my skin and it does what I want it to do I'm happy. Besides a brush is only as good as the artist using it right?.