Can you use the same brush for blush and bronzer?

Whether or not you can use the same brush for blush and bronzer depends on what type of brush you’ll be using. Some can be multipurpose, whereas others won’t work as well for bronzer. Particularly, for bronzer, you want a larger brush so you can crossover if your blush brush is big enough. You'll want to avoid using a tiny brush for blush if you want it to be multipurpose for bronzer too. Byrdie writer Rachel Dube notes that “you want to stick to soft, fluffy brushes or angled, precise brushes to make your bronzer application a home run.”

How do you use a blush brush?

First, use a blush brush to apply your blush onto the apple of your cheeks. This holds true whether you’re using a powder blush or a cream blush . If this is confusing, Byrdie’s Former Editorial Director, Faith Xue , suggests, “to learn where the apples of your cheeks are, give a slight smile, and apply the cream blush right where your cheek looks the most round in the center.” Next, sweet upwards with the brush along your cheekbone, ending with it diminishing in clarity under and behind your eye, below your temples.

What is the difference between a blush brush and a foundation brush?

Though they look fairly similar, there are differences between blush brushes and foundation brushes. Unlike blush brushes, which are generally fluffy, foundation brushes have bristles that are more tightly packed. Additionally, blush brushes usually have a more rounded or angled head, whereas foundation brushes are often more flat in shape. Foundation brushes are sometimes smaller so that you can best get into the tight areas of your face, but they vary in size.

The 11 Best Blush Brushes of 2022

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This goes without saying, but even the best blush on the market will look awful if applied the wrong way. That's why quality makeup brushes (including blush brushes) are equally worth investing in. These tools can be the difference between makeup that looks splotchy versus a natural look.

The only problem is that the market is flooded with options, many of which aren't necessarily up to snuff. To help you out, we sifted through the options to find the best blush brushes to use when you want a rosy glow.

Ahead, discover our picks of the best blush brushes.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Bobbi Brown Blush Brush at Sephora

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Best Drugstore:

EcoTools Precision Blush Brush at Amazon

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Best for Powder Blush:

Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt Brush at Sephora

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Best Dual-Ended Brush:

Hourglass Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Brush at Sephora

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Best Budget:

Real Techniques Blush Brush at Amazon

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Best for Cream Blush:

MERIT Tapered Blending Brush at Sephora

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Best for Beginners:

Fenty Beauty Face Shaping Brush 125 at Sephora

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Best Tapered Tip:

Sigma Beauty Powder/Blush Brush at Nordstrom

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Best for All-Over:

Wet n Wild Blush Brush at Amazon

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Best Luxury:

Chanel Blush Brush at Nordstrom

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In This Article

Our Picks
Final Verdict
What to Look For
Why Trust Byrdie?

Courtesy of Sephora

View On Sephora View On Nordstrom View On Bluemercury.com

What We Like

Perfectly angled to sculpt cheekbones
Soft yet dense bristles
Makes blending easy

What We Don't Like

Expensive

Who else recommends it? Cosmopolitan also picked the Bobbi Brown Blush Brush.

This award-winning brush makes applying blush practically foolproof. The bristles are designed to pick up the ideal amount of blush and leave the perfect amount on your cheeks. The incredibly soft bristles are cut at an angle so that they hit the entire apple of the cheek, taking out all of the guesswork as well.

Size: Large | Material: Synthetic

Courtesy of Amazon

View On Amazon View On Ulta View On IHerb

What We Like

Made from recycled materials
Cut for precise application
Inexpensive

What We Don't Like

Not ideal for powder blush

This blush brush is good for your face and the planet. And for the cost, it doesn’t get any better. The sustainable brush is crafted from super soft bamboo and recycled materials, plus it comes with an eco storage pouch. The unique square cut of the bristles serves to deliver precise pigment application, so you can sculpt your cheeks like a pro. You can use it with cream or powder blushes, and highlighters, too.

Size: Large | Material: Synthetic

4.7

Courtesy of Nordstrom

View On Sephora View On Nordstrom

What We Like

Works with all kinds of powders
Tapered for precise application
Also works for highlighting

What We Don't Like

Expensive

From contouring to applying powder and, of course, blush, this brush does it all, thanks to its multitasking tapered end that can highlight your cheekbones, nose, and cupid’s bow, or shade your temples or the hollows of your cheekbones to sculpt your features. It works with both loose and pressed powder, and the delicate fibers make for precise application.

Size: Small | Material: Synthetic

View On Sephora View On Ulta

What We Like

Good value
Makes blending easy
Gives a soft, airbrushed finish

What We Don't Like

A little heavy to hold

The only thing better than a luxurious blush brush is a luxurious dual-ended blush brush, like this one from Hourglass. It features two soft, PETA-approved Takla brush heads, one rounded and one tapered. Try using the rounded side to carve out cheekbones or apply all-over color, whereas the smaller tapered side is great for targeted blush and highlighters.

Size: Medium | Material: Taklon

View On Amazon View On Ulta

What We Like

Easy to use
Inexpensive
Large, fluffy bristles

What We Don't Like

A little heavy to hold

Created by makeup artists Sam and Nicole Chapman, you know this brush is going to deliver a natural-looking makeup result. The synthetic bristles are soft, fluffy, and flexible, so you’ll get a smooth, professional-looking finish without the need for too much blending. The handle is weighty but comfortable, and it’s easy to clean as well.

Size: Large | Material: Synthetic

MERIT Brush No. 1 Tapered Blending Brush

View On Sephora

What We Like

Easy to use
Chic design
Natural-looking application

What We Don't Like

Can be difficult to blend

While technically an all-over complexion brush, the dense, flat tip of this works incredibly well with creamy blush products. Just pat onto the cheek area with your fingers and blend in across the apples and up towards the hairline. Take any excess product across your nose.

Size: Small | Material: Synthetic

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Face Shaping Brush 125

Courtesy of Sephora

View On Sephora

What We Like

Angled to sculpt cheekbones
Tapered for precise application
Easy and comfortable to hold

What We Don't Like

Bristles are a little stiff

If you find blush placement a bit fiddly, try this foolproof option from Fenty Beauty. It contains a slightly tapered brush head and a long, easy-to-hold handle, meaning you can get a targeted but natural makeup look. The synthetic bristles are well suited to both creams and powders, plus it’s relatively small, so works well on angular face shapes.

Size: Small | Material: Synthetic

View On Nordstrom View On Beautybay.com

What We Like

Diffuses product for a soft finish
Can also pack on pigment
Good value

What We Don't Like

Doesn't work as well with cream blush

The slightly beveled head of this Sigma Blush and Powder Brush ensures you get even coverage and a soft, diffused finish. It’s quite precise, so nice for a bright, poppy cheek look as opposed to gentle all-over color. It works a treat on powder highlighters as well.

Size: Medium | Material: Synthetic

View On Amazon View On Wetnwildbeauty.com

What We Like

Versatile
Inexpensive
Cute design

What We Don't Like

Bristles are a little stiff

Not all of us have the time nor energy to fiddle around with 101 brushes of a morning. Cue the Wet N Wild Blush Brush. It’s small enough to use across the cheek area but large and soft enough to apply bronzers and translucent powders as well. And at under $5 a pop, you can’t really go wrong.

Size: Large | Material: Synthetic

View On Nordstrom View On Chanel.com

What We Like

Works with both powder and cream
Tapered for precise application
Applies smoothly

What We Don't Like

Expensive

Purveyors of luxury makeup will love Chanel’s high-stakes take on the humble blush brush. It features a synthetic bristle so you can use it across powders and creams, and the generous size makes soft, even, luminous color a breeze. Bonus points for the aptly-placed Chanel logo down the side.

Size: Large | Material: Synthetic

Morphe

View On Morphe.com

What We Like

Angled for precise application
Reasonably priced
Soft yet dense

What We Don't Like

Can shed over time

Angled brushes are perfect if you want a precise, sculpted makeup look. Morphe is known for its high-quality but reasonably priced brushes and this angled pick is no different. Use it if you’re layering blush, bronzer, contour, and highlight and need something that’s going to give you a defined result.

Size: Medium | Material: Synthetic

Final Verdict

If we had to call out a few favorites, they would undoubtedly be the Bobbi Brown Blush Brush, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Brush, and Real Techniques Blush Brush. Bobbi Brown is the perfect all-pleasing option. Hourglass offers great quality at a great price, whereas Real Techniques is the OG drugstore brush brand we’ll love forever.

What to Look For When Buying a Blush Brush

Size and Shape

According to makeup artist Jasmin Lo, the most important feature to consider when buying a blush brush is the size and shape: “Ideally, you want a tapered blush brush that is right for the size of your face,” Lo explains, before adding, “the size is more important than the shape in my opinion, though.”

“You want your brush to be about the size of your cheek apples, and this of course varies from person to person… A bigger brush is fine for bronzer, but when it comes to blush, the placement and result will be affected by the size of the brush in comparison to your face.

Synthetic or Natural Fibers

What the brush itself is made of is also important, especially when it comes to cream versus powder product formulations. As a general rule of thumb, synthetic brushes are best for cream and liquid formulas, because they’re a) more hygienic and b) smoother.

Natural bristles are less “perfect” so can work well with pressed and loose powders, but animal welfare and moral codes come into play here. Keep in mind that these days, most synthetic bristles are designed in a way that makes them really effective across both cream and powder products, so you don’t really need to use a natural bristle if you don’t want to.

Cleaning

Lo also adds that it’s important to keep your brushes clean, not only to retain the nice feel but to prevent breakouts and skin irritation. “A gentle milky bar soap or a small squirt of shampoo works well. Wet the brush hairs under a tap, lather the soap or shampoo in your palm, and gently work the suds through the brush hairs. Then rinse thoroughly, softly press out excess water, reshape and allow to dry overnight, lying sideways on a table with the brush hairs hanging over the edge to the air.”

FAQ

Can you use the same brush for blush and bronzer?

Whether or not you can use the same brush for blush and bronzer depends on what type of brush you’ll be using. Some can be multipurpose, whereas others won’t work as well for bronzer. Particularly, for bronzer, you want a larger brush so you can crossover if your blush brush is big enough. You'll want to avoid using a tiny brush for blush if you want it to be multipurpose for bronzer too. Byrdie writer Rachel Dube notes that “you want to stick to soft, fluffy brushes or angled, precise brushes to make your bronzer application a home run.”
How do you use a blush brush?

First, use a blush brush to apply your blush onto the apple of your cheeks. This holds true whether you’re using a powder blush or a cream blush. If this is confusing, Byrdie’s Former Editorial Director, Faith Xue, suggests, “to learn where the apples of your cheeks are, give a slight smile, and apply the cream blush right where your cheek looks the most round in the center.” Next, sweet upwards with the brush along your cheekbone, ending with it diminishing in clarity under and behind your eye, below your temples.
What is the difference between a blush brush and a foundation brush?

Though they look fairly similar, there are differences between blush brushes and foundation brushes. Unlike blush brushes, which are generally fluffy, foundation brushes have bristles that are more tightly packed. Additionally, blush brushes usually have a more rounded or angled head, whereas foundation brushes are often more flat in shape. Foundation brushes are sometimes smaller so that you can best get into the tight areas of your face, but they vary in size.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Turns out, we have quite a few blush connoisseurs in our office, all of which favor a different blush brush. We’ve also spent years testing (including Emily Algar) and learning about the latest in brush technology, not to mention have picked various makeup artist's brains on the topic.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough blush brushes from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

The 13 Blushes Perfect for a Rosy Glow

Article Sources

Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

15 Best Blush Brushes That’ll Apply Your Blush like a Damn Dream. Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/g39578193/best-blush-brushes/