It’s no secret that I am a major fan of blush; I think the single most effective way to appear more youthful and fresh is by applying color to the cheeks.

There’s something about flushed cheeks that makes us look super charged, healthy and ultimately less tired. I am a firm believer that blush is one beauty product that livens up your face instantly and it’s one I couldn’t live without.

As women we are masters of multitasking and so we need products that are as productive as we are. This is why I love the idea of this Double Ended Sculpting Brush (#158) from the latest Make Up Forever Artisan Brush Collection. Keep reading for a full review of this double ended tool.

It’s enough trouble to get ourselves out of bed and the coffee into the pot but to make ourselves look presentable is not always a piece of cake. I love anything that makes me more efficient and get out of the door on time. Rather than fumbling to find two separate brushes to get your perfectly contoured cheeks this two in one tool allows for effortless application of your favorite blushes and bronzers.
 
About the brush
via Make-Up Forever

“Double Ended Sculpting Brush (#158)”

• A double-ended brush with supple bristles. 
• This two in one make-up diabolic has one beveled side, perfect for sculpting. One of the best sellers in the current range.
• Type of fibers: STRAIGHT and WAVY (Round) and WAVY (beveled). 
• Description: Double-ended brush with a rounded side and a slanted side. 
• Use: Use to sculpt and highlight. Use the slanted side to create shadow under the cheek bones, then use the dome side to highlight or color. This two in one brush is easy and quick to use.
• Pro Tip: Professional make-up artists like this two in one brush for applying several colors quickly, without wasting time. 
• Recommended textures: Loose and compact powders. 
• Key products: Sculpting Blush, Sculpting Kit.

Given my obsession with blush (as evident above) I decided to give this tool from Make Up Forever’s new line a whirl. I use a few different products to achieve the look I think suits my face shape (somewhere between oval and heart?) Either way I find that I have little to zero cheek bones, and so I need to create some depth in order to accentuate them. I use blush, bronzer, highlighter, and some translucent powder.

After evening out my complexion with either a tinted foundation and a light dusting of powder I get started on contouring my cheeks.

Even though summer is coming to a close you don’t need to toss out your bronzer. During these weeks leading up to Fall bronzer is your best friend because it’s perfect for transitioning you back to your regular foundation. Using the angled part of the 158 brush I start out with a powdered bronzer and apply a light dusting just under the cheek bones going back to the edges of the face, all along the hair line, and just under the jaw line.  You always want to apply bronzer where you want to create a “shadow”, but just be careful to blend everything in really well because otherwise you’ll just look like your face is dirty. I liked the angled brush because I felt like it allowed for precise application which is really important because you want to apply bronzers in certain places. The angle allows for you to strategically get under your cheekbones perfectly while the wavy brush bristles allows you to apply the bronzer without it looking like a dirty racing stripe.

I used the fluffier side of the 158 brush to apply my blush to the apples of my cheeks and back towards my cheekbones. I like that the brush is slightly larger in size, as it did well to cover a lot of ground. Also because its wavy in nature it wasn’t like I was stamping color on my cheeks (major win). Blush should look natural (well blended) and so what you want is a light dusting of color, and I really felt like this brush did well to achieve this look.

My only one criticism about this brush is that I would have liked that the angled side of the brush be just slightly more firm. Makeup Forever does have a brush that’s angled and more firm (#150), so I would have almost liked the firmness of the 150 be combined with the fluffy side of the 158. However the 158 is also a really great tool on it’s own especially given that it’s a two in one, so this is just me being super picky.

Bottom line: this brush is SUPER soft and feels amazing against the skin! The angled side allows for maximum precision so you can control exactly where you are applying your makeup, and when it comes to contouring/sculpting this is very important. If you are looking for a brush to help you sculpt your face this is definitely a great tool to have in your kit, and if you are traveling and/or your job forces you to be on the go this two-in-one allows for you to tote one tool to do multiple things.

Hope this review helps you dearest blog reader. What product can’t you live without? I love learning about new products and I’d love to hear about your top picks!