Sample from the March 2014 issue of Allure.
Applying makeup is very much like painting, and a stippling brush is useful for those who want to take their notes from the hip-for-their-time pointillists — such as pixelation experts Georges Seurat and Paul Signac.
In its March issue, which features Victoria Beckham waxing oh-so-ironic about how she wants her privacy, while sitting for an elaborate photo spread, Allure — The Beauty Expert — features the Sephora Collection Pro Domed Stippling Brush.
The duo-fiber brush retails for $36 at Sephora. The brush gets five-star reviews on Sephora’s site, with reviewers boasting how it applies all manner of foundations with an airbrush finish.
The mention in Allure features a quick-and-dirty definition of stippling, with some advice from a makeup artist. Interestingly, this very short definition says a stippling brush has “blunt, white-tipped bristles,” although they feature a stippling brush with a domed top – proving that a stippling brush does not, indeed, have to be flat or blunt on top. P.S.: A stippling brush also does not need be white on top either.
Anyhoo … there’s plenty of brush choices when it comes to stippling. The most popular stippling brushes in the market are:
- M-A-C #187. $42. Despite its price, this seems to be the most popular by a longshot.
- Real Techniques Stippling Brush
. $10. Also popular, and comes with a cool, friendly video from Australian makeup artist Samantha Champan below.
- Coastal Scents Duo Fiber Stippling Brush. $6.95.
- Sigma Beauty Duo Fibre F50
. $23.
One word of caution: While shedding is becoming less and less frequent as brush quality continues to improve industry-wide, stippling is a technique that can be especially unpleasant if your brush is shedding at all. Hairs can literally get stuck in your skin as you dab or poke the brush in a 90-degree angle with your skin. For this reason, you might want to really handle a brush before purchasing it for this reason.
Even More Information
- All You Need To Know about Duo Fibre Stippling Brushes & How to Use Them!
- Amariebeauty: How to Stipple On Your Foundation