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Havingsensitive skin means taking nothing for granted. Stocking up on laundry detergent? Make sure to avoidpotentially irritating ingredients. Looking fora serum? Remember to do a patch test and slowly ease it into your routine. Basically, anything that touches your skin becomes subject to scrutiny. Something you may not have thought of, however, is finding suitable makeup brushes for sensitive skin.
According to both pros, synthetic brushes are the way to go if your skin’s on the sensitive side – for reasons other than avoiding animal byproducts.
First of all, you can find synthetic brushes that are also hypoallergenic, meaning they’re unlikely to cause any sort of allergic reaction. These are also less likely to collect the types of germs that cause breakouts, says Nazarian.
Natural brushes, on the other hand, are more likely to become dried out, brittle, and scratchy over time, according to Patinkin. Just think of the way your hair can feel like straw when it’s dry or over-processed — the last thing you want is to be brushing something that rough all over your sensitive skin.
When it comes to sponges (like a Beautyblender), it’s a mixed bag. “Many sponges cause friction and pull against the skin during makeup application,” says Nazarian, who prefers brushes. Patinkin, however, says that some sponges can blow up to a damp and soft texture which can be soothing and suitable for sensitive skin types. If you’re going this route, make sure your sponge is cushiony and not abrasive on your face.
An important albeit obvious requirement is that the bristles be extremelysoft. “There should be no sense of irritation or itching when coming into contact with the brush,” Nazarian says.
To ensure it’s soft enough, Nazarian tells Bustle the bristles should bend easily: When you run your fingers over it, a soft brush will have bristles that fold immediately with the pressure.
Aside from being soft, brushes should have a tapered end and not be densely packed, says Patinkin. “A blunt machine-cut tip on a makeup brush will feel scratchy,” she explains, which can cause irritation. These also tend to exert too much pressure on the face when you’re applying makeup. Ultimately, when you use a brush, it should feel like “it’s lightly floating the product on,” she says.
Once you’ve found your ideal brush(es), you can still cause irritation by misusing them, Nazarian and Patinkin both say. “Pressure is a trigger for many people with sensitive skin,” says Nazarian, which is why she suggests using a light hand — otherwise, you can wind up with inflammation and potential breakouts. “Be gentle and apply as little pressure as needed to transfer makeup or product,” she advises.
If you don’t wash your brushes, you will render your whole effort of finding the right product moot. “Some vegan brushes can accumulate pigments and oils on the surface,” says Patinkin. When your brush isn’t cleaned, that buildup is then spread all over your face and can lead to acne.
In your search for a brush cleanser, search for something specific to the product category. Nazarian says this is important for ensuring the formula is equipped to remove the oil, dirt, and waterproof ingredients frequently found in cosmetics. The less ingredients in these products, the better, adds Patinkin. You want to avoid a formula packed with heavy oils as it will weigh down or leave a coating on your brushes. She also advises skipping anything with fragrance, since this is a culprit for irritation on sensitive skin types.
Lastly, brushes should be washed more frequently than you’d (probably) like. Patinkin says this should be once a week for someone wearing makeup regularly. Keep scrolling to shop sensitive skin-friendly makeup brushes and brush cleansers for your beauty cabinet.
Dome Beauty makes brushes that are soft, gentle, and hypoallergenic, which is why Nazarian recommendss them as ideal for sensitive skin types. These three eye makeup brushes are all you need in your arsenal to achieve any and every look.
The always stunning Garcelle Beauvais touts this glam look from @jjulesbeauty featuring dome BEAUTY's Chromaforte Black Eyeliner in shade Ninja.
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