Andrew Sotomayor on Makeup Brushes 

Makeup brushes can transform our looks from simple to downright intricate looks—but with so many different types and brands, are they worth the splurge? Celebrity makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor guest posts for Beautylish on his take whether or not to splurge on makeup brushes and his favorite picks.

Andrew Sotomayor on makeup brushes

Smart shoppers know when to splurge and when to save. The good news is that today, it's possible to go green and still get the best quality. Look for high superior materials like bamboo, taklon, and recycled aluminum.

I recently met a model on set who is allergic to animal hair. Natural brushes actually make her skin turn red. Fortunately, the technology has grown in leaps and bounds so that synthetic brushes now perform as good as, or better than, natural hair brushes. Not only do higher end synthetic brushes deposit color just as well as natural hair brushes, they last longer. To prevent breakouts and eye infections, it's critical that your makeup tools are clean and washed regularly. Fortunately, synthetic brushes never get old, dry, or scratchy like natural hair brushes eventually do. Also, they are super soft and 100% cruelty free!

Synthetic brushes tend to pick up less product than natural hair brushes. This is a major plus for those who wear loose powder mineral makeup. To pick up just the right amount of product, a taklon brush helps give you a mess free makeup application. Prevent spillage by dipping a taklon brush into a powder, flipping it around and tapping it on a counter.

My newest brush obsession is the The Divinity Collection by Roque Cozzette—dense synthetic brushes that are similar to natural hair. These types of brushes allow me to pick up and blend pigments easily. At a recent fashion show, I really got a lot of use out of the Cylinder Concealer Brush. The tip of the brush is rounded, which gives me great control to pat concealer into all the nooks and crannies by the inner corners of the eyes. Since large brushes are not ideal for every face or eye shape, I also really like the Cylinder Setting Brush, and the Cylinder Eye Contour Brushes which are available in large, medium and mini.

While it's important to invest in unique shapes, it's also okay to save on brushes which are subject to the most wear and tear. Fortunately, the EcoTools collection features a Bamboo Foundation Brush and Bamboo Angled Eyeliner Brush. Compared to other types of wood or plastic, bamboo is a sustainable, biodegradable, and durable. Get two sets so you don't have to clean them every time you do your makeup. Available for a great price at drugstores, there's no excuse for you use a dirty brush EVER!

Brushes made of synthetic fibers tend to work better with a variety of makeup textures. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics debuted their own makeup brushes at LA Fashion Week S/S 2011. The durable blend of nylon and taklon makes them suitable for loose powder pigments, creamy foundations, and even dense liquid colors like their signature Lip Tars.

Andrew Sotomayor is a celebrity makeup artist in New York who's worked with such celebrities like Alicia Silverstone, Nina Garcia, Natasha Bedingfield, Isaac Mizrahi, and many others.  He's created the makeup for Victoria Beckham's denim and eyewear lookbooks, and assisted on fashion shows such as Dior, Oscar De La Renta, Marchesa, and Project Runway. Vogue.com lists Andrew among "beauty's most influential personalities to have joined Twitter." You can follow him at @AndrewSotomayor and on Beautylish at andrews. Andrew lives by his saying:"Makeup helps create the best kind of drama."

Image courtesy of fromme-toyou.tumblr.com