Taking your  makeup from ordinary to fabulous can be as easy as knowing how to use your makeup brushes the right way.  Makeup Artist and Stylist, Kendra Stanton -- gave us a lesson:

In a previous segment I told you about five brushes I can’t live without:  a foundation brush, blush brush, flat med. sized eye shadow brush, blender shadow brush, and a liner brush. As I have said before, using brushes is the difference between abstract art and fine art on the face. We want beautiful and blended makeup application!
 

1) Foundation brush: Without having to spend thousands on an airbrush machine, you can get a similar look by using the foundation brush. 
• Start by putting a little bit of foundation on the back of your hand as that can be your palette.
• Now dip your brush into the foundation and start by crisscrossing your brush next to your nose (as this is usually where you need the most coverage) and continue on to the ear line.
•  It should look like your putting large “x’s” all around your face --  but it should all blend well!
 

2) Blush brush: this seems like the most common brush, but I also think it is the most misused. 
• You have to be careful with where you apply your blush brush because it’s so easy to get “hot spots” (areas where makeup collects).
• After you have put your product onto the brush, start at the temple and make small circles going down in an “L” shape until you get to the apples of your cheek.  This would make for a backward “L” shape on the right side of your face.
• This will help you avoid hot spots and will help you put your blush where you want it.
 

3) Flat medium sized shadow brush: Why do makeup companies give us those spongy shadow applicators? Ridiculous! You can immediately throw them away or I personally like to use them to clean the grout in our kitchen.
• As for this shadow brush, it is okay to do soft strokes when using lighter colors under the eye brow and tear duct.
• But when using darker colors, PAT/PRESS it on to the lower eyelid (right under your eyelid crease) until you cover the entire area you desire.
• This helps you be more precise and does not fling your eye shadow to areas of your face where you don’t want it to go.
 

4) Blender shadow brush: I have 5 of these. I can’t apply makeup without it! This brush is long (about ½ inch) and has a dome-shaped top.  Its purpose is to couture the crease of the eyelid.
• Start by getting your color onto the brush and do small, small circles from the inner crease to the outer crease using a light pressure to begin with.
• For a heavier contour, use a heavier pressure.
 

5) Eye Liner brush: When you have a good liner application, it can make a huge difference and will pull your entire look together! There are lots of different liner brushes but I am going to be using the angled liner brush.
• Once you have “laid” down your eyeliner, trace over the area with the liner brush to create a straight line.
• You then can repeat the process and add more liner if you feel you have not used enough.  Also you can use this brush to “push” the liner deeper into the lash line so there is not gap between line and lid. 
• Do the same for the under eye as well.