Money doesn’t grow on trees. Neither do eye brushes.

Stepping into the world of makeup can make you feel like Dorothy Gale opening that door and trading in her grayscale universe for a Technicolor marvel. But as beautiful as it is, you may feel overwhelmed. Which eye brushes should you get if you’re a beginner?

You don’t have to splurge and go all out for an entire brush collection if your piggy bank’s squealing for you to bring home the bacon. There are just 2 essential eye brushes every starter kit should have, and I’ll tell you what to look for and I’ll provide some specific recommendations for each type.

The 2 Must-Have Eye Brushes

1. Flat Dome Brush

Left-Right: MAC 239, Sigma SS239/E55

Left: Dirty Everyday Minerals Everyday Eye Shadow Brush

While using the free sponge-tip applicators that come with your eye shadow is excellent for packing on colors, I advise using a flat dome brush more often. Why? It’s more hygienic since you can wash your brush with an alcohol-based brush cleanser or baby shampoo. A sponge-tip applicator, on the other hand, harbors nasty bacteria over time.

What to Look for: Make sure it’s dense and stiff because then it’ll pick up eye shadow from the pan more easily and apply it better on your lids. If you plan to use this for powder-based shadows, opt for natural bristles or synthetic bristles that mimic the texture of natural bristles. If you’re going to use this for cream shadows or for applying an eye-shadow primer, go for synthetic bristles that are smooth since they won’t absorb the product.

How to Use It: Hold it vertically and pat the eye shadow onto your lids for stronger color payoff. A sweeping motion will distribute a sheerer hue.

Brush Recommendations:

• For Powder Shadow – Sigma SS239 (Sigma E55) or MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush
• For Cream Shadow & Eye Primers – Everyday Minerals Everyday Eye Shadow Brush

2. Tapered Blending Brush

Sharp edges can look pretty cool and avant-garde. But for everyday wear, you’ll probably want to soften the edges of your eye shadow so the transition between colors fades rather than stop abruptly. A tapered blending brush does all the work for you, and it’s one of the most versatile eye brushes.

What to Look for: Fluffy and flexible bristles do the job best.

How to Use It: Sweeping motions in an “n” shape help blend your colors together and soften harsh lines when you use this without any shadow. To add drama and depth to your crease, apply a dark(er) shadow using this brush in the same sweeping motion. To add intensity to just the outer corner of your eyes, use small circular motions to concentrate more product while blending it.

Brush Recommendations:

• MAC 217 Blending Brush
• Sigma SS224 (Sigma E40) Tapered Blending Brush
• Sigma SS217 (Sigma E35) Tapered Blending Brush
• Everyday Minerals Dome Blending Eye Brush

I hope you found this helpful. Let me know which eye brushes you consider essential!