Concealer brushes are important elements of many makeup kits because they help disguise blemishes, redness and any other minor flaws that need additional coverage beyond a basic application of foundation. It is important that concealer brushes are small and shapely enough to target small spots on the skin yet full and soft enough for adequate blending. Many concealer brushes are made of synthetic fibers, which are very soft, are less prone to shedding than natural hairs and generally are better suited to liquid makeup applications.
You can recognize a concealer brush from a few distinct features. First of all, the brush will be significantly smaller than a typical foundation brush. This is because foundation brushes are designed to cover large areas of skin, but concealer brushes need to precisely target small imperfections. The bristles will be shorter, smoother and less fluffy than a foundation brush for the same reasons.
A good concealer brush will have a thin handle to promote ease of handling and dexterity when applying your makeup. The best brush will have short, flat bristles to prevent too much makeup from being imparted onto the skin. Bristles that are too full and fluffy will absorb too much concealer, and blending with it will be cumbersome. The ability to blend products seamlessly into the skin is essential, because obvious makeup can draw the eye toward the imperfections that you were trying to cover and conceal.
Additionally, the bristles should be tapered in an oval shape at the tip to increase precision and accuracy when you are applying your concealer. The tapered edge and flat bristles will give you more options for manipulating the application. Although the best concealer brushes will not be as fluffy as foundation brushes, they still should have enough volume to allow the bristles to flex.
Concealer is most commonly applied underneath the eyes to hide dark circles, around the edges of the nose where redness can occur from broken capillaries and on blemishes wherever they occur. One brush of a medium size usually is suitable for all of these tasks, but there is a range of sizes available if you find that you need some variety. Larger concealer brushes are best for use under the eyes or on big patches of redness, and smaller brushes are best for blending out smaller blemishes. Try not to select a brush that is larger than what you really require, because this might cause you to apply concealer with a touch that is too heavy or to overlap into areas that do not require additional coverage.