Professional Beauty speaks to Ciara Scannell, a freelance make-up artist based in Dublin. She works on television and film and has been working with make-up tool supplier Crown Brush for over five years.

Question:
Do I need both synthetic and natural hair make-up brushes in my kit?

Answer:
In my opinion you need both because they both give a different finish. I would always use a synthetic haired brush for anything wet, such as liquid foundation, lipstick, eyeliner or cream blush, because the synthetic hair gives a streak-free finish. Also the hair doesn't spread as much when you put pressure on it, so you can get more precision.

Adhesive products such as spirit gum and prosaide also work better with synthetic brushes because they will clean off synthetic hair more easily than real hair. Real hair brushes are the best for anything dry such as mineral foundation, face powder, bronzer or blusher. The natural hair grabs the powder particles and will place them on the skin rather than them falling off the brush and on to your client’s clothes.

There are different types of natural hair and they all have a different feel. Badger hair and red sable feel the softest, whereas sable and goat hair are a tad firmer. Which hair you use is a matter of personal preference. I use the Crown Brush’s badger hair IB102-Powder for loose powder and goat hair C405-Angle Blush where more precision is needed. There is also a range of duo fibre brushes and these can be used to get an airbrushed effect. The white tip (synthetic hair) will place the product on the skin and spread it evenly, whereas the black bottom (natural hair) will buff the top of the product to give an airbrushed finish. My favourite is the C406-Foundation duo fibre brush.

There will be an array of experts speaking at Professional Beauty Dublin 2012 this year. Don't miss out on this free opportunity to gain valuable advice and insight into the industry and register for your FREE ticket today here. Save the date: 30 Sept - 1 Oct 2012, RDS Dublin.

Crownbrush will be exhibiting at the show bringing its latest new products. See them on stand A16.