12 Best Kabuki Brushes and How Exactly to Use Them

When you think of a kabuki brush, this shape is what comes to mind. Short handle? Dense bristles? Dome shape? Yup, checks all the boxes. This one also has synthetic bristles that make it equally great for buffing and swirling powder foundation, sweeping setting powder evenly across the face, and buffing, blending, and building up liquid foundation for medium-to-full coverage.

A kabuki brush doesn't always have rounded, dome-shaped bristles, and it also doesn't have to be used for face products. Use this body kabuki brush with firm, flat, bristles (also vegan, btw) to buff, swirl, and stipple creamy body makeup, shimmery body oils, or liquid highlighters.

I know we just went over flat kabuki brushes, but this one is flat in more than one way. These dense bristles are sandwiched to create a slim shape that's especially nice for sculpting the contours of your face. Bonus: The edges and corners of this precision brush can also be used to apply highlighter. 

Considering the small, compact size and dense bristles mixed with a more tapered shape of a precision foundation brush, I've nicknamed this one the combo kabuki brush. The straight, pointed bristles make this brush ideal for rolling on powder foundation, but because they're also synthetic, it's *chef's kiss* for buffing a liquid foundation, too.

The fluffiest option on this list, the long, flared bristles on this kabuki brush make it perfect for holding onto all kinds of powders— like super-fine loose powder, pressed contour powder, bronzer, blush, and highlighter—and diffusing the product evenly across your face with soft, sweeping motions.

Part of what makes kabuki brushes so great is their compact size that makes them easy to stick in your bag for touch-ups. But there's something even cooler about a retractable brush like this one—you can control the density of the bristles by sliding the adjustable metal handle up and down. For more precision, pull the handle up to tighten the bristles and pull it down for fluffier bristles when dusting loose powders.

The slightly more tapered bristles on this version of the angled kabuki brush allow it to softly apply liquid and powder contour and bronzing powders. Then, use the brush to buff and diffuse the product for a flawlessly blended finish. 

This foundation brush doesn't look like your typical kabuki brush because of the long stem. But if you prefer working with a longer handle, this one has the same short, dense, dome-shaped bristles of a kabuki. With packed synthetic bristles like this, you don't need to use as much cream or liquid product for a smooth, even foundation application. Just stipple a few dots of foundation around your face, then buff and swirl it out.

Known for their line of kabuki brushes, Nars created this fluffy, tapered version with natural bristle hairs for sweeping loose or pressed powders, like finishing or setting powder, evenly all over the face.

If you think about it, your face has all kinds of nooks and crannies, so the shape of your bristles should reflect that. This S-shaped angled kabuki brush allows the synthetic bristles to get alllll up in there for even coverage. With enough buffing from this brush, even the most heavy-handed foundation applications look seamless and filtered.

Whether you're working with creamy sticks or various powder products, pick up this soft, vegan brush with dense, dome-shaped bristles to do the trick. You know the drill by now—use it to buff, swirl, and blend for a smooth, even complexion.

And when in doubt, just get a whole set of kabuki brushes in five different styles. You've got flat, dome-shaped, soft-angled, tapered, and sharp-angled brushes to buff, swirl, stipple, sweep, and roll every complexion product on your list.