How to use and care for makeup brushes, plus top beauty tips and trends by 1028

At a recent event, I had the opportunity to swatch and try out Taiwanese makeup brand 1028’s range of products, from eyeshadow palette, lipsticks, liquid eyeliner to their Artisan makeup brushes. Besides being enthralled by how smooth and natural the eyeshadow looked, the creaminess of the lipsticks, and the sleekness of the bestselling eyeliner, I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and gentle the synthetic Artisan makeup brushes felt on the skin. After witnessing a makeup demonstration by makeup stylist Stanley Hsu using 1028's latest products, I was impressed with the performance of 1028 products. Of course, no one can talk about 1028 without discussing its extremely affordable price point, especially in view of its superior product quality. Prices start at slightly over S$10!

At Yahoo Shopping we believe that caring is sharing. I got Stanley, makeup stylist cum product manager, and grilled him on how to get started on using makeup brushes, his secrets in makeup application, as well as how to ensure the longevity of your makeup brushes. What's more, 1028 is having big discounts during the 9.9 sales on Lazada and Shopee. Don't miss out!

Promotion 1: Get 1 for 15% off and 2 for 20% off on the Mandom Official Store on Shopee

Promotion 2: 'Buy 1 Get 1' on selected Mandom Official Shopee Store items.

Shop 1028 Shopee 9.9 Sale Shop 1028 Lazada 9.9 Sale

READ

1028 Cosmetics is back in Singapore with new mascara, eyeshadow palette & lipsticks

Taiwanese makeup 1028 is back in Singapore and top 5 must-haves for day and night

Yahoo Life Singapore: You are not just the makeup guru of 1028. We hear you are also deeply involved in the R&D of the brand. Could you share your involvement in the brand and what makes 1028 artisan brushes incredibly soft and great for applying our makeup?

Stanley: I’ve worked in 1028 for over eight years since 2015. I have created top-seller products with our product-development team, such as the extended curl waterproof mascara, essential to opening the Asian market 2018. It's my honour to share my creativity around Asia. As to the 1028 artisan brushes series, my team and I spent almost two years before launching them.

The initial goal of this series is that we'd like our users to have an exquisite and natural look by using these high-quality brushes. The bristles we chose are incredibly soft and great for applying onto the face. The bulk of the time was spent selecting the right brushes because I know the importance of feeling extremely comfortable and making makeup application a daily joy. Secondly, each face brush or eye brush was designed for easy daily use, so it's easy for our users to know how to use them immediately without any skills and description.

1028 Extend Curl Waterproof Mascara

Before purchasing any makeup brushes, what do I need to take note of?

Before purchasing makeup brushes, ask yourself the style you like to feel confident and comfortable on different occasions. Focus on one or two styles, or try looking for some makeup styles of influencers that fit you. Try to imitate how they wear their makeup and see what tools they use. Only then will you know which sort of makeup brushes you might need.

Take note of what kind of brushes you need and then go to stores, applying those brushes to your face to feel if the materials are as soft as you expect and the thickness that fits your need (try synthetic materials if you are vegan). The first essential brushes you may need should be of average length, like the 1028 Artisan series. They are the perfect size for new or advanced users. All brushes have such soft synthetic bristles that applying makeup may even become precious me-time for you.

What are the basics I should know about makeup brushes?

Each type of brush has so many different types, sizes, and shapes. So, for the basics, you should be familiar with essential sizes and types of brushes before you wear makeup. Find your style first, then see what tools you need. Then go to stores and try them on your face to feel and find out the sizes and types of brushes that suit you.

For example, if you like your blush under between the eye area and cheekbone, you may need to find a thumb-size blush brush to create this look. Another example is if you need to put a primary colour of eyeshadow, you may need a little-finger-size meeting to pat on the shade. So, finding a brush with a suitable size for a specific look is the basics you need to know without smudging makeup.

READ

Get radiant skin in Singapore’s heat: Beauty secrets from Porcelain founder Pauline Ng

How to soothe heat rash with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Advanced Barrier Cream: Review

Sephora's Clean Beauty products work harder for your skin's health

Robinsons Hotel Collection Silk Pillowcase review

How to 'blur' your enlarged pores: Glow Recipe’s new skincare makeup hybrid review

Which makeup brushes should I pick up, and how do I use them?

If you want essential brushes, start with two face and four eye brushes. Those are crucial brushes you need to create easy but exquisite makeup. For a look, you may need a medium blush brush (Artisan F12) for setting, blush, and contour. And a contour brush (Artisan F13) for more facial constructed contour or diagonal blush. Both are more specialized for shaping the face.

Then, as to eye brushes, you may need a middle-thumb-size base eyeshadow brush (Artisan E11) for eye base and colour blending. And a little-finger-size brush (Artisan E13) to pat on the primary colour. You may need a precision eyeshade brush for a darker shade of a tiny area in the inner or outer corner (Artisan E14). Lastly, you may need an angled brush (Artisan E18) for up or under soft eyeliner and brows. That's what you need for basic makeup for all.

Get 1028 Artisan brushes on Lazada

1028 Artisan Brush / Round Blending / Eyeshadow Blending / Eye Shading / Precision Eyeshadow / Angled Brow

1028 Artisan Brush / Setting Powder Brush / Blush Brush / Contour Brush / Concealer Brush

How do you use makeup brushes to achieve the desired results? Any tips to share?

Less is more; always remember it when we wear makeup with brushes. Using Artisan brushes helps to create more outstanding makeup looks. The key is taking less and patting gently and slowly to achieve beautiful results. I usually take the powder brush to press it on my palm first and then apply it to the face, eyes, and even lips.

Make sure the colour is gradually applied in many slow steps. That is a good technique for users to achieve well-blended makeup. For me, makeup is not just about applying colours to our faces; achieving a pleasant and colour-coordinated look is more important. To achieve a balance in paints, brushes are essential.

Should makeup brushes be used wet or dry?

All the brushes should be used dry. However, some brushes, such as (Artisan E18), the angled brow brush and (Artisan E12), the eyeshadow blending brush, could be wet or dry. Spray some setting spray on E18 bristles and pat some darker shades of eyeshadow, and we can easily apply sharper eyeliner and last much longer without smudging eyeliners. And E12 is also suitable for blending lipstick and lip gloss to create more natural lip makeup.

What's the difference between using makeup brushes, my fingertips, and sponges?

Brushes are more precise when focusing on small areas, especially for highlighting, blush, contouring and eyeshadow. Sponges are suitable for tapping foundation evenly and for a natural blush look. So, using brushes and sponges makes creating lovely and delicate makeup easier and quicker for users. While using fingertips for applying makeup is fine, this is only when you are experienced. Advanced users can freely use these three ways when applying makeup, but for new learners, brushes and sponges are here to help you.

Do you have any makeup brush techniques or tips and tricks to share to go from zero to pro?

Always remember the two functions of makeup brushes: to pat on colour and to blend. So after patting on the colour, please brush away extra powder on the brushes, then blend. That’s how you achieve clean and pretty makeup looks.

As mentioned, less is more, so apply makeup step by step. Please don't rush into it. Practice makes perfect. Everybody knows, but it's the only path to learning something new. When we use brushes to apply makeup, gently take the powder and slowly apply it to the face or eyes until it achieves the desired result.

I remember the first time I tried to put on makeup when I was around 20. It turned out awful as I was too heavy-handed. The next thing I did was to wash it off and do it again! Things went better after I practised many times. So, remember the tips I mentioned earlier and confidently try them. Remember, it is rare for someone to achieve considerable success on the first try. The only key to beauty is by practising.

READ

How to achieve healthy, glowing skin: Tips from Ensoul Medical Director

Why sunscreens are my skin's best friend: Top tips & recommendations from a sunburnt victim

Sephora’s latest skincare, makeup and haircare drops in Singapore for Spring 2023

2023 beauty trends & skincare treatments for that natural radiant glow

ClearSK's physician shares top tips on delaying signs of ageing & all things collagen

Counteract eczema with tips & dermatologist-approved Cetaphil products

Genderless skincare, fragrance & fashion brands paving the way to inclusivity

The best skin care tips and treatments for 20s, 30s, 40s to 50s and beyond

What's the current trending makeup look, and how can we achieve it with 1028?

A no-makeup makeup look has been a leading trend in Asia for years. However, it’s hard for most of us. For new learners, remember these two tips. First, always use one tone of colour for the whole face. Secondly, an even and clean foundation is needed.

There are some steps I would suggest we can do:

First, focus more on applying an even foundation rather than high coverage when applying the base. Start with 1028 oil block primer for colour correction to give a soft and clean look. Concealed small areas or dots are needed only with 1028 liquid concealer or palette before setting powder. Remember, don’t wear makeup like you wear a mask. Then, vertically contour from the hairline to the highest point of the cheekbone with 1028 contour powder to soften the sides of the face. Your face should still look fresh with lighter makeup.

1028 Oil Block Ultra Longwear Pressed Powder( Beige, Transparent, Pearl Purple).

1028 Pro Stay Concealer

Secondly, for eye and brow makeup, start with 2-3 colours in a 1028 eyeshadow palette for eye crease, blending with a brush softly and evenly. Focus on curl lashes with 1028’s hero item, 1028 extend curl waterproof mascara and go with a short-flat eyeliner from the outer corner of the eye using 1028 precision eyeliner.

1028 Ultra-precision Lasting Eyeliner

Comes in SB01 Black, ES01 Expresso, Rich Brown, Burgundy

Lastly, before applying lipstick, use a blending brush to put some rose shade from eyeshadow on the lips to blur the lip line. Then, apply lipstick in the middle of your lips with a fingertip, blending evenly until you achieve the desired results.

How do we best care for our makeup brushes, and how often should we clean them?

Placing them horizontally in a bag is better for bristles. I suggest saving brushes horizontally in a case or a cosmetic bag. You may remember them upright if you use them every day. I recommend cleaning once every two weeks using a unique brush cleanser or mild shampoo.

Get the brushes wet with some cleanser, gently circle bristles on the palms until powder or colours are washed out, and place brushes under running water until clean. Lastly, prepare a clean towel to press on encounters gently, then place them horizontally to dry or air dry them indoors.

About Stanley Hsu

Stanley has been an experienced makeup stylist for more than ten years, with skilful and self-generating makeup techniques, passing on professional makeup tips through humorous lectures, well-known and loved by many channels in Taiwan and Asia. He's regularly invited as a makeup styling lecturer by Watsons, Taiwan, and specially invited to beauty advisors’ training in Watsons, HK. He's also been invited to be the primary judge of the Watsons makeup contest every year and a guest makeup stylist on the MOMO TV programme in the past 4 years. At 1028, he has worked as a product manager for 8 years, delivering many topsellers such as 1028 extend curl waterproof mascara, which has remained a remarkable bestseller in the market.