This $75 Brush Is The Key To My No-Makeup Makeup Look

“I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip-flops, so I bought army pants and flip-flops.” Replace Cady Heron with Eva Chen (and fine, a couple more Instafamous names) and the popular quote from Mean Girls directly applies to my life. Scrolling on Instagram last month, I came across a makeup tutorial from Chen where she shared the products she was currently using while traveling. While in awe of the bouncy and dewy SPF/foundation hybrid she tapped onto her face, I was even more mesmerized by the makeup brush she used to apply it: the Artis Elite Oval 7 brush.

Although I don’t wear foundation on a daily basis, I was intrigued at how the Artis brush delivered such a natural finish to Chen’s skin — appearing as if she wasn’t wearing any makeup on her face at all. Watching her use the brush in a circular fashion and then around her jawline, I remember a top tip a makeup artist once told me: regardless of how expensive your makeup might be, you won’t get glorious results without high-quality tools. With that in mind, I got my hands on one of these cult-favorite brushes and started applying my tinted moisturizer and special occasion foundation with it — you know, for research.

As a beauty editor who tests hundreds of products a year, it takes a lot to shock and surprise me. But, after using the brush for just three weeks now, I can honestly say there is a reason fans claim it completely revolutionized the makeup brush when it launched in 2015. Priced at $75, the somewhat expensive tool was developed by former senior vice president of MAC Cosmetics, Matthew Waitesmit, and utilizes CosmeFibre, a patented man-made fiber instead of traditional goat, pony or weasel hair bristles for a baby soft application.

Because I don’t usually wear makeup, I’m not very good at putting it on. But the Artis brush makes application easy. All I do is tap on my Iris & Romeo Weekend Skin SPF (light coverage days) or Lancome All Over Concealer (medium coverage and big event days) and roll the brush over my face. The ergonomic design has a finger indent at the top of the brush to help stabilize the brush so each move is controlled and precise. The grip pad further aids in the seamless application — perfect for my non-steady hand. But the real winners here are the brush fibers that are so densely packed that my foundation, concealer, and tinted moisturizer smooth on in just 60 seconds or less and result in a streak-free finish.

The Elite Oval 7 brush has quickly become a highly used member of my beauty arsenal and allows me to achieve the perfect no-makeup makeup look every time. And plus, although I’m in it for the function, it brings just as much style to my vanity with its sleek design. I’ve only ever used it with liquid makeup, but it can also be used with cream and powder products — making it the perfect brush for all products.

To really nail the no-makeup makeup look, this beauty brush would be your best investment. Below are a few of my favorite additional components that I incorporate into my routine.

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