As a make-up artist, it is a must that I offer airbrush make-up to my clients. But if you only use make-up for personal use, it might not be practical to get yourself an airbrush gun and kit. So how do you get that airbrush finish without spending tens of thousands? The answer: the stippling brush. Much like a high quality photo, the more dots per-inch (dpi), the better the pictures look. This is the basic fundamental concept of airbrushing, and also applies to stippling. 

Popularized by MAC cosmetics (brush #187 and #188), the stippling brush is used to apply and blend face products such as foundation and blush, wet or dry, onto the skin for a flawless finish. This brush has dual fibers: Synthetic fibers that grabs the product and natural goat hair to hold the shape of the brush for ultimate control. Stippling is an act of dabbing dots, so that's basically how you should be using your stippling brush. 

I personally use my stippling brush for the application of foundation. First, I put liquid or cream foundation on a flat palette (any flat surface will do), then I dab the brush lightly onto the foundation until I get only the necessary amount I need on the brush. I them dab little dots on my face until I see everything covered. The secret is to dab only what is needed and to not go overboard. Dab lightly and do not feather out as this negates the stippling technique and airbrush effect. The difference of using a stippling brush and a flat foundation brush is that the stippling brush gives a sheer coverage and the later gives a heavier coverage. Below is a photo of Aimee, a client of mine whom I used the stippling brush on for her liquid foundation application.



MAC brush #187 is at P2,200 retail price while there are cheaper versions you can grab that does the job as well MAC's: Suesh Stippling Brush at P900, Dashe Stippling Brush at P700 and Sigma Duo Fibre Brush at P1,000. These make-up brush brands also carry a smaller version of the stippling brush for blush, highlighter and bronzer application. I'm currently using MAC brush #187 for my clients and Suesh stippling brush for my personal use. I'm about to buy a third one that comes in a travel set from Dashe brushes.