I don't think makeup starters really need a lot of tools. For the first year or so of me applying makeup, I used my fingers and a sponge. However, brushes are great tools to have as they make application cleaner (using hands of course means dirty hands) and can result in beautiful, airbrushed finishes. Read on to see my recommendations for starters.

Eye brushes

To be perfectly honest, I think all one needs is a fluffy brush. Fluffy brushes are amazing because they can be used to do about a thousand different things; apply eyeshadow, blend out concealer, blend out harsh eyeshadow lines, apply highlighter, etc. A great little brush kit containing eye brushes is the Ecotools Essential Eyes Kit, which has a large and a small flat shader, a fluffy brush, an angled crease brush, and a pencil/smudger brush. The only thing I would add to this is an angled liner brush, which can be used to fill in brows and line lashlines. Of course, you gotta get a spoolie to blend out eyebrow lines.

Face brushes

To this day, I don't think everyone needs to fap around with twelve different brushes daily for the face. One great versatile brush is the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, which can be used for all types of products (liquid, cream, and powder)! The synthetic bristles blend out like a dream and don't absorb and product. They clean easily and dry fast, so I would definitely recommend this. The last essential face tool is a sponge. There are egg shaped sponges and wedge shaped ones. Sponges purchased in pretty much any store that carries makeup. The wedges often come in huge packs and are intended to be used just a couple times. I love sponges because they give a very natural but flawless finish and can be used on all types of products, although they're best for cream an liquid.

That's all folks! What types of brushes or tools would you recommend?