You might think you don't need extra spoolie wands when your mascara comes with a built-in one, but once you realize how multipurpose these little guys are, you'll understand why they're first on this list. The tips have 360-degree synthetic bristles (kinda like a pipe cleaner) and often have bendable heads so you can shape them how you want. These mascara wands, aka spoolie brushes, belong in your makeup bag, too. The top 7 types of makeup brushes to ownДisposable tester applicators don't just belong on the makeup store's display shelves. If you want the quick version, shop my desert-island recommendations right here, or keep scrolling for allll the details. Use this guide as a shopping list, use it to help you figure out what all these weird bristles are for, or use it for all the makeup application tips I've included with each brush. Are you like me? A person who wants every single makeup brush in five different colors and sizes? Or are you someone who's just fine applying your products with a few crusty ol' tools (ahem, clean your brushes immediately) and your fingers? Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, though, I've come here to bring you this very thorough, very helpful guide to the 21 main types of makeup brushes you'll come across. If you just asked yourself if you actually need 21 makeup brushes, my answer to you is.maybe.

Large stippling makeup brush