Byrdie / Lindsey Metrus
Once upon a time, Kylie Jenner shared a (now-deleted) makeup tutorial, in the process revealing an unconventional way to apply moisturizer that got practically the entire Internet in a tizzy. Tweets about the fact that the reality TV star uses a brush to apply her moisturizer flooded the Internet, making made beauty lovers and beauty skeptics alike wonder: Is a brush really the most effective way to apply moisturizer? Have we been doing it wrong this whole time? While not everyone has the means to purchase Jenner’s luxe Artis Oval 10 Brush ($80), we wanted some expert advice on whether investing in a similar tool would give us Jenner-worthy skin.
Apparently, we just weren’t in on the secret. “Using a brush to apply product to the face is nothing new,” reveals dermatologist Snehal Amin of Manhattan Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery.“Clarisonic has a vibrating brush that is used to apply cleansers and moisturizers. Barbers have been using brushes to apply shaving creams for centuries. Using a proper brush to apply product to the face helps in a number of ways.” Despite the apprehension we feel towards some of the Kylie Skin line, it seems Jenner’s more in the know than we were giving her credit for.
Case in point: Amin doesn’t just see one benefit of using a brush, he actually let us in on three: “Firstly, our hands, especially under the nails, are not clean. Secondly, the massaging action of the brush is good for the skin. Thirdly, the brush helps apply product evenly over the face.” If you’ve ever experienced patchy, flaky dry skin even after you feel you’ve applied a ton of moisturizer, you know how important it can be for product to distribute evenly. Odds are, if you’ve ever had a facial, you’ve already even had a brush used to apply moisturizer to your face.
Dr. Maryann Mikhail of Spring Street Dermatology also loves the germ-busting aspect of using a brush: “Fingers can retain bacteria, dirt, and oils, which you don’t want on your face—especially if you are prone to acne.”
