What Is A Fan Makeup Brush Used For?

Written by Skye Rhodes Last Updated: Mar 18, 2025

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\Beauty lovers have had experiences with a variety of makeup brushes but the fan makeup brush remains a mystery to most, so what is a fan makeup brush used for?

What is a fan makeup brush? It’s a unique fan-shaped brush used when applying makeup and gives amazing end results.

When you get your grasp on it, you’ll be surprised to see what you’ve been missing.

Face makeup is one of the things that need precise handling even for the most experienced beauty practitioners.

Nobody wants to do their makeup only to come out looking like a mud lining covering their faces.

Luckily, with the fan makeup brush, you can apply products uniquely smooth, and wow!

To answer that question about what is a fan makeup brush used for, we can say that a fan makeup brush has a variety of uses as you are going to see in this article.

Going Crazy About Beauty And Makeup

With the makeup revolution, you are able to have perfect looks and feel amazing throughout the day.

Most makeup products have in-built ingredients for skincare and protection.

If you are still held by the dilemma of whether or not to do makeup, then you can breathe at ease.

Here Are Reasons As To Why You Should Practice A Regular Makeup Routine:

• Makeup raises your self-confidence giving you a positive attitude to cope with anything
• It allows you to care for your skin
• It conceals all aging lines making you look younger
• Makeup covers all the dark spots or shiny T-Zone regions in your face giving your skin a healthy complexion
• Gives you an incredible look at photos
• Enhances your appearance, makes most women inviting by enhancing many features
• Protects your skin from direct sunlight and environmental pollution

You’ve got a dozen reasons to use makeup.

With all the makeup tools in your kit there is one that outstands them all; a makeup fan brush.

It’s highly recommended to use makeup products that suit your skin type.

Uses of A Fan Makeup Brush

A fan makeup brush has a variety of uses including Applying Highlighter, Nail polish, Counter powder, Blush, Mascara, Facial Masks, Tinted Moisturizer, Dusting Oily T-Zone, and removing fallout, especially in eye shadow.

Using A Fan Makeup Brush for Applying Highlighter

In terms of statistics, we could say that fan brushes are most commonly used to apply highlighter.

For beginner’s, a step by step guide will do well.

To apply highlighter using a fan makeup brush, follow the steps outlined below:

• Dip the makeup fan brush in the highlighter
• Tap the brush using your hand or shake it slowly allowing the excess highlighter to pour off
• Use the brush to apply the product on your eye corners, down your nose’s bridge, on your cheekbones, and on the upper part of your cupid’s bow
• Ensure the product is finely blushed using the fan makeup brush making you all set with your great and attractive look

There are a lot of highlighter makeup products to choose from, each playing a significant role in making your face all radiant.

Some highlighter products serve to give you a cool glow or a warm radiance while others illuminate your visage, depending on the brand type.

Need some guidance on how best to highlight?

Don’t worry, after reading this text you will be doing it just like a professional.

The procedure to follow when applying your highlighter varies depending on one’s likes and preferences to other facial makeup products.

Prior to applying the highlighter, some people prefer making up their base with a primer followed by a foundation for stunningly amazing makeup results.

To add-on color to the complexion, add bronzer, and finally comes the last step to highlight using your fan makeup brush.

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Applying Nail Polish

We’ve all been there when your friend shows up and you are like “Wow! Where did you have your nails done?”

Well, with this fan makeup brush, you can do that in the comfort of your home.

Nail polishing is an art that makes our otherwise bare, unattractive, and boring nails look great bringing in a sense of beauty.

Blending the colors well is one of the pro tips in achieving the desired outlook.

With a fan makeup brush, you can achieve all this in a blink of an eye, no need to pay for the service, and no need to get a professional to do it.

Therefore, this brush saves you not just time and money but gives you a chance to do the nail polish in your desired color blend.

The steps below help in attaining a stunning nail polish using a fan makeup brush:

• With different colored nail polish (at least three), place a dot from each nail polish on a palette
• Swipe the fan brush through the painting palette making sure it passes through all the colors on the palette
• This causes the colors to perfectly blend
• Swipe the fan makeup brush across each nail

The results will surely surprise you, amazing, isn’t it?

Perfectly blended colors of your nail polish and your nails transform just by using a fan makeup brush.

Although it’s wiser to use a different brush from your face makeup brush, if your kit has only one fan makeup brush then you’ve got no other choice but to use it.

Luckily, you can clean up your fan brush after using the nail polish by using a nail polish remover.

Although the brush will be hard after this, clean it with acetone and immediately dip it in water after which you should dry it and there is your soft brush back, as good as new!

Using A Fan Makeup Brush for Applying Powder Contour

Countering using powder and a fan brush helps define or lather reshape certain areas of your face such as cheekbones, forehead, jawline, and nose.

For nose contouring, creams work best.

You can counter your cheeks using a fan brush to make your face more appealing.

Apply bronze on the fan makeup brush (preferably a bigger fan brush than the one used for highlighting).

Swipe the fan brush repeatedly on your cheeks.

The fan brush ensures that the powder spreads out in a thin layer hence uniformity and absence of harsh lines that often tend to appear.

This makes your face more appealing and beautiful.

You can also counter your nose making it look shorter, thinner, or longer.

Using this handy trick with your fan makeup brush, you can easily do the contouring beauty trend, don’t be left out.

Step guide on how to contour:

• Apply foundation
• Use your fan brush to apply the dark powder by sucking in your cheeks to define your cheekbones
• You can play with your pro tricks making your foreheads appear smaller
• Brush the powder along your chin and jawline helping you define your jawline

Depending on your complexion, invest in powders that blend well with your skin.

If your skin is fair, bronzing powders are way too dark for you, consider applying powders with light colors.

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Applying Blush

Applying blush is one of the trickiest ways of doing makeup.

You are always in fear that you might end up doing it the wrong way but no need for more worries because, with a fan makeup brush, you can apply blush perfectly.

You might testify to the fact that you once thought or still do think that there is only one way to apply blush, but no, there are a variety of different ways and applications depends on different face shapes.

The shape of your face greatly determines which way to apply your blush.

Face shapes include heart-shaped faces, oblong faces, square faces, round faces, and oval faces with each shape having its own way of applying blush.

Though most people fail to acknowledge the effects of blush, when done perfectly, you’d be surprised at how it surpasses even the highlighter and bronzer.

The key detail is to apply the blush with a brush that ensures the perfect uniformity of a thin layer and evenness on your skin.

This is easily achieved using a fan makeup brush which is the perfect choice for applying a light powder of the blush.

There are many tips to applying blush perfectly:

• First things first, prepare your skin by washing and drying oily skin
• Applying skin moisturizer or foundation before using your fan brush with blush dusting helps it last longer
• Depending on your skin tone; pale, light-medium, golden or dark, pick the shade that perfectly blends with your skin
• Your skin type greatly determines the blush formula you should use
• For dry skin, adopt the powder formula
• For normal skin, the creamy formula works at its best
• For oily skin, stains on the cheeks look great

The most important tip that determines the overall results is the choice of a brush to blush with.

The fan makeup brush works best and especially because of its softness and adopted fan shape enabling easy application of the blush.

Swilling the fan brush back and forth enables easy application hence highly recommended by most of the professionals in makeup.

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Removing Fallout

Isn’t it annoying to spend lots of your time applying makeup only for a little fallout of your eye shadow to ruin it all?

Well, with a fan makeup brush you can save it all by just dusting the fallout carefully from your face.

It’s important for you to shake off your fan brush before application to avoid eyeshadow fallout.

Even with all the tips and precautions, it still happens that you are late for work and you have to do your makeup in a hurry, in case of any eye shadow fallout you can easily collect the mess with your fan brush in just a second.

So, it’s crystal clear that the fan brush is not just for applying makeup but can actually multitask to save the day.

Tips to prevent eyeshadow fall out while applying your makeup:

• Use an eye primer or rub a bit of your concealer on your eyelids
• Get yourself a small fan makeup brush and make sure to use just a dusting amount of eye shadow, try shaking the brush before application so as the excess eye shadow falls off
• Consider using eye masks; any fallout will land on the mask and that saves you time
• Most eye shadow fallout occurs when using the powdered formulas, try using the cream eye shadow
• You can decide to start your regular makeup routine by applying the eye shadow first
• Using a setting spray helps to avoid later fallouts and helps you keep up your stunning look throughout the day

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Applying Mascara

To attain a natural look, use a small-sized fan makeup brush in applying mascara to your eyelashes.

The first time to use the fan brush to apply mascara on the upper and bottom lash is a bit hectic but I can assure you that once you master it, you will want nothing less!

It’s truly awesome.

Various tricks and tips come in handy when using the small fan brush for mascara application.

This particular fan brush is short, firm, and thinner compared to the other makeup fan brushes.

Mascara darken your lashes, thicken or lengthen them.

They come in the form of powder, cream, or liquid.

Mascaras also come in different brands.

You can get your desired brand type and make an amazing change on your lashes.

There is a tone of reasons why people use mascaras; some for the stunning effect they have on their short lashes and some to repair their otherwise damaged lashes.

Steps to follow while applying mascara using the fan makeup brush:

• Put a small amount of mascara on the fun brush (avoid loading the fan brush with too much mascara which would otherwise weigh your eyelashes)
• The brush has a little bend giving it the advantage to get closer to the base of the lash line
• Brush through your hair lashes from the lash line to the top of the lashes
• You can decide the amount of mascara to put on the brush depending on your preference
• The bristles of the fan brush aren’t really coarse like the normal mascara applicator brush, it gets between the lashes providing an excellent outcome

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Applying Tinted Moisturizer

A tinted moisturizer can potentially multitask but choosing the best type for you is very confusing.

They vary in size and use with new brands emerging.

It requires excessive knowledge to know the best fit for your skin type.

It not only serves as makeup but also as a skincare practice among other benefits like:

• Smoothing your complexion
• Provides your skin with an even tone by masking your skin blemishes
• Hydrates your skin
• Protects your skin from harmful direct sun rays
• Unlike most foundations, it does not cover the skin pores allowing the skin to breathe
• Come in different brands with different vitamins according to your specifications
• Easy to apply or rub on your skin

Don’t forget the all-natural and amazing look the tinted moisturizer offers.

Unlike in the earlier days when women used to cover their faces with numerals layers of makeup, they are gradually developing the sense of accepting their natural self.

Tinted moisturizer is highly recommended for their natural state, they only increase the overall health but do not form layers on the skin.

Unlike most foundations that take a lot of time to apply, this moisturizer saves a lot of time and makes sure you are not late.

If your skin is always oily or dry, adopting the application of tinted moisturizer to your skin could help a great deal.

When most people use their bare hands and fingers to apply moisturizers, the fan makeup brush could be used to uniformly distribute it in a light one-layer cover without too much wastage.

Make an effort to add a fan makeup brush to your kit for easy tinted moisturizer application.

Using A Fan Makeup Brush For Dusting Oily T-Zone

Having all sensitive, oily, acne-prone, scary skin with enlarged pores and redness are things some of us have had to live with and the foundation is what we mostly rely on.

Well applied foundation or powder using a fan makeup brush conceals it all and results in an even tone smooth skin.

Before you begin with your makeup, use your fan brush to apply primer on your T-Zone.

This helps in controlling the oily state of the skin throughout the day since the primer absorbs oil in this area.

While applying foundation, avoid applying it to your T-Zone.

Apply a concealer at the T-Zone region and make sure it blends well with the foundation.

Upon application of the foundation and concealer, finish off by applying a dusted powder using your fan brush.

Tips on dealing with an oily T-Zone:

• Change your usual face cleaning method and adopt using an oil cleanser and in a month’s time, you will realize a decrease in your oily status
• Open-up your pores by regularly practicing facial masking (2-3 times a week)
• A moisturizer is highly recommended regardless of your oily skin, this reduces the oil in the T-Zone
• Ensure you remove your makeup and clean up your face before going to bed every day
• Strive being informed, research more on your skin requirements especially for the oily skin
• Use the best primer for your skin to control your oily T-zone and keep your makeup perfect throughout the day

Using a Fan Makeup Brush For Applying Facial Masks

With a fan brush, you can end all the wastage and non-professionalism that comes in handy when using your fingers to apply the facial masks.

Least assured, your fan brush won’t get destroyed.

After using it to apply the facial mask, all you need is to clean it up.

For most people, it’s confusing how often they should mask their faces, it’s highly recommended to mask at least once per week.

Depending on your work schedule, you can either mask your face overnight or in daylight.

Even for the most healthy and smooth skins, facial masking is a necessary health care routine that every person should follow.

Masking your face has a dozen of benefits.

The process opens up the blocked pores and removes dead skins.

Masking gives the skin a youthful appearance by rehydrating the dry skin, water from the mask penetrates into the skin and the epidermis absorbs it making the skin soft.

Regular masking of your face helps get rid of wrinkles and assume a fine texture.

Face masking is a healthy skin care tip that everyone should adopt.

Steps to follow while masking your face:

• Clean off your skin thoroughly
• Remove the dead skin (exfoliate) e.g. using a scrubber or opt for something soft
• Using a soft cotton pad, apply a facial tonic to balance the skin’s pH making it healthier
• Just before applying the mask, use a serum of your choice
• Dip the fan brush into your gel mask and swirl it back and forth on your face
• Spread the mask on your face beginning from the center of your face
• Strictly follow the guidance on the laying time flame provided to avoid any negative side effects
• Using a sponge dipped in hot water, carefully remove the mask

Final Thoughts

Unlike any other makeup tool, a fan makeup brush has a variety of uses.

Now that we know what is a fan makeup brush used for we can conclude that a fan brush is a must-have makeup tool for every beauty lover.

After using the fan brush for applying nail polish or skin masking, clean and dry it to keep up its bristles.

Fan makeup brush comes in different sizes for different purposes.

A fan brush for applying blush is larger than that for applying mascara, the sizes suit their purposes well.

A fan makeup brush applies any type of skin makeup product, including lotions!

Based on this article, it’s clear that with a fan makeup brush you can use it for doing almost all your makeup.