There are some things in life you just shouldn’t skimp on. For example, if you’ve ever tried to slash your remodelling budget by buying the cheapest paintbrushes available, that’s a mistake you’ll probably never make again. After you’ve dealt with disintegrating bristles, gloppy drips, and uneven application, saving what amounts to the cost of a medium latté suddenly doesn’t seem like such an amazing bargain.The same principle applies to cosmetic brushes, as well. If you want to look your best and you spend a considerable amount of time and money stocking your makeup bag with just the right products, shades, and formulas, it just doesn’t make sense to use low-quality brushes to apply your makeup.

In fact, some leading makeup artists even say that the quality of your brush matters more in the end than the quality of your cosmetics. In other words, it’s fairly easy to achieve a great look using so-so cosmetics and fabulous brushes. Using high-quality cosmetics with discount-store brushes, on the other hand? Not so much.

Even if you’re on a budget, saving up for a set of top-quality professional brushes is beauty investment that’s well worth it. With just a little bit of care and maintenance, you’ll be able to make your professional brushes last for years to come, and the improvements you’ll see in the quality of your makeup application will amaze you. Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll get with better-quality makeup brushes:

Better blending. High-quality brushes make it easier for you to blend foundation, powder, eye shadow, and blusher. When you use better brushes to apply your cosmetics, you’ll say goodbye to harsh streaks and unnatural contours.

Improved control. Do you have a hard time keeping your hands steady when you’re applying mascara, liner, and shadow? Believe it or not, low-quality brushes might be part of the problem. Most professional sets are ergonomically designed to fit the contours of the human hand, making a clean, crisp application much easier.

Natural beauty. When properly applied, makeup should highlight and improve on your natural beauty, rather than drawing attention to itself. A high-quality brush set makes it easier for you to achieve a more subtle application, so your makeup won’t draw the wrong kind of attention.

Less waste. With high-quality brushes, a little makeup goes a long way. Because the bristles used on professional brushes are specially formulated to hold and dispense makeup evenly, you’ll probably find yourself going through your makeup a lot more slowly than you used to.

Need a beauty boost? Check out Blush’s signature line of professional quality cosmetics brushes.