This Instagram-Famous Makeup Brush Lives Up To The Hype

Let me start by saying that I'm not a fan of makeup brushes. I've already got 10 of them attached to my hands for free — and they don't need to be deep-cleaned on a weekly basis. I've gotten along just fine using my fingers for everything — from concealer to eyeshadow — that is, until I started seeing the Palm Brush all over my social media feeds and developed a serious case of beauty FOMO. The Palm Brush is the brainchild of Artis — the same brand that broke the makeup-brush mold with its line of fluffy, toothbrush-shaped tools. And Artis is doing it again with this face brush, which is meant to be held in the palm of your hand instead of between the points of your fingers for better control. What makes this particular brush so appealing to me — besides the fact that it looks fancy as hell on my vanity — is that, unlike most brushes, it doesn't leave behind any streaks thanks to its broad base and densely packed fibers. Here's how I use it: First, I pop a few dots of concealer onto my face in strategic places (around my nose, under my eyes, and on any blemishes). Then, I gently massage the concealer into my skin with the Palm Brush, always moving in circular motions; I do switch to a pressing motion under the eyes, however, to avoid tugging. In those three simple swipes, my entire face is blended — and it looks good. Like, I just Facetuned it (and not in an overdone John Mayer way). I'm smooth and glowy, but my skin still looks like skin. Every day, I'm shocked by how natural, easy, and even enjoyable the application is — no wetting my sponge, no laboriously blending out the edges. It almost feels like I'm cheating the system. And did I mention that the animal-free fibers feel like heaven on my face? While I've only used it for concealer, the Palm Brush has a bunch of other applications. It's apparently great for blush, setting powder, self-tanner, moisturizer, and sunscreen. I'm also not opposed to just absentmindedly rubbing it over my face when I'm sitting at my desk. Yes, it does require a weekly cleaning — and, yes, it's far more expensive than just using my fingers — but with Insta-results like this, to me, it's worth it. Artis Palm Brush, $65, available at Artis.