15 Makeup Terms Every Beauty-Obsessed Babe Should Know

There are a lot of makeup packaging terms and tools out there, and even as beauty editors, it’s easy for us to get our konjacs mixed up with our Beauty Blenders every so often. (TBH, I didn’t even know what a konjac was until I wrote this article.) So, in order to properly sift through makeup packaging terminologies and tools, I chatted with a few L’Oréal chemists on their best definitions in glossary form. Ahead, find the 15 makeup terms relating to tools, packaging and all things applicator-esque.

Beauty Blender — Edgeless, non-disposable, high definition cosmetic sponge with now various shapes used to eliminate lines and streaks for flawless, uniform makeup application

Buffer — Cosmetic tool with rigid finer gritty surfaces used to give fingernails and toenails a high gloss shine, achieved through friction of sanding on nail surface

Bullet — Lip applicator or tube in the shape of a bullet

Crayon — Multi-use pigmented stick for precise cosmetic application

Doe Foot — Describes the type of spongy-tipped wand, shaped like a deer’s hoof, typically found in tubes of lip glosses and concealers  

Dotting Tool (nails) — Tool used for nails with rounded end typically pointed (tiny dots) or spherical (larger dots) that makes round circles

Dupes – Short for duplicate, and refers to cheaper products that are comparable to a more expensive, often higher end products

Fan brush — A flat fan shaped brush that is ideal for softly applying bronzing powder, illuminator, or cream products

Kabuki — A type of makeup brush with soft, tightly-packed bristles that form a dense, dome-shaped head and typically has a short handle to provide control

Konjac sponge — Sponge made of the dried and ground root of the konjac (elephant yam) used for exfoliation

Ridge filler — Nail product that has slightly thicker viscosity used to even out nail beds that are ridged

Scrub (lip)— Exfoliating formula/product for removing surface/dead skin

Solid (perfume, brush cleanser) — Cream textured formulation, liquids that are in a solid state rather than the liquid mix of certain ingredients, can be used for perfumes or brush cleaners

Spoolie — Eyebrow shaping tool that looks like a mascara wand with a tapered head and bristles of short stiff hair

Stippling brush — A brush used to apply foundation, blush, bronzer, powder, and highlighters in a dot form that makes for a smooth, more diffused finish as opposed to rubbing or brushing with a stiff brush. Stippling brushes usually have two-toned bristles, a black base with pointed white bristles at the top.