Best Makeup Brushes For Effortless Makeup Application
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Bdellium Tools All Purpose Makeup Brush -
Tom Ford Bronzer Brush -
Bare Minerals Handy Buki Brush -
Bobbi Brown Face Brush -
It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush -
EcoTools Large Powder Brush -
Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush -
Makeup Forever Foundation Brush Large 108 -
Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush -
Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2 -
Buyer's Guide
Your makeup products are only as good as the tools you use to apply them. You can transform a common everyday drugstore foundation into a professional looking airbrushed finish. Take a gooey lip product and use it to sculpt and define your lips, versus applying it with a finger. Brushes reduce your risk of breakouts as long as you keep them clean. They also reduce the risk of wasting your products because they only pick up a little at a time. The following lists offer the best makeup brushes in 2022 on the market.
Best Makeup Brushes of 2022 Reviewed in Detail
Bdellium Tools All Purpose Makeup Brush - Runner Up
Heed my warning because once you discover Bdellium tools you just might become obsessed with their fun colored brushes. These tolls are incredible and range in price to the skinny budget to the all-out professional makeup brush sets and everything in between. This brush is just a brand classic and has been chosen because you cannot go wrong with the classic style blusher. This brush has a fun yellow handle, but this line also makes other eye-popping candy colored brushes that would add a bit of “wow” factor to your makeup display. This brush will work with any formula and any face shape.
Tom Ford Bronzer Brush - Best Bronzer Brush
Tom Ford brushes have a bit of a cult following by makeup artists, beauty gurus and product junkies alike. This is a universal brush that will work for anyone. Although this product is a high end brand you simply cannot go wrong with this choice. You will use it just about every day due to its versatility, lightweight feel and soft luxurious bristles. It picks up the perfect amount of products and allows you to buff and swirl it into skin for a natural radiant glow.
Bare Minerals Handy Buki Brush - Best Bronzer Brush
This brush is the perfect size for applying bronzer. It works with mineral-based bronzers - loose compact and baked varieties. The size is small enough to fit in any medium-sized makeup bag, and travels easily. The bristles are soft, and pick up just the right amount of product. You will never apply too much or waste your makeup. These brushes are designed to apply makeup in a swirling patter; tap the excess off and build your coverage until you are satisfied.
Bobbi Brown Face Brush - Best Bronzer Brush
While kabuki brushes may not have a handle, you have to admit that they are just adorable. This brush is perfect to stash in a tiny makeup bag or purse, so it is ideal for traveling. The bristles will give you plenty to work with, so you can use this brush to accent only some areas of the face or simply cover all of it with a sunny bronzed glow. It will work best with loose mineral or powder-based formulas. You can also dust it off easily, and use it to pull off excess product.
It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush - Best Bronzer Brush
This brush is going to be your best makeup bag friendly option. It Cosmetics makes incredible quality products and this brush is no exception. You will like the fact that although it is compact you still have the perfect amount of handle to control your application. The bristles are going to give you a soft airbrush finish and will work with any bronzer consistency. Do not let their softness fool you; they are still very durable and dense. This brush has won a couple of seals from beauty websites and buyers who approve.
EcoTools Large Powder Brush - Best Powder Brush
The EcoTools brush is a great option for your budget, and it is a great quality, earth-friendly one as well. The name might give that away, but it's also nice to know this option is cruelty-free. The durable handle is made out of a gorgeous bamboo. Not only is it ergonomically designed, it is smooth and bound to the bristles with recycled aluminum. Last but not least, the bristles are made from synthetic taklon (not from animals). These bristles are very soft, easy to clean, and ideal for layering.
Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush - Best Foundation Brush
This 2013 Allure magazine winning brush is probably the most versatile tool you can own. This is perfect for just about any foundation of any consistency be it powder, cream or tinted liquids. The effect you will get is a light airbrushed look which is both natural and easy to achieve. The technique you want to use with this can be either a stipple or swirl technique or a combination of the two for a flawless professional looking finish. It has the perfect sized handle for comfort, and the bristle size is ideal for getting product even around those tricky face angles.
Makeup Forever Foundation Brush Large 108 - Best Foundation Brush
This bush is the classic shape for easy application. Makeup Forever is also a high quality makeup artist recommended brand. You will get much use out of this brush without ever needing to worry about it losing its shape. The great thing about this flat shaped, rounded tip brush is the fact that it will move the foundation around the face without the “dragging-factor” that many other low quality foundation brushes have a tendency to do. If you love creamy or liquid foundations you will love the fact that this brush applies the product quickly so you will not be left with streaks. Pat on the product after applying for the perfect finish.
Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush - Best Foundation Brush
Apply your liquid foundation to this brush and dab, sweep, and blend for a soft, natural-looking, airbrushed finish. Airbrush makeup is light and airy, and never settles into fine lines; this is the look you can create using this versatile brush. Tarte works well with your thick and creamy foundations, pressed and loose mineral powders. The handle is made out of bamboo - it's very durable, and bound tightly to the bristles for less shedding. The brush is soft, yet designed perfectly for creating the smoothest-looking skin. Any foundation will look professional with this seemingly magical tool.
Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2 - Best Foundation Brush
If you want one brush for powder, foundation, and blush, Hourglass is a great investment because you are getting two brushes in one. It will pay for itself over time because you will use this tool daily. It is the perfect size and great for travel since you get foundation, powder and blush tools in one handy model.Cover your entire face, then hit the tops of your cheeks without too much work; this brush is super efficient. You can use Hourglass No. 2 to evenly apply your primer, foundation, setting powders, blush highlight and more (the list truly goes on). The bristles are animal-free, and are made with incredible quality synthetic fibers. You will love the fact that this brush is very easy to clean, great for sensitive skin, and will last many years.
Buyer's Guide
Flawless makeup can make you feel like a million bucks. If you wear makeup regularly, you probably know the importance of quality makeup and tools.
Whether you want to replace some pieces in a set or get some new individual pieces, you’re in need of a good makeup brush. Large brush sets can be pricey, but buying individual brushes allows you to upgrade your brush collection without spending a fortune.
The quality of your makeup won’t matter if you do not have a good quality makeup brush to apply it with. Poorly applied makeup will simply make it look cheap and of poor quality. While you know you need to buy a new makeup brush, knowing what makeup brush to buy with so many products on the market might feel like a daunting task.
To help you find your perfect makeup brush, we have listed the types of makeup brushes available and their specific purposes.
Things to consider when buying the best makeup brushes
To choose the best makeup brush, it is imperative to have a good idea of what type of makeup brush you want. You also need to know how to spot a good-quality brush. If you don’t do this, you will waste a lot of time looking over many of the wrong brush types.
If you are unsure of where to start, read about the types of makeup brushes you can buy and some features you may like to look out for below.
Make-up brushes can be split into four categories. These are face brushes, foundation brushes, face detail brushes, and eye detail brushes. To decide what type of makeup brush you need, read the description of what each brush does below.
Face
The three main brushes to use on the face, not counting the foundation brushes, are the domed powder/face brush, round blush brush, and the angled face brush.
The domed powder/face brush is best used to create a soft-looking blush with a blusher. This brush is perfectly shaped to blend out the edges of the blusher for a natural look. This kind of makeup brush is also great for adding bronzer, applying finishing powder, and using a highlighter.
Another brush that is used to apply the blusher is the round blush brush. This smaller brush applies a more intense color because there is less space between the bristles. Due to its size, it also applies blusher with more precision. Synthetic round blush brushes can also be used with creams.
Buy an angled face brush if you are looking for a brush to contour with. You can use it with a highlighter, blusher, and powder bronzer. The angle provides you with control for small details when doing eyeshadow or when subtly contouring.
Foundation
The three main brushes used to apply foundation are buffing, stippling, and flat.
A buffing brush is usually used with liquids, tinted moisturizers, and mineral powder foundations. A buffing brush builds coverage gradually, reducing the likelihood of clumps creating airbrushed-looking makeup. A buffing brush creates a long-lasting base that will help good quality makeup last all day.
It is recommended that you use a stippling brush with shimmer powder, finishing powder, and tinted moisturizers. This brush attains light to medium coverage of a water-based product or foundation. This brush is only suitable for applying small amounts of product at a time. It can have some buffing properties when used firmly.
A flat foundation brush can be used to place a lot of foundation on your face at once. It works well with primer, liquid and cream products, and contour cream. A buffing brush should be used after this heavy application to create a smooth and refined finish.
Face detailers
There are three main types of makeup brushes that fall under the category of face detailers. These include the fan brush, flat concealer brush, and small domed blending brush.
Purchase a fan brush for adding details to your makeup. You can use it to apply precise color to the face and highlight. This brush builds layers of makeup products gradually with control. It is helpful for removing excess powder products. The fan brush is usually used with products like highlighter powder and bronzer.
The flat concealer brush is ideal for use with either cream or powder concealer. It can also be used with contour cream, eyeshadow primer, and an eyeshadow base. It will apply many products at once and is best used to conceal blemishes under the eyes.
You should buy a small domed blending brush if you want a brush to blend in concealer and contour. It is also used to achieve full coverage around the tapers of the face and nose. It is a mini version of a buffing brush. This brush works well with cream concealer, contour cream, liquids, and liquid highlighter.
Eye detailers
If you have a particular eye makeup look you want to create, watch a tutorial on how to achieve it. A good tutorial will list the makeup brushes that are needed to achieve it. Many makeup brushes are made for use around the eye area, including eyebrow brush, angled brow brush, precision eyeshadow brush, standard eyeshadow brush, and an eyeliner brush.
How to spot a good quality makeup brush
Look at your makeup brush in person if you can. If you are ordering the makeup brush online, order it in plenty of time before any special occasion you want to use it for. This will give you enough time to test it out and return the brush if it is not the best quality.
A good quality brush shouldn’t feel ragged or frayed and should be soft to touch. Your brush should have a strong ferrule base to keep the bristles in place. If this base wobbles at all, avoid this product. If any bristles fall out when handling the brush, do not buy it as it is a poorly made makeup brush. You wouldn't want any bristles on your face stuck in your makeup as you apply it.
Makeup brush price range
It is easier to find makeup brush sets, but for the individual makeup brushes on the market, you should budget between $8 and $25. You can find a decent-quality makeup brush for personal use for around this price.
FAQs
What makeup brushes do beginners need?
Beginners need eight main makeup brushes, including a fluffy powder brush, blush brush, flat eyeshadow brush, contour brush, highlight brush, fluffy eyeshadow blending brush, angled brush/brow brush, and a tapered crease brush. We also recommend buying a makeup sponge to help set makeup products. Makeup sponges are great for beginners as they're versatile and easy to use.
What are some makeup brush brands?
There are many trusted makeup brush brands. Some highly rated makeup brush brands include Artis, RMS Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, SURRAT Beauty, Sigma Beauty, Rae Morris, EmaxDesign, and Real Techniques. There are many quality brands out there, so feel free to do some research on the specific brands you find.
