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Makeup brushes are the painter’s tools for your face. Having high quality brushes that apply makeup smoothly and evenly can elevate your look immensely. Not only do the right brushes make application easier, but they also ensure the products blend beautifully on your skin.
With so many makeup brush sets available from drugstore to luxury brands, it can become overwhelming finding the perfect set for your needs and budget. In this comprehensive guide, we’re detailing the key features to look for when shopping for makeup brushes. We’ll also recommend our top 10 picks for the highest rated and best selling Best Makeup Brush Set for every budget and purpose.
How to Choose the Best Makeup Brush Set
With the sheer number of Best Makeup Brush Set on the market, deciding on the right set for your needs can be confusing. Here are the key considerations when shopping for makeup brushes:
Brush Bristle Material
This is perhaps the most important factor for Best Makeup Brush Sets. Natural and synthetic bristles behave differently across powder, liquid, and cream formulas. The right bristle also needs to be gentle on delicate eye areas without shedding. Common materials include natural animal hair, synthetic taklon, or a blend.
Brush Shape & Size
Each area of the face requires a different brush shape and size for optimal application. A rounded dome works well for buffing bronzer onto cheeks while a firm angled brush fits perfectly into corners when applying eyeliner. Having an array of targeted brushes makes application quick and flawless.
Number of Brushes
Brush sets can include anywhere from 5 to 30+ brushes. Consider which areas of the face you prefer to concentrate on most, whether that be sculpted eyes, a flawless base, or the perfect lip. Identify gaps in your current brush collection to figure out exactly what and how many pieces you require.
Price Point
Setting and investing in a long lasting pro brush kit may make sense for makeup artists and beauty influencers creating looks regularly. For everyday beauty fans, an affordable synthetic set often does the job beautifully. Brush sets range from $10 – $200+ depending on fibers, number of brushes, and carrying case.
Read More: Best Makeup Sponges
Top 10 Best Makeup Brush Set
From affordable essentials to professional level kits, here are our picks for the top 10 best selling Best Makeup Brush Set across beauty retailer sites like Sephora, Ulta and Amazon.
BH Cosmetics Sculpt & Blend Brush Set
Our #1 pick strikes the perfect balance of performance and value. With 10 vegan-friendly brushes made from ultra soft synthetic bristles, the BH Cosmetics Sculpt & Blend set applies both powder and cream makeup flawlessly. The shiny black handles look sleek sitting on your vanity and they feel substantial in the hand without added weight. At $20 for set, these brushes are comparable to sets 3x the price. The tapered shape of each brush combined with supple taklon fibers makes blending makeup easy while delivering seamlessly airbrushed results.
Standout Review: “I am so impressed with the quality of these brushes! Very soft on the skin and so easy to clean. Does not shed what so ever. Works amazing, ended up buying a second set!”
Key Details
- Price: $20
- Sleek, all black color
- Bristles: Cruelty free, vegan synthetic taklon
- 10 essential brushes for face and eyes
- 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 5k reviews
Luxie Rose Gold Best Makeup Brush Set
How gorgeous is this rose gold collection of 12 synthetic brushes by indie brand Luxie. The selection offers all shapes and sizes needed to create any makeup look. Short handle brushes easily tuck into makeup bags while the longer handles provide control and leverage for optimal blending. The combination of soft yet firm taklon fibers effortlessly picks up and deposits pigment precisely. Luxie brushes are also durable with protective glue to minimize shedding over time and use. If you’re looking to treat yourself or give the gift of luxury brushes, this set shines beautifully.
Standout Review: “I’m obsessed with Luxie Brushes. They pick up color amazingly and make application flawless. The bristles are so soft but still hold their shape perfectly.”
Key Details
- Price: $99
- Gold brass ferrules with marbleized rose gold handles
- Synthetic antibacterial taklon bristles
- 12 piece brush set
- 4.6 out of 5 stars with over 2.5k reviews
Real Techniques Everyday Essentials Best Makeup Brush Set
When it comes to quality at the drugstore, Real Techniques leads the way. This top rated set has 6 synthetic brushes handpicked by celebrity makeup artists Samantha Chapman and Nicola Chapman. Shaped specifically for optimal use across powder, liquid and cream formulas. The soft brushed gold ferrules give way to vibrant ombre handles in purple, pink and orange. At just $17, it makes the perfect starter kit for teens and travels. One of our favorite consumer brush brands accessible everywhere.
Standout Review: “FANTASTIC brushes! Super soft, haven’t noticed shedding. Affordable and they work like high end brushes.”
Key Details
- Price: $17
- 6 brushes for eyes and face
- Synthetic taklon bristles
- Brushed metal and ombre color handles
- 4.8 out of 5 stars with over 5k reviews
Lamora Basic Eye Best Makeup Brush Set
Searching for an affordable eye brush set? Look no further than Lamora with over 6,500 5 star reviews. This 7 piece set has every brush shape needed to create any eye look. The dense bristles expertly pack on and blend powder or cream shadows seamlessly without excess product or fall out. The shorter brush lengths offer ultimate control and precision. At $16 for the set, the price point is unbeatable. Travel friendly too with a vegan leather case to protect brushes in between uses.
Standout Review: “I have very sensitive skin and these brushes are perfect!!! Super soft and higher quality than expected.”
Key Details
- Price: $16
- 7 essential eye brushes
- Synthetic hair bristles
- Black marble handles
- Vegan leather travel case
- 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 6.5k reviews
Keshima Best Makeup Brush Set
When we say we’re blown away by this professional grade set for the low investment, we mean it. The Keshima 12 piece Best Makeup Brush Set rivals the quality of individual brushes 4x the price. The handcrafted blue marble handles feature sleek gold accents in a matching case. Using premium natural and synthetic fibers, this set effortlessly buffs product into skin for flawless application every time. With precise angled brushes for gel eyeliner, tapered blending fluff for eyeshadow, defined angles for contour and cut cheekbones – this set truly has it all. Treat yourself or makeup obsessed friend to these pro level tools an accessible luxury price.
Standout Review: “I have very expensive brushes that I love, but honestly these are just as good! The eye brushes are perfection.”
Key Details
- Price: $19
- Natural hair and synthetic fiber
- Sleek marble + gold ferrules
- 12 brushes for entire look
- Matching brush case
- 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 3k reviews
BS-MALL Best Makeup Brush Set
Simplicity at its finest, BS-MALL offers this 14 piece bamboo Best Makeup Brush Set containing every shape and size brush needed for diverse makeup application. The slick all-black brushes feature environmentally friendly bamboo handles and incredibly soft synthetic DuPont Teflon bristles that won’t shed. We love the convenience of the included traveling case while still keeping the quality and integrity extremely high. For its affordable price point, exceptional softness and versatility across cream and powder formulas, this set rates very highly amongst consumers and remains an Amazon bestseller.
Standout Review: “These brushes are phenomenal, especially for the price! I wasn’t expecting much for $10 but woah, was I shocked! The quality is amazing.”
Key Details
- Price: $10
- Set of 14 Best Makeup Brush Set
- Synthetic DuPont bristles
- Sleek all-black bamboo handles
- Bonus bright pink travel case
- 4.6 out of 5 stars with over 7k reviews
EcoTools Cruelty Free Best Makeup Brush Set
EcoTools has become a leading eco-conscious brand providing high quality Best Makeup Brush Set and beauty blenders made from recycled materials at affordable prices. This top rated set includes 5 beautifully crafted brushes for flawless face makeup application. The soft bristles made with recycled aluminum, wood and plastic flawlessly buffs foundation smoothly across the skin. We love that the color coded bristles make it easy to remember which brush pairs best with liquid, powder and concealing formulas. EcoTools remains gentle on skin while offering pro performance.
Standout Review: “I really can’t believe how soft these brushes are! And I mean as soft as high end makeup brushes for a fraction of the price.”
