The 10 Best Makeup Brushes That Make Application Effortless

The difference between makeup that does what you want it to—make your skin glow, brighten your eyes, lift your cheekbones—versus makeup that falls short of your expectations often comes down to your application technique and, more importantly, whether or not you’re using the best makeup brushes. The right dome-shaped powder brush (like our top foundation brush pick the RMS Beauty Skin2Skin Foundation Brush ), for example, will spread particles evenly across your complexion without obvious streaks. A tapered eyeliner brush, meanwhile, will enhance your gaze rather than make you look tired by transferring flecks of dark pigment under your lashes.

Whether you’re going for everyday makeup or you want to contour and sculpt, the best makeup brushes . . .

[+] will take your look to the next level. Like any beauty tool, the best makeup brushes can vary enormously in price. Pro makeup artist Fiona Stiles has tested out hundreds of brushes after decades of working on set with celebrities for editorial shoots and campaigns, and even developed her own line of them (that is, sadly, no longer available).

In her current kit, Stiles has brushes at all price points—from budget drugstore finds to handcrafted pieces that cost in the hundreds. So which brushes are truly the best ? “That depends on your goals,” says Stiles. If you just want an everyday makeup look, a set of basic, affordable brushes is the way to go.

If you want to contour and sculpt, or take a certain feature (such as your eyes or brows) to the next level, it makes sense to invest in high-performance tools specific to those areas that will deliver results. Ahead, find the makeup brushes that Stiles and other pros swear by—from a $7 concealer brush to a $125 contouring wonder, as well as the best all-in-one sets with the go-to brushes you’ll get the most use out of. Best Foundation Brush Sephora Using high-quality synthetic fibers, this brush is designed to mimic skin-to-skin application.

“Most people don’t apply foundation with a brush, but they should so the pigments won’t sit on top of your pores but mesh with your skin,” says Stiles. “I like this dual-fiber one from RMS—it’s dense so you can push it evenly over your complexion and get into the corners around your nose and cheeks. With any foundation, you want to start in the center of your face and feather it out to the perimeter for a natural finish.

” Best Concealer Brush ULTA Beauty For the best concealer application, using a specially designed brush is key. “I’m a late convert but I have to say that Real Techniques makes the best concealer brushes. They are stiff but not too dense and so affordable, which is truly remarkable.

I prefer synthetic bristles for concealer—natural hair types hold too much product and prevent it from sweeping evenly across your skin. With this one, you can buff in the concealer easily, especially if you have a spot to cover up,” says Stiles. Best Blush Brush MAC Cosmetics According to Stiles, everything in makeup is about buffing and making your makeup look as realistic and skin-like as possible.

“This brush is very versatile whether you want to apply cream or powder blush,” she says. “It has dual fibers—meaning there are dense bristles in the center and fluffier hairs at the top so you can really feather out your blush. ” Best Contour Brush Saks Fifth Avenue Surratt Beauty is known for its natural hair brushes that last.

This one is Stiles’ top pick for contouring. “In order to contour well, you need a brush that’s tapered—it should be flatter and wider in shape so you can gently build your color in a smaller area. Whereas blush brushes are generally more fanned out, contouring ones should be dome-like so you don’t deposit the product in a place you don’t want to,” says Stiles.

Best Eyeshadow Blending Brush MAC Cosmetics A good blending brush allows you to pull off a number of eye looks. “To buff eyeshadow onto the whole lid, you want something fluffy—and the bigger the brush the more area you can cover. This is one of my favorite MAC brushes for that, and it’s also great for blending multiple eyeshadows on the base of the lid,” says Stiles.

Best Eye Definition Brush ULTA Beauty “To get into the crease of your eyes, use a smaller pencil-like brush, which gives you the most precision. This is also great under the eyes, if you want to get eyeliner right next to the lash line, where you need a stiffer tip,” says Stiles. Bonus: This pick doubles as a lip brush as well, says Stiles, since the rounded tip blends in lipsticks and pencils and helps clean up the edges for a defined mouth.

Best Powder Brush ULTA Beauty For setting makeup, Stiles recommends avoiding stiff brushes. “I like a soft and very fluffy brush for powder, which is key when I don’t want to apply a lot of powder. With a stiffer brush, you can end up putting down too much powder, which can cause streaks and look obvious,” she says.

“A big, airy brush like this, though, ensures you won’t deposit too much and you can control the effect. ” Best Eyebrow Brush ULTA Beauty “You don’t need to go expensive for your brow brush—I use a cheap nylon brush with tight and narrow bristles, which Tweezerman is good for. The angled brush part is great for applying brow powders and creams, and the spoolie end is perfect for blending in brow pencils,” says Stiles.

Something you can skip entirely? A lip brush, which Stiles feels is unnecessary. Best Bronzer Brush Amazon The high quality of Sigma Beauty’s makeup brushes speaks for itself. Whether you’re using the F29 HD Bronzer Brush to warm your cheekbones with bronzer or blend setting powder across your entire face, its super soft antimicrobial fibers are engineered to make your products hold fast and last for longer.

As a bonus, we love how its tapered tip makes precise application easy in trickier areas (such as around the hairline). Best Luxury Brush Set Amazon Handcrafted by artisans in Japan, Hakuhodo makes stunning natural-hair brushes that makeup artists obsess over and collect (Stiles has had some of her brushes for 20 years!). The beauty lies in the softness of the bristles, the feel of the handles and the highly-skilled designs that perfectly distribute any type of makeup.

This six-piece set is splurge-worthy and includes the brushes you’ll get the most mileage out of (for eyes, lips, cheeks and skin). Why Trust Forbes Vetted Having researched and reviewed countless beauty products to date, the Forbes Vetted team has deep knowledge into the best makeup brushes on the market. Writers of this story, deputy editor Kari Molvar and contributor Lesa Hannah have covered a wide breadth of beauty topics, from the best foundations for mature skin to the best makeup removers , respectively.

For this story, our team also consulted with pro makeup artists Fiona Stiles , Jodi Urichuk , Simone Otis and Sheri Stroh for their expert recommendations and application tips. Finally, this article has been edited by deputy editor Jane Sung . With over a decade of experience covering various beauty and grooming topics, she has meticulously tested top products in various categories from both well-known and more niche brands.

How We Chose The Best Makeup Brushes For our research on the best makeup brushes, we considered product reviews, brush materials and ease of use for each of our selections. We also ensured the diversity of this list by including brushes across a variety price points. Finally, we consulted with a team of experts (makeup artists Fiona Stiles , Jodi Urichuk , Simone Otis and Sheri Stroh ) for informed recommendations.

This story was last updated in January 2024 to guarantee our picks, their prices and availabilities are all up to date. What To Consider When Buying Makeup Brushes Makeup brushes vary in their size, shape and function, but are indispensable for applying certain types of makeup. Here’s what to consider.

Synthetic brushes have come a long way. “In the past, they were usually made of nylon or taklon, which was very scratchy and had a bad rap,” says makeup artist Simone Otis . “But there have been many new innovations that make synthetic brushes softer.

” However they still tend to be stiffer than natural but they don’t absorb product, so they work well with cream- and oil-based products like foundations. Use them to pack on product with precision, on blemishes or a dark spot. Meanwhile, natural ones tend to be more durable, with a soft and fluffy texture and a cuticle that absorbs product better.

“They will give you a more sheer application and make buffing and blending very easy,” says Otis. But heads up: They will deteriorate sooner than synthetic versions since the natural hair can dry out from cleaning. “Soft brushes feel wonderful on the skin and always have their place for a more diffused application for products like bronzer, blush, a wash of color on the eyes or all-over powder,” says makeup artist Sheri Stroh .

“But you will want brushes that are stiffer and denser for doing detail work or a heavier application of products, such as cream liner, foundation, concealer or cream blush. ” Shapes of brushes depend on the product being used as well as your own preferences. Blunt and dense ones work best for areas where you want more concentrated coverage like concealer; they pick up a lot of product and you dab or stipple it on and then blend it out.

“Tapered brushes are perfect for contour and crease work,” says Stroh referring to areas like cheekbones and eye creases. “They can be smaller to get into an area and still give a diffused, but precise, contour. ” Urichuk says she breaks the rules, such as using a setting brush for foundation simply because she likes how small it is and how well it blends.

Bigger brushes are best for diffused, all-over coverage while smaller ones offer more precision for detail. What Makeup Brushes Do The Pros Use? Professional makeup artists use a mix of synthetic and natural, mass and luxury brands—and even ones from the art supply store. “They’re the originals, and a lot of them come with shorter handles,” says Stroh.

Keep in mind that the pros also have the advantage of their own skills and techniques with their tools. “I have seen artists do flawless, incredible work with drugstore brand brushes alone, and just as often I’ve seen the beautiful work of artists that only create with the top-of-the-line brushes,” says Otis. Do Expensive Brushes Make A Difference? They can if they’re made to last, says Stroh.

“Keeping them clean is super important and can extend the life of most brushes,” she says. She likes Hakuhodo, a Japanese brand that many pros use and can last an entire career. That said, she doesn’t think the average person needs a set like that.

“Spend what you can afford on quality brushes, ones that you know you will use every day, and take care of them and they will last for well over a decade at least. ” A basic set that’s been well reviewed for efficacy is Real Techniques, according to Otis. “They are synthetic, very affordable and you can create basic looks easily,” she says.

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