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A full face of makeup can make us feel confident. If you are used to wearing makeup daily, you probably think that you are more yourself with it than without it. The highest-rated makeup brush sets of 2024 can mean the difference between looking like a clown and a catwalk model. You can buy the most high-end and expensive makeup products, but if they are misapplied with a finger, for instance, your expensive makeup will simply look like a cheaper option with less coverage.
You should take as much care in choosing your makeup brush set as you do when choosing a foundation, for example. However, selecting the best set for your needs can feel like a daunting task with so many products on the market. To help you find your perfect makeup brush set, we have come up with a list of our top picks and things you should consider before making your purchase.
Detailing Our Favorite Makeup Brush Sets for Beginners in 2024
BS-MALL Makeup Brush Set — Best Overall
Key Features
- 5 face brushes and 9 eye brushes
- Synthetic brush hair
- Comes with a travel container
- Instruction sheet included
The BS-Mall makeup brush set contains five essential big Kabuki makeup brushes and nine precise eye makeup brushes. These brushes are shaped well and are also soft and silky to the touch. Although they seem light, they are still firm enough to apply makeup. These makeup brushes do not lose bristles when in use. BS-Mall makeup brushes are synthetic and vegan-friendly.
Pros
- Soft and firm bristles
- Includes many faces and eye brushes
- The instruction sheet makes it great for beginners
Cons
- When brand new, the brushes smell like chemicals, but this odor fades in time
BESTOPE 16Pcs Makeup Brush Set — Runner-Up
Key Features
- 5 face brushes and 11 eye brushes
- Synthetic brush hair
- Wooden handle
- Instruction sheet included
The BESTOPE makeup brush set contains five big kabuki makeup brushes and 11 precise make-up brushes. These brushes are made with synthetic fibers to create a soft and dense effect. The brushes can be used with liquid, cream, or powder foundation. This set is suitable for a variety of looks. The wooden handle is durable and comfortable to hold. These good-quality brushes do not lose fibers while in use.
Pros
- Wooden handles are more sturdy
- Does not lose fibers easily
Cons
- This set also has a strong chemical smell, but it fades in time
CINIDY 20 Pcs Makeup Brush Set — Honorable Mention
Key Features
- 20 face and eye brushes
- Synthetic brush hair
- Assembled by hand
- Money-back guarantee
The Cinidy makeup brush set is made of premium synthetic fibers. This provides an incredibly smooth touch and feel. The premium materials used in this makeup brush prevent its bristles from shedding easily. The handles are comfortable to hold from various angles. The Cinidy brush set includes an eye shadow brush, eyeliner brush, foundation brush, mascara, concealer, lip, and eyebrow brush. Each of the lovely brushes in this set was made by hand.
Pros
- Great variety of eye-brushes
- Cruelty-free synthetic fibers
Cons
- Some customers found it took them a while to work the stiffness out of the brushes
BEAKEY Makeup Brush Set — Most Convenient
Key Features
- 10 face and eye brushes
- Wooden handle
- Synthetic brush hair
- Includes a beauty sponge and brush cleaner
The Beakey makeup brush set consists of 10 makeup brushes. These brushes have comfortable and durable handles. The synthetic fibers are vegan-friendly and do not shed easily.
This set also includes a non-latex beauty sponge with a teardrop shape. This can be used to set the makeup and apply a thick coating of concealer. The Beakey makeup set also comes with a makeup brush cleaner egg so you can keep these high-quality brushes looking as good as new for longer.
Pros
- The small size makes these brushes great for travel
- Extra items in the pack are a nice touch and will save you money
- Synthetic fibers mean this product is vegan friendly
Cons
- Not as much variety as other brush sets
MSQ Eye Makeup Brush Set — Most Reliable
Key Features
- 12 eye brushes
- Wooden handle
- Synthetic brush hair
- The seller has a return policy
MSQ eye makeup brushes are handmade. This makeup brush set is made using vegan-friendly synthetic fibers and feels soft to the touch. They boast high-density bristles with a fine texture.
The MSQ eye makeup brush kit Includes eyeshadow brushes, blending brushes, eyeliner brush, eyebrow brush, and concealer brushes. These brushes look almost as stylish as they will make you look. The handle is made from slender black wood, which is highly durable and comfortable to hold. The rose gold tube adds a little bling to the set too.
Pros
- Vegan friendly
- Good variety of eye brushed
Cons
- Doesn’t include any face brushes
Niré Beauty 15 Piece Brush Set — Also Consider
Key Features
- 15 face and eye brushes
- Wooden handle
- Synthetic brush hair
- Includes a beauty sponge, brush holder, and brush cleaner
The Niré Beauty makeup brush set includes 12 professional makeup brushes, a brush cleaner, a blender sponge, and a pro brush holder. Use the same makeup brushes as the make-up artists in London and Paris! These brushes are used and loved worldwide! The Niré Beauty Set has a helpful guide to tell you what each brush is for and how to use it. This makeup brush set is vegan and is made with LuxePro brush luxury fibers that don’t absorb your makeup.
Pros
- Vegan and cruelty-free product
- Contains a helpful guide on what each brush is for and how to use it
- Contains extra items - a brush cleaner and a blender sponge
Cons
- Has a chemical smell that takes a while to leave
EcoTools Makeup Brush Set
Key Features
- 5 face and eye brushes
- Made from cotton and bamboo fibers, recycled aluminum, and recycled plastic
- Has an instruction manual for 3 makeup looks
- Includes a travel container
The EcoTools makeup brush set consists of a concealer brush, an angled foundation brush, an eyeshadow brush, a blush brush, and an angled liner brush. It also has a makeup brush holder. This set is cruelty-free and vegan. As the name suggests, the EcoTools makeup brush set is made from eco-friendly materials, including cotton and bamboo fibers and recycled aluminum and plastic.
Pros
- Eco-friendly product
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Free brush holder
Cons
- Not as much variety as other brush sets
Buyer's Guide: Beginner Makeup Brush Sets
Do you want to know more about the makeup brush sets? Check out the rest of our buying guide below.
Benefits of Investing in a Good Makeup Brush Set
Quality
Using low-quality brushes with harsh bristles will lead to visibly faster aging and skin irritation. That is why we recommend investing in better quality products, even if they may be more expensive.
Long-term investment
The initial outlay of a high-quality makeup brush may seem expensive, but in the long run, it will save you money. Cheap, low-quality brushes lose their intended shape and bristles quickly. For this reason, they need to be replaced more often, costing more in the long run. Some high-quality brushes can last for years.
Less wasteful
Using makeup brushes ensures you do not waste any of your makeup because it only uses some at a time. When using your hands, you may find that you take out more makeup than you need and cannot put it back into the container. Using brushes saves you money because your makeup will last longer.
Better looking makeup
Good-quality makeup brushes improve the overall look of your makeup. They make the application of makeup and blending easier. The finished product is a well-done, smoother, and more attractive look.
Types of Brushes in a Makeup Brush Set
It is important to have a good idea of what you are looking for before choosing your next makeup brush set. This will save you money on paying for unnecessary features you have no use for and save you time.
The makeup brush types available for the face can be split into four categories based on what they are used for: foundation, face, face detailers, and eye detailers. You can search for makeup sets with what you will use them for in mind.
Foundation brushes
The three main brushes used to apply foundation are stippling, buffing, and flat foundation.
You need a stippling brush if you often use liquid foundation. It is also recommended to use this brush with finishing powder, tinted moisturizer, and shimmer powder. This brush should be used for light to medium coverage of a foundation or water-based product. This brush is not suitable for applying a massive amount of product at once. When used firmly, it can have some buffing properties.
A buffing brush is best to use with light to full coverage creams. It is also recommended to use a buffing brush with tinted moisturizer, liquids, and mineral powder foundations. This brush builds controlled coverage gradually, creating even, airbrushed-looking makeup. A buffing brush makes a stable base that will not wear away quickly.
You can use a flat foundation brush to place a lot of foundation on your face at once. It works well with liquid and cream products, contour cream, and primer. To create a smooth and refined finish, a buffing brush should be used after this heavy application.
Face brushes
The three main brushes to use on the face once the foundation has been applied are the domed powder/face brush, round blush brush, an angled face brush.
The domed powder/face brush is best used to create a soft buildable blush with a blusher. Its shape allows you to blend out the edges of the blusher, so it looks more natural. This kind of makeup brush is also perfect for bronzer, finishing powder, and highlighter.
A round blush brush, as the name suggests, is also used to apply a blusher. This brush allows for a more intense color as it is smaller and a little more precise when applying your blusher. If you have opted for synthetic brushes, the round blush brush can also be used with creams.
The angled face brush is a must for contouring with a highlighter, blusher, and powder bronzer.
Face detailer brushes
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.
You can use a fan brush for detailed work on the skin. The edge of this brush will highlight and apply precise color to the face. It is great for building layers of product with control and also 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 can apply a lot of product at once and is best used to conceal under the eye blemishes.
The small domed blending brush is used to blend in concealer and contour. It is also used to ensure complete coverage around the nose and tapers of the face. It is a smaller version of a buffing brush. This brush works best with contour cream, cream concealer, liquids, and liquid highlighter.
Eye detailer brushes
Various brushes are available for your eyes, including angled brow and eyelash brush, precision eyeshadow brush, eyeshadow brush, lash, eyebrow brush, and an eyeliner brush. To choose the particular eye makeup brush you need, look for online videos based on your style and find out what brushes the professionals use.
How to Spot a Good Quality Makeup Brush
Once you know what type of brush you are looking for, you need to recognize the difference between good and poor-quality brushes. When buying makeup brushes, look them over in person if you can. A good quality brush should be soft to touch, and it shouldn’t feel ragged or frayed. Your brush should have a sturdy ferrule base to hold the bristles in place - it should not wobble. If any bristles fall out while you handle the brush, avoid it! This does not bode well for your makeup brush set’s longevity.
Average Price of a Makeup Brush Set
For a decent makeup brush set, you can spend from $50 to $100. You can go above or below this price range but stick to this budget for good quality products that won’t break the bank.
