Top 5 compared
The best makeup brush sets
Good brushes make everyday makeup go on quicker and blend better.
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The top 5 at a glance
Makeup brushes put product on and blend it out: a dense or domed brush for foundation, a big fluffy one for powder and blush, and small tapered ones for eyeshadow, liner and brows. Most people use four or five day to day. Face sets cover the complexion with an eye brush or two; eye sets go further, with crease, smudge and liner brushes.
Every set here has synthetic bristles, which work with liquids and creams as well as powders, wash clean easily and use no animal hair. A small set of good brushes beats a big set of poor ones, though a big kit lets a beginner try lots of shapes before settling on favorites.
What matters
- Bristles that feel soft on the skin and don’t shed.
- Labeled or color-coded handles, if you’re still learning.
- A case or cover, if the brushes travel.
- A cruelty-free certification such as Leaping Bunny, if it matters to you.
#1Real Techniques Everyday Essentials Set (4 brushes, 2 sponges)
$10–$20
Four brushes and two sponges that cover a whole everyday face: foundation, blush, setting powder and eyeshadow, plus Miracle Complexion Sponges for blending. Real Techniques began as a line developed with makeup artist Sam Chapman of YouTube’s Pixiwoo.
What owners say: Super soft, with a smooth, almost airbrushed finish, and owners say they blend powder and cream blush alike without shedding. Beginners find them easy to start with and easy to wash.
A closer look: Use the sponges damp for a dewy finish or dry for fuller coverage, and wash the brushes once a week to keep them soft. There’s a spare sponge for when the first one wears out.
- Sponges work damp or dry
- Soft synthetic bristles
- For liquid, cream or powder
Best for: Morning makeup, base to blush
- In the set
- 4 brushes + 2 sponges
- Covers
- Foundation, blush, powder, eyes
- Handles
- Color-coded
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Yes
#2Real Techniques Everyday Eye Essentials Set (8 pieces)
$10–$20
Eight tools just for the eyes: crease, defining crease, shading, shadow and smudge brushes to pack on and blend color, fine liner and definer brushes for liner, and a lash separator to finish. It pairs well with a face set that has only one eye brush.
What owners say: Soft, tapered bristles that don’t shed and keep their shape wash after wash, owners say, and they pick up shadow well and blend it beautifully, for a beginner as much as anyone.
A closer look: Pack color onto the lid with the shadow brush, then switch to a clean crease brush to soften the edges, which is most of the trick to a blended eye. The fine liner works with gel liner or a little dark shadow on a damp tip, and the lash separator combs out mascara clumps.
- Lash separator combs out clumps
- Crease, shadow and smudge brushes
- Soft synthetic bristles
- Dermatologist tested
Best for: Blended eye looks
- In the set
- 8 eye tools
- Covers
- Eyes, liner, lashes
- Handles
- Aluminum
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Yes
#3e.l.f. Flawless Face Kit (6 brushes)
$10–$20
Six brushes picked for a whole face: a concealer brush, the dome-shaped Ultimate Blending Brush for foundation and bronzer, an eyeshadow brush, a two-ended brow brush, and small angled and stipple brushes for fine lines and soft layers. e.l.f. is certified cruelty-free by both Leaping Bunny and PETA.
What owners say: The small stipple and angled brushes get singled out, and the whole set blends without leaving streaks. Most like the mix of brushes and find them easy to use.
A closer look: Dab the small stipple brush rather than sweeping it for a soft, airbrushed layer of cream blush or foundation, and use the small angled brush with a touch of eyeshadow as a soft liner. The brow brush’s wand end tames brows before and after filling them in.
- Dome-shaped blending brush
- Two-ended brow brush
- Stipple brush for soft layers
- Angled brush doubles as liner
- Nylon bristles
Best for: Face, eyes and brows
- In the set
- 6 brushes
- Covers
- Face, eyes, brows
- Handles
- Plastic
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Yes
#4Mlemle Makeup Brush Set (21 brushes, sponge and puff)
Under $10
Twenty-one brushes for everything from foundation, powder and contour to concealer, crease color and brows, plus a latex-free sponge and a powder puff. Each brush is labeled with what it’s for, which helps anyone still learning which brush does what.
What owners say: Soft on the skin, with bristles that stay put, and enough brushes for a full face, from an everyday look to something more detailed. Most think it’s a good value, and beginners find it easy to use.
A closer look: With this many brushes, start with the labeled foundation, powder, blush and crease ones and add the rest as you go. Use the sponge damp with liquid foundation and the puff to press on setting powder, and wash the dense brushes weekly so they don’t hold on to product.
- Every brush labeled by use
- Latex-free sponge
- Soft nylon bristles
- Comes in a gift box
Best for: A labeled brush for every step
- In the set
- 21 brushes + sponge + puff
- Covers
- Face, eyes, brows
- Handles
- Black
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- –
#5LAURA GELLER Full Face Brush Set (5 pieces)
$20–$30
Five brushes that cover a full face without a drawer full of extras: an angled blush brush, a bronzer brush, a retractable airbrush kabuki that slides into its own case, and two eyeshadow brushes. The dense, vegan bristles work with liquids, creams and powders.
What owners say: Well made and soft, with no shedding, by owners’ accounts; one mentions flawless foundation coverage. The brushes run large, which some with smaller faces notice.
A closer look: Dip the kabuki in powder, tap off the extra and buff in circles, or pat it on for more coverage, as Laura Geller suggests. Retract it into its case to carry in a bag, and sweep blush from the apples of the cheeks out toward the hairline with the angled brush.
- Retractable kabuki with its case
- Angled blush brush
- Two eyeshadow brushes
- For liquids, creams and powders
Best for: Small routines and purse touch-ups
- In the set
- 5 brushes
- Covers
- Face and eyes
- Handles
- –
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Yes
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Real Techniques Everyday | #2Real Techniques Eye Essentials | #3e.l.f. Flawless Face | #4Mlemle 21-brush | #5LAURA GELLER 5-piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for eyes | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.2 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | $10–$20 | Under $10 | $20–$30 |
| In the set | 4 brushes + 2 sponges | 8 eye tools | 6 brushes | 21 brushes + sponge + puff | 5 brushes |
| Covers | Foundation, blush, powder, eyes | Eyes, liner, lashes | Face, eyes, brows | Face, eyes, brows | Face and eyes |
| Handles | Color-coded | Aluminum | Plastic | Black | – |
| Vegan and cruelty-free | Yes | Yes | Yes | – | Yes |
| Best for | Morning makeup, base to blush | Blended eye looks | Face, eyes and brows | A labeled brush for every step | Small routines and purse touch-ups |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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