The essential makeup brushes for your beauty kit (2024)

Finding good makeup brushes for you is arguably more important than finding the right makeup. After all, your application can only be as good as your set of beauty tools.

In fact, they’re so important that makeup artist to the stars Florrie White once told us she considered her makeup brushes an "extension of her fingertips".

While we're all starting to realise the value of a good makeup brush, there are more and more flooding the market, making it difficult to decipher between the good and the bad.

So we’ve created the ultimate guide to makeup brushes and brush sets. From the tools to achieve flawless foundation, to the tools for the perfect smoky eye, these are the bristled beauties worth splashing your cash on…

Foundation

Real Techniques Expert Face make-up brush

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Densely packed, short bristles make this brush a dream for seamlessly buffing in liquid foundation without wasting any product. Some customers also claim that you can actually use less product with this brush! It's ultra-soft, and will withstand repeated washes without shedding. Plus, it's a steal at £10.

Beautyblender Nude Shadeshifter

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There’s no doubt that beautyBlenders have changed the game when it comes to a flawless finish. The brainchild of makeup artist Rea Ann Silva, these clever little sponges were created after Rea Ann customised sponges by cutting them herself. Its open cell material expands when wet and bounces on the skin to provide a seamless and flawless finish to your makeup every time. Simply wet, squeeze, and use it with any liquid product. You can also spray it with a setting spray to up the longevity of your base products.

Concealer

The trick to good concealing is buffing out the edges of the concealer to create the illusion of a smooth, flawless complexion. Zoeva is one of our favourite brands for high quality makeup brushes but its Concealer Blender is a standout performer. Dab a small amount of concealer on the back of your hand then pick-up and blend with the brush. Alternatively, if you're using a heavy duty cream concealer, apply with fingertips and use the brush to soften hard edges.

Powder

Spectrum MA04 Tapered Finishing Brush

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Traditionally, big and fluffy is the rule for powder brushes. Not anymore. Strategic application of powder is key to preserving your skin's natural glow. A smaller, tapered fluffy brush like this one by Spectrum is perfect for a light dusting around the eyes and T-zone for youthful, expensive-looking skin.

Eyeshadow

Believe it or not, you don't actually need masses of eye brushes to create a masterpiece. An essential set such as this one by Morphe covers all the bases from lids and brows to liner. For a soft wash of colour, use the fluffier brush in windscreen-wiper motions across the eyelid. The dense, shorter brush works well to amp up colour pigmentation while flat and angled brushes are great for lining the eyes. It's always handy to have a spoolie too; aside from fluffing up brows, you can also use to prevent lashes from clumping.


Bronzer

Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer Brush, £30

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This domed-shaped brush is designed to softly sweep across the cheeks and deposit the perfect amount of bronzer for sunkissed, healthy radiance.

Blusher

Bobbi Brown Blush Brush

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It's hard to go wrong with Bobbi Brown brushes but if you're only picking up one thing, make it this Blush Brush. The rounded head deposits just the right amount of pigment to impart a soft, diffused effect. Plus, it's ridiculously soft and a pleasure to use.

Highlighter

MYKITCO. 0.22 My Flawless Face™ Medium Brush

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While a fan brush is great if you're after a strobing, high-intensity highlighting effect, a fluffy tapered such as this one by MyKitCo (a favourite brand among professional makeup artists) will create an ethereal, lit-from-within glow that looks fresh and natural.

Lips

MAC 318 Synthetic Retractable Lip Brush

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It's perfectly fine to apply lipstick straight from a bullet but a flat lip brush can help with creating a fuller effect and tidying up edges. Flip it on its side to create a lip line and use the flat side to fill in the lips. A retractable version is great for on-the-go touch-ups.

Cream Products

It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush

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If you're partial to creamy and liquid formulas, using a denser brush will seamlessly blend products into the skin for a flawless finish without any streaks or patchiness. Don't worry about the brush names, a brush designed for liquid foundation (such as the Real Techniques one previously mentioned) works just as well for liquid or cream blushers, bronzers, and highlighters. It Cosmetics' dual-ended brush is a dream for creamy blushers as the bristles are dense enough to blend product in without disturbing any base products.

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The essential makeup brushes for your beauty kit (11)

The essential makeup brushes for your beauty kit (2024)

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