Best Makeup Brush Set: 5 Picks for Beginners, Travel and Pros

The best makeup brush set for most people is Real Techniques Everyday Essentials: four soft, synthetic brushes plus a sponge that cover foundation, powder, blush and eyeshadow. It was Reviewed's best overall after its tester compared 11 sets, and Who What Wear named it the best affordable set.

Want more brushes, a travel case or a pro-level kit? The other four picks below cover those, all chosen from named reviews and makeup artists' recommendations. After the picks, there's a quick guide to what each brush in a set actually does.

Quick picks

Is a brush set worth it?

For most people, yes. A set is usually better value than buying the same brushes one by one, and the brushes match. Reviewed's tester adds one caution: "some makeup brush sets may come with brushes you're not likely to use. If you're a minimalist, you may find that buying just the brushes you know you'll use is your best bet."

So count the brushes you'd really reach for. If that's three or four, a small set like Real Techniques is plenty. If you do a full eye look most days, a bigger kit earns its space.

Real Techniques Everyday Essentials

Best for: anyone who wants a small, soft set that covers an everyday face, from foundation to a wash of eyeshadow.

What we love

• Reviewed's Michelle Rostamian named it best overall after testing the foundation, powder and crease brushes from 11 sets and scoring them with Reviewed's senior scientist. She praised its "feather-soft bristles."
• With liquid foundation, the Expert Face Brush left skin looking "smooth and streak-free," she wrote.
• The 402 Setting Brush was "the only powder brush tested" she loved for both setting powder and blush or bronzer.
• The bristles "didn't lose their texture, even after I washed them," which is the durability test that matters most.
• Who What Wear named it the best affordable set, and makeup artist Bryan Cantor told Huda Beauty's blog that "Real Techniques offers well-made, vegan brushes at a really great price."

Keep in mind

• Cream foundation "took a bit more blending" than liquid, and there's no case or storage.
• Who What Wear notes the brushes "may be rougher on sensitive skin."
• The brand's set has one sponge; the amazon.com listing we found includes two.

What's in it: 200 Expert Face Brush, 300 Deluxe Crease Brush, 400 Blush Brush, 402 Setting Brush and a makeup sponge. Real Techniques says the bristles are synthetic and the set is vegan and latex-free.

How to use: buff liquid or cream foundation with the 200, dust powder or highlighter with the 402, and blend eyeshadow or concealer with the 300. The brand suggests cleaning the brushes weekly.

Check price on Amazon

e.l.f. Ten Out Of Ten Brush Set

Best for: a full face and eye kit on a drugstore budget, with a sponge included.

What we love

• Celebrity makeup artist Allison Kaye told Who What Wear, "This set has everything you'd need to create a full face look. Great for someone on a budget." It was the site's best multitasking pick.
• e.l.f. says it includes five face brushes and a makeup sponge for complexion products, plus four eye brushes.
• There's a liner brush and an eyebrow duo brush, so you can do brows and a wing without buying extras.
• The bristles are 100% synthetic and the handles are FSC-certified wood, according to e.l.f.

Keep in mind

• Who What Wear's con: it "doesn't blend liquid formulas as well as others." If liquid foundation is your main product, pair it with a dedicated foundation brush.

What's in it: Wide Tapered Eyeshadow Brush, Wing It Liner Brush, Eyebrow Duo Brush, Blending Brush, Flawless Concealer Brush, Pointed Powder Brush, Angled Blush Brush, Ultimate Blending Brush, Putty Primer Brush & Applicator, and an angled silicone face sponge (latex-free, says e.l.f.).

How to use: e.l.f. says the set works with powder, cream and liquid formulas. Start with the face brushes for base and blush, then the eye brushes.

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e.l.f. Professional Set of 12 Makeup Brushes

Best for: makeup brushes for beginners who want every tool labeled so there's no guessing.

What we love

• Reviewed's tester liked that "each one is labeled with its primary use," which takes the guesswork out of a big set.
• Each brush comes with a plastic sleeve that keeps the bristles in shape and free of dust.
• It's the lowest-cost set here and covers the whole face: foundation, concealer, bronzer, eyes, brows, lips and liner.
• Reviewed's verdict: "it's not a bad choice if you're looking for a drugstore-priced option."

Keep in mind

• It "fell in the dead center" of Reviewed's list. The powder brush's long bristles "didn't allow for much control" with loose powder.
• The crease brush is short and dome-shaped. It's good for blurring the lower lash line, Reviewed says, but "not ideal for creating a smokey crease."
• Reviewed points out it lacks a fan brush, an angled eyeliner brush and a pencil brush.

What's in it: Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, Bronzer Brush, Total Face Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Blending Eye Brush, Defining Eye Brush, Eyeliner Brush, Lip Defining Brush, Eyelash & Brow Wand, Brow Comb & Brush and a Smudge Eye Sponge. e.l.f. says the bristles are 100% synthetic.

How to use: follow the label on each handle. e.l.f. says they work with powder, cream and liquid formulas.

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Sigma Beauty Essential Travel Brush Set

Best for: a travel makeup brush set with a case that protects the bristles in your bag.

What we love

• Who What Wear named it the best overall set. Celebrity makeup artist Sara Talias says, "This comes with a brush holder that works great to hold brushes for everyday use and travel. Sigma's brushes are long-lasting."
• Makeup artist Judi Gabbay says the protective cup keeps brushes "in good condition through any flight," and adds, "Their bristles are super soft."
• Sigma says the two halves of the brush cup "snap together for 360° protection."
• Seven brushes cover the basics: foundation, powder, contour, three eye brushes and an angled brow brush.

Keep in mind

• Who What Wear's con is that it's "expensive for the amount of brushes."
• Sigma calls these travel-size brushes; the brand lists them at about 5 to 6 inches long.

What's in it: F60 Foundation, F30 Large Powder, F40 Large Angled Contour, E55 Eye Shading, E40 Tapered Blending, E30 Pencil and E65 Small Angle brushes, plus the brush cup. Sigma says the fibers are synthetic and the handles waterproof.

How to use: Sigma's order is foundation with the F60, powder with the F30, bronzer with the F40, then lid color with the E55, blending with the E40, smudged liner with the E30 and brows with the E65.

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Sigma Beauty Essential Brush Set

Best for: a professional makeup brush set with enough eye brushes for detailed looks, for someone ready to invest.

What we love

• Twelve brushes for the face and eyes, made with Sigma's synthetic SigmaTech fibers. Sigma says they're designed "to better hold, apply and blend a variety of formulas."
• It adds what the travel set lacks: a concealer brush, a larger shader, a medium angled shading brush, an eyeliner brush and the F50 Duo Fibre brush, which Sigma says creates "an airbrush effect with blush, highlight or bronzer."
• Reviewed's tester has owned Sigma brushes for four years, and "they've withstood every wash without coming apart or shedding." Each brush is labeled with its use.

Keep in mind

• Reviewed found the brushes "noticeably stiffer and less soft" than Real Techniques.
• The flat foundation brush made it "easy to build up my cream and liquid foundation in layers, but not so effective at blending." Reviewed suggests following with the duo fiber brush.
• The E40 crease brush's bristles were "a bit too long and tapered" for Reviewed's tester.

What's in it: F30, F40, F50, F60 and F70 face brushes; E05, E30, E40, E55, E60, E65 and E70 eye brushes.

How to use: smooth on foundation with the F60, then buff it in with the F50. Sigma's full order runs from foundation and concealer through contour, blush and powder, then eyes and brows.

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Different types of makeup brushes

A set is only useful if you know what each brush is for. Here's what the common shapes do, using Sigma's and Real Techniques' own descriptions:

• Foundation brush. A flat or dense brush to "smooth on liquid or cream foundation." Flat ones lay product down; dense, rounded ones buff it in. For more on picking one, see our best foundation brush guide.
• Buffing or duo fiber brush. Sigma says its duo fiber brush gives "an airbrush effect" with powder products. Reviewed's tester found flat foundation brushes are "too flat for creating a perfectly smooth, diffused finish," so a buffing brush is the second step.
• Concealer brush. Made to "conceal with precision around the nose and eyes."
• Powder brush. A fluffy brush to "evenly powder all over the face."
• Angled contour or blush brush. Sigma's angled brush is made to "softly contour the cheekbone."
• Eye shading brush. Packs color on the lid, to "evenly apply cosmetic product across the entire lid."
• Blending or crease brush. Fluffy and tapered, to "soften and blend harsh color lines." Our best eyeshadow brushes roundup covers these in detail.
• Pencil brush. A small brush to "add liner and soften it along the lashline."
• Small angle brush. Made to "create precise lines and strokes." Sigma uses it for brows.

How to choose a makeup brush set

Synthetic or natural bristles

Every set here is synthetic. Reviewed explains why that suits most people: synthetic bristles "don't absorb pigments, which makes them better for applying liquid and cream" products, and they "don't shed as much." Natural hair is soft and fluffy but "best used with powder products," and it can soak up liquid foundation.

Makeup brushes for beginners

Start small, or start labeled. Real Techniques gives you four brushes you'll use daily. The e.l.f. Professional Set of 12 prints each brush's job on the handle, which helps while you're learning.

Best affordable makeup brushes

All three drugstore picks are on independent lists. Real Techniques scored highest in Reviewed's comparison; e.l.f. Ten Out Of Ten gives the most face and eye brushes plus a sponge.

Travel makeup brushes

Look for a case that covers the bristles. Sigma's snap-together cup does that. Real Techniques comes without storage, so you'd need your own pouch.

Professional makeup brush set

More eye brushes and a buffing brush are the real upgrades. The Sigma Essential set has both. Expect firmer bristles than the drugstore sets, per Reviewed.

Comparison table

FAQs

What are the best recommended makeup brushes to start with?

A foundation or buffing brush, a powder brush, a blush brush and one fluffy blending brush for eyeshadow. That's roughly what the Real Techniques set contains. Add a small concealer brush and an angled brow brush if you use those products.

Are expensive makeup brush sets worth it?

Not always. In Reviewed's comparison of 11 sets, the low-cost Real Techniques set came out on top, and Reviewed found the Sigma brushes stiffer than Real Techniques'. In our reading, the extra spend on Sigma buys more brushes and a sturdy build: Reviewed's tester has had hers for four years.

How do I know if a makeup brush set is good quality?

Wash it. Reviewed says to wash new brushes before you first use them, and a good one comes through "without shedding, losing its shape or texture, or breaking apart from the ferrule." Bristles should feel even, not spiky or uneven.

How often should you clean makeup brushes?

Real Techniques suggests cleaning its brushes weekly, and replacing its sponge every 30 uses. Reviewed also says to wash any new brush before its first use. Once they're clean, our guide on how to apply foundation shows how to use them.

Do I need a sponge as well as brushes?

It's optional, and mostly about finish. Real Techniques says to use its sponge damp "for a natural, dewy finish." Two of our picks include a sponge, so you can try both and see which you prefer. Not sure what goes on first? See concealer or foundation first.

Pick the set that matches how many brushes you'll actually use, wash it before the first use, and finish your look with a setting spray. Shopping for someone else? A brush set makes an easy addition to our beauty gifts for her.