Congrats! You’ve found the perfect concealer, foundation, highlighter, blush and bronzer to enhance your natural beauty (and match your skin tone and type). But before you start applying them with whatever brushes you have lying around, head this warning: Not all beauty tools are created equal. And how you apply your makeup is just as important as the fave formulas you choose. There are a few brushes (and sponges) that every glam girl needs to have in her beauty arsenal. So we turned to our go-to source for all things beauty, Instagram, to find out the brushes that bloggers actually use to create their flawless faces on the reg.
1. Palette Professional Makeup Brush Collection ($100): Looking for amazing cruelty-free, vegan-friendly brushes? Your search is over! Designed for pros and novice beauty lovers alike, this set includes 15 super soft brushes in a convenient faux-leather rollout pouch. Hey, if they’re good enough for Toronto-based makeup artist and social media sensation @makeupbyalinna (she has 1.3 million followers on Insta), they’re good enough for us!
2. Artis Brushes ($75): Beauty bloggers and YouTubers Sazan Hendrix and ItsMyRayeRaye love these multitaskers. Sure, Artis Brushes cost a pretty penny, but they’re worth it! The ergonomic designs and special fibers evenly distribute liquid, powder and cream formulas for a perfect application… every freaking time.
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3. beautyblender Makeup Sponges ($18-$20): The beautyblender (AKA the holy grail of blending tools) is the only sponge you will ever need! Beloved by industry aficionados, this reusable sponge leaves skin looking legit airbrushed every time. But don’t take our word for it. Watch @krystalclearmakeup create a gorge full-face look, using just these little wonders.
View this post on Instagramhey..🦄 @unicornlashesuk 🦄🦄 I unboxed these on my instagram stories watch 😱🦄
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4. Unicorn Lashes Ultimate Unicorn Set ($60): When these unicorn makeup brushes launched in October, they sold out in just 12 hours! No surprise, given that this 10-piece set features faux horn handles and opal-hued, vegan bristles and comes in a holographic diamond unicorn makeup bag. While they’re not available to purchase RN, you can sign up for the waitlist (and stare longingly at @slave2beauty’s Insta while you wait to receive that fateful re-stock email). And rumor has it that the UK-based brand is coming out with a new collection of mermaid makeup brushes. So, prepare for the internet to lose its mind once again!
5. Eloise Beauty Gold Tear Drop Brush ($43): Eloise Beauty’s signature product, the Gold Tear Drop Brush, is winning praise from makeup mavens like @mariaybeauty and @thefashionfreakk. Here’s why: This innovative design offers precise coverage (it’s great for covering up blemishes, broken capillaries and brown spots), while simultaneously give skin an overall airbrushed glow.
6. Morphe Brushes ($2-$25): Looking for a fan, kabuki or contour brush? Morphe makes dozens of luxurious options — and for a fraction of the cost of other higher priced competitors. These budget-friendly brushes are faves of makeup gurus like Jaclyn Hill and Nicol Concilio.
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7. Iconic London EVO Brushes ($53-$92): Instababes @layalimakeover and @exteriorglam can’t get enough of Iconic London’s new EVO sets. Available in white, black and (our fave) rose gold, these beauties are complete with an easy-to-grip diamond-shaped handle, an oval head and dense bristles that contour to the face for a flawless application.
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