Have you noticed how difficult it can be to find a decent makeup brushwithout saying goodbye to half a year’s salary? Even when you splurge, some of those supposedly plush brushes can shed more than your feline frenemy chillin’ at the other end of the couch, and be even worse at blending foundation and blush than actual claws. (Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating… but you get the point!) Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on the same makeup retailers and department stores to build a solid brush collection. We’re sharing five cult makeup brush brands to suit your every need, as well as your budget.
1. Morphe: Morphe brushes skyrocketed to fame when superstar makeup vlogger Jaclyn Hill gushed about them on her YouTube channel. They offer 11 different lines of individual brushes and have a full page of preselected sets too. Go crazy colorful with a 10-Piece Vegan Set ($35 on Amazon), grab a Seven-Piece Rose Gold Set ($20 on Amazon), or splurge on one of the MB Black Brushes ($2+). The set is still a great starter kit for the beginning makeup junkie.
2. Sigma: We’re not sure how much of a secret Sigma brushes are, since every makeup blogger raves about them, but they’re still fabulous and affordable. Sigma offers tons of great brushes for every function, and many of their sets contain brushes of the same quality as those sold separately. If you’re looking for a good starting point, we recommend the Premium Kit ($200 on Amazon) or the Best of Sigma Set ($92 on Amazon), which contains a small variety of eye and face brushes, including the coveted F80 flat top kabuki. If you can’t resist a splash of color, you’ll love the Color Pop Brush Kit ($29 on Amazon).
3. Shany Cosmetics: Shany Cosmetics is the most budget-friendly brand on this list. The Shany Pro Signature 24-Piece Brush Set ($40 on Amazon) is packed full of beautiful brushes made of sable, goat, badger, pony, and synthetic hairs and features oak wood handles. Their Double Trouble Travel Brush Kit ($8) will only set you back about $10. Not only is Shany affordable, but they’re also firmly against animal cruelty. While many of the brushes use animal hair, no animals are ever harmed in the making of their products.
4. Makeup Geek: The Makeup Geek brush selection is a bit limited, but they have several individual brushes and two bundles that are very budget friendly. Not only that, but they post incredibly informative videos on their YouTube channel to help you decide which brushes you need based on the application techniques you want to accomplish.
5. Artis: Of all the brushes listed here, these are the most innovative. As YouTuber and makeup artist Joseph Harwood points out in his review, makeup brushes haven’t really been reimagined until now. These brushes are completely cruelty-free and feature a new type of tightly packed, luxuriously soft fibers that make uneven application a worry of the past. They are also exceptionally easy to clean and beautiful to look at. As you might expect, they are on the pricier side, with the smallest brushes in the Elite Mirror Collection costing $32 and the largest $72.
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