The best drugstore makeup brushes can be your ultimate companion in the makeup game. Just a bag full of the best makeup products such as eyeshadow, foundation, concealers, or blush isn’t enough. You also need a set of good makeup brushes that help you apply them and blend them well.
Makeup brushes can be those made with natural or synthetic bristles. Each has a different utility, so a different look will need a different brush. With various brushes available online, choosing the best ones can be confusing. Thus, we have listed some great makeup brushes with proven efficacy that you should consider adding to your makeup stash.
Top Picks
15 Best Drugstore Makeup Brushes
1. Real Techniques Professional Setting Makeup Brush
Contour your face smoothly with this setting brush by Real Techniques and ensure your foundation and concealer are applied accurately. The professional-grade brush is designed to pick up just the right amount of liquid or powder when using makeup. With its soft bristles, the tapered makeup brush lets you accentuate the best features of your face. The brush can also be easily cleaned with sponges and is long-lasting.
Pros
- Tapered for precise application
- Fluffy bristles for natural blending
- Suitable for all skin types
- Ideal for cream or powder highlighters and setting powders
- Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free
Cons
- May be smaller than you expect
- May absorb a lot of product
Point to consider2. Wet n wild Powder Makeup Brush
Blend your makeup products with ease with this powder brush. It has a large surface and is plushy, thus allowing you to lift the perfect amount of powder. With the brush, you can avoid using too much powder when applying makeup on your face and get the best results when contouring and highlighting. The highlighter brush is made of materials that are vegan-friendly and is also cruelty-free. This review video demonstrates how the product works, making it easier to pick the right one for your needs.
Pros
- Suitable for all types of makeup products
- Comfortable brush handle
- Works for every skin tone
- Crimped bristles for even application
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Bristles may shed after a few washes
- Edges of the bristles may be coarse for sensitive skin
3. EcoTools Eye Enhancing Duo Brush Set
This set of two brushes has four brush ends that are ideal for applying eyeliner and eyeshadow. The eyeshadow brush comes in handy when shading and blending makeup around the eyebrow area, while the angled liner brush helps create a perfect cat-eye look. The recycled aluminum and plastic brushes are also of small size and are ideal for travel. The brushes are specifically designed to ensure that the eyeliner and eyeshadow can be applied with accuracy. Not sure if this is the right fit for you? Check out this video showcasing a tester’s experience to understand how the product works.
Pros
- Handcrafted tools
- Soft and shed-free brush
- Offers good grip
- Tapered bristles
- Vegan
- Not tested on animals
Cons
- No dedicated storage case
- Handles may be slightly fragile
4. Best Ultra-Soft: Flower Beauty Ultimate Precision Makeup Brush
If you are a beauty enthusiast, the Flower Beauty makeup brush is a good addition to your makeup kit. Its ultra-soft bristles ensure easy blending and buff away your makeup for a flawless finish. The ergonomic handle offers superior comfort during application, allowing you to achieve stunning makeup looks. Additionally, the celebrity-endorsed precision makeup brush is also durable.
Pros
- Ideal for highlighting and defining
- High-quality synthetic bristle brush
- Easy to clean
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Might shed over time
Beauty tip5. e.l.f. Ultimate Blending Brush
e.l.f brings you this drugstore foundation brush designed for use by professionals who use expert technique. The bristles are shaped to pick up the perfect amount of foundation, blush, or bronzer to ensure that the makeup, when applied, is blended perfectly on the face without any lines or visible streaks. This brush can be used with liquid, powder, and mousse makeup. It is also vegan-friendly and is not tested on animals.
Pros
- Dome-shaped head
- Densely packed bristles
- Offers even coverage
- Handcrafted bristles
Cons
- May not be suitable for sensitive skin
- Bristles may shed upon rough handling
6. Clothobeauty Premium Synthetic Kabuki Makeup Brush Kit
A brush with a great handle ensures a comfortable grip.This brush comes in an extra-large size and is a nice option when you are looking to apply powder or bronzer on to your face with ease. The brush is composed of ultra-soft and tapered synthetic bristles that ensure even hard-to-reach places around the eyes and lips are easily covered. With this brush that has densely packed bristles, you can powder your face with ease and provide even coverage flawlessly.
Pros
- Has a copper ferrule
- Handle made of wood
- Offers smooth coverage
- Ideal for quick blending
Cons
- Glue may not be strong enough
- Bristles may be a bit coarse
7. Best With Bamboo Handle:Honest Beauty Foundation Brush
The foundation brush by Honest Beauty is the ideal tool for putting on your favorite foundation evenly. It features a bamboo handle and soft, synthetic bristles, ensuring a streak-free natural-looking finish. Moreover, the flexible fibers of bristles don’t trap the foundation, allowing you to create your desired look with just a small amount of makeup product.
Pros
- Suitable for all skin types
- Not tested on animals
- Sturdy handle
- Flexible fibers
Cons
- Some might find the bristles too soft
Quick tip8. Nyx Professional Makeup Pro Dual Brow Brush
Achieve beautifully defined brows with the Nyx Professional makeup pro dual brow brush. Its extra-soft bristles allow you to pick up and apply the product with precision, while the spoolie-ended brush helps with grooming and blending. Further, the angled brush head of this professional-grade vegan makeup brush seamlessly blends the product for a natural-looking finish, resulting in flawless brows.
Pros
- Synthetic and vegan bristles
- Pointed tip for precise application
- Ergonomic handle
- Works with most eyebrow formulas
- Not tested on animals
Cons
- May not suit all skin types
- Might not be suitable for creating bold brow looks
9. IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Flat Top Buffing Foundation Brush
With this flat top buffing brush, applying a foundation is easy, and you can get an airbrushed finish to hide the flaws. The ultra-plush tool is composed of precisely cut bristles that are packed together densely. It helps pick up just the right amount of foundation or makeup to cover pores and other skin imperfections, including fine lines. The brush has a soft-touch handle that allows for easy gripping.
Pros
- Precision-cut brush head
- Recommended for foundation
- Provides natural looking coverage
- Ideal for setting powder
- Synthetic bristles
Cons
- Some might find the bristles a tad soft
- No bristle protection cover or mesh
10. Revlon Kabuki Brush
Try this Revlon brush that is designed with vegan-friendly synthetic fibers. The kabuki design brush has a tall and wide shape, and the bristles are packed to create a dense head. The head is designed to make the process of applying pressed or loose powders, bronzers, and foundations easy and mess-free. The TRX3 bristles are patent-pending and similar to natural hair, while their anti-bacterial coating helps reduce the chances of infections. The makeup artist-approved bronzer brush is long-lasting and can be washed up to 100 times.
Pros
- Great coverage in a single swipe
- Dome-shaped bristles
- Irritation-free
- Compact and convenient to use
Cons
- Bristles may shed after a few uses
11. Revlon Starter Brush Kit, Premium
If you are a beginner and want to learn how to do your makeup properly, this brush kit might be the one for you. The kit contains three all-purpose brushes to help you achieve a seamless base, highlight, and contour hassle-free. These travel makeup brushes have wooden handles to offer a stable and easy grip and long-lasting performance, and the compact size and pouch bag allow you to carry them in your handbag easily.
Pros
- Quality brush head
- Soft and gentle on the skin
- Suitable for daily use
- Lightweight
Cons
- May be smaller than expected
- Fibers may shed without proper maintenance
12. Bella And Bear Blush Brush
Angled makeup brushes are convenient for covering hard-to-reach places. This brush, with angled bristles, is one among the best drugstore makeup brushes as it is versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes, including the application of bronzer and contouring. Its bristles are also tapered to help pick up the right amount of makeup, whether you are using powder, liquid, or cream. The versatile drugstore brush is handcrafted to precise specifications and is ideal for contouring and blending.
Pros
- Mesh cover to protect the bristles
- Ideal for highlighter, blush, bronzers, and contour powders
- Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly
- Soft bristles
- Perfect even for sensitive skin
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Bristles may shed
- May be larger than you expect
13. Undone Beauty Handcrafted Angled Brush
Lay your hands on this handmade makeup brush designed for use over large areas of the face and body. The brush has angled bristles and ensures that blending appears natural without any streaks. It is also designed to be used with cream and powder-based makeup. It has bristles that are created from synthetic fiber and are soft and long-lasting. The angled bristles make the brush especially suitable for picking up the right amount of foundation and bronzer and for blending makeup in the under-eye region.
Pros
- No animal hair
- Versatile
- Ideal to blend the creams
- Bristles come in a unique shade
- Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free
Cons
- Has no storage pouch
- Bristles may be a tad long
14. Maybelline New York Expert Tools Lip Brush
To apply the right amount of lipstick and coat your lips perfectly, you require a high-quality makeup brush. This top-quality lip brush is designed with 100% natural fibers and helps users apply lipstick or gloss expertly. It has a retractable opening with a pop-up design, and the bristles are designed to coat the lips from the center and outwards. The natural-bristled makeup brush is especially handy when you want to apply lipstick and then lip gloss to let your lips look fuller.
Pros
- Comes with a secure cap
- Ensures precise application
- Soft bristles
- Easy to apply even on chapped lips
Cons
- May be less suitable for matte lipsticks
- May not hold shape for long
15. bareMinerals Light Stroke Brush
Lay our hands on this stroke brush by bare Minerals that ensures easy eye makeup application. This brush with dome-shaped bristles is designed to pick up the right amount of makeup. It is ideal for softening and blending makeup to lighten shadows when highlighting and contouring the face. The bristles of this expert-recommended contour brush are designed to provide a natural finish to makeup.
Pros
- Ensures even application
- Helps soften deep shadows
- Ideal for applying makeup around the eyes and nose
- Perfect for applying foundation or quick touch-up
Cons
- May be a bit scratchy
- Bristles may shed
How To Choose The Right Drugstore Makeup Brushes?
Here are a few tips to help you choose the right brush.
- Get a Kabuki brush with dense bristles and a short handle if you usually use powders that have a superfine texture or a mineral-based foundation.
- Concealer brushes that have a small tip are ideal for applying the right amount of product on a pimple. These brushes also ensure the application of concealer is realistic, and they can be cleaned easily.
- A half-inch wide brush is ideal for applying concealer under the eyes and is useful when you have to cover up dark circles.
- Using a brush with large bristles allows for just the right amount of bronzer/blush to be picked up and used.
- Bristles made from natural materials are better when powder-based makeup is used. Synthetic-bristled makeup brushes are ideal when using liquid or cream makeup, as they are easy to clean and maintain.
How Often Should You Clean Drugstore Makeup Brushes?
Brushes that are used for powder-based makeup need to be cleaned less often, about once in two weeks. Those used for cream or liquid makeup should be cleaned after use every time to reduce bacteria formation.
Paula Navarro, a professional makeup artist and style expert, says, “You may clean the tip of your makeup brush using lukewarm water and a gentle shampoo. Rinse well with clean water and lay it flat on a cloth to dry. It is also a good idea to invest in a brush cleanser liquid.”
Why Trust MomJunction?
Poulami Nag is a product writer with a flair for reviewing beauty and personal care products. She has meticulously sifted through several e-commerce websites and considered reader reviews and ratings to give you these drugstore makeup brush recommendations. Going through various makeup brushes available online may be confusing and cumbersome. Thus, this list eases your task by providing a useful description of each product. Moreover, the writer has also included a buying guide to help you select the product that meets your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it worth buying expensive makeup brushes?
It’s worth investing in an expensive makeup brush set because most reputed ones are skin-friendly and long-lasting. Moreover, you need the right brushes to get the best out of your makeup products.
2. How can I tell if a makeup brush is of good quality?
Irrespective of the pricing, functionality should be the primary criterion for buying a makeup brush. Quality drugstore makeup brushes should be ergonomically designed, shed-free, soft-bristled, plush, and easy to clean.
3. Does it matter what kind of makeup brush I use?
Yes, the type of makeup brush you use matters. Using wrong or mediocre brushes can distort your makeup application and harm your skin if the bristles are rough. To protect your skin from irritation and scratches, it’s important to use soft and gentle makeup brushes.
4. Is a foundation brush worth it?
Yes, here are some advantages of using a good foundation brush. It lets you use less makeup and helps spread the products evenly. It also facilitates the buffing process, especially when using powder-based makeup
Drugstore makeup brushes can be the real game-changers of your makeup routine. They help you apply makeup with ease and define and accentuate your facial features. Choose a brush based on your requirements–a brush with large bristles helps spread the makeup evenly throughout the face. And for powder-based makeup products, a brush made of natural materials works best, while for liquid or cream makeup, a brush with synthetic bristles makes an ideal pick. Now, getting your dream look has become easy with the help of the options provided here.
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