Growing up we loved using paint brushes and colours to create pretty drawings in kindergarten. And as women who use makeup every day, our love of carefully crafted brushes hasn’t changes. But do we actually know what each and every single brush does? And do we need to?
As an untrained makeup artist, I’m somewhere on the fence with those questions. On one hand we should know how to use the equipment which gives us the best results, while on the other, there are so many different types of makeup brushes that I think we just need to learn how to use 5 – 8 different brushes.
My world changed when I discovered the magic of the ultra-fine eyeliner brush and the slanted bronzer / blush brush, and we can thank the Sigma Beauty Make Me Classy 12-brush set (pictured above) for that. That’s why we’ve collated a list of makeup brush sets to save, spend and splurge on – with a varying collection of brushes.
Makeup Brushes to SAVE on:
Japonesque Touch Up Tube, $22.20
This is a great starter brush set for girls who are unaccustomed to having a cohesive makeup brush set. It includes: a foundation brush, a lip brush, two eye detailers and a blush/powder brush.
Makeup Brushes to SPEND on:
Sephora Collection Deluxe Antibacterial Brush Set, $60
This is a great sophomore brush set with 7 must-have brushes – with the added bonus of the brush bristles being treated with a non-toxic, hypoallergenic compound that attacks and destroys harmful bacteria. This set includes: foundation brush, concealer brush, powder brush, angled eye shadow brush, eye blender brush, lip/eyeliner brush, and a brow brush/lash comb.
Sigma ESSENTIAL KIT – MAKE ME CLASSY, $109
This is our personal choice – a brush set we own and swear by a) because of the amazing price ($109 for 12 brushes, yes please!) and b) because there were all these brushes we discovered thanks to this amazing makeup brush set.
The set contains a: eyeliner brush, pencil brush, tapered blending brush, eye shading brush, large shader brush, small angle brush, medium angled shading brush, large powder brush, large angled contour brush, duo fibre brush, foundation brush and concealer brush.
Not only that, but the website and info docs that come with the set gives great tips on what to use each brush for. Like did you know you could use the pencil brush to soften and smoke out lines made by pencil liners?
Makeup Brushes to SLURGE on:
Kevyn Aucoin – The Brush Collection, $350
Kevyn Aucoin is a make up god and this brush set it up there as a holy grail set for me (though I am also eying off a set of MAC and Tom Ford brushes). With his 20 years of expertise in beauty, Kevyn put together his ultimate brush collection where each brush is handcrafted and the shape of each brush is specific to its functionality. This ultimate set includes: Large Brush and Powder Brush, Super Soft Buff Blush and Powder Brush, Contour Brush, Medium Eye Shadow Brush, Small Eye Shadow Flat Tip, Small Eye Shadow Soft Round Tip, Concealer Brush, Eyebrow Mascara Brush, Lip Brush, Small Eye Shadow/Eyebrow Brush, Sculpting Brush
Have you tried any makeup brush sets and love? We’d love to hear your stories.
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Don’t forget to regularly give your makeup brushes a good clean!
Read our 4 Steps to Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes here!
