You may be starting to read this article and cringing at how much you anticipate that you’ll be spending on some new brushes, but don’t fret! Believe it or not, but most professional brush brands that are just as good(if not better!) than those luxury brand brushes actually come without the hefty $60-for-one-brush price tag! Here are some of my favorite brushes that I have in both my kit for clients as well as those in my personal stash for moi, though one thing you should keep in mind when reading these recommendations is that most, if not all, of these are multipurpose brushes, which means you can do more with them than just what they are intended for!
Foundation
Bdellium Studio 968 BDHD Phase II Small Foundation/Contour - This is one of my most favorite brushes, whether I’m using liquid, cream, or powder, and whether I want full coverage or sheer. This multipurpose tool is great for not only foundation, but for contour, blush, and even highlight. The patented sloped shape is great for getting into all the crevices of the face as well as for detail work like contouring, and makes it a great tool for amateurs and pros alike! Now this tool is meant to be used with powders, but I like using it for foundation and cream products too! Studio 968 BDHD Phase II Small Foundation/Contour Brush $20 is available at www.bdelliumtools.com
Luxie 660 Precision Foundation Brush - This beautiful brush is my go to tool if I’m looking for an airbrushed look! It’s as soft as it is pretty to look at, and is my favorite everyday brush when I’m applying my foundation. The tapered shape of it allows me to not only put on foundation for an airbrushed finish, but also fantastic for cream blushes and highlighters! You know I’m ALL about multipurpose tools and products haha! 660 Precision Foundation Brush $23 is available at www.luxiebeauty.com
Concealer
Royal & Langnickel Moda Pro Glow BMX-265 - Now this brush is technically a highlighter brush, but I just love using it for a seamless concealer application, and I’ll tell you why! It’s tapered head is great for a flawless application every time, with minimum effort and time. It fits into the nooks and crannies of the eye area, so you don’t have any sort of patchiness, and you can use it to blend out as well as set. Moda Pro Glow BMX-265 $6.99 is available at www.beautyusa.royalbrush.com
Bdellium Golden Triangle 788 BDHD Phase III - This concealer brush is an absolute must have if you want the most flawless application ever. It’s basically a teeny version of my favorite foundation brush made by the same company, and is great for cream, liquid, and powder products alike. Which means you can conceal and set all with the same brush! This brush is also great for packing on color on the lids for eyeshadow, as well as contouring your nose, making it another great multipurpose tool every beauty lover should have in their arsenal! Golden Triangle 788 BDHD Phase III $17 is available at www.bdelliumtools.com
Contour
Cozzette S130 Rounded Blush Brush - This gem of a brush is ideal for powder blush and contour, and is shaped in such a way that it perfectly hugs the contours of your cheek. Lightweight and with a gorgeous lacquered handle, this brush makes applying contour easier than ever, and is an essential for any makeup lover and pro alike! Plus it’s cruelty free and vegan! S130 Rounded Blush Brush $29 is available at www.cozzettebeauty.com
rephr brush 04 - This angled cheek brush is my all time favorite! So much so that I don’t keep it in my kit and only use it on myself haha! Handcrafted in Japan and calibrated for precision application, this super soft brush with the sleek handle design is perfect for the application of highlighter, blush and contour...which means you can do all three with just one tool! No other brush I have ever used is as soft as these babies, and once you grab one, you’ll see exactly why I kept it for myself! brush 04 $39 is available at www.rephr.com
Powder
Luxie 502 Large Powder Brush - This soft and fluffy brush is the perfect companion to my powder foundations and blushes. It’s great if you want to achieve a soft focus and diffused look, but you can both blend products out as well as pack them on with this baby! It works great with loose and pressed powders alike, and is great for sticking in your makeup bag since the handle isn’t super long. 502 Large Powder Brush $27 is available at www.luxiebeauty.com
Setting
Real Techniques 402 Setting Brush - I’m sure you’ve heard all the rave reviews about this little baby, and with good reason! This holy grail setting brush is small enough to get into the inner corners of your eyes, but large enough to cover bigger spaces like your nose, upper lip, and chin area. It’s also great for highlighter, as well as contour, and is soft enough for even the most sensitive skin. Plus with the low price tag, you can get one for each purpose! 402 Setting Brush $7.99 is available at www.realtechniques.com
rephr brush 18 - Intended as a highlighter brush, this brush sets like none other! Structured and impactful, you can sure use this to pack on highlighter, but it's so soft that when you use it to set your makeup, it gives the loveliest smoothing effect! This slightly tapered but dense brush is just the thing to top off your makeup routine with a luxurious feeling, and worth every penny! (this is also one that never made it to my kit and I now only use on myself...it’s that good!) rephr brush 18 $35 is available at www.rephr.com