Best make-up brush sets for flawless application

Independent

27-01-2025

When was the last time you cleaned your make-up brushes? If the answer is 'I can't remember', then perhaps it's time for an upgrade. Whether you've been scratching your foundation on with the same crusty bristles you bought in your teens or your kit consists of flimsy tools with barely three hairs between them – take this as your sign to ditch the dusty brushes.
If you're not clued up on the perks of a good set of make-up brushes, let me fill you in. For starters, applying foundation with your fingers can be messy, to say the least, but using a high-quality brush affords you more play time with your product – meaning you'll have extra manoeuvrability to achieve the perfect, seamless finish before the cream or liquid sets on your skin.
When it comes to applying eyeshadow, it all comes down to blending, so, it pays to have a set of brushes that will help you build pigment but also enable you to define edges.
There are plenty of affordable options, too, including those from the likes of Real Techniques, Made by Mitchell and more. Whether your brush is crafted with real or synthetic bristles isn't quite as important these days, with the synthetic market offering a good variety of high-quality kits. That said, the density of those bristles is worth noting.
When I'm shopping for new brushes, I like to pay attention to characteristics such as softness versus structural integrity (more on this in the testing section below); whether the brush is shaped or tapered to the area it's designed for, and if the styles included adequately caters to my make-up routine.
With so many brush sets on the market – think: Hourglass, Spectrum, Bobbi Brown – knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Thankfully, I made it my job to hunt down the very best kits for an airbrushed complexion, perfectly sculpted brows and, of course, seamlessly blended eyeshadow. Here's how I got on...
How I tested
To test each set, I applied a full face of make-up, ensuring I used every brush included, be it for lip lining or contouring. I paid attention to the effectiveness of the brushes when it came to holding and transferring pigment, as well as how long it took the brushes to blend foundation, concealer, eyeshadow and so on. I also noted how the bristles moved, whether they were stiff enough to pack on product as necessary and, by contrast, flexible enough to move and dust formulas lightly. I considered the value for money of each offering, plus its ease of use in day-to-day life. Scroll on for my full verdict.
Why you can trust us
As The Independent 's resident beauty writer, I know a thing or two about make-up. Having reviewed everything from bronzers and foundations to eyeshadows and more, I have high expectations when it comes to make-up brushes and will always look for quality products and materials at reasonable prices.
The best make-up brush sets for 2025 are: