15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (2024)

Trying to figure out which makeup brushes to buy is something we've often grappled with, after all, a fancy brush set is an investment piece and can often ring in at a substantial price tag (especially if you're after high-quality).

If you never know where to start when it comes to finding the best makeup brushes, look no further. Whether you're looking for a cheap brush kit that won't break the bank, or you want a professional-worthy set, these are the top-rated tools in the UK.

Different brands offer different pros and cons, but a good place to start is carrying out a few quality checks. According to Zoeva founder Zoe Boiku, if the tip of a brush feels rough and that the individual bristles are thick and blunt, they have been cut into shape (a bad sign). “It should be laid into shape in a specific mould, and bound together with string.” Look out for brushes with several layers of lacquer on the handle, which protects the brush handle from swelling in humid air.

Spectrum founders Sophie and Hannah Pycroft also advise choosing “densely packed” brushes or a weighted brush, which helps with leverage and control, and a copper or nickel ferrule (the metal part where the bristles meet the handle), as aluminium ferrules dent more easily.

What are the best makeup brushes for beginners?

You can build up a kit one by one, but if you buy your brushes in a set, the price per brush will likely be a little less. It might be best to invest in a smaller set of brilliantly crafted essential brushes (we love Real Techniques Everyday Essentials).

The sustainability-focused among you could also try the super cute, minimalist EcoTools set. We couldn't not mention MAC's legendary line of tools, which is a bit more of an investment, but is an expertly crafted collection of brushes that'll make your morning beauty prep a total dream.

What's the deal with all the other brush sets?

You can also pick a set based on the area of your face you're keen to zoom into. If you're an eye makeup enthusiast, look no further than Morphe's 4-piece kit, which for under £12 brings you everything you'll need to up your smoky eye game.

If aesthetics mean a lot to you (zero judgement, it's all part of the makeup brush lust), we're all about the millennial pink Lottie London kit.

...And for the ultimate indulgence? Rae Morris's vegan, Japan-based offering (scroll down to read more about this groundbreaking (albeit boujie) technology.

Meet our favourite makeup brushes:

Best Makeup Brushes for: 100% vegan

10 Piece Essential Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (1)

There isn't one dud brush in the whole brush kit, each and every one of them is oh-so useful. The 10-piece set has three brushes for the face that will work with powders and foundations.

Plus, seven brushes for the eyes, ranging from a precise pencil tip, to a soft, buffing brush - so even serious beauty lovers will have all bases covered. Made with synthetic, ultra-soft bristles they're 100% cruelty-free.

Best makeup brushes for: Beginners

Everyday Essentials

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Real Techniques Flawless Everyday Essentials contains four of the handiest makeup brushes around.

There's a rounded fluffy brush, which works a treat for powders, bronzers or blushers. A tiny precision brush, that'll make quick work of pin-point concealing, a small fluffy brush for highlighting or baking, and finally, a dome-shaped buffing brush, which works perfectly for blending out foundation.

Oh, and if that wasn't enough, there's also a Real Techniques blending sponge in the kit as well.

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Best Makeup Brushes for: All the options

Spectrum Collections Katie Jane Hughes 25 Piece Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (3)

If you're obsessed with makeup artist Katie Jane Hughe's looks, you should know that these brushes are SO HER.

The delicate and intricate shapes make these feel more like paint brushes than traditional makeup brushes and if you can't afford the main set, this edit contains the 25 must-haves.

If you're all about the eyes, Morphe's Eye Brush collection deserves a spot on your dressing table. The four-piece is a brilliantly curated selection of eyeshadow brushes, each one super useful for crafting your way to flawless eye makeup.

The kit contains an Oval Shadow Brush, a Pro Firm Blending Crease Brush, a Tapered Mini Blender Brush and an Angle Liner Brush - everything you'll need to nail your next lewk.

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Best makeup brushes for: Sustainability

So Eco Face Makeup Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (5)

Sustainability warriors, this one goes out to you. This set of four So Eco brushes are made from highly sustainable or bio-degradable materials. Plus, they're vegan and cruelty-free.

It's a low-key set of on-the-go brushes which comprises a Complexion Blending Brush, Multitasking Blush Brush, Micro Foundation Brush and Flat Shadow Brush.

Best Makeup Brushes for: Chic Design

VIEVE The Full Expression Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (6)

Vieve is makeup artist and YouTuber Jamie Genevieve's baby and so far we have been beyond impressed with everything we've tried.

These chic synthetic brushes mimic the cuticle of natural hair so you'll find yourself absent mindedly stroking your face with them.

My favourite thing however is that if you're a makeup newbie, each brush is clearly labelled with its exact purpose. So you never have to wonder which one is the foundation brush again.

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Best Makeup Brushes for: Softest Bristles

Peaches & Cream Essential 7 Piece Face Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (7)

If you are a Liverpool native you will undoubtedly already know about Peaches makeup, but if you are a Southerner like me, you might have only just discovered them.

These vegan brushes use luxe synthetic fibres so they are super soft and completely none scratchy.

The shapes of these brushes are unique and make foundation application a dream.

Best Makeup Brushes for: Insta points

MORPHE x Ariel Signature Look 12-piece face and eye brush set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (8)

Makeup by Ariel is Kylie Jenner's makeup artist and his debut brush collection with Morphe did not disappoint.

Yes, these are pricer than regular Morphe brushes, but I can attest that the quality is far superior to Morphe's regular line.

Not only are the brushes super soft, but they are designed for modern makeup styles, like the double ended eye brush for all you brow concealer addicts.

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Best makeup brushes for: A Tight Budget

Lottie London Ombré Brush Set, £25

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (9)

Purse-friendly beauty brand Lottie London is an option if you're seeking an affordable starting point when building out a kit.

You can buy the brushes individually (all priced between £5-8 individually), or kick things off with this set which includes a Dense Buffer Brush, a Tapered Bronzer Brush, a Tapered Highlighter Brush1, a Pointed Concealer Brush and a Tapered Blending Brush.

The pretty pink and coral brushes come with matte, soft-touch handles and ultra-soft synthetic bristles. Amazing quality at a mega affordable price- that's what we like to see.

Best minimalist Makeup brush set

Morphe Ultralavender 6-Piece Face and Eye Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (10)

If you're a simple makeup hun, these six brushes for face and eyes pretty much cover all your needs. Streamlining down to quality basics, if you're anywhere from beginner to tried and tested basics loyalist, this no-fuss set gets the job done without trying to figure out what a dozen brushes are for. But it looks anything but basic in this gorgeous lilac hue.

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Best makeup brushes for: A Disney lover

Sigma Beauty X Disney Alice in Wonderland Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (11)

Anyone that remembers back to the OG beauty YouTuber days will remember Sigma beauty being everywhere. The hype was for a good reason, too.

There's never been a better excuse to try out the brand, thanks to this Disney Alice in Wonderland collab. Enjoy all the softness of the vegan bristles, with the added benefit of this cutesy limited edition design.

Best Makeup Brushes for: A Flawless Base

IT COSMETICS Beautiful Together Flawless Finish

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (12)

Featuring some of the fluffiest brushes in the game, IT Cosmetic's tool offering is not one you should be sleeping on.

This includes their famous Complexion Perfection Brush, as well as two others that are guaranteed to leave you with a flawless-looking base.

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Best makeup brushes for: A streamlined collection

Zoeva The Essential Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (13)

With a quality level of far spennier brushes, Zoeva's essential set of six brushes, each with a 100% sustainably sourced wooden handle and soft vegan mono hair, really does cover your bases.

For face there's the best selling foundation buffer along with a highlight brush and a blush/contour, and for eyes you get the brand's three bestselling eye brushes, crease definer, smokey shader and wing liner. All fit snuggly into a slimline case making them perfect for taking with you on trips or day to day.

Best makeup brushes for: Inclusive Design

Kohl Kreatives The Flex Collection

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (14)

Kohl Kreatives consider themselves a company which empowers makeup users when experimenting with cosmetics, and the Flex Collection brushes couldn't be better proof that the brand is succeeding in that mission.

These brushes stand upright alone, and are designed to give extra grip to those who might need it. The brand also creates tutorials to assist those with additional motor control requirements in using the tools to their best advantage.

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Best Makeup Brushes for: Go-to Essentials

Charlotte Tilbury The Complete Brush Set

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (15)

Charlotte Tilbury is the queen of creating a flawless complexion (seriously, it's magical), so you know she'd obviously create some good tools for the job.

This luxe maroon set will not only make your makeup bag look ultra chic, but it also provides all the brushes you'd need to create whatever makeup look you fancy. Buff and blend to your heart's content, these brushes are in it for the long haul, as these feature some serious craftsmanship.

Best Makeup Brushes for: Professionals

Rae Morris Personal 8 Brush Set and Plate

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (16)

If you're ready to drop some serious cash on your kit, look no further than Rae Morris's 8-piece kit and magnetic plate stand.

Sure, it's basically an artwork and would look incredible on your dressing table, but it's also incredibly high tech (and vegan), with handles made from maple and cherry wood, and bristles made using a micro-crystal and PBT fibres that help increase pick-up of makeup and blending credentials.

15 of the very best makeup brush sets - according to our beauty team (2024)
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