What Is The Best Cheap Makeup Brush Set

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Think the fourth dimension when the more expensive thing was better? These days, peculiarly in the earth of beauty products, that's no longer the case. In fact, every luxury item has a comparable dupe—and they almost always end up being a fraction of the cost. The aforementioned tin be said for makeup brushes. To put information technology simply, the affordable makeup brushes of today have evolved—we're talking high-quality bristles, sleek styles, and designs that make them piece of cake to make clean.

"Makeup brushes are a must," says glory MUA Nydia Figueroa. "Applying makeup with a castor is meliorate than fingers alone because you're able to achieve seamless results." Figueroa suggests having at least five brushes in your arsenal: a foundation brush, a concealer brush, a tapered eyeshadow brush, a blush brush, and an angled contour castor.

To brand life easier for you, nosotros researched the best cheap makeup castor sets on the market now.

What Nosotros Like

Vegan beard
Give an airbrushed, soft-focus end
Helps you achieve a great contour

What We Don't Like

Some brushes are rough

You'll have what you need and more with this nine-piece castor fix. Our favorites are the stipple brush and the airbrush blender, which are both constructive at giving you that airbrushed, soft-focus finish. And if you're a big contour fan, y'all'll love the sculpting brush, which gets into the hollows of your cheeks. Did nosotros mention these brushes are all 100% vegan and cruelty-free, besides? Score.

Number of Pieces: x | Pare Tone: All | Bristle Textile: Synthetic Fibers

What We Similar

Includes pieces for wet and dry awarding
Soft in feel
Large variety for different needs

What We Don't Like

Need a good scrubbing to clean

With 14 pieces in this castor drove, there'southward a tool for every situation—trust. From a flat angled brush for highlighting to a classic particular castor for filling in your lips, y'all'll exist able to create looks for all occasions. Highly rated, reviewers love the variety, how soft the bristles are, and the perks of a cleaning mitt and makeup sponges.

Number of Pieces: fourteen | Skin Tone: All | Bristle Material: Soft Constructed Fibers

What We Like

Vegan
Eco-friendly
Provides the key pieces for everyday routines

What We Don't Like

Could blend makeup improve

If you're a minimalist, you only demand a few key brushes to execute your everyday makeup routine. Included in this essential kit is an angled foundation brush, blurring brush, pucker brush, angled liner, and blush brush. What I love about this prepare is that you can interchange brushes, likewise—I notice that the angled foundation brush works great as a contouring brush and the crease brush moonlights as an eyeliner brush.

Number of Pieces: 10 | Skin Tone: All | Bristle Material: Recycled Plastic

What We Like

Portable, eco-friendly faux leather pouch
Included tutorial insert provides application tricks
Proficient quality

What We Don't Like

Bristles could exist softer
Pricey

This brush set lives up to its name: uncomplicated. Super easy to use, this eye kit houses everything you demand for the ultimate eye makeup look. Reviewers love the quality of the bristles—a mix of natural and synthetic—and the chic conveying case, which is perfect for travel.

Number of Pieces: 5 | Skin Tone: All | Bristle Fabric: Natural Fibers

What Nosotros Like

Includes latex-gratis foam sponge for polish finish
Lightweight
Piece of cake to clean

What We Don't Similar

Includes some harsher brushes

We all know the gilded rule: Skincare first, makeup second. This brush set takes that to some other level. In that location'south a dry facial brush to exfoliate and get your blood flowing, a prep castor to employ with your moisturizer or serums of choice, an under-centre massager to use with your middle gels and creams, and a lip exfoliating brush that'll pair nicely with your lip balm. Taking intendance of your peel, later on all, is the best first step to whatever killer makeup look.

Number of Pieces: 4 | Skin Tone: All | Bristle Material: Synthetic

What We Like

Perfect for beginners
Plethora of brushes for multiple applications
Gentle for sensitive skin

What We Don't Like

Quality could be better

If y'all're looking for a brush set to end all brush sets, here information technology is. With a whopping 18 pieces, this set literally has everything you could need. From a lip castor to a blender brush to a flat angled brush, this kit has you covered from top to bottom. Reviewers love the lush, soft nylon bristles as well every bit the champagne gilt details. Perfect for a beginner or intermediate, y'all tin't become wrong with it.

Number of Pieces: 18 | Peel Tone: All | Bristle Material: Soft Nylon

What We Similar

Comes with convenient traveling pouch
Plays well with liquid, foam and powder formulas
Soft feel

What We Don't Like

Quality could be better

While traditional makeup brushes are still slim enough to tote around, sometimes you need something smaller to make room for everything else you need on-the-get. Enter this seven-piece travel kit, which has mini versions of the makeup brushes you demand and a travel pouch. Whether you love contour or a bold lip, these vegan essentials will go along you looking on indicate wherever y'all are.

Number of Pieces: 7 | Skin Tone: All | Bristle Cloth: Synthetic

Terminal Verdict

If yous're on the hunt for an affordable makeup brush set, y'all can't go incorrect with e.fifty.f. Cosmetics' Precision Castor Collection. If you're looking for a set to utilize for skincare pre-makeup, reach for Existent Techniques' Prep + Prime Set, which includes ingenious products that focus on prepping your skin before applying makeup. Lastly, if variety is what you're after, opt for BS-MALL's Makeup 18-Slice Castor Gear up, which includes a wide assortment of brushes for every type of expect.

What To Look For in a Cheap Makeup Brush Set

Bristles

Y'all'll desire the bristles of your makeup brushes to feel soft and dense and accept bend to them. You'll also want to accept note of any beard shedding. If you do notice whatsoever fall-out, pass on them. And if you lot're an beast lover, brushes that are marked vegan are animal hair-gratis and usually cruelty-costless, also.

Multifariousness

Some people may desire three brushes, while others may opt for a gear up of 13. Remember well-nigh your makeup needs and go from there. The more than yous spend on your makeup await—whether it's a smoky middle, bold lip, or immaculate contouring—chances are you lot'll need a substantial kit.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Syden Abrenica has years of experience in the editorial beauty manufacture. She's written for magazines like Wellness, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, and more. When she's not testing out innovative makeup brushes, she's renovating her century-old home and watching Disney movies with her hubby, son, and three rescue dogs.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the fourth dimension of publishing, we were not able to find any inexpensive makeup brush sets from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of ane we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we volition evaluate the product ASAP.

FAQ

Is it bad to use cheap makeup brushes?

Choosing a less expensive option when it comes to makeup brushes doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality. Cheers to today'southward engineering, there are a wide variety of brushes and brush sets that offer great results without a high investment.
What are inexpensive makeup brushes fabricated of?

Nylon is the virtually common cloth used to make makeup brushes that don't command a loftier price tag. Slender, resilient and super soft, nylon bristles make easy piece of work of applying color and blending, and since they're synthetically produced, they're also vegan.
What makeup brushes should a beginner buy?

Figueroa recommends starting with five basic brushes: a foundation brush, concealer brush, tapered eyeshadow brush, blush brush and an angled contour brush. Fortunately, many starter sets come up with these and so some, giving you lot plenty of variety.
Are synthetic brushes meliorate than natural?

The most noticeable difference between synthetic and natural brushes comes down to softness, as the former tends to be not equally soft as the latter. Fortunately, there are a slew of constructed brushes that come pretty darn shut to their natural counterparts, and practice only as proficient a job.