10 Best Makeup Brushes, According to Professional Makeup Artists

This makeup brush set is an insane value. It boasts 12 brushes at under $10, and these brushes have over 5,000 reviews on Amazon and an average 4.6 star rating. That means it has over 4,000 five-star ratings from real users. "The brushes are soft, and hold the pigment of eyeshadows, highlighters, contours really well," says one reviewer. "They don't hurt your skin ... and they are comfortable hold."

The set comes with brushes for every step of your routine, from eyes to lips to face for cream, liquid, and powder cosmetics.  The bamboo handles aren't too bulky, which makes them travel-friendly, too. 

In our lab tests, this IT Cosmetics powder brush earned a rare perfect score for all attributes, from how easy it was to hold and maneuver to its soft, gentle, yet effective bristles, and its foolproof application. It was the top scorer in all of our testing. A favorite of testers and pros alike. "It's the ideal size, shape, and density to cover all areas of the face," one tester said. "It is super soft but is also dense enough." 

This do-it-all shadow brush earned perfect scores from our testers for depositing makeup. "It's really flat, excellent for packing on shadow with high pigmentation because of its flat, dense shape." It also got perfect scores for being soft and gentle on skin. Use it to apply cream, liquid, or powder shadow all over the lid.

Perfect for a smokey eye or blending color into the crease, Morphe brushes are well-loved with good reason. "Their texture is smooth but can take the beating I give them as a working makeup artist. I also like how affordable they are," says celebrity makeup artist Jami Svay. 

This brush "is user friendly," says one tester, because "the bristles are different lengths [so it] can blend out better." For a smokey eye, load it with dark shadow and swipe it back and forth in a "windshield motion" in the crease of the eye. For a natural look,  use this light, fluffy brush to apply shadow over the lid.

Have under-eye circles or blemishes you need to camouflage? This little concealer brush got perfect scores for being gentle on skin and easy to maneuver, with bristles that are "soft enough to feather [concealer] out" for a natural-looking finish. One tester said that although it's a little small for the under-eye area, it's particularly "excellent for blemishes," since it packs pigment on well, which is the most important quality in a concealer brush. 

Blush brushes are designed to be more precise than powder brushes, making them ideal for applying color to the cheeks. This Sigma Beauty brush impressed testers for its softness and maneuverability, and it scored well for applying and blending product. Amazon reviewers also love it, noting that "the bristles are soft and pick up plenty of pigment ... without turning my whole cheek pink." Use it by buffing blush on in circles, or by swiping up the cheekbones. 

This brush basically works as well an Instagram filter: The flat-top brush has tightly-packed bristles to help buff any kind of foundation (liquid or powder) into skin for an airbrushed look and a even-toned finish. "Super user friendly, perfect medium density," said one tester. "Bristles are soft and pliable." It was a star in our tests, and it's also one of Ta's personal favorite. "It does a great job of blending foundation seamlessly into the skin."

The most user-friendly of all the contour brushes we tested, this angled brush is perfect for sculpting cheekbones. Just load it with a dark color and brush into the hollows of your cheeks for an instant lift. The Lab found that even though it works well with creams, it's especially reliable with powder formulas. The best part is that this brush can pinch-hit as an all-over powder brush, and will work as a blush brush. "It’s fluffy and you'll be able to blend well," said one tester.

Want it as part of a set? The Sigma Beauty Essential Kit is packed with 12 brushes for face, eyes, and lips, and the case doubles as a brush holder.

An angled makeup brush is a multi-functional tool that's an essential part of a well-stocked makeup bag. "You can use it for eyeliner, brows, and applying your lipstick," says Ta. The tightly packed, stiff bristles on this angled brush make it ideal for precise color with cream and powder products. 

Consider this your desert-island brush, as it can be used with many products in many different ways. "An all over powder brush is pretty important to have for loose, pressed, and bronzing face powders," says celebrity makeup artist, Jillian Dempsey. Ta also loves this Morphe brush for its unique design: "Its tulip-shaped tip allows for setting powder to get into all the creases of your face.” That means your makeup will stay put all day long.