These Affordable Makeup Brush Sets Deliver Premium Results (2025)

Our Top Picks

Number of Pieces: 6

When it comes to wallet-friendly makeup, e.l.f. is where it's at. We have a long list of favorites from the brand, including lip products, palettes, primers, and—yep—brushes. This six-piece set has all the essentials for a daily glam routine and more intricate looks.

You'll get a flat-head stipple brush for applying and buffing creams and liquids, a concealer brush, a large fluffy brush for powder and blending, an eyeshadow brush, a small angled brush for precise lines, and a dual-ended eyebrow brush. The only thing missing is a blush brush, but you can always use your fingers.

Number of Pieces: 12

You may need a few more brush sizes and shapes for full-glam looks. We suggest this 12-piece set, which comes with four face brushes for applying, blending, and buffing liquids, creams, and powders. The smaller brushes can be used for concealer, contour, highlighter, and eyeshadow. Then there's a two-sided brow tool with a brush on one end and a spoolie on the other.

Number of Pieces: 6

Real Techniques is another mainstay makeup brush brand with affordable, high-performing products. Chanel likes this set, in particular, because it is great for daily makeup applications. You'll get four multiuse brushes for applying and blending, plus two sponges for buffing everything out into a smooth, diffused finish. The angled shape of the sponges also helps you get into corners and crevices, like the under-eye area.

Number of Pieces: 5

EcoTools is a drugstore brand known for affordable brushes that rival higher-end options. If you don't have much experience with makeup brushes and aren't sure where to begin, this is a good starter set. It comes with five brushes that can be used for the basics, like foundation, concealer, and powder. The smaller brushes will also come in handy for simple eyeshadow looks and filling in your brows.

Number of Pieces: 5

Celebrity makeup artist Dillon Peña loves Real Techniques for cheaper makeup brushes. "These sets don't break the bank and the quality is amazing," he says. One he consistently reaches for is this five-piece bundle. It doesn't include some basic tools like a blush brush or flat-head brush, but that's because it's curated for slightly more advanced techniques, like blending lipstick, smudging eyeliner, and precision contouring.

Number of Pieces: 18

Sometimes, you just want an Amazon bestseller with an accessible price tag. In that case, we suggest the BS-Mall Makeup Brush Set. But you don't have to take our word for it—the 35,000-plus five-star ratings speak for themselves. The 18-piece collection has everything you need for daily makeup and special-occasion glam—and then some. If you can get past the temporary plastic smell after unboxing the set, you can't go wrong.

Number of Pieces: 15

This is another solid choice for those in need of a comprehensive set. The budget-friendly bundle includes 15 makeup brushes, each with luxuriously soft synthetic bristles that promise to be gentle on sensitive skin. You'll get a variety of flat-head, angled, and domed brushes for applying, blending, and finishing your face, plus a handful of smaller brushes for eyeshadow, concealer, precision contour, brows, and lips.

Number of Pieces: 14

Washing your makeup brushes will remove bacteria and product residues, but it's not always a guarantee they'll be the same once dry. The Shany Black Bombshell Set was made specifically with repeated cleaning in mind. The bristles won't fall off the handle, become stiff, or lose their fluffiness in the process, though you might want to use the brand's brush shampoo to be safe.

Number of Pieces: 12

This 12-piece set comes with 10 brushes and two sponges. Ever since the Beautyblender's 2003 launch, these pointed egg-shaped hunks of foam have been considered an essential makeup tool. They're ideal for blending out foundation, under-eye concealer, cream blush, contour—you name it—into a seamless finish.

Like other foam products (see: memory foam mattresses), the sponges might have a slight off-gassing smell when you take them out of the packaging, but this should be short-lived.

Number of Pieces: 16

These monochrome "Brat green" makeup brushes sure are a sight for sore eyes. Inching toward $40, the price is steeper than other sets on this list, but you'll get 16 total, which comes out to just over $2 each. Beyond the on-trend verdant hue, these are high-quality brushes with dense yet ultra-fluffy bristles that won't shed and clean easily.

Number of Pieces: 22

Here's another standout set that goes above and beyond. Besides the 13 makeup brushes of various sizes, you'll get four makeup sponges, a silicone facial scrubber, two lip brushes (for exfoliating and increasing blood flow), a facial cleansing brush, and a storage bag. We're not sure how useful every last piece is, but for under $10, it's a fun kit to explore.

Number of Pieces: 3

This three-piece set is all about the face. It includes an angled, tapered foundation brush for applying and blending liquids and creams, plus a smaller concealer brush for precision application and blending. The third brush is a mid-sized stipple brush with a flat head that effortlessly picks up powder and buffs out creams and balms.

Number of Pieces: 5

Contouring and highlighting looks different for everyone, as no two faces are the same. Truthfully, you can do this makeup technique with any number of brushes—but this set has many we'd reach for.

It comes with a flat, slightly curved brush for defining the nose and carving out the cheekbones and a larger tapered brush for the forehead, neck, and décolletage. You'll also get a smaller brush for precision contouring, a tapered highlighter brush for the cheekbones and brows, and a flat fan brush.

Number of Pieces: 4

We're big fans of this eyeshadow brush set from Morphe. There's something for each step and shade of your shadow routine: a larger oval brush for your allover lightest shade, a crease brush for the medium hue, a smaller tapered brush for the deepest color, and an angled liner brush for the lash lines.

Number of Pieces: 7

Mini makeup brushes can help you save space when packing for a trip. We like this seven-piece set from Mōda, which boasts pocket-sized handles and—critically—full-sized heads. Though there's no flat-head brush, you'll have all the essentials for face and eye products. The bright colors can also help you spot the one you need in a cluttered cosmetics bag.

FAQ

• Is it bad to use cheap makeup brushes?

  Nope! Choosing a less expensive option for makeup brushes doesn't automatically mean you're sacrificing quality. Thanks to today's technology and retailers like Amazon, there's a wide range of brushes and brush sets that offer great results without a high cost.

• What are cheap makeup brushes made of?

  Nylon is the most common material used to make makeup brushes that don't command a high price tag. Slender, resilient, and super soft, nylon bristles make it easy to apply color and blend. And, since they're synthetically produced, they're also vegan and cruelty-free. The handles can be plastic, aluminum, wood, or bamboo.
  

• Are synthetic makeup brushes better than natural?

  Sometimes, but it depends. The most notable difference between synthetic and natural makeup brushes is the softness of the bristles. Synthetic brushes are typically not as soft as natural bristles, but they can feel silkier. And many synthetic brushes feel and perform just like the real thing.

• How do you clean makeup brushes?

  Chanel says to find a cleaning solution formulated specifically to wash makeup brushes. For deep cleanses, first wet the bristles, gently lather them with the cleaning solution, rinse thoroughly, squeeze out the excess water, and lay them flat to dry overnight. Chanel adds that you should never let the metal base of your brushes come into contact with water to avoid deteriorating the glue that holds everything together.