The efficacy of your makeup products depends on two factors; the product itself and the method in which you apply it. If you prefer a brush, then there’s no shortage of choice.
From high-end luxury brands to affordable finds, one of the best investments you can make if you’re in need of new brushes is with a set, which comes complete with different designs and sizes to work with a variety of formulas across creams, powders, gels and liquids.
It’s often more economical to buy a set of brushes too, rather than individually, and depending on the brand, you can find styles suited to just complexion products, or with eyeshadow and lip tools included too.
If you’re a makeup novice, densely packed brushes are best suited to blending cream-based formulas such as foundation, concealer and contour, whereas powders and eyeshadows work best with a fluffier brush style and stippling brushes can provide a more natural finish with liquid products.
Not all brushes are made equal however, so we set about finding the best brush set for your makeup routine, spanning a range of budgets and needs, from designs crafted by professional makeup artists to budget-friendly kits that won’t break the bank.
How we tested
Over the past two months, we’ve put a range of makeup brush sets to the test, examining each closely for value for money, the number of brushes included, packaging, blendability, design, and how well they washed as nobody wants moulting hairs all over your bathroom sink. These are the best sets to buy.
The best makeup brush sets for 2022 are:
- Best overall – Bobbi Brown the luxury brush set: £82, Bobbibrown.co.uk
- Best large brush set – Vieve the full expression: £250, Vieve.co.uk
- Best luxury brush set – Westman Atelier the brush collection: £526, Westman-atelier.com
- Best value brush set – By Beauty Bay 18 piece eye & face brush set: £45, Beautybay.com
- Best affordable brush set – Edy London essential set 505: £60, Edy.London
- Best multi-purpose brush set – Brushes by Joy the full multi-use brush set: £130, Byjoyadenuga.com
- Best small brush set – Space NK ultimate edit brush set: £75, Spacenk.com
- Best eye makeup brush set – Spectrum pink 8 piece eye brush set sc004: £30, Boots.com