15 Best Makeup Brushes on Amazon for Flawless Application Every Step of the Way

Maybe the time has come to retire your makeup brushes from middle school, or you're a total makeup newbie. Luckily for you, finding the best makeup brushes on Amazon means you can get your hands on your new go-to tools in mere days. After all, what would the Mona Lisa look like if da Vinci had painted it with the wrong brush? Let's apply that same logic to makeup (we are all works of art, after all). Whether you've purchased an expensive foundation or a liquid highlighter that delivers the perfect amount of dew, in the end, the products are only as good as the tools you use to apply them.

Our Top Picks:

• Best Double-Sided Brush: IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7, $35
• Best Concealer Brush: BK Beauty Angie Hot & Flashy A506 Concealer Brush, $24
• Best Foundation Brush: Clarins Flat Foundation Brush, $31
• Best Blush Brush: Jung Sae Mool Blush Brush, $22
• Best Eye Shadow Brush: Laura Geller All-Over Eye Shadow Brush, $12
• Best Brow Brush: Real Techniques Brow Styling Set, $11
• Best Makeup Sponge: Beautyblender Original, $20
• Best Makeup Brush Set: Trademark Beauty The Essentials Makeup Brush Collection, $69

The fact that this article exists proves that an endless amount of brushes can accomplish an endless amount of makeup looks, from a dewy daytime moment to a sultry look for going out. It might feel kind of dizzying, especially if you're used to applying everything with your fingers (which, to be fair, sometimes works in a pinch!). Thankfully, many brushes share similar features, so shopping for the perfect one isn't too difficult if you know what you're looking for.

If you're seeking a tool that applies foundation like a dream, for example, you may want to consider the Clarins Flat Foundation Brush; its tapered edges ensure that product is evenly distributed for a streak-free finish. Or perhaps you've been seeing the hype on TikTok and YouTube about BK Beauty's brushes and want to know what's up. (Hate to break it to ya—they are that good.) And anyone who never actually puts away their suitcase will adore the streamlined Sigma Beauty Travel Makeup Brush Set, which comes with a sleek storage cup that makes packing oh so simple.

We've curated the best makeup brushes on Amazon—many of them which hold the coveted Allure Best of Beauty Awards. From top-tier and splurge-worthy picks from the likes of Sigma and Monika Blunder to affordable steals from Real Techniques and EcoTools, you're sure to find the proper tool for every part of your makeup routine and have it at your doorstep in a few days flat.

Best Complexion Makeup Brushes on Amazon

Best Double-Sided Brush: IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7

It's our philosophy that most things you own should be multitasking and versatile, that way you get more use out of one product instead of spending more money. IT Cosmetics' Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush is one of those must-haves. "My makeup bag is never without a double-sided makeup brush and this IT Cosmetics one is so dang versatile," says Allure commerce editor Sarah Han. "While it's marketed as a foundation and concealer brush, it also buffs in my bronzer/contour beautifully, and that goes for both my cheekbones and nose." The bristles have the perfect density to tackle just about anything, including blush and eye shadow, too.

Best Concealer Brush: BK Beauty Angie Hot & Flashy A506 Concealer Brush

The Angie Hot & Flashy Concealer Brush from BK Beauty has been making the rounds on TikTok and Instagram because it feels like a brush-makeup sponge hybrid. So if you're used to applying concealer with your fingers but want to try out a brush, this is a good place to start. The "kitten paw" brush head is soft and silky; it's actually made for people with mature skin to keep makeup formulas from settling into fine lines and looking cakey, but truly anyone can use it.

Best Foundation Brush: Clarins Flat Foundation Brush

Anyone who's a liquid foundation devotee knows that a lot of brushes literally buckle under pressure. Liquid foundation, especially of the high-coverage variety, can easily leave you susceptible to streaks—but not when you apply it with Clarins' Flat Foundation Brush. Designed with an ergonomic handle and tapered edges to evenly distribute makeup, this tool guarantees flawless coverage and a natural finish. You can use thicker, cream foundations with this brush, too, as the synthetic bristles are short and stiff enough to apply an even layer.

Best Blush Brush: Jung Sae Mool Blush Brush

Applying powder blush is a science. Swipe on too little and you feel naked, while too much makes you feel clownish. This blush brush from legendary Korean makeup artist Jung Sae Mool has a built-in guide to help you. Swirl in enough powder that the white part of the bristles turns pink, give the brush a tap, and then apply the blush. It's on the smaller side for subtle, sophisticated blush looks instead of ye olde "apply generously to the apples of your cheeks."

Best Bronzer Brush: Sigma Beauty F78 Ultimate Bronze

Thrilling discovery: You can find top-of-the-line, makeup artist-approved picks on Amazon. Sweep on a faux glow with Sigma Beauty's F78 Ultimate Bronze, a brush designed with tapered, dome-shaped bristles that pick up the perfect amount of bronzer and extra-soft fibers that definitely don't feel scratchy against your skin. Throw in an airbrushed finish and, mon dieu, you'll look as if you're sporting the remnants of a beach holiday to St. Tropez. No wonder it picked up a 2022 Best of Beauty Award.

Best Angled Brush: Monika Blunder Call Your Bluff Angled Brush

As summer approaches, you might find yourself creating more dewy, lit-from-within beauty looks. For the best no-makeup-makeup look, the Monika Blunder Beauty Call Your Buff Angled Brush is worth every penny. Creamy, second-skin-like products—blush, highlighter, and bronzer in particular—will be blended to perfection with no streaks or orange patches. The makeup artist-designed sculpted brush makes the application totally goof-proof, even if you're a beginner. In fact, that's why it earned itself a 2022 Best of Beauty Award.

Best Highlighter Brush: Sigma Beauty F03 High Cheekbone Highlighter

A brush just for highlighter? Stay with us a sec. Makeup artist Carissa Ferreri recommends the Best of Beauty Award-winning Sigma Beauty's F03 High Cheekbone Highlighter Brush because, well, it does work wonderfully for highlighter, but it's also excellent for "contouring the hollows of the cheek and around the perimeter of the face," she said. The densely packed bristles are firm enough to deposit color and blend out for a clean application.

Best Eye & Brow Brushes on Amazon

Best Eye Shadow Brush: Laura Geller All-Over Eye Shadow Brush

An eyeshadow brush that minimizes fallout? Sign us up. Laura Geller's All-Over Eyeshadow Brush is designed to keep the pigment on the brush and your lids, not creating a mess under your eyes and along your cheekbones. The small brush is fluffy and tapered for a comfortable (read: not scratchy) feel, and it gives serious color pay-off, no matter what kind of look you're going for. Pro tip: Use it for highlighter down the bridge of your nose and on your cupid's bow.

Best Brow Brush: Real Techniques Brow Styling Set

Brows are one of the most expressive parts of our faces, so we say play ‘em up! The three-piece Real Techniques Brow Styling Set allows you to find the shape and thickness of your brows with simple, precise tools. The Best of Beauty Award winner is practically a toolbox for your arches, including a mini toothbrush for fluffing, a slanted nib for defining, long and short spoolies for taming, and a tiny spatula for at-home lifting and laminating (if that’s your jam).

Best Makeup Sponges on Amazon

Most Awarded Makeup Sponge: Beautyblender Original

When activated with water, the Beautyblender—which has won countless Best of Beauty Awards and Readers' Choice Awards in its groundbreaking lifetime—expands to twice its size and seamlessly blends foundation, concealer, and highlighter. (Make sure you squeeze out excess water before taking it to your face.) Rest assured that its beloved reputation is deserved, mostly for the following reasons: no streaks, no orange patches, and no cakey finish. Plus, a contoured tip allows for precise application—perfect for those tricky undereyes.

Best Affordable Makeup Sponge: EcoTools BioBlender Compostable Blender

Plenty of makeup sponges can magically make streaks disappear but EcoTools's BioBlender (which won a Best of Beauty Award in 2021) can make itself disappear, too. Let us explain: This nifty tool—made up of just five ingredients with water and corn leading the pack—will almost entirely decompose in a home compost bin in six months, which is pretty stellar considering the amount of waste our beauty products can—and do—create. This one is also very affordable, making it an excellent pick if you've never used a makeup sponge before and want to see how it works with your skin and products.

Best Makeup Brush Sets on Amazon

Best Starter Makeup Brush Set: Trademark Beauty The Essentials Makeup Brush Collection

Created by makeup artist Tobi Henney, this all-inclusive makeup brush set from Trademark Beauty is for anyone who recently discovered the joy of having fun with makeup and needs all the tools to support their new hobby—as well as longtime makeup lovers who want to a cohesive set that does it all. That means complexion brushes for all types of formulas, from creamy concealer to loose powder. You'll find a fan brush, and several smaller eye and brow brushes with varying densities to ensure that your smokey eye is blended to perfection and your eyebrows are perfectly full.

Best Luxury Makeup Brush Set: Jenny Patinkin Dual-Ended Sustainable Luxury Makeup Brush Set

Here's a luxurious set for the aspiring makeup artist in your life (you, perhaps?) that'll check all of their boxes. The six-piece Jenny Patinkin Dual-Ended Sustainable Luxury Brush Set—which also comes with a convenient zippered storage case—is not only beautiful to behold, but functional too. Since every brush is double-sided—and silky soft, might we add—you get 12 different tools in a smaller package. You'll find all the necessities, from a dense liquid foundation brush to a fluffy kabuki for an all-over glow.

Best Travel Makeup Brush Set: Sigma Beauty Travel Makeup Brush Set

Travel like the pros (the MUA pros, that is) with Sigma Beauty's Travel Makeup Brush Set, which includes seven high-quality brushes in a handy, space-saving container. Nicely, the brush handles are travel-size (while the brush heads have the same heft you're used to), so you won't be lugging a bunch of full-size gear in your carry-on. This set includes brushes for eyeliner, eye makeup blending, angled contour, powder, bronzer and highlighter, and liquid foundation.

Best Affordable Makeup Brush Set: EcoTools Makeup Brush Set

The phrase "bang for your buck" was certainly inspired by EcoTools' Makeup Brush Set, a five-piece kit conveniently packaged in a reusable aluminum tin. With handles made from renewable bamboo and super soft bristles, rest assured that this angled foundation brush, blurring brush, crease-defining brush, angled liner brush, and full blush brush gives more expensive tools a run for their money. "I love that these don't shed, even after many face beats and thorough washes," says Allure contributor Sarah Madaus. "I've had my EcoTools set for a very long time without ever needing to replace them."

For more Amazon shopping inspiration, keep reading:

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• 13 Best Sex Toys at Amazon to Add to Your Cart, Stat

Now, watch this drag singer's entire routine, from shaving to showtime:

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