Have you ever looked at someone else’s makeup and thought to yourself, “I could NEVER do that myself”? I have, and it wasn’t until I started blogging that I realized just how important good makeup brushes really were. It is a fact that good quality makeup brushes do most of the work for you… and makeup just looks better when applied with the right tools. 

I love working with a variety of different tools and brushes but there are really only a handful of brushes that I consider to be absolutely essential for anyone just starting out with makeup application:  

1) Foundation brush 
2) Powder or Bronzer brush
3) Blush brush
4) Eye shadow brush
5) Crease brush
6) Blending brush
7) Eyeliner brush (pointed or angled)
8) Spoolie (for grooming brows)

Other brushes for concealer, lips, contouring & smudging are also great add-ons to any collection.

There are tons of options available when it comes to purchasing makeup brushes. My personal collection consists of both natural and synthetic-hair brushes from brands like MAC, Make Up For Ever, Real Techniques, Sephora, Eco Tools, mark & Sigma. If you are looking to spend much less money, then the E.L.F Studio brushes are also acceptable, although not nearly the same quality at a mere $3. Here are a few brush sets from Sephora that I’ve been enjoying recently. The first is a stylish set of essentials that come in a cute faux leather pouch and the other is a great kit for travel or makeup application on the go.

Gold Den Brush Set ($65 CAD – value $90)
This luxurious four-piece brush set includes essential brushes that come in a teal faux leather pouch. The brushes are gold in colour and feature a leopard print design. This a great set that combines both synthetic (eye brushes) and goat hair (face brushes) bristles….all of which are extraordinarily soft. Included is a powder, angled blush, shadow and smudge brush. The pouch measures 220 x 135 mm.

Perfect Pink Brush Set ($85 CAD)
This nine-piece brush set includes brushes for the face, eyes, and lips. The brushes each have their own home inside a pastel pink quilted carrying case that also doubles as a makeup clutch. The inside of the case contains a see-through pouch that can be removed for makeup use.  These brushes are super soft & professionally crafted with aluminum ferrules, recycled content and a mixture of high-quality natural and synthetic fibers. Included is a powder, angled blush, all over shadow, medium shadow, smudge, blending, brow, angled liner and lip brush. The travel-friendly case measures 108 x 50 x 185 mm.

Of course you can always just pick up a few single brushes to start or add to your collection but these value sets are usually a better deal.