The Best Beauty Tools By Price: Brushes & Sponges
/

The Best Beauty Tools By Price: Brushes & Sponges

From kabuki brushes to bouncy blenders, it can be a minefield knowing what tool works best for each step of your make-up routine. We share our latest guide to the ones guaranteed to give you a flawless finish, and there’s one for every budget…

FOR FOUNDATION:

Foundation Brush, £3 | E.L.F
Foundation Brush, £3 | E.L.F

E.L.F Foundation Brush


£: £3

Cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, this all-natural brush is soft but dense enough to deliver an even amount of coverage. Its flat head means you can get into smaller areas (around the eyes) with ease too.
 
 

Foundation Brush, £8.99 | Real Techniques
Foundation Brush, £8.99 | Real Techniques

Real Techniques Foundation Brush

 
££: £8.99

 
From the brand that brought us affordable, yet effective tools, comes this newly designed foundation brush that picks up just the right amount of pigment and spreads it beautifully across the face and neck.
 

Original Beauty Blender Foundation Sponge, £17 | BeautyBlender
Original Beauty Blender Foundation Sponge, £17 | BeautyBlender

Beautyblender

£££: £17

 
It wouldn’t be a beauty tools round-up without a nod to the iconic Beautyblender, whose pointy tip hits tiny targets while the round base allows for all-over buffing.
 

Glitz Applicator, £9.99 | MakeupDrop
Glitz Applicator, £9.99 | MakeupDrop

MakeupDrop Glitz Applicator

 

£££: £9.99

We also had to acknowledge the brand-new MakeupDrop silicone pad. This innovative, hygienic applicator cleanly applies your foundation without absorbing too much of the product. It also doubles up as a de-puffing tool with experts recommending you put it into the freezer for a quick skincare fix. It’s easy to clean too with just a splash of water.

Foundation and Concealer Brush, £35 | IT Cosmetics
Foundation and Concealer Brush, £35 | IT Cosmetics

IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Dual Airbrush Foundation and Concealer Brush

 
££££: £35
 
A make-up artist favourite, this double-ended brush provides a fingertip-like application (aka soft and weightless) with fluffy bristles that don’t deposit too much of your favourite base in one solid area.
 

The Foundation Brush, £58 | La Mer
The Foundation Brush, £58 | La Mer

La Mer The Foundation Brush

 

£££££: £58


The densely packed hairs of this brush seamlessly blend liquid, powder and cream foundations. Expensive but so worth it if you’re looking for a luxe finish to your foundation.
 

FOR BRONZER AND BLUSH:

Blusher Brush, £7.99 | L’Oréal Paris
Blusher Brush, £7.99 | L’Oréal Paris

L’Oréal Paris Blusher Brush

 
£: £7.99
 
The soft, flexible bristles are ideal for swirling your favourite blusher over the apples of your cheeks and along your cheekbones.
 
 

Smart Powder Brush 102, £10.99 | Kiko
Smart Powder Brush 102, £10.99 | Kiko

Kiko Smart Powder Brush 102
 

££: £10.99

 
Kiko do some of our favourite brushes and this one is no exception. It’s designed for powders but works equally well with creamy formulas for a dewy finish.
 

Luxe Cheek Finish Brush, £14.99 | Zoeva
Luxe Cheek Finish Brush, £14.99 | Zoeva

Zoeva Luxe Cheek Finish Brush

 
£££: £14.99

 
This brush picks up all the pigment you need in one touch and applies it smoothly for an expert finish. Can be used with a bronzer, blusher or highlighter.
 

Dual Finish Blush & Contour Brush, £21 | Bare Minerals
Dual Finish Blush & Contour Brush, £21 | Bare Minerals

bareMinerals Dual Finish Blush & Contour Brush

 

£££: £21

This easy-to-use offering from bareMinerals has long, feathery bristles that breeze over the face to prevent product pileups while creating chiselled features that you never knew you had

Retractable Kabuki Brush, £30 | Too Faced
Retractable Kabuki Brush, £30 | Too Faced

Too Faced Retractable Kabuki Brush

 
£££££: £30
 
In our opinion, everyone should own a dinky kabuki brush as they work with every texture of product. Too Faced’s is our go-to, made with cruelty-free teddy bear hair, it buffs in blush and bronzer in seconds. Its portable case means it’s easy carry around too and use on the go. 
 

FOR LIPS:

Pro Lip Brush, £8 | NYX Professional
Pro Lip Brush, £8 | NYX Professional

NYX Professional Make-Up Pro Lip Brush
 

£: £8

The slim point of this brush sharpens the cupid’s brow while the main, flat bulk of the brush works to deliver colour precisely.
 

Lipstick and Concealer Brush, £9 | The Body Shop
Lipstick and Concealer Brush, £9 | The Body Shop

The Body Shop Lipstick and Concealer Brush
 

££: £9

 
This spreads colour for a luscious, plump finish but also allows you to keep layering up your shade for extra intensity. You will need to give it a deep clean though so the colours don’t stain the bristles.

Lip Brush, £15.50 | Clinique
Lip Brush, £15.50 | Clinique

Clinique Lip Brush
 

£££: £15.50

 
Hugs the lip line for a precise finish and can be used with either lipstick or gloss. Its retractable brush is a bonus for keeping the bristles hygienic and clean.
 

318 Retractable Lip Brush, £20 | MAC
318 Retractable Lip Brush, £20 | MAC

MAC 318 Retractable Lip Brush
 

££££: £20

 
Spied at every backstage fashion show, this lip brush is a make-up artist staple, working with any formula to provide any finish you so desire. Great for diffusing colour too if you want a lip tone that’s a bit more muted.
 

FOR BROWS:

Flex Brush 05 Brow and Shape, £1.80 | Revolution
Flex Brush 05 Brow and Shape, £1.80 | Revolution

Revolution Flex Brush 05 Brow and Shape
 

£: £1.80

 
Evens out product to avoid build-up but is also great for grooming hairs into place when you don’t want to wear a gel or pencil on top.

Angled Brow Brush, £10 | No7
Angled Brow Brush, £10 | No7

No7 Angled Brow Brush
 

££: £10

 
Gives crisp lines and fills in gaps when used with a brow product. Apply in quick strokes for a realistic and natural look.

Duo Brush, £18 | Anastasia Beverley Hills
Duo Brush, £18 | Anastasia Beverley Hills

Anastasia Beverley Hills Duo Brush

 
£££: £18

 
Nothing whips unruly brows into shape quite like this. The tiny, slanted nib targets sparse areas, while the smaller brush at the other end keeps hairs locked firmly in place.

FOR EYES:

Brush MA07, £5.99 | Spectrum
Brush MA07, £5.99 | Spectrum

Spectrum Brush MA07


£: £5.99

 
The bristles on this brush allow you to cover the lids in shadow for one-step evening eyes, and their density means you can really pack on the colour for high-impact texture. We love.

Pro Precision Pencil Crease Brush, £5.50 | Morphe
Pro Precision Pencil Crease Brush, £5.50 | Morphe

Morphe Pro Precision Pencil Crease Brush


££: £5.50

 
The brush for creating depth and definition, it enables you to blend and contour your eye products for a cool, lived-in finish. 

E55 Eye Shading Brush, £12.50 | Sigma
E55 Eye Shading Brush, £12.50 | Sigma

Sigma E55 Eye Shading Brush

 

£££: £12.50

 
Praised for its super soft bristles, this works to smudge eyeshadows on in seconds for your easiest ever smokey eye.

Flat Eye Liner Brush, £24 | Laura Mercier
Flat Eye Liner Brush, £24 | Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Flat Eye Liner Brush

 

££££: £24

 
Struggle to apply liquid liner with accuracy? This flat brush makes light work of drawing feline flicks and allows you to control gel and liquid liners with ease.

Fashion. Beauty. Culture. Life. Home
Delivered to your inbox, daily