10 Best Foundation Brushes In 2022

10 Best Foundation Brushes In 2022

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock By Reecha Kulkarni/April 14, 2022 1:38 pm EST

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Your makeup arsenal may consist of the best concealers, foundations, and blush money can buy. However, these products are only as good as the tools you wield to apply them. Choosing the right brush can make or break the experience of applying makeup as it can affect the texture of the product, the ease of blending, and your skin’s overall health.

There are so many different kinds of makeup brushes, but a base brush is always a great place to start. Celebrity makeup artist Brandy Allen believes that if you’re reserving a splurge, it should be on face brushes as they’re “used on the biggest part of the makeup application” (via Aedit). If chosen well, a good foundation brush can give the rest of the steps in your routine a smooth base to work with; your blush, contour stick, and setting powder all gravely depend on it. Fortunately for you, we’ve listed out a few favorites to pick from.

Best overall foundation brush

Merit/ Sephora

Katherine Power, the founder of the clean skincare brand Versed, noted the popularity of the minimalist makeup trend and expertly channeled it into her beauty brand called Merit. Although it’s only been a year since it was launched, Merit is already making waves for its tightly edited collection of essentials. Among the many mascaras and blushes is the Merit Brush No.1, a tapered blending brush that won the Allure Best of Beauty award in 2021.

The brush has densely packed bristles to help seamlessly buff powder or liquid product onto your skin. The angled part of the brush lets you get product in places a bigger brush couldn’t reach. One reviewer on Sephora wrote, “Obsessed with this brush. I’m a makeup minimalist and prefer to keep things simple — this brush is amazing for concealer, blush, etc. It’s the only one I need/use.” Get the Merit Brush no. 1 Tapered Blending Brush for $30 on Sephora.

Best splurge-worthy foundation brush

Pat McGrath

Celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt, who’s worked with clients like Jennifer Lopez and Freida Pinto, told Allure, “I really believe that high-quality brushes are worth the price. They don’t just perform the best; they also make applying makeup a pleasure. If a $60 blush brush still gives you sticker shock, consider that it can easily last 20 years with proper maintenance.” Enter $60 foundation brush: Pat McGrath’s Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection.

Promised to have been “rigorously tested backstage [and] on the runways,” this brush gives you precise coverage that can be buffed into a naturally glowy finish. According to McGrath, “The foundation brush gives a beautiful, smooth finish, and then also the sponge gives you another level of build, so I love that it’s versatile” (via Who What Wear). Reviewers agree, with one raving, “I’ve used many different foundation brushes from high end to low end.. but this brush paired with Pat’s SkinFetish foundation applies so evenly and smooth…. I feel and look airbrushed! AAHHHHMAZING!” Get the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Brush for $41 at Pat McGrath.

Best liquid foundation brush

Fenty Beauty/ Sephora

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has won many awards, including The List’s Beauty Awards in the categories of lip gloss, primer, and lipstick. The brand’s consistency with delivering covetable products extends to its foundation brush, a medium dense synthetic bristled brush that’s perfect for liquid or cream foundations. “Because liquid foundation needs to be applied seamlessly without leaving streaks, using a synthetic fiber foundation brush to blend works every time,” makeup artist Rudy Miles told Makeup.

This brush also has a unique shape that allows for precision and buffing. Beauty YouTuber Genevieve Fields tested out the brush in detail, using various products and techniques. After using it for foundation, contouring, and highlighting, she said, “I’m loving this [brush] because this means that I can use this one brush in one go for pretty much every liquid [or] cream highlight, contour type product on the face.” Over 72,000 people on Sephora also have this brush favorited, and one reviewer said, “Easy to use, doesn’t absorb too much product into the actual brush, and creates a flawless finish. My new go-to brush for my liquid foundation.” Get the Fenty Beauty Foundation Brush 110 for $34 at Sephora.

Best makeup artist-approved foundation brush

Smith Cosmetics

Smith Cosmetics creates tools for professionals, and its brushes are mainstays in the bags of makeup artists as well as beauty editors. The brand’s 202 Microliner brush already won two Allure Best of Beauty awards, but its foundation brush is what celebrity makeup artist Natalia Thomas recommends. “This brush is a blend of goat hair and synthetic fiber in a dense yet still fluffy shape that works well with powders, creams, liquids, and waxes,” she told Allure. “I am all about keeping tools and products in my kit that are multipurpose to help lighten the load.” 

The 131 Multi Task Buffing brush is made with an equal blend of natural goat hair and synthetic fibers, making it perfect for liquid and powder foundations. The natural fibers also allow for a more natural-looking finish, which you can always build on if you’re looking for a more Instagram-filter look. These brushes are especially popular among makeup artists because of the way they’re crafted; Francesca Tolot (Beyonce’s makeup artist) and Amber Dreadon (who works with Lorde) are a few of the many who carry the brand’s tools with them, per Hollywood Reporter. Get the 131 Multi Task Buffing brush for $36.50 at Smith Cosmetics.

10 Best Foundation Brushes In 2022

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

By Reecha Kulkarni/April 14, 2022 1:38 pm EST

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Your makeup arsenal may consist of the best concealers, foundations, and blush money can buy. However, these products are only as good as the tools you wield to apply them. Choosing the right brush can make or break the experience of applying makeup as it can affect the texture of the product, the ease of blending, and your skin’s overall health.

There are so many different kinds of makeup brushes, but a base brush is always a great place to start. Celebrity makeup artist Brandy Allen believes that if you’re reserving a splurge, it should be on face brushes as they’re “used on the biggest part of the makeup application” (via Aedit). If chosen well, a good foundation brush can give the rest of the steps in your routine a smooth base to work with; your blush, contour stick, and setting powder all gravely depend on it. Fortunately for you, we’ve listed out a few favorites to pick from.

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

There are so many different kinds of makeup brushes, but a base brush is always a great place to start. Celebrity makeup artist Brandy Allen believes that if you’re reserving a splurge, it should be on face brushes as they’re “used on the biggest part of the makeup application” (via Aedit). If chosen well, a good foundation brush can give the rest of the steps in your routine a smooth base to work with; your blush, contour stick, and setting powder all gravely depend on it. Fortunately for you, we’ve listed out a few favorites to pick from.

How we selected the products

false/Shutterstock

This curated list lets you choose without losing sleep over a poor purchase. However, it’s still important to try these brushes out yourself and experiment with what works for you. “When choosing your makeup brushes, you should always go with what feels good, followed by the application test,” makeup artist Janice Daoud advised Real Simple. “The application test will allow you to see how the color is picked up, deposited, and blended. If the bristles of the brushes do the job, then it’s the right brush for you.” 

Best overall foundation brush

Merit/ Sephora

Katherine Power, the founder of the clean skincare brand Versed, noted the popularity of the minimalist makeup trend and expertly channeled it into her beauty brand called Merit. Although it’s only been a year since it was launched, Merit is already making waves for its tightly edited collection of essentials. Among the many mascaras and blushes is the Merit Brush No.1, a tapered blending brush that won the Allure Best of Beauty award in 2021.

The brush has densely packed bristles to help seamlessly buff powder or liquid product onto your skin. The angled part of the brush lets you get product in places a bigger brush couldn’t reach. One reviewer on Sephora wrote, “Obsessed with this brush. I’m a makeup minimalist and prefer to keep things simple — this brush is amazing for concealer, blush, etc. It’s the only one I need/use.” Get the Merit Brush no. 1 Tapered Blending Brush for $30 on Sephora.

The brush has densely packed bristles to help seamlessly buff powder or liquid product onto your skin. The angled part of the brush lets you get product in places a bigger brush couldn’t reach. One reviewer on Sephora wrote, “Obsessed with this brush. I’m a makeup minimalist and prefer to keep things simple — this brush is amazing for concealer, blush, etc. It’s the only one I need/use.”

Get the Merit Brush no. 1 Tapered Blending Brush for $30 on Sephora.

Best splurge-worthy foundation brush

Pat McGrath

Celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt, who’s worked with clients like Jennifer Lopez and Freida Pinto, told Allure, “I really believe that high-quality brushes are worth the price. They don’t just perform the best; they also make applying makeup a pleasure. If a $60 blush brush still gives you sticker shock, consider that it can easily last 20 years with proper maintenance.” Enter $60 foundation brush: Pat McGrath’s Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection.

Promised to have been “rigorously tested backstage [and] on the runways,” this brush gives you precise coverage that can be buffed into a naturally glowy finish. According to McGrath, “The foundation brush gives a beautiful, smooth finish, and then also the sponge gives you another level of build, so I love that it’s versatile” (via Who What Wear). Reviewers agree, with one raving, “I’ve used many different foundation brushes from high end to low end.. but this brush paired with Pat’s SkinFetish foundation applies so evenly and smooth…. I feel and look airbrushed! AAHHHHMAZING!” Get the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Brush for $41 at Pat McGrath.

Promised to have been “rigorously tested backstage [and] on the runways,” this brush gives you precise coverage that can be buffed into a naturally glowy finish. According to McGrath, “The foundation brush gives a beautiful, smooth finish, and then also the sponge gives you another level of build, so I love that it’s versatile” (via Who What Wear). Reviewers agree, with one raving, “I’ve used many different foundation brushes from high end to low end.. but this brush paired with Pat’s SkinFetish foundation applies so evenly and smooth…. I feel and look airbrushed! AAHHHHMAZING!”

Get the Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Brush for $41 at Pat McGrath.

Best drugstore foundation brush

NYX

Best budget foundation brush

Best liquid foundation brush

Fenty Beauty/ Sephora

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has won many awards, including The List’s Beauty Awards in the categories of lip gloss, primer, and lipstick. The brand’s consistency with delivering covetable products extends to its foundation brush, a medium dense synthetic bristled brush that’s perfect for liquid or cream foundations. “Because liquid foundation needs to be applied seamlessly without leaving streaks, using a synthetic fiber foundation brush to blend works every time,” makeup artist Rudy Miles told Makeup.

This brush also has a unique shape that allows for precision and buffing. Beauty YouTuber Genevieve Fields tested out the brush in detail, using various products and techniques. After using it for foundation, contouring, and highlighting, she said, “I’m loving this [brush] because this means that I can use this one brush in one go for pretty much every liquid [or] cream highlight, contour type product on the face.” Over 72,000 people on Sephora also have this brush favorited, and one reviewer said, “Easy to use, doesn’t absorb too much product into the actual brush, and creates a flawless finish. My new go-to brush for my liquid foundation.” Get the Fenty Beauty Foundation Brush 110 for $34 at Sephora.

This brush also has a unique shape that allows for precision and buffing. Beauty YouTuber Genevieve Fields tested out the brush in detail, using various products and techniques. After using it for foundation, contouring, and highlighting, she said, “I’m loving this [brush] because this means that I can use this one brush in one go for pretty much every liquid [or] cream highlight, contour type product on the face.” Over 72,000 people on Sephora also have this brush favorited, and one reviewer said, “Easy to use, doesn’t absorb too much product into the actual brush, and creates a flawless finish. My new go-to brush for my liquid foundation.”

Get the Fenty Beauty Foundation Brush 110 for $34 at Sephora.

Best powder foundation brush

E.L.F Cosmetics

Best multitasking foundation brush

Best foundation brush for precision

Best makeup artist-approved foundation brush

Smith Cosmetics

Smith Cosmetics creates tools for professionals, and its brushes are mainstays in the bags of makeup artists as well as beauty editors. The brand’s 202 Microliner brush already won two Allure Best of Beauty awards, but its foundation brush is what celebrity makeup artist Natalia Thomas recommends. “This brush is a blend of goat hair and synthetic fiber in a dense yet still fluffy shape that works well with powders, creams, liquids, and waxes,” she told Allure. “I am all about keeping tools and products in my kit that are multipurpose to help lighten the load.” 

The 131 Multi Task Buffing brush is made with an equal blend of natural goat hair and synthetic fibers, making it perfect for liquid and powder foundations. The natural fibers also allow for a more natural-looking finish, which you can always build on if you’re looking for a more Instagram-filter look. These brushes are especially popular among makeup artists because of the way they’re crafted; Francesca Tolot (Beyonce’s makeup artist) and Amber Dreadon (who works with Lorde) are a few of the many who carry the brand’s tools with them, per Hollywood Reporter. Get the 131 Multi Task Buffing brush for $36.50 at Smith Cosmetics.

The 131 Multi Task Buffing brush is made with an equal blend of natural goat hair and synthetic fibers, making it perfect for liquid and powder foundations. The natural fibers also allow for a more natural-looking finish, which you can always build on if you’re looking for a more Instagram-filter look.

These brushes are especially popular among makeup artists because of the way they’re crafted; Francesca Tolot (Beyonce’s makeup artist) and Amber Dreadon (who works with Lorde) are a few of the many who carry the brand’s tools with them, per Hollywood Reporter.

Get the 131 Multi Task Buffing brush for $36.50 at Smith Cosmetics.