Best Drugstore Foundation Brushes

They say a makeup artist is only as good as his or her kit, because to create beauty, one has to rely on their tools to get the job done. Aside from using the best quality products, you need to choose a quality brush to apply the makeup.

So you find yourself wondering, “How do I choose a good brush?”

There are many drugstore foundation brushes available today that can be placed side by side with the pros in terms of quality. And the best part? They will only cost you a few dollars. To help you choose the finest among the lot, we’ve compiled a list of the best drugstore foundation brush.

Take your pick and level up your makeup skills.

Tips in Using Makeup Brushes

The brush you choose to apply your foundation has a lot of effect on the coverage.

• Use a stippling brush for light coverage foundations. Simply squeeze a pea size amount of foundation on the palm of your hand and swirl the stippling brush to load the foundation. Swirl the brush in round motions to your face.
• Use a buffing brush for medium coverage foundations.  Again, simply put a potion on your hand and use the buffing brush to load the product into your face and neck.
• Use a foundation brush for full coverage foundations. Always start at the center of your face and work outward in downward strokes using the foundation brush.

Our Top Picks

1. Real Techniques Makeup Brush Set

This expert face brush set is best used to blend powder blush evenly for a smooth, natural look. Set Includes: one RT 400 brush, one RT Miracle Complexion Sponge, one RT 300 brush, one RT 402 brush, and one RT 200 brush. It has firm and broad synthetic plush taklon bristles that are easy to use on the skin and doesn’t have any problems with shedding.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush Set provides a soft and smooth finish that buff out contour and under eye coverage. Every stroke moves with smoothness with this brush, it’s great to use for your final powder makeup coverage. It is one of the high quality brush sets you can get at the lowest price. Recommended by many makeup artists and skin care specialists, this is the best drugstore foundation brush set that is worth every penny on your pocket.

2. E.l.f. Studio Kabuki Face Brush

e.l.f Studio kabuki face brush is an antibacterial, synthetic haired taklon brush that is best used for wet and dry foundations.  It has soft, dense, and absorbent bristles that help professional makeup artists create a flawless look on every part of the face. It can be used for light or full coverage finishing which allows users to control application in precise amounts.

This foundation brush can also be used to blend loose powder and to blend out contour. Because the brush has almost no handle (just a teeny tiny black holder), it’s very easy to control and use for blending.

It can also be tucked conveniently in bags and small pouches. The brush won’t even shed after a number of washings and it won’t produce a cakey look when used with powder.

3. Bare Escentuals minerals Perfecting Face Brush

If you want a densely packed foundation brush that goes well for a light and medium coverage on your face, bare escentuals mineral perfecting face brush is the one for you. It’s smooth and gentle, and feels great against the skin. Using it on any product will create a naturally flawless look. It works well with mineral, dry, and liquid foundations.

Bare Escentuals Minerals Perfecting Face Brush is the best drugstore liquid foundation brush that has short synthetic bristles with ‘fluid reservoir’ in the middle part which distributes the foundation evenly during application. It’s engineered for a no-mess application directly to the bottle and onto the brush. However, many users complain that this technology is absorbing too much product and is causing waste.

This brush might be a little more difficult to clean than other brushes, but the quality is excellent for the price.

4. Sigma Beauty Professional Kabuki Makeup Brushes

If you need a great foundation brush that can easily blend both liquid and cream foundation products onto your forehead, cheeks, and the rest of your face, these Sigma Beauty Professional Kabuki Makeup Brushes could be right for you. We did say brushes, as in plural – there are several to choose from, including the 3DHD kabuki Cosmetic Brush, the 3DHD Max Kabuki, the F80 Air Flat Kabuki, the F80 Flat Kabuki, and the F80 Flat Kabuki Limited Edition.

The model that we are talking about today is the F80 Flat Kabuki Brush, which is made with very soft yet dense Sigmax fibers. In addition, it has a flat top head. These features allow for very easy spreading, buffing, and blending. In addition, the F80 Flat Kabuki Brush is one of the best in terms of product absorption; it’s not going to absorb your foundation, allowing for better coverage and less waste.

These Sigma Beauty Professional Kabuki Makeup Brushes allow for all types of coverage, from light to full, and it does allow for good building. In addition, the smooth yet firm nature of this brush will enable you to apply your foundation without streaks, splotches, or lines. All in all, the Sigma Beauty Professional Kabuki Makeup Brushes might just be some of the best out there, particularly if you consider their prices.

5. EcoTools Mini Essentials Brush Set

If you are looking for an all-in-one makeup brush set that you can use for foundation, eyeliner, eye shadow, and more or less everything in between, this EcoTools Mini Essentials Brush Set is right for you. We think this is probably one of the more cost-effective sets as you get three brushes for one low price.

These brushes are made with eco-friendly materials. All the plastic and aluminum are 100% recycled, plus the packaging is made out of recycled bamboo and cotton fiber, as opposed to paper pulp, thus preventing trees from being cut down. This is one of the only sets of brushes we’ve seen that is eco-friendly and sustainable to such a high degree.

The EcoTools Mini Essentials Brush Set has a large full powder brush that will allow you to achieve a smooth and flawless base. This brush allows for easy spreading and blending, and its soft yet dense bristles should not absorb much product, nor should it cause streaking or blotching. You also get an eye shading brush and an angled liner brush.