Are you ready to stock up on makeup brushes? If you want high-quality tools without spending a fortune, this list of the best cheap makeup brushes is perfect for you. Read on to see what we’ve got for you!
Over the years, I’ve learned that having good makeup brushes is just as important as having good makeup itself. After all, you can’t expect to apply great products without tools to match! As you may notice, department store makeup brushes can be wildly expensive. When I was doing research for this article, I stumbled upon a $450 brush set – what in the world?! That made me even more determined to compile a list of the best budget brushes on the market.
Below you’ll find beauty tools that are for eyes, cheeks, lips, and so much more. Each makeup brush is under $10 each, and many of them are $3.00 or less. But don’t let the low prices fool you – these brushes are designed to give you high-end results without breaking the bank. They may be so-called ‘cheap makeup brushes’, but the quality is far from that. If you’re ready to build up your collection, check out this list of the best budget brushes under $10.00.
Best Cheap Makeup Brushes Mega List
Best Budget Eye Makeup Brushes
e.l.f. Blending Brush – If you’re a fan of eyeshadow, then it’s crucial to have a great blending brush. This e.l.f. Brush is budget-friendly and does a fantastic job at flawlessly blending colors for numerous looks. I use it for a deep smoky eye, neutral nude looks, and so much more! It’s a great tool for banishing blotchy or creased looks, and it can be used with wet or dry eyeshadow. It’s one of e.l.f.’s best-selling products, and it’s easy to see why! It cost only $3.00, and it provides the same quality as blending brushes that cost $20.00 or more. Adding this tool to your makeup brush arsenal is a must!
EcoTools Eye Enhancing Duo Brush Set – I came across the EcoTools brand during my research for this post. After doing some reading, I’ve added far too many of their items to my Amazon wishlist! These two eyeshadow brushes have different style brushes on each end, so you get four brushes for under $5.00! There is a shading brush, blending brush, defining brush, and a smudge brush. This combination is perfect for every type of eye makeup look imaginable. While reading over 200 positive reviews, I learned that these brushes are soft, long-lasting, they don’t shed, and they really get the job done. If you need a starter set or extra set of the best eyeshadow brushes, this EcoTools set is worth a shot!
e.l.f. Flat Eyeliner Brush – If you use cream or gel eyeliner, then this brush is pretty perfect for you. The blunt bristles are great for applying eyeliner or even eyeshadow with ultimate precision. Though I have yet to buy this best budget eyeliner brush myself, it’s on my e.l.f. Cosmetics wishlist. It’s got rave reviews on their website, makeup forums, Reddit, and more. Whether you want a smokey eye or a subtle look, this brush will get the job done. It works with cream eyeshadow, palettes, gel liner pots – you name it, it’s a match! It’s a great value at only $3.00, so it’s absolutely worth a shot.
Morphe Brushes M506 – Tapered Mini Blender – Morphe brand brushes are extremely popular in the makeup community; I read about them all the time in all sorts of makeup forums. They’re even featured by makeup artists on Instagram and other social media platforms. I came across this blending brush when searching for the best cheap eyeshadow brushes. This blending brush is a bit different than other mini brushes you may have used. The tapered end allows you to do ultra-fine blending for complex eye makeup styles. It’s also great for regular blending, so you can get two great uses out of one single brush. With such an attractive price tag and great user feedback, this Morphe brush is one to add to your collection.
Best Budget Blush Brushes
e.l.f. Studio Blush Brush – This is my go-to blush brush, and I just love how simple, effective, and affordable it is! It allows me to apply blush evenly and flawlessly. I’ve used blush brushes before that didn’t hold product well, and this definitely leads to streaky blush or overapplication. Prior to using this brush, finding the best cheap blush brush was an endless task for me. This product has soft but firm bristles that are made from antibacterial material. It can even be used to evenly apply cream blushes and bronzers. The e.l.f. Studio line of brushes are black and sleek, so the stylish look is a bonus! For only $3.00, this item is a must-have. If you want to sculpt and contour with a bit more boldness and definition, try the e.l.f. Studio Angled Blush Brush.
Real Techniques Blush Brush – Real Techniques brushes are the epitome of high-end, expensive style brushes with a super attractive price tag. Sold in drugstores and makeup specialty stores alike, these brushes constantly receive rave reviews. This blush brush features hand cut bristles that are non-porous and resistant to bacteria. The style of this brush allows you to get an even, smooth application each and every time. This brush, in particular, has more than 700 positive reviews on Amazon, and it’s less than $7.00! If you want department store quality for a fraction of the price, Real Techniques is a brand worth checking out.
EcoTools Tapered Blush Brush – EcoTools is a popular budget-friendly cosmetic brush company, and they focus heavily on making environmentally friendly products. Each brush is made with cruelty-free bristles and sustainable bamboo handles, and the packaging for the brushes is recyclable. This particular brush had hand cut bristles that help you apply blush with the utmost ease. Despite being a blush brush, it also works very well with face powder – that versatility just adds to the value! On Amazon, this brush has almost 200 positive reviews from makeup lovers. These users rave about the brush’s fine craftsmanship and incredibly low price. If you want to add an environmentally-friendly and super budget-friendly brush to your collection, this is a great pick at around $7.00.
Best Affordable Powder And Skin Care Brushes
e.l.f. Kabuki Face Brush – This is another one of my favorite go-to brushes; I use it every single time I wear makeup. It’s perfect for flawlessly applying powder in an even, clean-looking manner. Like many other e.l.f. brushes, it features antibacterial bristles that are super soft. I simply dab it in my Rimmel Stay Matte powder, tap any excess powder off, and apply it on top of my foundation or BB cream. I also use it with powder to gently buff out blush for a more natural look. I never have that dreaded cakey, dusty look that can sometimes happen with face powder. This e.l.f. bestseller is a steal at only $6.00 – similar kabuki brushes cost anywhere between $35 to $85 each!
e.l.f. Contouring Kabuki Brush – Before I began using the e.l.f. Kabuki Face Brush listed prior to this one, I used the e.l.f. Contouring Kabuki brush for powder and blush application. It provides all of the same amazing benefits mentioned above. However, the contoured style allows for extremely precise application. This makes it absolutely perfect for blush, bronzer, shimmer, and so much more. I pair this brush or my blush brush mentioned above with my extensive collection of e.l.f. Studio Blushes. For only $6.00, I strongly suggest this brush if you’re a fan of highlighting and contouring.
bareMinerals Flawless Application Face Brush – bareMinerals is an extremely well-known and reputable cosmetics and skin care company. They offer a huge selection of high-quality products designed to make your skin look picture perfect. The Flawless Application Face Brush is certainly no exception! The brush features super soft bristles that have a unique rounded design, so they truly make powder application flawless. It’s also designed for light to medium coverage, so you can use it to achieve a natural and radiant look. Despite being a high-end brand, this bareMinerals brush is pretty affordable at just under $10. And with almost 300 positive statements from Amazon makeup lovers, you can feel confident investing a bit into this essential makeup tool.
e.l.f Essential Concealer Brush – I’ve mentioned before in a few of our skin care posts that I’ve got oily and acne prone skin. Applying concealer to my blemishes is a part of my go-to makeup routine, and this super simple brush really gets the job done. The tiny, firm bristles allow me to apply concealer to zits with the best precision imaginable (and it pairs perfectly with e.l.f. Cover Everything Concealer). But I have a second one of these brushes for applying lip color, too! When I had such great success with precise concealer application, I figured this would also work for lip colors. Since they cost only $1.00, I bought myself two. That was the best frugal choice I’d made in awhile! Keep a couple of these in your brush collection for high-quality concealer and lip color application.
Bare Escentuals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush – Bare Escentuals offers a collection of makeup and brushes made from high-quality ingredients. This brush is designed for flawlessly applying concealer without streaking or patchiness. The semi-firm bristles of this brush make it perfect for apply concealer to dark spots, acne, scars, and other facial blemishes. Use this along with your favorite concealer under foundation or BB cream, and you’ll be set all day long. This brush is under $10.00 and has amazing user feedback across the Internet. If you need something that really packs a punch and fully covers impurities, this concealer brush is the way to go.
e.l.f. Foundation Brush – Despite the name, the e.l.f. Foundation Brush pairs perfectly with so much more than foundation. It can be used to apply highlighter, BB cream, tinted moisturizer, and other liquid face products. If you struggle to get an even, non-patchy look with your foundation, then this brush is ideal for you. It glides smoothly against the skin and allows you to control exactly how much product is applied. I even use one of these brushes to apply thick face masks like the ones mentioned in my Pore Minimizer post. They make the process mess-free and allow me to cover every inch of my skin! For a mere $2.00 each, you can stock up on these brushes for many of your liquid makeup and skincare needs.
Best Budget Lip Brushes
e.l.f. Lip Liner & Blending Brush – I keep this product in my makeup bag and purse no matter where I go – it’s the ultimate lip color tool! This lip brush is a duo ended stick that features a creamy yet long lasting lip liner and high-quality blending brush. I use the “Natural” color and it pairs perfectly with numerous pink and nude lipsticks. The blending brush has ultra-soft but firm bristles that eliminate any unevenness, buildup, or other lip color snafus. I also use it to gently define my cupid’s bow for a full yet natural looking lip. The product comes in six different shades, and all of them are fairly versatile. With over 100 reviews and tons of positive feedback, this e.l.f. product continues to rapidly grow in popularity. You get a lip liner and excellent brush for only $3.00 – talk about getting the best bang for your buck!
Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush – When you’re on the go and wearing lip color, it’s essential to have a tool for touch ups. That’s exactly what this Real Techniques brush is designed for; it provides a quick way to fix smudges, even out color, and contour your lips perfectly. The brush features retractable bristles and a secure plastic lid, so it’s definitely a staple worth having in your makeup bag! It can be used with lipstick, glosses, stains, balms, and more. The bristles are super firm, so they hold and apply color with ease. Like other Real Techniques brushes, this one is a budget-friendly item that costs under $5.00. At a price like that, having one for your vanity and one for your makeup bag is very doable!
Maybelline New York Expert Tools, Lip Brush – Maybelline cosmetics made a few appearances on the BaumBeauty list of best drugstore makeup items. I personally love every single one of their products I’ve tried, so I was excited to come across this lip brush while doing my research for this post. With dozens of amazing reviews on Amazon and beauty sites, it definitely caught my eye. The design features all-natural bristles that are firm enough for all types of lip color products. It’s also got a retractable design, so it’s easily portable and perfect for day-to-day touch ups. For less than $7.00, this is yet another Maybelline product that offers great quality for a very attractive price.
Best Cheap Makeup Brushes: Sets
Real Techniques Starter Brush Set – This simple yet superb brush set stands out to me for a few reasons. First, it’s got more than 1,600 positive reviews solely from Amazon buyers. What’s even more impressive than that is that this set cost less than $11 (making each brush less than $2.00 each). Yep, you read that right! An entire collection of Real Techniques brushes for a crazy low price. This set features an assortment of eye makeup brushes that are each uniquely designed for a specific purpose. The set includes a base shadow brush, deluxe crease brush, accent brush, fine liner brush, and a brow brush. As you can see, you get everything you need to master any eye makeup style. Reviewers call this set “flawless” and “foolproof”, so it’s perfect whether you’re new to cosmetics or a makeup guru.
e.l.f. 11 Piece Brush Collection – This collection is on my “buy as soon as possible” list! Though I own many of the brushes, this valuable deal is too good to pass up. You get a full set of e.l.f. Studio brushes that meet every single one of your makeup needs! The e.l.f. website even features a mini-guide on how to use each brush under the product description. As an added bonus, the brushes come in a sleek black case that’s perfect for your purse or to keep in your car. Even if you’ve already got a set of brushes, I highly recommend buying this one as a backup. For only $30, you’re paying about $2.73 per brush – plus a free case! In my opinion, that’s a steal that cannot be passed up.
Coastal Scents 22 Piece Brush Set – Coastal Scents is a brand that I just recently became familiar with after reading a rave review about their eyeshadow. My wish list on their website is full to the brim with affordable eye color! This incredible brush set features 22 high-quality brushes for just under $30.00 – this comes out to less than $1.40 per brush. From their popular powder buffer to their flat stippling brush, this Coastal Scents kit has everything you need. It comes in a stylish black carrying case and has over 1,500 amazing customer reviews on Amazon. Everything about this brush set screams “buy me now”! At such an amazing price point, this is an excellent set to meet all of your makeup needs.
Wrap Up: The Best Budget Makeup Brushes Under $10 Offer Quality AND Value
As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to get high-quality makeup tools. From flawless blush application to perfectly lined eyes, the tools featured above cover all the bases. And since most of them cost less than a cup of coffee, your investment is absolutely outstanding.
I’m confident that this list of the best budget cosmetic brushes will help you find precisely what you need! However, I’m happy to help guide you if you’ve got any questions. As always, we also love hearing what you’ve got to say. Do you have go-to makeup brushes that you absolutely adore? Perhaps you’ve tried out some of the best cheap makeup brushes on this list, and you can provide you personal experiences with them. Feel free to leave any and all feedback in the comments below!
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Amy Baum
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